Wendy McElroy Anarchy Page

Voluntaryism, individualist anarchism and the business of living, not politics
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  • Wendy McElroy

Debate with Jessica Valenti on “Rape Culture.” Sep 7, 2015

Wendy McElroy debates Jessica Valenti at Brown University on "Rape Culture" Note: Valenti threatened legal action if the video of her half of the debate was not deleted by Brown University. The full video has since been posted by others. McElroy's opening statement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3_ty5jKkX0 Full debate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBsk1WzEdCA Transcript of Wendy's full statement: Thank you and good evening How many of you came tonight knowing exactly who I am and thinking you know exactly what I'm going to say? I'm an individualist feminist which is a tradition within feminism that you may not be familiar with/ It's also called libertarian feminism....

By Wendy McElroy Vote50 14

Ask Not For Whom the Bellwether Tolls Aug 21, 2014

Originally published at the Dollar Vigilante. There is an active commentary thread at the end and I respond to posts. “Bellwether” is an archaic word for a sheep with a bell around its neck that leads a flock. It now refers to an indicator or predictor of a trend. Bellwether was the word in my mind as I finally reviewed a study that, in the words of one reporter, has “gone viral.” The study masquerades as a voice for “the people”' in reality, it serves the interests of the politically elite. It says exactly what those in power wish to...

By Wendy McElroy Vote7 4

Non-Cooperation as a One-on-One Strategy Aug 20, 2014

Non-cooperation is most often associated with social movements but it can function on the individual level to preserve personal freedom. A person is as free as his ability to say “no.” But criminals who would compel compliance often respond with punishment backed up by force. It is far from clear how an individual should react to the threat of force because circumstances vary from person to person. A bachelor might be willing to say “no” and be imprisoned for doing so; a family man might not be willing to deprive his children of his income. For the family man, a...

By Wendy McElroy Vote24 6

Why the Lights of America are Dimming Aug 17, 2014

Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision. Their goals differed, but they all had this in common: that the step was first, the road new, the vision unborrowed, and the response they received—hatred. --Ayn Rand,“The Soul of an Individualist,” For the New Intellectual You cannot create passion and talent. But you can destroy them. When people are punished for their virtues, such as the drive to excel and to work hard, then passion and talent become liabilities. Sometimes people persist for the sheer joy of creation, for...

By Wendy McElroy Vote17 4

Beware of Kafkatrapping Aug 16, 2014

My regular Thursday column for the Daily Bell has been posted Beware of Kafkatrapping! There is already an active discussion thread at the end of the article, and I respond to posts. Click here to browse or join in. The term “kafkatrapping” describes a logical fallacy that is popular within gender feminism, racial politics and other ideologies of victimhood. It occurs when you are accused of a thought crime such as sexism, racism or homophobia. You respond with an honest denial which is then used as further confirmation of your guilt. You are now trapped in a circular and unfalsifiable...

By Wendy McElroy Vote30 9

Obama Wants to Close the Oceans. Privatize Instead! Jul 27, 2014

This article was originally published at the highly recommended Future of Freedom site. To access the original with its many embedded links to sources, please click here. In June, President Obama made a video announcement at the Our Ocean 2014 Conference, sponsored by the Department of State. He declared, “Like Presidents Clinton and Bush before me, I’m going to use my authority as President to protect some of our most precious marine landscapes just as we do for our mountains and rivers and forests.… [T]he United States is leading the fight to protect the world’s oceans.” The statement foreshadowed a...

By Wendy McElroy Vote11 2

Flee Rather Than Stand Your Ground Jul 27, 2014

Nothing is less passive than the act of fleeing, of exiting. Do not resist, do not attempt to take over power. Walk away.

By Wendy McElroy Vote16 8

The Power of the Powerless Jul 3, 2014

In the sixth century BC, the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu identified the world's biggest problem. Individuals viewed themselves as powerless.

By Wendy McElroy Vote13 4

The Soul-Killing Effect of Owning Slaves and Some Feminism Jun 2, 2014

In the early 19th century, the American anti-slavery movement called abolitionism made an intriguing argument. Without denying or diminishing the horror of being a slave, abolitionists claimed that the slave owner was also a victim because owning another person coarsened his soul and dehumanized his character. This abolitionist argument was not an expression of concern for the slave owner but a statement of reality. A man could not wield raw, brutal power over another without killing within himself the best of human qualities, such as compassion, empathy, generosity and goodwill. The classical liberal Lord Acton famously stated, "Power tends to...

By Wendy McElroy Vote14 5

How to be an individualist anarchist May 27, 2014

The state is not inevitable. The state constitutes the chains binding men and denying their freedom. That freedom lives in one word – the ability to say”no.” When that word can be spoken without fear, then a far more important one can occur throughout society – “yes.”

By Wendy McElroy Vote6 1

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