#even in a non-anarchist society

[permian-tropos]

that is a fair argument—perish the thought of having poor quality control or lax adherence to safety standards! however long it takes to train people to do this work safely, they must be trained. we can abide by real world standards of safety and training for this

but a reminder: in this hypothetical we are imagining dealing with a need in a society that already exists. imagine you were born into this society

if your solution to the problem is “found a state” or “establish capitalism” we likely can’t do that on such short notice, but otherwise, how would you @beesandwasps like to work in this scenario as a safety advocate?

I’m not demanding that you agree that this hypothetical society is the best society, I just want to know what you would choose to do if you lived under these circumstances

I assume a lot of people are going to bring up safety concerns—which indicates a will to work on that issue, yes? will you all be training yourself in the quality inspection field?

twitter has been going on for a while about how an anarchist society can’t produce insulin so instead of deferring the question or coming up with my own answer, I feel the most anarchist solution is to collectively discuss it

let’s say you live in a society of autonomous worker collectives, some regional and some diffusely spread throughout the anarcho-realm. one of them is a federation of medical supply distributors and they have determined there’s a shortage of insulin. they have crunched the numbers and they recommend a couple thousand people from your region go work at the nearest insulin factory for 15 hours a week (nobody works more than that because fuck that lol)

labor cannot be coerced in this society so here is the question—what, outside of a wage or violence, could motivate you to willingly go work there?

important to note—you will be provided for as well as anyone else in your society whether you do or don’t go

[fuck-yeah-anarchy]

Just a reminder for my fellow white anarchists about how critical it is to explore the perspectives of people of color, both anarchist and non-anarchist alike as not only do experiences of common oppressions like the state and class rule differ depending on identity and conditions, but they also demonstrate how intersecting systems of oppression, such as white supremacy, permeate society as wide-reaching structures of oppression. It emphasizes the significance of dismantling these systems alongside the destruction of the state and the development of a free society.

Failure by white anarchists to comprehend white supremacy, its connection to other forms of oppression, and the experiences of people of color and their distinctive oppressions will not only significantly impede any endeavor towards building a freer society but also guarantee the perpetuation of these oppressions within the organizations/affinity groups they establish and the work they undertake. These groups typically fade away after alienating numerous potential nonwhite sympathizers to anarchism and its principles, all while merely paying lip service to Anti-Racist ideals and the movements led by people of color.

Only by actively listening to, reading, and reflecting upon the experiences of people of color, as well as engaging in introspection to comprehend the white supremacist mindset that persists even among white radicals like anarchists, can we initiate the dismantling of these oppressive systems and progress towards a genuinely free society.

Here is some content on the subject from some fantastic folks.

Videos:

Zoe Samudzi - On a Black Feminist Anarchism

Saint Andrewism - Landback

Saint Andrewism - What is Black Anarchism

Literature:

Lorenzo Kom'boa Ervin - Anarchism and the Black Revolution

Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz - An indigenous peoples' history of the United States

Mariame Kaba, William C Anderson, Zoe Samudzi - As Black As Resistance

[hellkeepers-if]

DEMO (prologue out) UPDATES

Set in an alternate version of Singapore, you're a fresh university graduate bumbling through life as you desperately look for a job.

...Or that's what your mother thinks. In a world where occult ceremonies are as common as an existential crisis, there's no way you were ever going to be a perfectly average office worker. Just like your twin brother, you work for the International Society Of Exorcists (ISOE) which deals with supernatural occurrences, demonic rituals, and the like.

When a tragic event befalls your older sister, it uproots your entire life and everything you ever knew about the supernatural. With it, comes a forced need to come to terms with a family history straight out of the movies. 

After all, how the hell did it take twenty years to find out that you're descended from the freaking king of the underworld?

"I have a duty to myself, but more importantly, my family."

——————

Inspired by Supernatural, Fullmetal Alchemist, Noragami, and the Percy Jackson series, Hellkeepers is a +18 urban fantasy/paranormal interactive fiction, involving elements of Chinese and Southeast-Asian mythology. In every playthrough, you will...

• Play as a female, male, or non-binary Chinese demigod/ess.

• Determine the relationships between you and your family members. After all, they will play a big part in your story...

• Peel apart the full truth behind you and your siblings' birthright. Your parents can't hide it forever.

• Learn more about Chinese and Southeast Asian mythology as you warp into different dimensions, unlike anything you've seen before.

• Learn more about who you were in your past life.

| Nishimura Kazuo (he/him)

Age: 26

Ethnicity: Japanese

With a penchant for mischief and a charm that woos even the most stubborn of grandmas, Kazu is the wildcard of your organization. You think he's an anarchist, and the only reason he's tied down to the ISOE is so that he has an excuse for whatever havoc he wreaks on the supernatural. 

The A-ranked exorcist is your colleague and your brother's mentor, though you rarely ever see him in his office. But if you ever need him for demon fighting, he'll be there. Most of the time.

"Mind taking that pesky thing out for me while I take a quick nap?"

| Quentin Khanh (Quan) (he/him)

Age: 25

Ethnicity: Vietnamese

Quentin, more affectionately known as Quan, was your childhood friend. After he moved overseas, the weekly texts you sent him fizzled into nothing but a lost friendship.

Since then, he's returned to Singapore as a forensics pathologist and researcher under your organisation. Whether you like it or not, you have to no choice but to work with him for most of your investigations.

"If your bribe doesn't involve a penthouse worth of money, don't talk to me."

| Reyna Aliyah Santos (she/her)

Age: 23

Ethnicity: Mixed (Filipino-Chinese)

You've never quite met someone like Reyna. A halfling with a demon mother and a human father. Being raised in Singapore all her life with little knowledge of her parents, it's natural that Reyna would come to the ISOE for help at the mere instance of a fox tail and white fur.

You've been tasked to help her mask and get comfortable with her supernatural powers, but she won't make it easy for you. After all, foxes do bite. 

"Technically, I'm not stealing anything if they don't notice."

| Song Huayun (she/her)

Age: ????

Ethnicity: "Uhh...from Hell?" Chinese

| You don't know too much about Huayun, except for the fact that she lives in Diyu, the Chinese Underworld. As Diyu's gatekeeper, Huayun has seen countless depravities committed by humans before their deaths. That alone has made it hard for her to like them, and the contempt she shows you is no different than what she shows everyone else.

But with time, maybe she'll finally learn what it is like to feel human…and what a smile is.

"If it isn't the star of tonight's show. Welcome to Diyu."

| The Arbiter of Fate (m/f)

Theyre a stranger, or so you say. But this deity knows everyone...especially you.

[scotianostra]

On February 16th 1954 the writer Iain Banks was born in Dunfermline, Fife

Banks was a son of a professional ice skater and an Admiralty officer. He spent his early years in North Queensferry and later moved to Gourock because of his father’s work requirement. He received his early education from Gourock and Greenock High Schools and at the young age of eleven, he decided to pursue a career in writing. He penned his first novel, titled The Hungarian Lift-Jet, in his adolescence. He was then enrolled at the University of Stirling where he studied English, philosophy and psychology. During his freshman year, he wrote his second novel, TTR.

Subsequent to attaining his bachelor degree, Banks worked a succession of jobs that allowed him some free time to write. The assortment of employments supported him financially throughout his twenties. He even managed to travel through Europe, North America and Scandinavia during which he was employed as an analyzer for IBM, a technician and a costing clerk in a London law firm. At the age of thirty he finally had his big break as he published his debut novel, The Wasp Factory, in 1984, henceforth he embraced full-time writing. It is considered to be one of the most inspiring teenage novels. The instant success of the book restored his confidence as a writer and that’s when he took up science fiction writing.

In 1987, he published his first sci-fi novel, Consider Phlebas which is a space opera. The title is inspired by one of the lines in T.S Eliot’s classic poem, The Waste Land. The novel is set in a fictional interstellar anarchist-socialist utopian society, named the Culture. The focus of the book is the ongoing war between Culture and Idiran Empire which the author manifests through the microcosm conflicts. The protagonist, Bora Horza Gobuchul, unlike other stereotypical heroes is portrayed as a morally ambiguous individual, who appeals to the readers. Additionally, the grand scenery and use of variety of literary devices add up to the extremely well reception of the book. Its sequel, The Player of Games, came out the very next year which paved way for other seven volumes in The Culture series.

Besides the Culture series, Banks wrote several stand-alone novels. Some of them were adapted for television, radio and theatre. BBC television adapted his novel, The Crow Road (1992), and BBC Radio 4 broadcasted Espedair Street. The literary influences on his works include Isaac Asimov, Dan Simmons, Arthur C. Clarke, and M. John Harrison. He was featured in a television documentary, The Strange Worlds of Iain Banks South Bank Show, which discussed his literary writings. In 2003, he published a non-fiction book, Raw Spirit, which is a travelogue of Scotland. Banks last novel, titled The Quarry, appeared posthumously. He also penned a collection of poetry but could not publish it in his lifetime. It is expected to be released in 2015. He was awarded multitude of titles and accolades in honour of his contribution to literature. Some of these accolades include British Science Fiction Association Award, Arthur C. Clarke Award, Locus Poll Award, Prometheus Award and Hugo Award.

Iain Banks was diagnosed with terminal cancer of the gallbladder and died at the age of 59 in the summer of 2013.

[wilted3sunflowers]

Pink Pearl: SOLD

Always thought of as a simple minded pearl who honestly to many outsiders never thought she was that great at being a quiet and follow you from behind type. Yet never seemed to be reprimanded much from Zebra Agate whom she was entrusted to. Currently she's thriving in this new Era 3 and on earth in Empire City. She was the one among this group to actually start the whole animal pattern print...kind of. Though technically it could be argued the pattern started with Zebra Agate but Pink Pearl conciously chose leopard print from seeing them on models in store window advertismenet and could not be more interested. On Homeworld theres very little patterns, only really lattice work or stripes of any kind or diamond checkerboard. No one really thought out- no one thought to look to organic beasts for fashion. Humans are so fascinating. Maybe thats what that Rose Quartz truly saw in them. How creative and vibrant they are. Comes with a past form too on toyhouse

Design Notes on Grey and Pink Pearl: Inspired first by Pink pearl's interest in 'animal pattern' which Grey is a pearl who excelled at being 'a pearl' sure she was never the most emotive, sing song-y type of pearl for entertainment yet what Zebra Agate needed was a pearl more of a secretary of keeping things on schedule and taking calls and what not. I also decided for this story a conscious effort that Pearls don't wear patterns. They're not of importance they are here to be simple, more softer colors typically and just to show they're a pearl. not some combination of gem type wearing another gems pattern. Also decided the same of course for Pink pearl for them being simple, run of the mill pearls even if Grey has a bit more to her past design it was only for the more authoritative feel that a pearl might have being under an *Agate* that terrifies Design notes on Pink lace: Due to corruption she is a lot more faded- not just from corruption but because her gem was more like that of the sand gem. Embedded in an object and only ever facing the sun. bleaching her gem of colors with too much exposure. She's a lot more polished in her currently look- i had a design ready for her just out of corruption look but then that would leave Zebra agate without a past form and decided to let the two non pearls without past forms. She of course used to be much more vibrant.

Design Notes on Zebra Agate: purposefully the inverse of typical zebra pattern on her clothes. with white stripes on black you can see that her hair itself is a regular part of black stripes on white like a typical zebra. also her design on her bodysuit is specifically to mimic a ribcage with zebra stripes

Zebra Agate: [Sold] "An Agate Terrifies" That's what Agates do. That's who Agates are. Subjugate those out of line and whip them into shape. They're here to make everyone stay in their proper places and follow rules. However I took her to completely go into the other direction of dealing with rules. The Punk movement appealing to her- if this is Era 3 and there is no need for her job role. Why should she keep trying to force a terrifying agate lifestyle? She may not be the kindest or most sweet Zebra Agate is however sentimental and more thoughtful than many- even pink lace considered her much more cold and rigid to expectations of what used to be common of gem society. While shes not an anarchist she has been delving into punk fashion but also the subculture to help her adjust to her new world and its views. She had always needed to follow rules blind and enforce them but due to the new order change. How else was she to find something that even acknlowedges no structure is perfect and many are flawed- even so her diamonds were flawed. Nothings perfect and nothing is without work to adjust.

Grey Pearl: SOLD A muted personality. What do you do when you used to know everything you were supposed to do? Living not in just a new era but an entire new world where you're allowed a lot more freedom that you never actually craved before. She's known Pink Pearl for thousands upon thousands of years and while there are some feelings of envy she would consider Pink Pearl to be her only friend. It's a complex mix of emotions like anyone would have especially towards Zebra Agate and the peculiar softness she seems to have for Pink Pearl that she has with no one else. Whilst never treated harshless it always was more of a cold wall from Zebra Agate that Grey Pearl felt. That this was strictly business relationship. Agate never even asked her to sing or dance- two components that make a pearl a pearl in many's eyes. Yet she's asked Pink Pearl to sing for her, and never stopped her from dancing without being asked. Grey Pearl may not have much of a relationship with Faded Pink Lace however she almost projects a sense of kinship of feelings left behind with her. In fact it was after Pink Lace Agate came back with those curated corruption spots that she decided to have some own markings herself. Humans have tattoos and while she can't get a traditional tattoo from humans she herself worked to get those marks on herself. She was the last one in the group to reform to this new Human lifestyle. Comes with a past form too on toyhouse

(Faded) Pink Lace: SOLD During the gem war she of course fought for homeworld and even was was part of the last charge. Of course, while she is more of the carefree type even she could see the dangers. Zebra was part of the task to pull out more of the aristocrats and Pink Lace part of the ground troops. Anything could happen so just as a precaution she sent her pearl away to Zebra Agate. Honestly, she expected that terrifying Agate to reset Pink Pearl for herself. It was a peculiar feeling for Pink Lace recognizing her pearl- even if it took only a moment before her Pearl recognized her. All so unevenly spotted and with sharp spiked growths coming out of her. She was a mess...Just how Zebra Agate used to scold her about. Her pearl still so lively and a bit oblivious to others feelings but even now so creative- such unique spots on her dress...theyre not even diamond shaped. Pink Lace at least knows to go with the flow of things but a good deal perceptive.

[still-searching-for-something]

First off, I limit this discussion to being modern antizionism--pre-state antizionism could have more leeway, as Israel was an entirely theoretical discussion, and antizionism would not have involved destroying a state, but that's a different conversation altogether.

I hold that there are two, and only two instances where antizionism in the modern day is not antisemitic.

1. You're an anarchist who believes in no states, including Palestine, and including Israel. This comes with the caveat, though, that you have to be condemning all states equally--if you're theoretically in favor of all states being destroyed, but in practice only talk about Israel's destruction, you're antisemitic. And anyway, anarchism is childish, naive, extreme and dangerous--especially in the 'destroy all states immediately' kind of way, so you're a fool at minimum, even if you aren't antisemitic.

2. You're a religiously frum Jew who believes the state of Israel is premature and can only be inaugurated with the coming of Moshiach. This too comes with caveats, however, and I think a good way to demonstrate this is by comparing Satmar and JVP/Neturei Karta.

For those not familiar (I imagine 99% of Jews are familiar with these groups, but any goyim who see this may not be) Satmar is an extremely observant Haredi Orthodox Jewish group, for whom antizionism is an important part of their theology and practice. Jewish Voices for Peace are a hate group which is about as Jewish as a swastika, and Neturei Karta are a cult of self hating Haredi Jews who eagerly tokenize themselves.

Now, I disagree with Satmar in a variety of areas, including how they treat women, how they interpret the Torah and the role of Jews in modern society, and a whole lot more, including their antizionism. BUT, they are one of the few antizionists whom I would argue are not antisemitic, because —this is the key—they push back against any attempt by left wing antizionists to tokenize them or use their antizionist views as “proof” that to be a “good Jew” you need to disavow Zionism and Israel. Satmar also makes no claim to representing a majority Jewish view, and make no effort to dismantle, demonize, or discredit Israel—they just stay away from its government and refuse to interact with it or benefit from it. I guess you could argue this isn't even antizionism as much as it is non-zionism, but I digress.

This stands in stark contrast to JVP and NK, who both consistently support extremist views about Israel, post false accusations and propaganda against it, and portray themselves as the “Jews of conscience”, the REAL Jews and that anyone who disagrees with them is a (((Zionist))) colonizer and genocidal maniac. Satmar was horrified by October 7th. JVP and NK celebrated and then denied it. Satmar distances themselves from the antisemites who point to Satmar as an example of “good antizionist Jews”. Neturei Karta and JVP embrace that role.

Notice how, in my long list of non-antisemitic antizionists (which consisted of two instances), "white progressive goy who wants to see Israel destroyed" was not on it. Nor was Soviet antizionism. Nor is the Tumblrina who whines about Palestinian "genocide" and Israel being an apartheid state. Nor is the Islamist who jerks off the idea of a massive caliphate.

Wow, it's almost like outside of very limited circumstances, antizionism is a cheap cover for antisemitism! Crazy, right?

[psychotrenny]

While there is a pretty significant number of exception, it's still conspicuous how disproportionately Anarchists tend to be White, TME and able-bodied. Like it's an ideology that claims to oppose all oppression; surely it would be very appealing to the most oppressed right? The problems lies in the fact that most Anarchists advance the view that an ideal society is one where people are reliant primarily on the human compassion and goodwill of their community. But this way of living is already a reality for many of those on the peripheries of Capitalism. And it's a very widespread sentiment that this way of living fucking sucks.

Like goodwill and compassion are often very fickle things, especially on the scale of a community, and even the best positioned person can find themselves on the wrong end of various sorts of petty dramas and politics. Sure this sort of thing can be an issue under any system, but at least under a formalised hierarchy there are can be various limitation and mechanism of appeal. "Non-Hierarchical" organisation is in practice nearly always "Informally-Hierarchical" which can quickly turn into the most terrible sort of tyranny. It can be an awful problem for anyone, but this sort of thing is consistently much worse for those that are already seen as a lesser sort of human

And like this process is already bad enough for those marginalised by the formal structures of Capitalism. But at least those structures, as fucking awful as they are, are capable of occasionally offering an alternative. There is at least a distant chance that you'll get a decent job or your welfare payments will start coming through and maybe the restraining order will keep them away. Simply removing those structures, rather than genuinely changing or replacing them, and stripping things back to the "community" level is hardly an appealing alternative.

Like whatever your problems with policing as an institution, you aren't gonna make things better by just replacing them with lynch mobs. And under your typically imagined Anarchist Utopia, "Social Murder" is gonna spiral into "Physical Murder" even quicker than it already does. Like it's bad enough to get kicked out of your house and stop receiving the monetary charity you need to afford food and medicine. But if your abusive ex convinces the local Bathtub Insulin Guy that you're a dangerous predator, then you are just straight up completely and utterly dead.

If someone's already the sort of person to get mistreated by your community, they're unlikely to be convinced by an ideology that wants them to become even more reliant on it. You can't appeal to the oppressed if you fail to deal with their oppression

[e-102]

SORRY LONG POST, scroll for atsv spoilers

thinkin about spiderverse movie and it’s soooo smart the way hobie acts and talks. when he realizes who miles is he’s already formulating how to work the entire situation out in miles favor. it’s not just the palms trick, hobie tries to get miles out of spider society IMMEDIATELY.

when jess drew says they’re all coming with her hobie says “i don’t follow orders, neither does he” which is funny! and you don’t initially understand why he would say that other than the fact that hobie has demonstrated he’s a non conformist for even the silliest things, so of course he would say that right? but after miles goes along anyways hobie puts his head in his hands because he was giving miles AN OUT.

hobie knows who miles IS he knows why miles is being called in and he’s already planning to get miles out.

he then subtly hints that things are a little less cool under the surface. hobie warns miles when no one else does, when he’s stealing parts for gwen’s watch (because once again, he already knows what’s about to go down) “bet you’ve got a nice set up, nice parents” Hobie KNOWS what canon events are and knows miles is before the big ones. miles says he’s in a fight with his parents and hobie says “that’s a bloody shame, cus you’re not ready for everybody else”

all of this while he knicks tech out of the wall and flaunts it to miles. once again it’s funny, an audiences first reaction is most likely to pick up that hobie is alluding to something, but be distracted by the comedy of his charismatic personality. it’s so smart, because even while he’s taking things he says “bet this doesn’t even do anything” (HES TALKING ABOUT DISRUPTING CANON EVENTS) miles replies talking about the tech “maybe it did before you ripped it out of the wall” to which hobie says “it’s propaganda bro”

and it IS. spider society as a whole is propagandized as a necessity to the stability of the multi-verse. they push that canon events MUST HAPPEN, but hobie doesn’t believe it or care. he’s purely looking out for miles, who is the little guy in this situation and an ‘anomaly’ from the moment they met hobie was looking out for him.

all of this culminates before the chase where hobie gives him the means to escape, visibly calms miles down and holds up his palms to remind him how to break out. then quits and disappears to wait for gwen so they can group back up. so good.

and anyways i have more misc thoughts about why hobie is in spider society anyways but that’s based on speculation so it’s going under the cut

okay the more you see that hobie is truly an anarchist punk who opposes authority and authority structures you have to think, why the hell would he join up with a spider society????

i think that’s it’s probably because of gwen. in the same way that hobie recognizes miles is at a disadvantage, he would definitely recognize that gwen is in a bind.

gwen has a trans narrative in this movie, she’s essentially been kicked out even if it wasn’t explicit, because she’s spiderwoman. she was taken in by jess drew and miguel and i assume she mostly stays on earth 928 with them or with hobie on his earth. that’s why her toothbrush and her sweater are at his place, because he lets her crash there since she’s essentially homeless.

i have to add that gwen’s position in spider societal is shaky. jess drew may have let her join up, but it’s shown many times that jess is unwilling to defend gwen to miguel. gwen KNOWS this, when she answers to jess drew she begs her not to tell miguel when she’s messing up and jess is largely unsympathetic.

gwen’s last interaction with her father ended with him pointing a gun at her. it’s not a stretch to say that gwen is really unsure of whether or not her father would’ve hurt her. she desperately does not want to go home because of that, and also because she doesn’t want to trigger the canon event that she KNOWS will end in his death.

gwen desperately, desperately, does not want to go home.

as for hobie, hes clearly shown to be someone gwen likes a lot, her inflection when she talks about him and the fact that she stays so often makes me believe that hobie has clearly taken gwen under his wing. i think he’s done the same for pavitr as well!

pavitr opens up his intro by saying being spider man is easy. once again the truth of the statement and it’s meaning is somewhat obscured by comedy, considering being spider-man is really difficult for the protagonist, miles, who we’ve seen struggle with his parents for most of the movie until then.

but pavitr says this because it IS easy for him, he hasn’t gone through any canon events. he’s been spider man FOR 6 MONTHS ONLY!

hobie is shown to really love pavitr, they have a brotherly and playful friendship and play fight excitedly when they see each other. i don’t think it’s a stretch to say that hobie has taken both gwen who is balancing on a tight rope, and pavitr who is ignorant to the larger system that will soon press him down, under his wings.

so why would hobie join spider society? probably to look after kids like gwen and pavitr!

and this is also more speculation that gets looser as i go on, but i wouldn’t be surprised if hobie was waiting for miles specifically to cause some chaos in spider society.

i don’t have the exact line but when he realizes which spider-man miles is, he refers to him by his dimension number of 1610. (this line is the basis of my belief that hobie planned to help miles out from before the beginning) but anyways, doesn’t it follow that if hobie doesn’t believe in spider society, doesn’t believe in canon events, and is allied with them anyways that he is looking for the opportunity to oppose them?

it’s his ideological code to oppose oppressive power structures, and he clearly likes miles as a person and what miles represents.

[dailyanarchistposts]

A.2.16 Does anarchism require “perfect” people to work?

No. Anarchy is not a utopia, a “perfect” society. It will be a human society, with all the problems, hopes, and fears associated with human beings. Anarchists do not think that human beings need to be “perfect” for anarchy to work. They only need to be free. Thus Christie and Meltzer:

”[A] common fallacy [is] that revolutionary socialism [i.e. anarchism] is an ‘idealisation’ of the workers and [so] the mere recital of their present faults is a refutation of the class struggle … it seems morally unreasonable that a free society … could exist without moral or ethical perfection. But so far as the overthrow of [existing] society is concerned, we may ignore the fact of people’s shortcomings and prejudices, so long as they do not become institutionalised. One may view without concern the fact … that the workers might achieve control of their places of work long before they had acquired the social graces of the ‘intellectual’ or shed all the prejudices of the present society from family discipline to xenophobia. What does it matter, so long as they can run industry without masters? Prejudices wither in freedom and only flourish while the social climate is favourable to them … What we say is … that once life can continue without imposed authority from above, and imposed authority cannot survive the withdrawal of labour from its service, the prejudices of authoritarianism will disappear. There is no cure for them other than the free process of education.” [The Floodgates of Anarchy, pp. 36–7]

Obviously, though, we think that a free society will produce people who are more in tune with both their own and others individuality and needs, thus reducing individual conflict. Remaining disputes would be solved by reasonable methods, for example, the use of juries, mutual third parties, or community and workplace assemblies (see section I.5.8 for a discussion of how could be done for anti-social activities as well as disputes).

Like the “anarchism-is-against-human-nature” argument (see section A.2.15), opponents of anarchism usually assume “perfect” people — people who are not corrupted by power when placed in positions of authority, people who are strangely unaffected by the distorting effects of hierarchy, privilege, and so forth. However, anarchists make no such claims about human perfection. We simply recognise that vesting power in the hands of one person or an elite is never a good idea, as people are not perfect.

It should be noted that the idea that anarchism requires a “new” (perfect) man or woman is often raised by the opponents of anarchism to discredit it (and, usually, to justify the retention of hierarchical authority, particularly capitalist relations of production). After all, people are not perfect and are unlikely ever to be. As such, they pounce on every example of a government falling and the resulting chaos to dismiss anarchism as unrealistic. The media loves to proclaim a country to be falling into “anarchy” whenever there is a disruption in “law and order” and looting takes place.

Anarchists are not impressed by this argument. A moment’s reflection shows why, for the detractors make the basic mistake of assuming an anarchist society without anarchists! (A variation of such claims is raised by the right-wing “anarcho”-capitalists to discredit real anarchism. However, their “objection” discredits their own claim to be anarchists for they implicitly assume an anarchist society without anarchists!). Needless to say, an “anarchy” made up of people who still saw the need for authority, property and statism would soon become authoritarian (i.e. non-anarchist) again. This is because even if the government disappeared tomorrow, the same system would soon grow up again, because “the strength of the government rests not with itself, but with the people. A great tyrant may be a fool, and not a superman. His strength lies not in himself, but in the superstition of the people who think that it is right to obey him. So long as that superstition exists it is useless for some liberator to cut off the head of tyranny; the people will create another, for they have grown accustomed to rely on something outside themselves.” [George Barrett, Objections to Anarchism, p. 355]

Hence Alexander Berkman:

“Our social institutions are founded on certain ideas; as long as the latter are generally believed, the institutions built on them are safe. Government remains strong because people think political authority and legal compulsion necessary. Capitalism will continue as long as such an economic system is considered adequate and just. The weakening of the ideas which support the evil and oppressive present day conditions means the ultimate breakdown of government and capitalism.” [What is Anarchism?, p. xii]

In other words, anarchy needs anarchists in order to be created and survive. But these anarchists need not be perfect, just people who have freed themselves, by their own efforts, of the superstition that command-and-obedience relations and capitalist property rights are necessary. The implicit assumption in the idea that anarchy needs “perfect” people is that freedom will be given, not taken; hence the obvious conclusion follows that an anarchy requiring “perfect” people will fail. But this argument ignores the need for self-activity and self-liberation in order to create a free society. For anarchists, “history is nothing but a struggle between the rulers and the ruled, the oppressors and the oppressed.” [Peter Kropotkin, Act for Yourselves, p. 85] Ideas change through struggle and, consequently, in the struggle against oppression and exploitation, we not only change the world, we change ourselves at the same time. So it is the struggle for freedom which creates people capable of taking the responsibility for their own lives, communities and planet. People capable of living as equals in a free society, so making anarchy possible.

As such, the chaos which often results when a government disappears is not anarchy nor, in fact, a case against anarchism. It simple means that the necessary preconditions for creating an anarchist society do not exist. Anarchy would be the product of collective struggle at the heart of society, not the product of external shocks. Nor, we should note, do anarchists think that such a society will appear “overnight.” Rather, we see the creation of an anarchist system as a process, not an event. The ins-and-outs of how it would function will evolve over time in the light of experience and objective circumstances, not appear in a perfect form immediately (see section H.2.5 for a discussion of Marxist claims otherwise).

Therefore, anarchists do not conclude that “perfect” people are necessary anarchism to work because the anarchist is “no liberator with a divine mission to free humanity, but he is a part of that humanity struggling onwards towards liberty.” As such, ”[i]f, then, by some external means an Anarchist Revolution could be, so to speak, supplied ready-made and thrust upon the people, it is true that they would reject it and rebuild the old society. If, on the other hand, the people develop their ideas of freedom, and they themselves get rid of the last stronghold of tyranny — the government — then indeed the revolution will be permanently accomplished.” [George Barrett, Op. Cit., p. 355]

This is not to suggest that an anarchist society must wait until everyone is an anarchist. Far from it. It is highly unlikely, for example, that the rich and powerful will suddenly see the errors of their ways and voluntarily renounce their privileges. Faced with a large and growing anarchist movement, the ruling elite has always used repression to defend its position in society. The use of fascism in Spain (see section A.5.6) and Italy (see section A.5.5) show the depths the capitalist class can sink to. Anarchism will be created in the face of opposition by the ruling minorities and, consequently, will need to defend itself against attempts to recreate authority (see section H.2.1 for a refutation of Marxist claims anarchists reject the need to defend an anarchist society against counter-revolution).

Instead anarchists argue that we should focus our activity on convincing those subject to oppression and exploitation that they have the power to resist both and, ultimately, can end both by destroying the social institutions that cause them. As Malatesta argued, “we need the support of the masses to build a force of sufficient strength to achieve our specific task of radical change in the social organism by the direct action of the masses, we must get closer to them, accept them as they are, and from within their ranks seek to ‘push’ them forward as much as possible.” [Errico Malatesta: His Life and Ideas, pp. 155–6] This would create the conditions that make possible a rapid evolution towards anarchism as what was initially accepted by a minority “but increasingly finding popular expression, will make its way among the mass of the people” and “the minority will become the People, the great mass, and that mass rising up against property and the State, will march forward towards anarchist communism.” [Kropotkin, Words of a Rebel, p. 75] Hence the importance anarchists attach to spreading our ideas and arguing the case for anarchism. This creates conscious anarchists from those questioning the injustices of capitalism and the state.

This process is helped by the nature of hierarchical society and the resistance it naturally developed in those subject to it. Anarchist ideas develop spontaneously through struggle. As we discuss in section I.2.3, anarchistic organisations are often created as part of the resistance against oppression and exploitation which marks every hierarchical system and can., potentially, be the framework of a few society. As such, the creation of libertarian institutions is, therefore, always a possibility in any situation. A peoples’ experiences may push them towards anarchist conclusions, namely the awareness that the state exists to protect the wealthy and powerful few and to disempower the many. That while it is needed to maintain class and hierarchical society, it is not needed to organise society nor can it do so in a just and fair way for all. This is possible. However, without a conscious anarchist presence any libertarian tendencies are likely to be used, abused and finally destroyed by parties or religious groups seeking political power over the masses (the Russian Revolution is the most famous example of this process). It is for that reason anarchists organise to influence the struggle and spread our ideas (see section J.3 for details). For it is the case that only when anarchist ideas “acquire a predominating influence” and are “accepted by a sufficiently large section of the population” will we “have achieved anarchy, or taken a step towards anarchy.” For anarchy “cannot be imposed against the wishes of the people.” [Malatesta, Op. Cit., p. 159 and p. 163]

So, to conclude, the creation of an anarchist society is not dependent on people being perfect but it is dependent on a large majority being anarchists and wanting to reorganise society in a libertarian manner. This will not eliminate conflict between individuals nor create a fully formed anarchist humanity overnight but it will lay the ground for the gradual elimination of whatever prejudices and anti-social behaviour that remain after the struggle to change society has revolutionised those doing it.

[our-trans-punk-experience]

What does it really mean to be a "Punk?"

I'm completely on board with the whole "beat the shit out of fascists and pigs" thing but I'm skeptical of any sort of subculture or group that celebrates values of any kind as "good" because I get pissy when confronted with concrete ideologies like Marxism. I'm scared that I'm going to end up getting into some kind of clique. I don't want to be in a clique where I get shat on for not having the morally approved opinion. If I can't have a controversial opinion without being silenced, then I don't want anything to do with "Punk."

I'm an Egoist. You're an anarchist, so, assuming you know who Max Stirner is, I'm pretty sure you know what that entails, but in case you don't, I put myself above all things. That's not to say that I'm a greedy bastard who wants to consume all the products ever, but that my own being and desires are the basis of my views on politics/society. I hate gender not merely because it oppresses all the poor minorities who need my help but because it gets in MY way, threatens MY life, and demands MY conformance to it. I want my damned life for myself. I want self-ownership. I see no legitimacy in the braindead wokeness of bougie college kids and chickenshit university profs. I want action in the here and now, not ineffectual Bookchinite/Leftcom/Marxist-Leninist meetings where we discuss how best to tickle the workers balls in the fallout of the USSR (which was an authoritarian shithole).

As a post-left anarchist (or preferably no-wing anarchist) I find myself skeptical of subcultures. "Oh, what's that? You don't like *band here?* Well you're automatically a poser/elitist/hipster/whatever." I understand that sometimes it's meant to pick out the actual posers by testing how thin your skin is, but it's really fucking annoying when people expect me to embody values like "don't do drugs" or "be vegan" because I refuse to define myself and my goals according to what other people deem morally correct.

I'm not really in a position to actually join a subculture at the moment because I'm a financially dependent minor, but I want you to give me an actual reason to join the punk subculture. Just so I can see if it's really worth it. What's in it for me, and how hard am I allowed to kick the balls of Nazi scum?

RIGHT!! Fuckin love it when i get asks like this

I'll split up my answer so I can get through all the points without rambling

Political Theory

SO punk does not have any one kind of coherent political ideology. Core political views are

anti-authoritarianism

non-conformist

abstractly leftist

fuck bigots of any description

you will not be bound to Marxism or any key thinkers beliefs. Your politics are your own and disagreement is encouraged as long as you arent being a dick. Of course you might find some punks that get pissy about ideological purity, but they aren't very punk, sooo fuck em. Bootlicking isn't punk, even/especially if the Boot is Lenin's.

Egoism

yeah egoist anarchism is just fine in the punk scene. as long as your "for my own ends" mentality doesnt end up tipping over into "I will go on a Shein haul twice a month bc I want new clothes and fuck anyone who tells me how damaging it is". You don't have to be a saint, just again, don't be a massive dick about it. You can look out for your own ends for sure. You will find that the punk scene often times talks about community, in the sense of solidarity and common goals (which you seem to share anyway), so as long as you can jibe with that you'll be fine

Non-conformity

Is the entire bloody point. If you're looking for a community that won't tell you that you have to look a certain way, or listen to 100 bands from the 70s to be accepted, the punk scene is built on nonconformity. not even just from society but within the scene. And even the big name bands from back in the day were screaming about the dangers of homogenising the punk scene, or letting it get commodified. Differences in opinion, style, music taste, ect are the whole fucking point and if someone tries to impose punk "rules" about that, then they don't get the scene.

"it's really fucking annoying when people expect me to embody values like "don't do drugs" or "be vegan""

i do drugs and am not vegan. you really don't need to worry. i really fear for the punk that says "don't do drugs". absolutist ideals should not be shoved on you.

"I'm not really in a position to actually join a subculture at the moment because I'm a financially dependent minor,"

Ok so while I get that possibly if you're financially dependent on people who would be able to mess up your life if you wore clothes they didn't approve of, and wouldn't buy you anything, it can seem difficult, but I want to just reassure you a bit. Punk is built off communities with financial difficulties, DIY, and more than just spiked collars. You don't have to be able to make it to basement shows or out to the city to be a punk. You can listen to the music (definitely listen to the music), get involved in politics, learn the history, watch movies, read books, DIY your own clothes and accessories, including smaller things like badges, patches or chains. The scene is the people as well as what we do.

how hard am I allowed to kick the balls of Nazi scum?

make them piss blood for weeks.

[bimboficationblues]

what are the differences between marxism and anarchism?

one is based on the writings of Karl Marx and the other is based on the writings of Jean-Luc Anarquis

the respective ways in which they annoy me

it's difficult to get precise because anarchism is notably more expansive, which is sort of inherent to its nature. Marxism is thoroughly modern and often emphasizes its breakage with the previous radicalisms and socialisms that influenced it (while also being explicitly based on the models and preoccupations of a specific guy or set of guys). and although a lot of anarchism is to some extent also modern and similarly birthed out of 18th-century radicalism, it has a claim - much like communism outside of Marxism - to a longer, more extensive intellectual and political history. not to mention these two are, both being forms of socialism, kind of on a gradient (communization theory is a good contemporary example of a synthesis of the two). any attempt to kind of boil down either, and framing it as a binary in the first place, is going to miss a lot.

to bang my metapolitics drum: goals should be derived from values, and strategy and tactics are derived from both. I feel like you're probably familiar with the strategic/tactical disagreements among Marxists and anarchists (parties, cooperatives, state power, etc.) because they're...fairly obvious, so I'm more interested in emphasizing that first process.

there are (or at least can be) a number of overlapping values between Marxism and anarchism, even if the substantive content can vary. I think a notable breaking point is the central object of their ire. Marxism is interested in the rule of capital and its representatives, how this distorts and deranges social life, and more broadly how class conflict emerges from different methods of organizing social needs in ways that are destructive/irrational/restrictive on flourishing. I think anarchism's attention is towards processes of obedience and submission, how is it that people come to be positioned in hierarchical and coercive dynamics and either lose or surrender their personal and collective liberty, and how the state/political organization act as the chief source of this repression. I think there's obvious linkage here, and I wouldn't say they're mutually exclusive, but where you place your emphases matters and is going to lead you to different assessments of goals.

they primarily split on the question of what to do about political power, which I would suggest is related but non-identical to the break over what to do about political economy. assuming a revolutionary scenario (which not all anarchists do, see the individualist strain derived from thinkers like Stirner which I am somewhat influenced by, but this is the conventional tale of the Bakunin/Marx split): should political power, conceived as a weapon of class rule, be seized in some capacity before we seek its full abolition, or should this mode or conception of politics be abolished through the act of making revolution?

again, there's kind of a spectrum of answers here. I think how you flesh out the substantive content of specific values will inform where you land on this question, of exactly how to get to statelessness. fwiw, I think nobody has really cracked the problem of the state as a force with its own inertia and limitations for forming a desirable society vs. the demands of a defensive revolutionary position, but I think recognizing that it is a dilemma is more fruitful than just pretending it doesn't exist or like a clean answer has been handed down from on high by our predecessors.

and, to some extent, there's also a disparity (though not universal between the camps) on the matter of whether a post-capitalist society should have things like markets - not all anarchists are necessarily communists. not all Marxists are either but they usually at least pretend to be.

anyway, I think there's obviously a lot of other historical and ideological differences and tensions for a variety of reasons, but I think these are some of the most interesting threads right now. in conclusion,

[stitchbxby]

queer therian anarchist?

i've been thinking about what those words mean together. i've been all three, separately, for a while, but never considered their interaction.

humanity, conceptually, is conditional. it can and will be taken away if you're a person of color, disabled, queer, a woman. hell, even so-called "reasonable" people are all-too-frequently eager to dehumanise anyone that remotely disagrees with them, or inconveniences them, or in any way alters the course of their day.

i'm trans, autistic, disabled, gay, and sometimes a woman, all in differing degrees of visibility. i am not human. i've consistently been failed by those with any degree of authority over me, from parents to doctors to those with institutional power. but it's not really a failing, is it? only humans deserve love, understanding, freedom of expression. and i'm not human.

that's why i use it/its, why i'm as visible about my queerness as i can be, why i'm a therian. there are other reasons, sure, but only by claiming an identity that is distinctly non-human have i reclaimed my dehumanisation. i choose to redefine myself as someone, something, that is outside of "humanity" as society, as capital, as gender, as ableism, defines it.

is that not anarchist?

maybe abolishing humanity is just as important as abolishing gender, as abolishing capitalism, as abolishing unjust power.

[8hsaturn]

Hobie Brown/Spider-Punk's Possible Astrology Placements

Hi! This has been in my drafts ever since I watched ASTV, so here's what I think Hobie Brown's big 6 are :

Aquarius sun :

I think this is probably the most non-brainer of all his placements. Hobie is a punk anarchist who hates authority, structure, and consistency. He helped Miles, who was antagonized by everyone at Spider-Society and believed in him against all odds. he will not praise structure for merely existing especially if said structure thrives on sacrificing the minority for the benefit of the majority: you can't get any more aquarian than that 🤷‍♀️.

(I also think his constant clash with Miguel comes from the fact Miguel is a Scorpio with probably several other Scorpio placements squaring Hobie's.)

Sagittarius moon :

He has firm convictions (sag is the philosopher, the guru) fueled by his sun sign's drive for equality sans authority. He's also very influential and has a massive following of people who take his words as gospel without him even trying. Nevertheless, he doesn't take himself too seriously and knows how to joke around and not be too uptight. Having a Sagittarius moon could also be why he loves to keep everyone on their toes since Sagittarius despises stagnancy and predictability.

gif cr. : happy-xy

Aquarius mercury :

his inventive and crafty nature, his wittiness and slightly-too-frank humor, his understanding of deeply complicated subjects like societal structures and political power, not to forget how he was the first one to predict the downfall of Spider-Society and begin planning for it... His intelligence, inventive nature, and almost prophetic sense of futuristic vision all point to having an Aquarius mercury.

gif cr. : cost.

Aries venus :

Hobie loves spikes, piercings, and tattoos, all things sharp and edgy ruled by Mars. He's also not afraid to express his affection and liking for people he just met (like with Miles, he immediately coddled him as if they were long-term best friends). The unabashed way he expresses himself on top of being rebellious and rooting for the underdogs to speak up (showing Miles how to break from Miguel's shield) are very Aries Venus actions.

Aquarius mars :

Having a Saturn-ruled Mars explains why he was able to plan ahead for the upcoming divide of the Spider Society, likewise how he managed to remain cool-headed through all the conflict between Miguel and Miles (Saturn is a cold and calculating planet); He was able to predict the clashes to happen because he can recognize patterns early: that's his Aquarius mars conjunct mercury in action.

Aries rising :

I think this one was the hardest one to pin down... Hobie was described as tall and lean, with a prominent bone structure (Saturn influence), and his spider suit was designed with spikes all over. He was born in an autocratic society and overthrew -then killed- the despot of his universe... This has a lot of Martian themes like rebellion, leadership, fearlessness, standing up for the weak... But his ability to persevere under such circumstances, plan out things far ahead, and remain coolheaded is definitely due to his Aquarius Mars being his chart ruler.

This would be it! let me know what you think of these specific placements, and if you'd like me to do a similar run-down of a character you like just send me an ask <3 have a good day!!

[simplecatgirl]

I'm gonna copy and paste a recent post I made in response to an anon: "The issue is that back in the day everyone could see themselves as a genderfuck weirdo pervert because we were all underground anarchists rebelling against society. Now, though, we’re increasingly allowed to live our lives in the light of mainstream society and we no longer need to define ourselves in such radically edgy ways, so looking back on Frank-N-Furter he unfairly feels like he was created by cutting out and gluing together a random collection of Ben Garrison strips.

There are, of course, doubtlessly people, binary too but especially non-binary, who still see themselves in FNF. Unlike Chihiro being an otokonoko, though, I think it’s fair to say he was more a lightning rod of general queer perceptions than any specific form of identity we’d recognize today. It doesn’t make his character worse, nor does it make anyone wrong to identify with him, it’s just part of the huge contextual difference between the character’s creation and the present day." I don't think people are necessarily wrong to see it as dated, it certainly is, but /transmisogynistic/, I feel, is maybe a bit far. But if it IS transmisogynistic, bare minimum, it can't be discussed without that historical context, and to treat it like it's always been this horrible stain on the community's treatment of trans women is really distasteful to me.

I understand that queer people saw themselves inside FNF and felt kinship with the movie, then and will continue too.

However, I think, even if you agree that on the bare minimum if it is transmisogynistic, I think it's unfair to say RHPS hadn't warped people perspective on trans women to this day, causing harm to the community, inside and out. I'm not here to display RHPS place in queer history, it will forever stay there. But if we need to understand the historical context when talking about the movie, we also need to understand it's continuous effects on trans women and other's perspective on them.

[tips-from-a-tech-worker]

This is a bit more of a personal post, and maybe a bit out of the scope of this blog, but it's been something bothering me a fair bit in lefty spaces.

Also, odds are this has been hashed out before, and in much easier to understand terms.

Anarchists need to stop being liberals.

For context, I would describe myself as an anarchist, so understand that these critiques come from a place of love rather than destructive ranting. As well as this, I live on the british isles, and the left-wing scene here is well and truly pacified. I might winge about this more in the future..

As a side note, "anarchist" isn't a particularly useful term anyway, because it refers to a broad group of philosophies concerned with a critique of power, and each one of those philosophies can vary WILDLY.

Also, by "liberal" I am refering to an advocate of free-enterprise, free-markets, and private property.

There is a concept known as "political prefiguration", which broadly refers to ways of organising that reflect the future society that you wish to build. Do you want a future non-hierarchical society? Then you have to literally act as if you were in one. And the more you do, the better you get at it, and the more you understand how to develop through it.

So often I see so-called anarchists talking about owning a business and hiring employees. And sure, if you're the kind of anarchist that either doesn't understand what capitalism is, or you don't see it as an issue, then sure, whatever. But IMO you can hardly call yourself an anarchist when you own employees? You are putting yourself in an unnecessary position of power over them. And you will only ever learn how to exercise that power over them.

Additionally, I hear so-called anarchists come out with "I'll just wait for someone to tell me what to do." And again, you will only ever learn how to follow orders and take instruction. You will never learn to think for yourself. You'll never know how to work with others. You have to step forward and say "I want this" and you work with your comrades to figure out how to get it.

And I get it. I really do. The society we live in really doesn't teach us anything useful, and if it did, it would cease to exist as it does. And there isn't any easy way to survive in this world without exploiting someone, even if it is several degrees separated. But you need and have to try.

Talk to people in your communities, be that where you live, where you work, where you learn, or where you play. Pick an issue people care about. Work together to figure out how to fix it. And then do it.

And sure, I am making that seem easy. And believe me, it is not. But the first step is to try. PLEASE.

[trrickytickle]

Anomaly WreAks AnArchy on ArAchnid AnArchist

A/N: getting back into the groove of doing requests bc of a req/fic trade with @phobiaoftickles !!!!! HAHAHS THIS DRAFT WAS ORIGINALLY LEE PAV BUT IT HAS BEEN MARINATED AND EVOLVED INTO AN AWESOME LEE HOBART AWESOMENESS STORY FOR DA AWESOME JAMIE OLIVER BOI also footer tickles near the end

SummAry: Non-canon Part 2 of "The Tea Word" (separate from @/tickle-beans' MFTBU)-

In a turn of events, it's revealed that Hobie, being the awesome role model/love triangle rival/ex-runway model/probably ex-con he is, is unexpectedly the most ticklish out of all the Spider-People. (bit of lee!Pav at the beginning, the rest is a shit ton of lee!Hobie)

"C'mooon, go get her! I can't bear this!"

"I-It's not like that!!"

Pavitr continued to egg Miles on about the super palpable romantic tension between him and Gwen, but if it was up to him to say, nothing of the sort was going on. Gwen and Hobie, to Miles' right, were chatting away about what seemed like jargon to Miles and Pavitr, who weren't the slightest bit familiar with music theory.

"So, see, i'sounds better when you capo 3." Clipping the capo on his clipping-covered guitar, Hobie strummed a melodic tune, Gwen looking on in utter amusement.

"Awesome." She gasped, not even attempting to hide her excitement.

Pavitr punched Miles in the arm. "Come on, come on, change the subject! This is so annoying! Will they, won't they, will they won't they-"

Miles chuckled and shoved Pavitr away awkwardly. Hobie glanced over and cocked his eyebrow in a mild annoyance, and smirked. To the untrained, normal, not part of Spider Society eye, this was just a slight change in expression. It wasn't anything to cheer about. But to Pavitr and Gwen- that was the face of somebody about to deliver a deadly poison to those who wronged him, whether that be stealing his Chuck Taylors or punching him a little too hard. Hobie inched over to Miles, scoffing.

"Oi newbie! 'S he annoyin' you?"

Pavitr glared back at Hobie, laughing awkwardly. "I wasn't annoying him, I was just pressing-about a really, very important matter- and it goes without saying that everyone can notice Miles is giving Gwen the e-AAAAAAAAHHH! HOBIEE!! This again!?"

Hobie squeezed onto Pavitr's lower ribs, and looked back at Miles.

"That's one of ...many ways to shut'im up."

Miles laughed. "Bro's a screamer."

Pavitr groaned. "Tickling is not fair!"

"Oh yeah? Well weren't you just poking n' prodding at Mr. Armpit Blood?"

"He was sullying the name of all things rich, sweet and chaIIIII!!!! Nahaha-haha ha ha hahehe-HAH!" Upping the ante, Hobie strummed along his sides and continued with the tickling along his lower ribs, this time pressing onto his upper ones as well. "STOP!"

Gwen laughed nervously. "Yeah, he's right, youshupprobablystop, yaaaayy, you've had your fun!" Gwen laughed nervously, Ghost-Spider hood still over her head in embarassment.

Hobie glanced. "You're next, Gwendy."

"I'm going to go practice the drums. Have fun... Tickling." Cringing with that last word, Gwen bolted out of the rec room. Miles looked on in amusement at Hobie's strumming fingers and Pavitr's exaggerated screeches and death threats and "I'm-gonna-die-s".

Thankfully, the punk placed his hands back on his sides, leaving Pavitr some room to breathe and recover from the giggly stupor. Quickly patting the ghost-tickles away, he quickly perked up and looked over at Miles.

Miles shrugged. "Don't try anything-"

"Hey, hey, you know how Hobie acts all "Ooh, society! Stigma! Anarchy!" That last part was peppered with a thick fake Cockney twang which muddled with the Indian and Pavitr's hushed tone so much it was practically another foreign accent. "But he's reeeaaally ticklish. Like, as well."

Miles muttered. "Okay, okay, I see you..."

"Especially on his-" Just as Pavitr's fingers were about to make the slightest contact with Hobie, his bangled wrist was grabbed and stopped in place by the punk.

"No." Hobie asserted, the slightest twinge of nervousness in his deep voice. "O-or I'll-"

"Or what?" Pavitr sassed. "You gonna colonize us again, tea boy?"

Before an empty threat went past his lips, Miles webbed Hobie's arms together and went straight for the kill on his armpits.

"Or... soon you're gonna be the Spider-Man who's bleeding from the armpits." Miles taunted.

Hobie screeched with frequency that would rival mic feedback as he doubled over to the floor in a lack of balance, but Miles straddled his waist.

"I gotchu, don't worry!"

"kkHAAAA-hhHHHAAAAAH-ha!! Ff-hh-HAH!!" Hobie choked out. "'Umnnot th-ticklish!!" Miles kept vigorously scratching at the punk's pits, and Pavitr took his knees, fingers like insects crawling over the surface and wriggling behind.

"Oh but yes, yes you are!" Pavitr taunted with the sugar-sweet voice he had reserved for cooing at Mayday. "Miles, count his ribs!"

"Um, one, two, three.." the anomaly replied, counting on his pale fingers while his right hand was still tickling Hobie's armpit, albeit less aggressively. Hobie was holding out, but his face burned at the thought of the onlooking Spider-People's reactions. The teens had already gotten some stares from his previous attack on Pavitr, but the others had paid more attention to the sight of Hobie reduced to titters.

"Phehe-HPP-Pav, y-KK-You HHB-berk! Y'WUHULDN'T!"

"No, press DOWN! Like playing piano! Lemme try!" Pavitr moved up, sitting square on Hobie's tummy to demonstrate, two fingers tazing his middle ribs. Miles, following suit, prodded lightly at Hobie's ribcage, eliciting supressed chuckles that sounded a little more like coughs.

"Ffkk-KKKHHHA!! hh-Stop it, ya- hhHIdon'LIKETHAT! HAAAhhh-hHH!"

"Ah-ah, you gotta make little counts too. Ek, do, teen, chaar, paanch, chhah..." The numbers rolling off Pavitr's tounge were the tipping point for Hobie, who with every targeted little prod at his ribcage was breaking more and more and more and he was just about to LOSE IT-

"HH-FF-HA-HYEEE-HA-haha-HUH-HAH!! HAAA- huh-HH-GitOFF! Sling'y hook- Pahaha-HAV!" Hobie's deep voice broke in hoarse laughter, and he squeaked with every utterance of Cockney insult-gibberish interrupted by his own hysterical laughter, shaking in his webbed bonds.

"No, I don't think I will, no, sir! In fact, let's try your tummy!" Pavitr lifted up the duochrome shirt which his a well-toned umber stomach, and with skilled fingers, Miles' hands found themselves creeping along from Hobie's sides swirling into his belly button, then creeping right out to give a few more prods at the ribs. This sent Hobie down a spiral of laughter as inconsistent as he was, with lots of yelps, howls screams and a hilarious cacophony of noises contradicting one another.

"KkgHAHAHA-HhEEEEK-(k-snrk)-ffHHHPHA-HAHA-HhNn! Not hehere- n'-Nn'OTTHERE! (pant)"

"Goodness, your laugh is something else... something ADORABLE!" Pavitr continued teasing him. "Oh, Miles! He also hates it when I do this. Gud-gudi-gudigudi-gudigudi!" Whispering teases that Hobie didn't know the meaning of was a dirty trick- the punk didn't know what Pavitr was saying, but he knew, full well, what those words meant, and they sent goosebumps down his bony neck.

"Damn." Miles laughed. "You try his feet yet? I'm mad ticklish there." At the very notion, Pavitr lit up with a daring gasp.

"Yes." He blurted. "Yes I have, actually." His face changed to that of a playful smirk, as Hobie's gaze grew wide.

"No." Hobie stilled. "Please, Miles, don't lis'n to him- Ah, tom tit." Before he knew it, Hobie's boots flew off and web-patterned socks which were taken off just as quick were revealed. Pavitr held back Hobie's toes, and Miles spidered up and down his soles, laughing lightly along Hobie's hysterics.

"UH-HA-AH-HAHA-hh-HHKKHAA! Phh-PahAHavitr Puh-PrahahPRABAKAR, youhou're a DEAD blo-ho-hohoke, jh-H! Ahahanywhere budduh fuh-huh-HHEEEET!" Hobie howled and hollered, hitting the floor.

"Oh, and I forgot to ask, Miles. You like being tickled?"

Said spider person shook his head.

"Fair." Pavitr shrugged, the casual conversation continuing with every skilled stroke at the punk's peds. "Weell... Hobie liiikes it!" he sing-songed.

"SHhH-SHUT UHU-AHAH-haHhhyyYYou bunch'o WICKS!!" Hobie yelled, only a few decibels louder than his laughter, the noise making Miles back up while Pavitr kept playing at Hobie's toes.

"Does't seem like it. C'mon, let's give him a breather." Miles reassured. He climbed off Hobie, patting his shoulder, and yanked Pavitr's wrist to urge him off of Hobie, who stood up, knees knobbly from the wrath of both Spider-People whom he glared at.

"Heh.. you took it like a champ." Miles smiled up at him.

"You're next." Hobie spat, grabbing him by the collar of his hoodie. Miles made a small startled scream, and Pavitr laugh.

"I'm sure he doesn't mean it." By then, Pavitr had booked it out of the rec room.

Hobie cracked his knuckles. "Now, where to start..."