From the wild child to the deep thinker, the term, anarchy holds a special place in the heart for people that believe in the phrase. These people might also want to let others know this word has special meaning for them by getting a tattoo to represent their feelings. The anarchy tattoo represents a certain philosophy about life that is often misconstrued.
In this article we are going to talk about the meaning and misconceptions about anarchism and why so many people enjoy the anarchy tattoo. We will also visit the different styles of tattoo this symbol can be characterized in.
Anarchy is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as an absence of government or “a state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental authority”. People that believe in Anarchism believe that societies should be self-governed by way of voluntary establishments. This can be described as a stateless society as Anarchists believe the state does more harm than good.
We can’t think of a better way to let the people around you know that you don’t believe in the current structure of government. The Anarchy tattoo is a bold statement and many people do not understand the meaning behind it. Many people associate this symbol with punk rockers or trouble makers, but this isn’t true at all. Part of the problem is the message has somewhat been hijacked by people like this as far leftists have turned this into their own movement. Ted Kaczynski even warned about this in his manifesto called, Industrial Society and its Future.
There are many misconceptions about what Anarchy is and what it stands for. One thing to remember is that Anarchism is not just about total disorder and chaos. It would be better described as a push for full local autonomy and total decentralization rather than fire and brimstone. In other words, Anarchists want no government interference, policing of their freedom or any coercion by the state.
The rules that matter are the ones you and the community around you impose. Anarchists believe they are able to do a better job policing themselves than having someone step in and tell them how to live their life. You are the one responsible for your life and if you screw it up, nobody is there to catch you. No government assistance or bailouts. You are responsible for yourself.
People will argue that everything will turn to madness and lawlessness without government rule. As if people never survived without the rule of government. There are tribes today that are under no government policing of the country they reside in. Everything is done in-house, and they take care of themselves. These tribes have survived for many years without government assistance and will most likely adapt and keep moving forward for many more.
There are also many kinds of anarchists in the world. These anarchists’ ideas revolve around their specific ideologies. There are anarchist groups that revolve around Christianity, primitivism, nationalism groups and anti-statists, for example.
Not everyone will agree with the different offshoots, but this is the point of Anarchy. People decide for themselves and live with the consequences. The groups they are involved with decide their own rules and freedoms. If everyone is ok with it, who are we to tell them it is wrong.
Anarchists also believe the state is mankind’s greatest enemy. They believe the modern state, as represented by our governments, is against the people and doesn’t hide the contempt. They believe the ruling system is put in place to control us and divide us, so we are too busy fighting each other to worry about what is going on behind the scenes.
Now that we know anarchism doesn’t represent total madness, maybe we don’t glare so hard at the person wearing the anarchy tattoo when we see them walking down the street. These are people that believe a higher authority shouldn’t tell them how to live their life. They are perfectly fine dealing with the consequences of their own actions.
The anarchy tattoo can be represented in different ways. With the creativity of tattoo artists these days, you will have an opportunity to make a unique statement with your anarchy tattoo. We’ve seen these tattooed in very creative ways and maybe you will take something from this, so you can have your own unique anarchy tattoo as well.
The old fashioned “A” with a circle around it is the most obvious choice. Nothing else but that in your tattoo makes a bold statement. No frills, just a message of a community not governed by the state. Having the simple logo makes the statement that you are not just getting a tattoo for the beauty, but you also want to send a message.
You might also see other symbols take the place of lines of the anarchy symbol. We’ve seen guns take the place of the “A” in the symbol or even sticks of dynamite. We hope these symbols are for the sake of blowing up the establishment, but some people have different ideas of what they believe anarchy is. Who are we to say?
One of my favorites is the “A” with a heart around it instead of the circle. This is portraying the message of love. This movement doesn’t have to be about violence. It’s about living your own life without interference. Having your own laws for the family you created instead of someone stepping in and telling you how to be with your family.
These are just a few examples of how we have seen the anarchy tattoo portrayed on the body. It’s important to know that the true definition of anarchy isn’t about violence and madness but about the freedom to make your own choices for yourself and your family. We hope you have a better understanding of why someone might get an anarchy tattoo after reading this post.
However, if you have any questions about this subject or what tattoo you want to get, let us know. Deciding on a tattoo shop or artist can also be a difficult decision so if you are having trouble deciding, we can recommend an artist that will fit the bill. We would love to help.