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\title{Subjugated Dreams}
\date{June 26, 2026}
\author{A Jaded Zoomer-Anarchist}
\subtitle{On The Appeal of the Authoritarian Left Among Generation Z}






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There is often conversation that anarchy is popular among the youth; that anarchy has become a prevalent force within Gen Z today. While I appreciate the sentiment and the cheering, this couldn’t be any further from the truth.


There was a period following the 1990s and the collapse of the Warsaw Pact nation-state projects that I've become aware of where autonomous activity became a rather popular idea in broad discourse as a whole in a way that transcended age. This is unfortunately no longer the reality that is faced in 2026.


The fact of the matter is to me, as a younger anarchist, that I am in the minority. Of course I will always be in the minority even among anarchists due to my wingnut tendencies as some before me have identified in sardonic tragedy, but what I mean is that I am among the minority even under the broad label of anarchist within my age bracket.


By and large, the youth are authoritarians on both the left and the right. I’m not particularly surprised by this, but it does make me rather mournful when I hear my older friends talk about the past because of this.


For the purposes of this, I’m not going to discuss much on the right-wing attraction of the youth. Much of what I want to discuss about the relation between the authoritarian left and young people equally applies to the right. As well as this, there are many others who have divulged into the allure of fascism in greater detail.


In any case, I’d like to do a few things: reflect on why this has happened, further expound on what the state of anarchism among the youth is now, and in an ironic way ask what is to be done?


I remember reading a post on Tumblr some years ago that presented a hypothesis that unfortunately reflected the reality the youth would face today. This user was like “my hypothesis is that in like 10 years gen z is gonna have a big cult boom the way the boomers did in the 70s.” And they were absolutely right.


These are desperate times, and desperate times create desperate people looking for an answer. This leads to the creation of false prophets and snake oil shops, and in particular this has attracted many young people towards the deceit of vanguard organizations and talking heads who claim to have the answers they’ve been seeking; it actively helps these talking heads that they pragmatically utilize social media to do so.


I mean seriously, there are pages on Instagram like “skibidi.dialectics” and Marxist-Leninist accounts posting Italian brainrot characters like Tung Tung Tung Sahur reading the works of Mao and Xi Jinping. Much like the right-wing authoritarians who they are in good company with, they have mastered the algorithm and have successfully preyed on desperate hungry spirits. It’s insanity, but it’s unfortunately working for them.


And even among those young anarchists who I have seen, a disturbing number are hardly anarchists because of the looming and insidious influence of the Marxist-Leninists. I have seen some people call themselves "anarcho-tankies" in a completely unironic way, and the "anarcho" part of their label is nothing more than flavor. They are anarchists in name and aesthetic, but they never speak of the beautiful idea. They never speak of freedom, they never speak of the individual liberating herself from the shackles of authority or of those beautiful things which we seize; they only speak of the narrow Marxian analysis and of the tired idea of “left-unity.” Hell, the anarcho-tankies will call anarchists "adventurists" and "feds" before anything else.


At their very best which says nothing, the authoritarian left will take from us what they need to push their own domineering goals. In recent yet distant memory I remember it happening with Little Turtle and in a far greener instance some groups have utilized the Prairieland defendants as a recruitment tool.


It is important to remember that anarchist analysis does not derive from an starting point of political economy, it is first and foremost an analysis that originates from a critical analysis of power itself. The conclusion of its analysis is the will towards social and\Slash{}or individual transformation, not the narrow Marxian view of class struggle. Of course there are some anarchists that identify with the class struggle, but even they do not view it as the Marxist-Leninists do. Power manifests itself in every aspect of our world. The anarchist struggle of the 21st century is not one of class or even of the state alone; it is of war against society itself. As such, an anarchist opposition to power is not only an opposition to the dominant power but also, as Gustavo Rodriguez recently reminded us, opposition to those which seek to merely substitute roles.


Keeping this in mind, I find it rather embarrassing to see self-described anarchists carry themselves in this way. There is an almost willful ignorance to understanding the ontological essence of anarchy among a disturbingly large group, and it's embarrassing. Some of you reading this may find this to be a rash opinion, but I find myself not caring anymore. I've grown tired of empty aesthetics and I've grown tired of seeing people take the bait.


Fredy Perlman identified that every time we take a step we’re surrounded by the ideological birds of prey who feed on our possibilities, fill themselves with concepts of our desires and reenslave us with beautiful combinations of words which seem to depict the world we failed to realize. This is a pattern, which has persisted for thousands of years mind you, of captured life by groups that want to repress imagination. This has only continued to repeat itself in the 2020s, the soaring eagles continue their raids and have captured many of us with their spectacle. They've swooped in and disemboweled, and I'm tired.


So what is to be done? What a funny way to ask such a question, but I think it’s an important question to discuss. What can anarchists do to reach the youth before the authoritarians can? That is certainly a priority for me as a distroist and as such I've spent much time in thought on this matter.


I don’t claim to have all the answers obviously, and I would be a fool to claim that I do. As a matter of fact, not having the answers is the best starting point for anyone. There are no easy answers, there is no predestined prophecy to fulfill. There is, however, infinite possibilities and creativity. I propose that this would be the starting point for any dialogue of anarchy to Gen Z, that of choice.


It is also very important too, but meet them where they're at. That is such a tired phrase that has been left to endless repetition, but it is true. It was a big help to getting me here, that I am the only one who can liberate me. Meet them where they are at, give them the tools but allow them to find their way; help them destroy their world. Show them that the boundaries which are imposed upon them are nothing but ghosts and illusions. The ghosts of colonialism, capitalism, communism, law, property, and the whole haunted house of ghouls and sprites of the existent will bend to them in the conquest of their will.


You want a revolution, and I am with you on this, but I have refused to wait and it pains me to see you do so. I have no faith in a bearded man in the sky to save me, nor do I believe the lies of the prophets of Men; I disregard all power because I am the only one who can govern my own self. I find that those who merely want to become the new cops of this world are weak-spirited people who want bread but don’t know where to find their soul. So please, seek soul along with your bread. I think you’ll find that the smell of burning palaces and shattered glass is unforgettable. I think that the love you’ll fall into with the world will be far more awesome than the co-dependency you share with god-kings and mad tyrants.


There is no grand narrative anymore. There never was such a thing as cosmic truth really, I believe they were lies enacted for social control really. To me, the only truth of this realm is that there isn't one. This universe is full of life in its very essence, but life is chaotic; spontaneous. I must ask what it is you want most from your life, from this world; what is your truth? Your passion? And just as importantly, what would you do to make it happen?


These are questions that no one can answer but your own self, but we can certainly chat and perhaps there can be desire shared between the two of us?


Do you have a dream? I do too. I dream of a world where we can decide for ourselves what it is we want to be. I dream of lush forests growing from the ruins of the old world, of mangled panopticons and charred basilicas overgrown with what they call "weeds." Of awesome tales of slain gods and Dionysian mirth told over the fire by friends as they sit in what was once a church. I dream, much like many before me have did and still do, that the lie of the dead world is destroyed to give way to unashamed proud life.


You have a dream yes? Let us discuss this matter, I would love to hear it.


We can only save ourselves, but we can certainly do it together if you’re prepared for a bumpy ride. I brought some dumpstered bagels and wicked desire long for the adventure, hope you’re hungry. I’ll show you how to get ‘em for yourself too, if you'd like.









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The Anarchist Library



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A Jaded Zoomer-Anarchist

Subjugated Dreams

On The Appeal of the Authoritarian Left Among Generation Z

June 26, 2026


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