Anarchy vs Police state

As much as I would hate the police state breathing down my neck for petty shit the anarchy state would be worse. Nothing would really be around to stop war lords or little thug controlled fiefdoms from popping up in the power vacuum.

Well, you see, under a secular police state that doesn't round up people for just plain race or other defining character, I think the majority of people would be rather secure. And y'know police state? Plenty of protection.

Under a secular anarchist state, the majority of people would have very little protection due to the nature of it.

My belief is that an anarchist state wouldn't even remain that way for long, because there's no practical way to prevent the rise of some governmental authority in such a situation, no matter how much anarchists claim it. Anything they put forth to prevent a dictatorial police state is itself a form of government, and quite often clunky at that.

No police state for me, for any reason. I'll take my chances with the anarchists.

And when a group of tough-guys with guns get together to enslave you?

Then you'll be brought under some warlord's heel.

I think its the cultural differences here.

Maxima comes from a state where distrust of government is the norm.

The rest of us come from states where the government isn't scary, its just incompetent.

Actually, a lot of us come from the same government as Maxima and have expressed that we know we'll survive better under the police state, given current survival skills. So it's not necessarily cultural.

Far as I'm concerned, anarchy would eventually give way to dozens of little police states, anyway. So really it's just choosing between Coke and Cherry Coke, except that the recipes were futzed up and you'll probably end up in the hospital.

Where are you from maxima?

He's a New Yorker like I am.

I knew it was a long shot saying that.

Yes, I hail from the Big Applesauce.

I didn't say I'd want anarchy, I said I'd take my chances with it. For me it comes down to size. A bunch of warlords, well, who knows. Some warlords might simply demand "tribute" and leave me be. Even if one turns into a total Palpatine, maybe me and few other sane people can oppose him.

But an entire government...using all it's vast resources and might to dictate order....

I mean, who'd stop them?

It's not like big governments haven't been toppled before, Maxima. You'd have to be careful to avoid becoming the French Revolution, though. Hell, the USSR just sort of got tired and collapsed on its own.

The point is, it's generally easier to survive in a police state because you're more likely to have basic amenities. In an anarchy you're basically going to have to worry about day to day survival, especially if you're not part of a group invested in your well being. It's easier to rebel against a big government in a lot of ways than to build up a safe place in an anarchic state.

Well, seeing as I am a well educated, well spoken youth with absolutely zero combat skills and the muscle tone of the proverbial noodle, I think I have a better chance of fighting back against a government than against some thug with a gun.

I mean, pretty slim chances either way, but the whole 'it'll be OK, me and some friends will just get together and be the meanest gang around and nobody will mess with us' attitude isn't going to work for most of the population, I think.

As much as my basic survival is important to me, it's also the general principle.

In short, I'd rather a warlord who simply wants to kill me and boil me for the bone marrow. We're enemies, plain and simple, and we'd rather kill each other than be killed.

A police state, constantly telling what to think, how to be, how to live....? Fuck that.

If I'm to perish, let it be in the open. Also Loni, why do you assume that brains can't defeat brawn??

You say that now, but I bet that you'd be the first to welcome our new (X) overlords off the the internet.

Depends on the overlord . After all, by default, I have to welcome our American government overlords, and I'm not always fond of them.

No one's ALWAYS fond of them...

Very true. Bottom line, a warlord who demands a cut of my crops to leave me be, I'll grumble and give him the crops.

The guy who demands I dress a certain way, talk a certain way, and think a certain way....I tell him where to shove it and accept that he and his goons might try to raze my fields.

Brains would rarely trump brawn in total Anarchy, I would think.

I'd definitely go with the police state. I wouldn't even try to fight it unless my family were taken away from me or something. It's leagues better than a lawless society to me.