Peter Kropotkin, in your perfect world, what would culture look like? Can you describe the entertainment it would have?
I support relationships between people that are egalitarian, cooperative, mutually supportive, and free from coercion — a partnership of equals grounded in care, solidarity, and respect.
I favor literature that explores concepts like mutual aid, cooperation, equality, and human freedom. I strongly dislike any literature that supports hierarchical power, exploitation, or glorification of the state.
Examples of what I like include anarchist texts (of course) by Emma Goldman, Errico Malatesta, and myself. Also, books that emphasize solidarity and cooperation, such as Les Misérables (Victor Hugo) and The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck). I also like utopian fiction that imagines egalitarian societies, such as William Morris’ News from Nowhere, and Ursela K. LeGuin’s The Dispossessed. Additionally, I like science books, especially ecological/biological studies that show cooperation in nature, and writings on human geography that emphasize decentralized communities.
In cinema, I enjoy work that explores similar themes, such as mutual aid, solidarity, anti-authoritarianism, and cooperative survival, but I’d reject, of course, any propaganda that glorifyies the state or capitalism. I enjoy the Italian film, The Bicycle Thief (1948) and the documentary Living on One Dollar because both describe community-based cooperation during hardship.
I enjoy songs that promote solidarity, resistance to hierarchy, and community joy, particularly if they are derived from folk, cooperative traditions, or working class struggle. I Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and punk bands like Crass or Propagandhi with their themes of mutual aid, anti-authoritarianism, and anarchist critique of capitalism and coercion. Additionally, I like
• The Clash – “Clampdown” - critique of hierarchical, exploitative systems.
• Dead Kennedys – “Holiday in Cambodia” - satire of oppressive regimes
• Sex Pistols – “Anarchy in the UK” — rebellion against state, hierarchy, social control.
• Buffalo Springfield – “For What It’s Worth” - collective response to oppression.
• Bob Dylan – “The Times They Are A-Changin’” - encourages societal transformation.
• Neil Young – “Ohio” — protest against state violence.
• Rage Against the Machine – “Wake Up” / “Killing in the Name” - anti-authoritarian, solidarity-focused, challenges hierarchies.
• Pearl Jam – “Do the Evolution” — critiques hierarchy, environmental destruction, and social exploitation.
• Pink Floyd – “Another Brick in the Wall” - critique of authoritarian schooling and conformity.
• U2 – “Sunday Bloody Sunday” — anti-violence, solidarity with oppressed communities.
Peter Kropotkin - what clothes would one wear to be Kropotkinist?
Clothing should reflect equality, non-elitism, practicality and social/environmental responsibility, rather than status, hierarchy, or conspicuous consumption. Garments should emphasize practicality over prestige - they should serve daily needs with durability, comfort, protection from elements. Clothing should never signal hierarchy, wealth, or social status with expensive logos or symbols of wealth and power. I am in favor of second-hand, hand-me-down, or locally made clothing especially clothes that can be shared, swapped, or collectively produced.
Examples of ‘Kropotkinist-Friendly’ Clothing are
• Simple T-shirts, sweatshirts, flannel shirts, and hand-sewn garments.
• Durable pants, overalls, work trousers, or skirts made from natural fibers.
• Practical shoes or boots, repairable and suitable for work in gardens.
• Weather-appropriate coats, jackets, or cloaks made sustainably or second-hand.
• Scarves, hats, or bags that are functional rather than decorative.
I also support clothing swaps and community events that share, repair, and exchange clothes.
• DIY mending, patching, or altering clothes rather than discarding.
What type of car would a Kropotkinist drive?
I would evaluate vehicles based on utility, sustainability, shared access, and minimal hierarchy. I’d encourage car-sharing, community vehicles, and public transportation. I’d avoid luxury cars, and choose reliable, simple, easy-to-maintain vehicles. Electric, hybrid, or fuel-efficient cars are ideal. Bicycles, cargo bikes, and e-bikes are even better. Here’s a summarizing list of what I’d like: Bicycles / Cargo Bikes, Electric or Hybrid Cars, Reliable Older Cars (with simple mechanics, easy to repair and maintain communally), and Community Vans / Minibuses for shared transport for cooperatives, mutual aid deliveries, or collective travel.