from Daniel Baker

Dear Ched et al,

Thank you very much for the invitation. It so happens that so-called anarcho-primitivism is something that I have rather intensively thought about and lived out these past fifteen years, both in a religious and secular context. Thus the topic of the conference does indeed interest me, and I expect that I could enjoy the addresses and some good conversation.

Nonetheless, as Charlie points out, there is a question of not only WIFM, but WIFT (what’s in it for them). For my part, it would be a long trip from southern Arizona, and I do have a previous engagement for those dates, though likely not immutable.

For their part, I’m not sure what great advantage would accrue to my standing around being a presumed elder/mentor/resource person. I’m not sure what appropriate wisdom I would have to interject in the first place, and furthermore I am not a very outgoing person such as to inveigle my views or experience into the center of things.

Neither am I sure what help I would be to your concerns as a mentor Ched, since my views are pretty idiosyncratic (in that regard rather like Jim Corbett’s, though otherwise often quite dissimilar). In good anarchistic style I do not consider myself a part of that “movement” such as it is, and possibly do not even consider myself a part of “the wider/deeper movement” that you address. I can imagine some of the tensions that would surface with those of more sociological, political and Marxist orientations.

Well, those speak to some of my reservations, which at this point seem sufficiently considerable for me to be hesitant despite my interest. Nonetheless I do send my best wishes for a very vital, engaging and enjoyable conference on such an interesting topic.

Warmest regards,

Daniel Baker