(Originally published 2008) It’s never been easy being a human being. From the dawn of time, we have struggled to survive, struggled to find shelter, struggled to find safety, and struggled to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and alive. The way we do this has changed, but the necessity to do so has…
Category: Politics
A Question of Authority – Can there be Authority in an Anarchist Society?
I wrote this back in 2000 and as has been pointed out by anarchist friends and colleagues, the whole thing is rather un-anarchist in its perspective. Thirteen years later, I have to say that I’m still not certain what box I fit in, with regards to political and economic pigeonholing. It may be that not…
Using Religion to Save the Environment
by Vago Damitio While it would be nice to say that religion is the answer to the ecocrisis (and all the rest of our problems), the truth is not so simple. While there are many passages in holy books of the world that instruct believers to preserve, protect, and value nature ; the problem is…
Anarchy as Religion – Religious Anarchy in Social Context
This is another essay from 2000. Again, my credentials as an anarchist are not clear since I can’t put myself in a box. I’m not sure what to call my beliefs in a religious, political, or economic sense, though I am clear on what my beliefs are…more on that later. I thought that the first…
Amazon’s Amazon Coins are No Play Money – Exploring Virtual Currency
The world of virtual currency is nothing new. However, Amazon.com just unveiled a new virtual currency. It will be coming in May and lots of people are excited about it…but not everyone. I remember hearing about this phenomenon a few years ago. I laughed, I thought it was a media sensation, I pretty much forgot…
If you want to fight the power, you have to know what power is
If You Want to Fight the Power, You Have to Know What Power Is by Vago Damitio Throughout the recorded history of humankind, and presumably even prior to that, human beings have ordered themselves in groups and often placed themselves into positions which necessitate relying upon other human beings. One can imagine the possibility of…
How Mass Media Shapes Personal Identity
A huge part of being a human being is the ability to ask one’s self ‘Who am I?’ Certainly, we cannot know for certain that all creatures don’t ask themselves the same question, but since, as human beings, we are able to communicate the thoughts that we have within ourselves to other human beings outside…
Is Human Nature Anti Nature?
Humans are as much a part of nature as any other species on the planet and while it is permissible to talk about the impact that human populations and culture have had on the planet, the idea that human nature is inherently anti-nature does not fit with the facts. Indigenous people have managed forests for…
A Brief History of the Mass Media
The history of mass media is long and complex. It stretches back beyond the dawns of recorded history to the people that figured out that they could reach a larger audience through painting a picture on a cave wall than just by telling the story to whatever group happened to be present. While these distant…
Gun Control is My Right, Not Yours
I wrote this editorial article for The Horizon. The Student Newspaper of Whatcom Community College in November of 1996. My views haven’t changed 16 years later. GUN CONTROL OR NO GUN CONTROL I was on the bus this morning when a heated debate broke out behind me. I often eavesdrop on the public transit system,…