Bloganista Interview: Anok, the huggable anarchist
September 23rd, 2008.
I met Anok over on Blogcatalog.com - her profile avatar is memorable, terrifying to some.
It seemingly depicts the face of either a woman about to blow up a plane, or mug you. She’s almost 100% anarchist, politically ’strong-minded’ and opinionated…
Yet, she’s been known to describe herself as Eeyore, from Winnie the Pooh. She simply inspires affection.
Anok’s blog, Identity Check, is a great read. She calls a pink-fuzzy-thing a “pink-fuzzy-thing” - and says the stuff we might think but aren’t gutsy enough to say.
Her latest post on the current economical situation heading-south in America, and much of the world, is definitely worth a peak: “Hey Big Brother, Can you Spare a Dime“.
LM: Thanks for your time, Anok. Do you have a day job? Or do you simply blog and spend your time on forums?) (i.e. how do you put food on your table and feed your arrogant cat?)
Anok: I am a stay at home mother, who homeschools our child. My husband has the day job, and brings in the income we need to pay rent and utilities.
We are working on becoming as self sufficient as possible - by growing our own food, hunting for our own meat, fur, and leather (and bone, which is trade commodity too). We pay for what we have to pay for in money, and barter for the rest.
Otherwise, yeah, I spend most of my time blogging, writing, and playing on Blogcatalog.
(You can find Anok on Blogcatalog virtually any time of day… I hadn’t realized she hunted though. Maybe her avatar is scary after all…?)
LM: Who is Anok really?
Anok: Ah, I am just a woman with strong opinions!
(As mentioned above, this is true. Perhaps you need a strong opinion to blog well? But what does she mean by ‘just’ a woman?)
The truth of the matter is that I am a reformed woman. I used to be a staunch Republican, always politically active, and supported Capitalism fervently.
After I had endured a long, hard lesson about the truths of our country, and our economy (and I do mean I learned the hard way) I began changing, slowly, painfully and came to new ideas, new conclusions, and a way to get these ideas out there.
It was a pretty painful process, particularly with the “I told you so” looks from my husband. (He played nice though, he didn’t rub it in my face too much).
But I do believe it was the right thing to experience at the right time.
It changed my perspective on everything, and although it has caused some strain personally, it has strengthened other relationships, and helped me find new friends, with similar ideologies, and common goals.
So, that’s who I am.
Oh, I also cook, sew, crochet, garden, play musical instruments, dance, and loads of other stuff that people probably wouldn’t expect me to be able to do. Ha!
(Okay, crocheting is good - less scary…)
LM: Do the Internet and Anarchism go together, like cheese and “please”? (i.e. Do they achieve anything together?)
I think that the internet has really helped anarchists get together and communicate better with each other. It definitely has it’s advantages.
On the other hand, for any group planning direct action etc, the internet is a liability - as it is monitored and anarchists are often sought out by law enforcement.(As we saw in the RNC riots, preemptive arrests of Anarchists happened before the RNC even started).
Generally though, I think it is a benefit to anarchists just like it’s a benefit to everyone else.
It provides loads of information, platforms for writing and getting ideas out there to non-anarchists, and helps in widely dispelling myths and misnomers about anarchism, which is what I do.
(Anok and anarchism no longer make me quake… there you have it, activist blogging in action!)
LM: Thanks so much again for your time. On the side, you aren’t planning any action are you?
This article is written by: Lilly Mouse...I love communicating (through writing, art, dance, and any other way imaginable). Blogging and I have become very good friends in the last few years.
LillyMouse.com is my creation, and I'm so please to share it with you! Ciao for now, Lilly Read more from this authorWhat's Next?
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