Has anything you've written been censored or edited or removed?
Only a couple of times that I remember. However, my memory is not what it used to be. But this is beside the point.
Hierarchies are quite normal in our present distress, IMO. It's the way of the world. Anarchists, even Christian anarchists like Jacques Ellul sought a better way, but to me it's like they are beating their heads against the wall. Ellul saw this and knew that hierarchies in our present world are in constant flux. The ruling class of today is the oppressed of tomorrow, and vice versa.
He recommended the rather puzzling solution of switching partners in the middle of the dance, to wit: the anarchist must be prepared to denounce any ruling class that has become oppressive, and always side with the oppressed. So the individual anarchist maintains inner balance in this way. Seems a bit complicated and energy wasting to me as I had rather soar above the fray, but the idea is to restore not only inner balance, but outward.
Now, no ruling class wants to be openly evil. Even if that class is oppressive, it must maintain at least a veneer of magnanimity in order to stay in power. When those being ruled begin to feel like they are being used too much, the fire of revolution is kindled and it eventually takes down the whole power structure... only to replace it with another structure, subject to the same temptations. Hence the endless cycling of balance. It is sad to me, but it would seem these are the cards we must play.
Surely there is a better way. A return to higher values would seem to be in order, but I have no idea how that would happen. What is the individual denizen of a kingdom or queendom to do? I'm not sure... however: Knowing nothing, having nothing, seeing nothing, I yet stumble forward.
