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This came up in a discussion on Reddit -

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheDeprogram/comments/11isayx/is_he_right_feel_like_he_isnt/

Prompted by this anti-Communist video -

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/as1z0lPeCy0

Highlights from the video -

"Insulated from the violence and strife everywhere else"

"You are participants in a co-operative society"

"formed to meet each others basic human needs"

"it's very effective"

"what is the alternative to living [Communism]? - literally dying"

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Are the Fireflies anarchists?

Ellie: "Congrats. One point for the anarchists."

Riley: "We prefer freedom fighters."

Ellie: (laughs) "Whatever."

No, although they are insurrectionists - which means they use a revolutionary technique associated with anarchists to destabilise hierarchies - unlike anarchists they:

Seek a return to civil government - whereas anarchists want no government.

Ellie: "Did you really leave because you actually think you could liberate this place?"

Riley: "Don't say it like it's some type of fantasy, Ellie. They've done it in the other QZs. Set things right, the way they used to be."

They are a hierarchal organisation (with Marlene as the "queen" - whereas anarchists reject all hierarchies.

Anarchism may have 'leaders' in the sense that there may be people who take the lead in the sense of leading people to safety because they know the way, rather than ruling over others and punishing them if they disobey.

"My name is Marlene. I’m the leader of the Fireflies in the Boston QZ."

Also, Anarchists don't tend to mind being called Anarchists, although the word has often been misapplied to those who are not Anarchists.

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Is The Town Of Jackson A Utopia?

I don't address this directly in the article. Utopia literally means no place. As Jackson is a location from a video game it literally is no real place in reality. Yet utopia is a word that has been used to describe somewhere that embodies an ideal, not necessarily perfect, but a substantially better place in some substantial way. As Victor Hugo tells us, it takes imagining something better to achieve it: "There is nothing like a dream to create the future. Utopia to-day, flesh and blood tomorrow."

Better places have been the subjects of myths and books throughout history. They have found themselves part of our culture with portrayals of heaven and Shangri-la, in classical literature with Defoe's Libertatia, and in modern portrayals, such as Ursula K. LeGuinn's Annares. I believe Jackson follows this trend, albeit in a smaller way.

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