An Anarchist's Punk Ethic

"Use truth as your anvil, nonviolence as your hammer and anything that does not stand the test when it is brought to the anvil of truth and hammered with nonviolence, reject it." Mohatma Gandhi

This is a collection of ethical principles that I try to abide by. [text]

While many principles are self derived, they are shared by others — who often state them better. Many are learned from the anarchist, civil rights and non-violence movements. I try to provide references to these sources when possible. Interestingly, it is only when I began to formally describe and find quotations related to my own principles that I realize how completely unoriginal they were. My disappointment in being late to the scene is bested by my satisfaction of being in good company.

I believe a person is acting morally when their actions are consistent with their assumptions about life. Much personal and social conflict results from an ignorance or conflict of one's own beliefs. Plato was correct in acknowledging the importance of examining one's life. Even when people have a good sense of themselves and their priorities, they lack the rigor to implement the logical extension of those assumptions. For instance, I believe animals are exploited in the production of dairy products and that belief demands that I reduce my use of animal products to a greater extent than I have. My failure to do so is an immoral act.

Note the subjectivity in this philosophy: one can merely alter one's assumptions about life to suit one's lifestyle. If one's assumptions are acted upon consistently, I consider the person moral. However, maintaining such self-serving assumptions can be very difficult if not sociopathic, and "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Additionally, I give greater respect to people that acknowledge their faults and look for ways to improve. If one is willing to address flaws by inconveniencing one's lifestyle instead of one's assumptions, I consider the person ethical. I admit that rationality, integrity, individuality, and compassion are my own personally subjective assumptions that influence many of the principles below — they are my axioms. If you do not share them you still may be a "moral" person, but one I might not care to know.

Furthermore, it is relatively easy to be a good person if one only has internal conflicts to address. But what happens when moral individuals differ on social issues? This is why civil disobedience is so important.

These principles guide much of my personal conduct, as well acting as a meta-set for other areas of my life — for instance, my professional workstyle.

Selected References

___



INFACT | New Media Foundation | ACLU

___

Copyright © (1999) NrrrdBoy <geek@goatee.net> All Rights Reserved. https://goatee.net/anarchists/punk-ethic