After the weather had improved that first week of Hatchet's return and against Poole's pleading, Hatchet had moved to the banks of a secluded creek that ran through the heart of a wildlife preserve operated by an old friend of his family. He found a deep draw where his truck could be driven around a caliche cliff onto a small open bank with a huge hollow elm on which he could hang heated water in collapsible five-gallon water jugs to shower. A thirty-watt solar panel charged a gel cell twelve volt battery system that ran an inverter for electricity. He and Malorie would sit by a campfire drinking beer and wine, watching black and white movies on his laptop into the early morning. She teased him for what she called his mountain man ways. He told her the sky was the best bed sheet he had ever known and the sun the most reliable alarm clock he had ever owned and he had grown to hate the idea of sleeping under a roof.
A few days subsequent to his confrontation with the angry fellow in the nightclub, he and Malorie lay cuddling under heavy blankets watching Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in To Have and Have Not. Hatchet spent most of the film describing to her how Howard Hawks had changed the setting and the plot from Hemingway's original novel, erasing most of the author's hints at Marxism and completely relocating the story from Florida and Cuba to the French Caribbean island of Martinique. Malorie tried to change the direction of the conversation, remarking Bacall’s age at the time of the film and her anorexic slouch but Hatchet continued with Hemingway's sympathies for the communist supported Loyalists. So she finally relented to his obvious desire to press her into a deep political discussion, something she had done a worthy job of avoiding until now, deflecting his unremitting hints at his anarchism since the moment she had revealed her intentions for public office. Their heaviest conversations thus far had been over literature or film or her depressing family history. Now, after many desperate and ignored attempts to discuss spirituality with him, a far more important subject in her opinion, he was forcing her to discuss politics. I thought you were an artist, she jabbed him, compose me a poem or something. I’m doing cocaine in the bathroom of your heart—. Oh fuck that.
With the sole intention of irritating him, she accused him of being a communist. What in the hell would make you think that I'm a communist? Oh come on, Hatchet; that proletariat crap you slung at that poor dude the other night...
That was simple truth, Malorie. But, no, I'm no communist. Not by a long shot. I am an anarchist and I'm pretty sure you've figured that out by now. I believe in the idea that laws are just plain bad. I think laws cause more problems than they cure. Good people don't need them and bad people don't obey them. I'm pretty sure it was a Christian who said that.
Malorie rattled her head resting against his chest with the movie and the campfire flashing at her face peeking just above the blankets. But, Hatchet, history has shown that anarchism doesn't work, not since the beginning of time. It's never worked, no more than communism or socialism. No law means no protection. You think people are greedy now? Wait until they see what's tucked away in your shed and there are no police around. Anarchy would be a great way to destroy hundreds of millions of lives, she quipped. And I hate to break it to you, but anarchy doesn't last long. It's a tool to destroy government that always results in a new form of government, which historically is despotic and tyrannical.
A lack of police doesn’t cause crime, Malorie, but beside that, anarchism hasn't worked since the beginning of time? Anarchism has arguably been the most dominant way of life since the beginning of time. It's only been recently that we've developed systems of law. Every single species on Earth, every biological and ecological system utilizes anarchistic principles. It's the way nature works.
Oh, good lord. Okay, sure, if by recently you mean at least the last ten thousand years. If you want to return to that way of life, there are a minimum of five to six billion people who'll have to disappear in short order. We are special in our ability to think and organize. Do you really think that the development of systems that allow for growth and prosperity, science and the acquisition of knowledge are unnatural and deserving of destruction? You're talking about devolution.
Hatchet pushed her forward and pulled her around and peered into the beauty blazing behind her eyes. It's not devolution, Malorie. This iron-fisted order we've established is simply a wrong turn. It's what is unnatural and will inevitably collapse.
These are interesting ideas but at some point, you need to get serious and think about how best to serve society and come up with some real solutions. The abolition of government is not a realistic or desirable option.
You said anarchism has never worked in history. I would have to say it's been given little chance. Catalonia, in the earliest part of the last century, practiced a form of anarcho-syndicalism that worked beautifully for over a year with citizen patrols and fire brigades and the like until the Republic, those Loyalists that Papa Hemingway was so fond of, came in to crush them out of fear of their guns. It's always some oppressive power that rolls in to destroy it out of fear.
Malorie laughed in his face. You're proving my point for me, Hatchet! People are too concerned for their own self-interest for this fairy-tale of yours to ever work. You said they had patrols and fire brigades. That's government if I've ever heard it, Hatchet. You're contradicting yourself. It's human nature that requires laws. Laws equal freedom for everyone. Think about it.
I disagree.
Obviously, but that doesn't make you right.
Human nature doesn’t require anything. It is and always will be subject to conditioning. What we’re discussing is competition—which will always be a part of human nature. Why can’t we be conditioned to compete in generosity or kindness, autonomy?
Her intensity bristled and he felt an overwhelming need to touch her. He reached into the warmth of the blanket and pushed his hand into the nexus of her crossed legs. Look, he said, I accept the fact that people feel the need for government and are willing to take on the burden of governing and being governed but that's not human nature. It's conditioning. It is a sham and a phantom. We all, like it or not, pick and choose which laws we're going to bow down to.
But that's exactly why democracy works. Democracy finds the laws that the majority of people agree on and keeps developing the system to serve the needs of the people.
The needs of the majority. He pointed his finger into the air.
Exactly.
How does that retain the autonomy of the individual?
Autonomy of the individual? Malorie's face puckered in frustration, melting Hatchet’s heart. It's a democracy, Hatchet. If the majority of the people feel it's wrong to steal from their neighbor, sorry bout that slim minority that really wants to. A slur had snuck into her voice. A symptom of the wine she had been drinking.
Hatchet took his turn laughing in her face. Now you're being ridiculous.
Don't pull that crap on me. A cornerstone of anarchism is that property is theft.
Not exactly.
Don't balk on this.
I'm not balking. You're getting off topic.
Oh Really?
A few days subsequent to his confrontation with the angry fellow in the nightclub, he and Malorie lay cuddling under heavy blankets watching Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in To Have and Have Not. Hatchet spent most of the film describing to her how Howard Hawks had changed the setting and the plot from Hemingway's original novel, erasing most of the author's hints at Marxism and completely relocating the story from Florida and Cuba to the French Caribbean island of Martinique. Malorie tried to change the direction of the conversation, remarking Bacall’s age at the time of the film and her anorexic slouch but Hatchet continued with Hemingway's sympathies for the communist supported Loyalists. So she finally relented to his obvious desire to press her into a deep political discussion, something she had done a worthy job of avoiding until now, deflecting his unremitting hints at his anarchism since the moment she had revealed her intentions for public office. Their heaviest conversations thus far had been over literature or film or her depressing family history. Now, after many desperate and ignored attempts to discuss spirituality with him, a far more important subject in her opinion, he was forcing her to discuss politics. I thought you were an artist, she jabbed him, compose me a poem or something. I’m doing cocaine in the bathroom of your heart—. Oh fuck that.
With the sole intention of irritating him, she accused him of being a communist. What in the hell would make you think that I'm a communist? Oh come on, Hatchet; that proletariat crap you slung at that poor dude the other night...
That was simple truth, Malorie. But, no, I'm no communist. Not by a long shot. I am an anarchist and I'm pretty sure you've figured that out by now. I believe in the idea that laws are just plain bad. I think laws cause more problems than they cure. Good people don't need them and bad people don't obey them. I'm pretty sure it was a Christian who said that.
Malorie rattled her head resting against his chest with the movie and the campfire flashing at her face peeking just above the blankets. But, Hatchet, history has shown that anarchism doesn't work, not since the beginning of time. It's never worked, no more than communism or socialism. No law means no protection. You think people are greedy now? Wait until they see what's tucked away in your shed and there are no police around. Anarchy would be a great way to destroy hundreds of millions of lives, she quipped. And I hate to break it to you, but anarchy doesn't last long. It's a tool to destroy government that always results in a new form of government, which historically is despotic and tyrannical.
A lack of police doesn’t cause crime, Malorie, but beside that, anarchism hasn't worked since the beginning of time? Anarchism has arguably been the most dominant way of life since the beginning of time. It's only been recently that we've developed systems of law. Every single species on Earth, every biological and ecological system utilizes anarchistic principles. It's the way nature works.
Oh, good lord. Okay, sure, if by recently you mean at least the last ten thousand years. If you want to return to that way of life, there are a minimum of five to six billion people who'll have to disappear in short order. We are special in our ability to think and organize. Do you really think that the development of systems that allow for growth and prosperity, science and the acquisition of knowledge are unnatural and deserving of destruction? You're talking about devolution.
Hatchet pushed her forward and pulled her around and peered into the beauty blazing behind her eyes. It's not devolution, Malorie. This iron-fisted order we've established is simply a wrong turn. It's what is unnatural and will inevitably collapse.
These are interesting ideas but at some point, you need to get serious and think about how best to serve society and come up with some real solutions. The abolition of government is not a realistic or desirable option.
You said anarchism has never worked in history. I would have to say it's been given little chance. Catalonia, in the earliest part of the last century, practiced a form of anarcho-syndicalism that worked beautifully for over a year with citizen patrols and fire brigades and the like until the Republic, those Loyalists that Papa Hemingway was so fond of, came in to crush them out of fear of their guns. It's always some oppressive power that rolls in to destroy it out of fear.
Malorie laughed in his face. You're proving my point for me, Hatchet! People are too concerned for their own self-interest for this fairy-tale of yours to ever work. You said they had patrols and fire brigades. That's government if I've ever heard it, Hatchet. You're contradicting yourself. It's human nature that requires laws. Laws equal freedom for everyone. Think about it.
I disagree.
Obviously, but that doesn't make you right.
Human nature doesn’t require anything. It is and always will be subject to conditioning. What we’re discussing is competition—which will always be a part of human nature. Why can’t we be conditioned to compete in generosity or kindness, autonomy?
Her intensity bristled and he felt an overwhelming need to touch her. He reached into the warmth of the blanket and pushed his hand into the nexus of her crossed legs. Look, he said, I accept the fact that people feel the need for government and are willing to take on the burden of governing and being governed but that's not human nature. It's conditioning. It is a sham and a phantom. We all, like it or not, pick and choose which laws we're going to bow down to.
But that's exactly why democracy works. Democracy finds the laws that the majority of people agree on and keeps developing the system to serve the needs of the people.
The needs of the majority. He pointed his finger into the air.
Exactly.
How does that retain the autonomy of the individual?
Autonomy of the individual? Malorie's face puckered in frustration, melting Hatchet’s heart. It's a democracy, Hatchet. If the majority of the people feel it's wrong to steal from their neighbor, sorry bout that slim minority that really wants to. A slur had snuck into her voice. A symptom of the wine she had been drinking.
Hatchet took his turn laughing in her face. Now you're being ridiculous.
Don't pull that crap on me. A cornerstone of anarchism is that property is theft.
Not exactly.
Don't balk on this.
I'm not balking. You're getting off topic.
Oh Really?
Edit 12.29.2018