Sometimes you just have to break the rules
May 5, 2014 8:27 AM Subscribe
Also, get that poor dog down from the damn sign.
posted by jwhite1979 at 8:36 AM on May 5, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by jwhite1979 at 8:36 AM on May 5, 2014 [3 favorites]
Looking forward to the Fifth World Anarchists.
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:40 AM on May 5, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:40 AM on May 5, 2014 [6 favorites]
They missed one.
Why would there be a no bird sign?
posted by 2bucksplus at 8:44 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Why would there be a no bird sign?
posted by 2bucksplus at 8:44 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
My own contribution from a recent museum visit. Living dangerously!
posted by BurntHombre at 8:47 AM on May 5, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by BurntHombre at 8:47 AM on May 5, 2014 [3 favorites]
Slap*Happy: "Looking forward to the Fifth World Anarchists."
Isn't that, like... this world, Slap*Happy?
posted by symbioid at 8:47 AM on May 5, 2014
Isn't that, like... this world, Slap*Happy?
posted by symbioid at 8:47 AM on May 5, 2014
Why would there be a no bird sign?
Because they couldn't make the fence tall enough....
posted by Floydd at 8:48 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
Because they couldn't make the fence tall enough....
posted by Floydd at 8:48 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
Some of these are just people being dicks, but the "no diving" one is admittedly pretty funny. (Though I am a terrible sucker for visual puns.)
posted by Kadin2048 at 8:49 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Kadin2048 at 8:49 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
This made me smile.
Shout out to Big Bird.
posted by quincunx at 8:50 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
Shout out to Big Bird.
posted by quincunx at 8:50 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
At first I read this while rolling my eyes at both the actions and the stupid idea of collecting them but by the end I found myself absolutely completely fucking loving these; there are so many stupid, petty rules all the time and I love when people ask "why?" or play with the expectations. So often I think "eff you, who the hell are you to tell me what to do?".
Yes I WILL step on the grass. Yes I WILL loiter in my own neighborhood. YES I WILL PUT ON A DIVING SUIT AND SWIM IN A TINY POOL FOR NO REASON. I will do these things because I am an independent person and I will do awesome or pointless shit for no reason because I effing can. You are not the boss of me. Fuck yes. Fuck yes.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 8:51 AM on May 5, 2014 [12 favorites]
Yes I WILL step on the grass. Yes I WILL loiter in my own neighborhood. YES I WILL PUT ON A DIVING SUIT AND SWIM IN A TINY POOL FOR NO REASON. I will do these things because I am an independent person and I will do awesome or pointless shit for no reason because I effing can. You are not the boss of me. Fuck yes. Fuck yes.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 8:51 AM on May 5, 2014 [12 favorites]
I see no black hoodies, shields made from plastic garbage cans, finger-pointing recriminations regarding imposing on a supposed comrade's autonomy due to an abject lack of checking ones own privilege fail, smashing of retail store windows for taking part in the oppressive commercialism system, or police provocateurs advocating people ramp up the confrontation level in the name of getting serious because ACAB.
Anarchist fail.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 8:51 AM on May 5, 2014 [16 favorites]
Anarchist fail.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 8:51 AM on May 5, 2014 [16 favorites]
Also, get that poor dog down from the damn sign.
No!
posted by quincunx at 8:53 AM on May 5, 2014 [6 favorites]
No!
posted by quincunx at 8:53 AM on May 5, 2014 [6 favorites]
I see no black hoodies, shields made from plastic garbage cans, finger-pointing recriminations regarding imposing on a supposed comrade's autonomy due to an abject lack of checking ones own privilege fail, smashing of retail store windows for taking part in the oppressive commercialism system, or police provocateurs advocating people ramp up the confrontation level in the name of getting serious because ACAB.
Given how hard it is to separate 'Anarchist' from 'Cointel Infiltration Agent' these days, I'm pretty sure that there are no actual Anarchists anymore and they're all carrying badges, so just wait until they show up and you'll get all that.
posted by mikelieman at 8:54 AM on May 5, 2014 [4 favorites]
Given how hard it is to separate 'Anarchist' from 'Cointel Infiltration Agent' these days, I'm pretty sure that there are no actual Anarchists anymore and they're all carrying badges, so just wait until they show up and you'll get all that.
posted by mikelieman at 8:54 AM on May 5, 2014 [4 favorites]
I mean, I will acknowledge that some of these people are being dicks and I do hate when people are dicks to other people, but I DO like when people think about the actual rules and the actual reasons behind rules and decide "yes, I think I will do that, because I don't believe this is an area in which my autonomy should be restricted. I will eat this mint before eight because I am not a robot. I am a goat and your stupid human signs don't apply to me. I will look in whatever God damn direction I choose." Even though I would probably hate many of these people in person, especially the authorized personnel guy, where I think there IS a good reason for that rule, sometimes you just need to shout "NO! You can't tell me what kind of mood I have to be in to sit here! This is MY KNIFE and I will use it for whatever I damn well please! MY EXISTENCE WILL NOT BE DICTATED BY YOUR PETTY TYRANNIES!"
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 8:56 AM on May 5, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 8:56 AM on May 5, 2014 [3 favorites]
Isn't that, like... this world, Slap*Happy?
Just think, we're only like 35 years from the Neo-Anarchists! NA meetup at McHugh's!
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:03 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
Just think, we're only like 35 years from the Neo-Anarchists! NA meetup at McHugh's!
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:03 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
con·textposted by Talez at 9:07 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
ˈkänˌtekst/Submit
noun
noun: context; plural noun: contexts
the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed.
"the decision was taken within the context of planned cuts in spending"
synonyms: circumstances, conditions, factors, state of affairs, situation, background, scene, setting More
frame of reference, contextual relationship;
text, subject, theme, topic
the parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning.
"word processing is affected by the context in which words appear"
Am picking up what you're putting down Mrs. P, but I suspect the goat's thought process is more like this:
I am a goat and your stupid human signs don't apply to me
posted by invitapriore at 9:08 AM on May 5, 2014 [7 favorites]
I am a goat
posted by invitapriore at 9:08 AM on May 5, 2014 [7 favorites]
Alright, so what's with the sign with the icon that looks like "no walking with a small child"? Never seen one of those.
posted by Hoopo at 9:12 AM on May 5, 2014
posted by Hoopo at 9:12 AM on May 5, 2014
I think the "no walking with a child" sign is meant to be a generic "no pedestrians" sign.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:13 AM on May 5, 2014
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:13 AM on May 5, 2014
Man, people who adhere to anarchism as a political philosophy have almost as much of a branding problem as consistent libertarians.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 9:14 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 9:14 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
"first world anarchists" comes out of, I believe, the "first world problems" meme - that is to say, it ties into the idea that the problems facing americans are insignificant compared to the problems facing the rest of the world. For example, having too much cheese is a first world problem because in the third world, people all are starving. Or, having a cell phone battery die is a first world problem because in the third world, there is no electricity. There may be racist, statist, jingoistic undertones to this assumption, but that's the meme.
So, if a first world problem is an insignificant problem, then a first world anarchist is someone who rebels in an insignificant way.
In a sense, posting FWP memes is a form of FWA - would the totalitarian state we live in truly let us complain about things of more significance than cheese? Similarly, would the totalitarian state we live in truly let us protest in a more significant way than standing a little bit too far past a sign?
posted by rebent at 9:15 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
So, if a first world problem is an insignificant problem, then a first world anarchist is someone who rebels in an insignificant way.
In a sense, posting FWP memes is a form of FWA - would the totalitarian state we live in truly let us complain about things of more significance than cheese? Similarly, would the totalitarian state we live in truly let us protest in a more significant way than standing a little bit too far past a sign?
posted by rebent at 9:15 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
Most of these guys are poseurs, but the 'drive carefully' dude is showing some real commitment.
posted by signal at 9:16 AM on May 5, 2014 [9 favorites]
posted by signal at 9:16 AM on May 5, 2014 [9 favorites]
That seagull is just being an asshole.
posted by briank at 9:20 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by briank at 9:20 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Alright, so what's with the sign with the icon that looks like "no walking with a small child"? Never seen one of those.
Yeah, in Budapest there were signs like that meaning "no crossing" but they looked a little creepier and the silhouetted guy had a weird hat and I seriously thought they were "no child abduction" areas which, like, good policy but maybe you shouldn't need signs for that.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 9:20 AM on May 5, 2014 [13 favorites]
Yeah, in Budapest there were signs like that meaning "no crossing" but they looked a little creepier and the silhouetted guy had a weird hat and I seriously thought they were "no child abduction" areas which, like, good policy but maybe you shouldn't need signs for that.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 9:20 AM on May 5, 2014 [13 favorites]
Amateurs...
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 9:20 AM on May 5, 2014
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 9:20 AM on May 5, 2014
Man, people who adhere to anarchism as a political philosophy have almost as much of a branding problem as consistent libertarians.
http://vimeo.com/m/81024960#t=1m44s
posted by quincunx at 9:22 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
http://vimeo.com/m/81024960#t=1m44s
posted by quincunx at 9:22 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
That seagull is just being an asshole.
I have it on good authority that all seagulls are assholes.
posted by mstokes650 at 9:27 AM on May 5, 2014 [12 favorites]
I have it on good authority that all seagulls are assholes.
posted by mstokes650 at 9:27 AM on May 5, 2014 [12 favorites]
How come when I click on the link in the post I just get pretty tree tunnels?
posted by mareli at 9:42 AM on May 5, 2014
posted by mareli at 9:42 AM on May 5, 2014
Why would there be a no bird sign?
It's not just a no-bird sign, it's a no-that-specific-bird sign. Except for rotation and scaling, the bird silhouette on the sign is exactly the same shape as the bird standing on the sign.
That bird is such a rebel!
posted by aubilenon at 10:07 AM on May 5, 2014 [5 favorites]
It's not just a no-bird sign, it's a no-that-specific-bird sign. Except for rotation and scaling, the bird silhouette on the sign is exactly the same shape as the bird standing on the sign.
That bird is such a rebel!
posted by aubilenon at 10:07 AM on May 5, 2014 [5 favorites]
Hey man, I like grass. And baby grass needs time to take root before it can safely be trodden upon without killing it.
Just sayin'.
posted by lazaruslong at 10:10 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Just sayin'.
posted by lazaruslong at 10:10 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
I get it. Anarchy means you can litter.
posted by dr_dank at 10:11 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by dr_dank at 10:11 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
We anarchists don't care about your branding, man. All we need to communicate everything you need to know about is is a pin in the shape of a star, with the star being black, if you're just a straight-up anarchist, or black and red, if you're an anarcho-syndicalist, or black and green if you're an eco-anarchist, or ...
Well, let's just say it's about as complicated as the hankie code.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 10:13 AM on May 5, 2014 [3 favorites]
Well, let's just say it's about as complicated as the hankie code.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 10:13 AM on May 5, 2014 [3 favorites]
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign…
It's like these folks have taken touching wet paint to an entirely new level!
I wonder what a real anarchist would think about this?
posted by TedW at 10:26 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
It's like these folks have taken touching wet paint to an entirely new level!
I wonder what a real anarchist would think about this?
posted by TedW at 10:26 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
I may or may not know someone who is using someone else's HBO Go account information. That person may or may not be feeling like a rebel, but then rationalizing it based on the fact that the actual subscriber just uses the TV and doesn't have any mobile devices.
Woo! Take that, system!
posted by freecellwizard at 10:37 AM on May 5, 2014
Woo! Take that, system!
posted by freecellwizard at 10:37 AM on May 5, 2014
It's not so much the ill communication of all these signs and directions, it's the general lack of politeness that really gets to me. Sure, there are some that 'please' and 'thank you' their way into my behavioral modification patterns, but for the most part signs are rude and usually impatient. I'm trying to get things done in my day but it's tough when I've got all these pushy doors insisting at me and all these buttons that do things I don't even want to do! My phone gets it right: touch to answer. OK, I want to answer so I will touch. But that door, insisting I push even if I don't want to enter? Fuck that door. Fuck you too buttons! I do what I want and no amount of insistence from you is going to distract me from that from now on!
Also, Hunter was there long ago.
posted by carsonb at 10:52 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Also, Hunter was there long ago.
posted by carsonb at 10:52 AM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Can someone explain the headless-looking guy up against the wooden fence? I am not at all understanding what is being prohibited.
posted by jaguar at 11:24 AM on May 5, 2014
posted by jaguar at 11:24 AM on May 5, 2014
Liberty forever!
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 11:24 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Steely-eyed Missile Man at 11:24 AM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
Driving from Amsterdam to Paris, I saw a sign somewhere outside of Paris proper that had a car with an explosion behind it and a universal no slash. I thought it was for no cars blowing up in Paris but that didn't seem right at all. Anyone know what that was?
posted by Sophie1 at 11:59 AM on May 5, 2014
posted by Sophie1 at 11:59 AM on May 5, 2014
The dog in the last photo could not look more pleased with itself.
posted by xingcat at 12:37 PM on May 5, 2014
posted by xingcat at 12:37 PM on May 5, 2014
I saw a sign somewhere outside of Paris proper that had a car with an explosion behind it and a universal no slash.
It's odd that the black & yellow are over-top of the red slash. Unless that's a standard French sign convention, I'd have to figure it was modified.
posted by Devils Rancher at 12:39 PM on May 5, 2014
It's odd that the black & yellow are over-top of the red slash. Unless that's a standard French sign convention, I'd have to figure it was modified.
posted by Devils Rancher at 12:39 PM on May 5, 2014
Yeah the Paris car sign looks like street art.
Cracked up over the goat. The shoe one would be popular if it was just the shoe.
posted by divabat at 12:49 PM on May 5, 2014
Cracked up over the goat. The shoe one would be popular if it was just the shoe.
posted by divabat at 12:49 PM on May 5, 2014
It was not street art. It was on the highway. The only reason i didn't get to take a photo is because I was driving down said highway at the time.
posted by Sophie1 at 12:50 PM on May 5, 2014
posted by Sophie1 at 12:50 PM on May 5, 2014
Oh, I mean the sticker is street art, not the entirety of the sign.
posted by divabat at 12:52 PM on May 5, 2014
posted by divabat at 12:52 PM on May 5, 2014
These are (mostly) pretty funny. Why the snarky "first-world anarchists" framing though? Also, isn't anarchism as a modern political theory a product of industrialized society to begin with? Anarchism with a capital "A" has always been strongest in developed countries, if my hazy understanding is correct. So it's not just pointlessly snarky but also sort of dumb framing.
Still, there are some amusing pictures there.
posted by Scientist at 12:53 PM on May 5, 2014
Still, there are some amusing pictures there.
posted by Scientist at 12:53 PM on May 5, 2014
I legitimately expected to see this video popping up again.
because that shit is fucking hilarious too, and is also really embarrassing for my city...
posted by emptythought at 12:55 PM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
because that shit is fucking hilarious too, and is also really embarrassing for my city...
posted by emptythought at 12:55 PM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Scientist, I figured it's a play off of "first world problems", except instead of very small problems that aren't actually a big deal, it's very small acts of rulebreaking.
An alternative explanation might be, "because reddit."
posted by quaking fajita at 1:33 PM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
An alternative explanation might be, "because reddit."
posted by quaking fajita at 1:33 PM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Sophie1, it looks like it might mean no transport of hazardous material allowed.
posted by jaguar at 1:38 PM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by jaguar at 1:38 PM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
huh, wow, I stand corrected. The sticker-style threw me off.
posted by divabat at 1:48 PM on May 5, 2014
posted by divabat at 1:48 PM on May 5, 2014
huh, wow, I stand corrected. The sticker-style threw me off.
Me too! And I kind of like the idea of making big explosion stickers and posting them on various signs.
posted by jaguar at 1:52 PM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
Me too! And I kind of like the idea of making big explosion stickers and posting them on various signs.
posted by jaguar at 1:52 PM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
Unfortunately the photo is washed out; you'll just have to trust me that the sign said "HUMOR."
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:10 PM on May 5, 2014
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:10 PM on May 5, 2014
My girlfriend Coco in the Friends Walk.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 3:40 PM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 3:40 PM on May 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
@divabat: The sticker-style threw me off.
I thought it was related to that thing I've heard about where discontented French commonly torch cars.
posted by save alive nothing that breatheth at 3:48 PM on May 5, 2014
I thought it was related to that thing I've heard about where discontented French commonly torch cars.
posted by save alive nothing that breatheth at 3:48 PM on May 5, 2014
So I was walking with a friend in Portugal on a beach. There's a big sign which says "No dogs allowed" and under the sign there's several mounds of dog poop. I look at my friend and he says "Portugal is a free country, unlike the US."
posted by honestcoyote at 4:09 PM on May 5, 2014
posted by honestcoyote at 4:09 PM on May 5, 2014
CHECKMATE, AUTHORITY!
posted by hot_monster at 6:10 PM on May 5, 2014
posted by hot_monster at 6:10 PM on May 5, 2014
I legitimately expected to see this yt video popping up again.
because that shit is fucking hilarious too, and is also really embarrassing for my city...
Pfft, Seattle has nothing on Eugene, OR. It's legitimately been called the anarchist capital of the US. Don't ask me how I know. Seattle is just full of yuppies by comparison.
posted by quincunx at 6:57 PM on May 5, 2014
because that shit is fucking hilarious too, and is also really embarrassing for my city...
Pfft, Seattle has nothing on Eugene, OR. It's legitimately been called the anarchist capital of the US. Don't ask me how I know. Seattle is just full of yuppies by comparison.
posted by quincunx at 6:57 PM on May 5, 2014
We anarchists don't care about your branding, man. All we need to communicate everything you need to know about is is a pin in the shape of a star, with the star being black, if you're just a straight-up anarchist, or black and red, if you're an anarcho-syndicalist, or black and green if you're an eco-anarchist, or ...
No anarcho-capitalist star, huh? I see how it is.
posted by quincunx at 7:17 PM on May 5, 2014
No anarcho-capitalist star, huh? I see how it is.
posted by quincunx at 7:17 PM on May 5, 2014
My favorite was the misplaced postage stamp. That took guts.
posted by bricoleur at 7:28 PM on May 5, 2014
posted by bricoleur at 7:28 PM on May 5, 2014
I'm surprised the rest even let the an-caps have a star. r/anarchism vs. the an-caps is one of Reddit's better popcorn machines.
posted by save alive nothing that breatheth at 8:23 PM on May 5, 2014
posted by save alive nothing that breatheth at 8:23 PM on May 5, 2014
huh, wow, I stand corrected. The sticker-style threw me off
What really threw me off was how someone could end up in southwest China on the way from Amsterdam to Paris.
The actual french sign looks a bit less homemade: "No vehicles carrying explosives."
posted by effbot at 8:38 PM on May 5, 2014
What really threw me off was how someone could end up in southwest China on the way from Amsterdam to Paris.
The actual french sign looks a bit less homemade: "No vehicles carrying explosives."
posted by effbot at 8:38 PM on May 5, 2014
Why would there be a no bird sign?
One word: JPEG compression artifacts. The word bird is only a few flipped bits away from the word bike, so this happens occasionally.
posted by effbot at 9:15 PM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
One word: JPEG compression artifacts. The word bird is only a few flipped bits away from the word bike, so this happens occasionally.
posted by effbot at 9:15 PM on May 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
I'm surprised the rest even let the an-caps have a star. r/anarchism vs. the an-caps is one of Reddit's better popcorn machines.
Among the funnier things about ancaps is their simultaneous loathing of anarchists and intense frustration at being rejected by anarchists.
posted by Pope Guilty at 1:07 AM on May 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
Among the funnier things about ancaps is their simultaneous loathing of anarchists and intense frustration at being rejected by anarchists.
posted by Pope Guilty at 1:07 AM on May 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
Alright, so what's with the sign with the icon that looks like "no walking with a small child"?
I believe it's from the parking lot at Alinea.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:42 AM on May 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
I believe it's from the parking lot at Alinea.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:42 AM on May 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
Pfft, Seattle has nothing on Eugene, OR. It's legitimately been called the anarchist capital of the US. Don't ask me how I know. Seattle is just full of yuppies by comparison.
My understanding of eugene was that everyone was too fucking high to protest anything anyways.
I mean, i might be wrong, but i really got that vibe from it.
posted by emptythought at 12:39 PM on May 6, 2014
My understanding of eugene was that everyone was too fucking high to protest anything anyways.
I mean, i might be wrong, but i really got that vibe from it.
posted by emptythought at 12:39 PM on May 6, 2014
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posted by jwhite1979 at 8:34 AM on May 5, 2014