# Giraffe: tag, you're it. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 17, 2009, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315 "2009-07-17T07:33:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/201 "2009-07-21T20:20:04Z")
Well, by way of comparison, in classical Marxism, anarchy was to be the end result. The State, having performed its purpose, would simply wither away, being unnecessary. And, like pacifism, it is workable so long as it is universally practiced, which it to say, when all people are uniformly generous and noble, the State serves no function. But in that context, anarchy is goal, not process. Seems clear to me you cannot achieve anarchy by practicing anarchy, political power proceeds from organization. The positive power of anarchy, though very limited, is that it highlights the error of organization for its own sake, and the tendency of structures to outlive their usefulness because the _apparatchiks_ of that structure depend upon it for their relevance. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/202 "2009-07-21T21:36:08Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > I still haven’t seen this objection addressed, and I’d really like to. (This was always one of my main objections to anarchy–I think it’s great in theory, and it works well in at least some small groups, but that it breaks down once the population gets big enough.) Here’s what we’ll do. Each small group, or “town” as I like to call them, will vote and decide upon their preferred village elder. We’ll call him the “mayor.” This “mayor” will be responsible for making decision for the benefit of his particular “town.” To make sure that he doesn’t just go off all half cocked, we’ll take another vote for a group of lesser elders. Let’s call them a “city council.” They’ll also be responsible for how the “town” is run. And to keep them from hiring goons just to beat us if we don’t vote for them, we’ll pay people to be security for the town. We can call them the “police” after that band that Sting was in. To give the “police” an idea of what kinds of things to look out for, we’ll pass some guidelines called “laws,” and anyone who violates those “laws” we’ll be punished by the “police.” That should work on a small scale. I’m just not sure how to make it work on a larger scale. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/203 "2009-07-22T00:50:15Z")
> [@SmashTheState](#): > > … In Kanada, … _sigh_ What’s the point of this, and of Amerika? ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/204 "2009-07-22T01:13:30Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > _sigh_ What’s the point of this, and of Amerika? Broken “c” key? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/205 "2009-07-22T01:16:48Z")
The “c” key is the tool of kapitalist oppression, komrade. -Kaptain Amazing ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/206 "2009-07-22T04:08:46Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > _sigh_ What’s the point of this, and of Amerika? I don’t think our friend has yet learned that here at the SDMB, we make our points with our arguments, not our spellings. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/207 "2009-07-22T04:11:14Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > _sigh_ What’s the point of this, and of Amerika? The OP said, in one of his lengthier posts, that he does this to emphasize the fascist nature of the state, or some shit like that. Why he thinks that misspelling does that, I don’t know. I do know that it pisses me off, and I want him to stop with the misspelling bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/208 "2009-07-22T04:19:35Z")
Don’t you think you’d be cooler if you changed your username to **Regallag\_The\_Acks**? ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/209 "2009-07-22T13:02:57Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > The “c” key is the tool of kapitalist oppression, komrade. > > -Kaptain Amazing Is he an anarkhist then? ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/210 "2009-07-22T13:58:17Z")
The return of The Weathermen. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/211 "2009-07-22T16:37:34Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > Here’s what we’ll do. [snip explanation] That should work on a small scale. I’m just not sure how to make it work on a larger scale. So, you ignored the entire point of my question, then? :rolleyes: I \*\*said \*\*I get how it works on a \*\*small \*\*scale–I want to know how an anarchist thinks it will be feasible on a \*\*large \*\*scale. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/212 "2009-07-22T17:08:57Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I don’t think our friend has yet learned that here at the SDMB, we make our points with our arguments, not our spellings. Oh, I think he makes a point. Just not the one he thinks. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/213 "2009-07-22T17:31:06Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > So, you ignored the entire point of my question, then? :rolleyes: I believe that would be a whoosh. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/214 "2009-07-22T17:47:59Z")
> [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](#): > > I believe that would be a whoosh. This thread is full of fucking morons who’d make that post in earnest. I’ll stand by my original statement until the poster themself claims the whoosh. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/215 "2009-07-22T18:15:42Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > This thread is full of fucking morons who’d make that post in earnest. I’ll stand by my original statement until the poster themself claims the whoosh. No. I will boldly speak for Harborwolf and his hilarious post and say WHOOOOOSSHHHHH!!! ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/216 "2009-07-22T18:22:02Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > No. I will boldly speak for Harborwolf and his hilarious post and say WHOOOOOSSHHHHH!!! I’m not sure who he was wooshing, **Shot From Guns** or **SmashTheKeyboard** , or both. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/217 "2009-07-22T18:28:51Z")
Ahahaha, so I just re-read the post. Total whoosh, I concede. (I only skimmed it the first time I read it.) ETA: **kidchameleon** , it was mockery aimed at **Smash** , but I was the one who had the joke go completely over my head. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/218 "2009-07-22T18:30:40Z")
I skim, too. Like milk. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/219 "2009-07-22T18:31:48Z")
So you’re saying this thread is watery, blue, and gives me the shits? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315/220 "2009-07-22T19:37:42Z")
Help, help, I’m being repressed! Come and see the violence inherent in the system! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giraffe-tag-youre-it/503315.md?page=12)