Anarchy is sometimes inaccurately defined as lawlessness and disorder, but its simple definition is "without a ruler." So, it does not mean the absence of order, as is commonly supposed, but the absence of rule (coercive authority, hierarchical organization.) An anarchist society would be organized from the bottom up by voluntary cooperative participation and association of its individuals. (An Anarchist FAQ gives detailed definitions. See also: What methods of child-rearing do anarchists advocate? and my commentary: Raising Free Children.)

I had a mild interest in anarchy before becoming a mother, but the births of my daughters ignited my interest. My drive to be the best parent I could led me to the exploration of many connected ideas and philosophies including attachment parenting, the continuum concept, unschooling, nonviolence, Ishmael, primativism, anti-civilization, green anarchy, etc. I struggle to be non-coercive, to raise free-thinking children, and to live in a way that doesn't destroy our planet.

The disconnection, segregation and isolation of people from one another within communities, from our extended families, and from our own young children must be repaired so we can improve our global society. I begin with my attachment and relationship to my daughters. The importance to the healthy development of our children of natural childbirth, breastfeeding, close proximity, availability, and other attachment practices can't be overlooked. The West is increasingly a society of people with attachment disorders, people who have difficulty forming close, caring relationships with other animals and our planet. And the Western way is spreading.

For me and for many women, the birth of a child is such a natural and primal event that it triggers and incites the drive and desire to seek and nurture connection with humankind, animalkind, and our Earth. Childbirth shocks us into awareness, into rediscovering the natural rhythms of our place in the world. Once numb followers of the voice of cultural authority, we begin to question why society is organized as it is (and who enforces it), why we should act against our instincts (our own voices) as that hypnotic cultural voice instructs. We begin to make changes in our lives that further separate us from the false-connection of the mainstream (and from reliance on commercial products and services) so that we seek out and form nurturing communties that support our needs for true and full life (we become reconnected with our animal nature.)

(Reprinted and translated here.)

Tagged anarchy | mothering