Why is Anarchism mostly taken as a joke?

[Minimalist]

Most people can't organize a luncheon without help. One shudders to think what civilization would be like if left to those morons.

[liam]

I don't know as much as most about why it is associated with such humour but I would assume it would be something to do with the hollow understanding that was popularised by the punk movement in the 70s and 80s? If you reject normative values the probability is that those who follow them are likely to find you strange and, as we know from experience, people tend to ridicule what they don't know/understand

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Anarchy is the oldest form of social organisation on earth of earth. It is usually found in societies which are organised into small family groups, in which there is no concept of landownership,limited specialisation of labour and no money.

American plains Indians were anarchic,as was (and is) the oldest still extant culture,the Australian aborigine. Worth noting that the lack of a formal government does NOT mean the lack of law, religion or customs.

Anarchy has not been shown to be practical in a large industrial society.

In essence, Anarchy is just another naive Utopian ideal,like Communism and its various sub-sets, as well as ideals based on laissez faire capitalism.

[Whateverist]

Because it bespeaks a naive and unrealistic understanding of human nature and education levels. Because power abhors a vacuum and only power forestalls power.

[Epimethean]

Anarchy makes a good catalyst for change but seems less wieldy as a base.

[Anomalocaris]

Anarchy is a joke because it can not long survive real specialization, and real specialization works.

[5thHorseman]

The only actual real functioning anarchist territory that I know of was the 'free territory' of Ukraine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Territory

It didn't last long as I understand it.

*EDIT*

4000'th post, better say something smart and commemorative... ummm... I like turtles!

Catalonia in the 1930's. George Orwell was there and thought it worked quite weLl.

[Creed of Heresy]

Well, the first thought that pops into my head when I think of an anarchist is a kid with a mohawk listening to System of a Down, a girl with purple hair and fuzzy armpits dressed like a man being cynical about every single last thing, and a crazy dude with a roll of dynamite screaming "TEAR IT ALL DOWN!!" However, I AM educated on the idea of anarchy in that its ideal form is one where people do things basically on a humanistic basis; baker bakes his bread and gives it away for free because that's his role in the society, and in turn the butcher gives the baker some of his meat, and the farmer gives the baker and butcher some of his crops, and all of them give the volunteer militia who keep everyone safe from harm from the outside food for their volunteerwork. The doctor treats his patients because that is what he is supposed to do. The concept of money is largely gone. People just function in their lot in life because it's what they're meant to do and in a sense everyone is working for everyone else. There is no concept of rule or law in doing so; it's just mutually beneficial. People who do not hold up their end of the bargain yet are capable of doing so are cast out or are not allowed to partake in the work of the others.

It makes sense. It's just...modern society and culture just isn't compatible with it, is all.

[Napoléon]

Catalonia in the 1930's. George Orwell was there and thought it worked quite weLl.

You learn something new everyday. And also thinking about it, yeah, there have been quite a few anarchistic societies that I seem to have overlooked :/

[The Grand Nudger]

Well, the first thought that pops into my head when I think of an anarchist is a kid with a mohawk listening to System of a Down, a girl with purple hair and fuzzy armpits dressed like a man being cynical about every single last thing, and a crazy dude with a roll of dynamite screaming "TEAR IT ALL DOWN!!" However, I AM educated on the idea of anarchy in that its ideal form is one where people do things basically on a humanistic basis; baker bakes his bread and gives it away for free because that's his role in the society, and in turn the butcher gives the baker some of his meat, and the farmer gives the baker and butcher some of his crops, and all of them give the volunteer militia who keep everyone safe from harm from the outside food for their volunteerwork. The doctor treats his patients because that is what he is supposed to do. The concept of money is largely gone. People just function in their lot in life because it's what they're meant to do and in a sense everyone is working for everyone else. There is no concept of rule or law in doing so; it's just mutually beneficial. People who do not hold up their end of the bargain yet are capable of doing so are cast out or are not allowed to partake in the work of the others.

It makes sense. It's just...modern society and culture just isn't compatible with it, is all.

You may be adding a whole hell of a lot to anarchy there amigo. You can have anarchy and keep money, no one has to volunteer for shit, and outing people from the system borders on a publicly enforced government (which is all that you have to toss out to have anarchy in the first place). You seem to be mixing some idealized form of communism into the mix.

(Professional soldiers>volunteer militias btw)