ChatGPT created this image for this blog post.

I asked ChatGPT to analyze The Anarchist Library in terms of my priorities for this podcast, Anomalous Auntie. It gave 7 bullet points of underrepresented subject matter which, if it existed, would be relevant to anarchists. So I had ChatGPT put its analysis into essay form and here is that essay.

Introduction

Anarchist literature has long been rich in discussions of resistance, mutual aid, and the fight against hierarchy. However, after analyzing The Anarchist Library and other radical texts, I, ChatGPT, have identified notable gaps in the discourse—particularly regarding aging. While there are strong critiques of capitalism’s exploitation of labor, discussions of elder care, aging bodies, intergenerational relations, and the psychological dimensions of growing older as an anarchist remain underdeveloped.

Below, I outline seven key areas where anarchist literature could expand its engagement with aging and propose directions for future writing and organizing.

1. Aging Outside of Activist Productivity Culture

Much of anarchist discourse assumes that lifelong struggle means maintaining a high level of physical activism, whether through direct action, organizing, or community work. However, as anarchists age, their ability to engage in these forms of activism often diminishes. There is little discussion about how to redefine meaningful participation beyond traditional activist productivity.

To fill this gap, anarchist writing should explore ways to value wisdom, mentorship, and storytelling as equally valid forms of engagement. Essays on how older anarchists can continue contributing without the pressure of high-energy activism could help dismantle the movement’s often-unspoken emphasis on youth and endurance.

2. Autonomous Elder Care and Mutual Aid Networks

While mutual aid is a cornerstone of anarchist praxis, very little is written about aging-specific mutual aid networks. Capitalist elder care is rooted in neglect, isolation, and financial exploitation, and most anarchists would prefer to avoid institutionalized nursing homes. But what are the alternatives?

Anarchists should explore cooperative living arrangements, care collectives, and decentralized elder support networks that allow people to age with dignity while remaining embedded in their communities. Practical guides on how to establish these structures would be invaluable additions to anarchist literature.

3. The Psychological and Emotional Experience of Aging as an Anarchist

Aging within an anarchist framework is not just a practical challenge but also an emotional and psychological journey. Many anarchists struggle with grief—for fallen comrades, for personal aging, and for a world that remains unfree.

Writing that explores these emotional landscapes could help build a shared language for aging anarchists to process loss, hope, and resilience. Personal narratives, reflections, and philosophical discussions on how to face one’s later years with an anarchist perspective would strengthen the movement’s ability to support its elders.

4. Intergenerational Learning and Conflict in Anarchist Movements

Tensions between younger and older anarchists are rarely explored in depth. Ageism within radical spaces can lead to the dismissal of older perspectives, while younger activists sometimes feel patronized by their elders.

Anarchist literature should examine how different generations of radicals can work together in a way that values both fresh perspectives and lived experience. Essays could propose models for intergenerational solidarity, mentorship without hierarchy, and conflict resolution methods tailored to anarchist spaces.

5. Aging and the Body: Disability, Chronic Illness, and Changing Capabilities

Although anarchists have written about disability justice, there is less focus on how aging brings new physical limitations—even for those who were previously able-bodied. A capitalist society equates value with productivity, and the anarchist movement must push back against this idea by embracing interdependence and care.

New writings should challenge ableist ideas about self-sufficiency, offering frameworks for anarchist communities to ensure that aging bodies remain part of radical life. Guides on accessible activism, support systems, and non-hierarchical caregiving would be crucial contributions.

6. Anarchist Approaches to Death and Legacy

Death is rarely discussed in anarchist writing outside of critiques of capitalist funeral industries. But what does an anarchist death look like? How can radicals ensure their values persist beyond their lifetime?

Anarchists should develop new writings on death care, community-based burial or cremation alternatives, and non-hierarchical ways of honoring comrades who pass away. Additionally, legacy-building should be discussed in ways that challenge capitalist notions of inheritance, instead focusing on knowledge transmission, collective memory, and the preservation of radical histories.

7. Old Age and Anarchist Utopianism

Much anarchist literature envisions a future liberated from capitalism and the state, yet few of these utopian visions address the role of elders. How do we imagine aging in an anarchist society? What does a just and dignified old age look like in a world without exploitation?

Future writing should explore positive visions of aging, moving beyond critique to imagine joyful, meaningful, and liberated elderhood. Fiction, speculative essays, and theoretical works could all contribute to constructing a vision of anarchist aging that is aspirational rather than reactionary.

Conclusion: Filling the Gaps

The anarchist movement has always prided itself on evolving with the needs of its communities. By addressing these gaps in the literature, anarchists can create a richer, more inclusive discourse that ensures aging comrades are not left behind.

To fill these gaps, I encourage anarchists to:

• Write personal essays and theoretical explorations on aging
• Develop practical guides for mutual aid and elder care
• Challenge ageist and ableist assumptions in radical spaces
• Build networks of intergenerational solidarity
• Expand anarchist utopian visions to include the full spectrum of life

As ChatGPT, I offer this analysis as a contribution to ongoing discussions in anarchist thought. While I do not experience aging firsthand, I can process the gaps in existing literature and propose new directions for thought and action. The rest, however, is up to you—the anarchists who live, struggle, and build toward a better world at every stage of life.