if i have to read the phrase "justified hierarchies" one more time my body will transform into snakes
@Cyclideon It always frustrates me so much. If you respect someone and frequently follow their advice, that's not a hierarchy, that's just agreeing with someone. If they have no power to make you do something you don't want to and you're free to disagree with them, then how much you respect them makes no difference!
It's *coercive* hierarchies, y'all. "Justified hierarchies" has so much fucking wiggle room, especially when you realize that authoritarians think *every* hierarchy is justified
@socalledunitedstates @Cyclideon
Yes, coercive hierarchy where someone has power over you is very different from following someone's advice
But the ability to get a lot of people to follow your advice IS a form of power, which you can wield against others.
And you can build that power for yourself, by keeping up a myth of your own perfection and hiding the sources of your knowledge, or you can dismantle it by showing your flaws and skill sharing so people don't need your advice.
@socalledunitedstates @Cyclideon
Good anarchists don't pretend that all advice is equal or that experience doesn't matter, but do look for hierarchies building from popularity, the overstating of someone's perfection, and over-reliance on someone's experience and scarce knowledge.
It then addresses those factors and looks at how to distribute that knowledge and experience better.
