from the libertarian newspaper

[Jared]

>> Socialism masquerades as libertarianism until it has power, and then
>> it drops the niceties used to convince the masses that something
>> positive is happening, when in truth, power was consolidating. I
>> used to be a Libertarian until I realized I was merely a tool in
>> the hands of the socialists, who are a tool in the hands of the
>> secret organizations, who are everywhere and nowhere.
> 
> Like Jeremy, you are conflating different kinds of socialism. 

Yes. It happens as you grow older. It's called wisdom; the ability
to see through the superficial differences, and recognize common
threads. I have been a socialist. I have been a libertarian. I have
been an anarchist. And not just from the armchair. I have been
arrested as an anarchist protesting the government. I got the point.
I am no longer an anarchist. I have been this and many more, and
I am content with the accurate assessment of Linux as a meritocracy,
which is able to be used by anarchists to push their agenda.

Linux, like the pen or the paper, is itself outside of anarchism,
and yet able to be used by it.

> Linux is very much anarchist, like the rest of the free software 
> movement. It does have a bit of hierarchy, which is understandable given 
> that the movement has to interface with a capitalist society. Linus may 
> control Linux, or at least his corner of the movement, but he long 
> displayed an attitude that is anti-authoritarian.

Anti-authoritarian does not anarchism make, and this is your strongest
point? Anti-authoritarianism is encouraged in a Republic, inefficient
in an Anarchy, and fascinating to behold in a Meritocracy. And we're
still just talking politics. In religion, the anti-authoritarians
are called prophets, if that gives you a scope on the matter.

> Linux is an example of anarchism in action: open, free, anti-capitalist, 
> egalitarian, anti-hierarchical, anti-propertarian, decentralized, 
> cooperative and so on.

Yes, Linux is an example of anarchism. It is also an example of
capitalism, it is also an example of inequality, it is also
an example of rigid hierarchy, powerful intellectual property
rights (witness the battle with SCO), deeply centralized, and
so on.

Meritocracies are like that.

> I'll send my article on the anarchist basis of the free software 
> movement when it gets written.

Okay. I hope you at least study meritocracy before it is finished.

I look forward to seeing it.

-Jared