The V mask. The new Rage and Revolution icon. For those not comic versed, V for Vendetta was a 1980’s work crafted by writer Alan Moore and artist David Lloyd. The unnamed protagonist, referred to only as V, was victim and product of a fascist, post-nuclear war England who drew thematic manna from the real life person of Guy Fawkes. V gave his life opposing the abusive English regime (and by proxy all fascist/socialist/communist governments) all the while draping himself in the freeing embrace of anarchy. V’s most salient thought, to me, was his observation that anarchy is not the same as chaos. Pure anarchy is a society of mutual agreements without the necessity of a government. Pure anarchy requires maturity, thought, and the love of free existence.
So why am I dissing V?
V, I don’t have a problem with. I like him. What bothers me is seeing his visage on the recent wave of protestors. Hypocritical? Stick with me. V, as a fictional character is, pro-individual. V, in my opinion, would FIGHT socialism. FIGHT collectivism. FIGHT the swinging fist of a mob as swiftly as fighting the swinging baton of a government thug. Swapping one collective for another is not progress or social justice. Most revolutions can be summarized as a violent cry of “We should be in charge.” and these Days of Rage strike me as nothing less. Also, can anyone guess where these social justice, freedom conscious defenders of the common man are getting their V masks? What paradise, what bastion of free thought, produces these plastic battle cries? Yup. CHINA. A country that rolls tanks to clear protestors, controls procreation, censors most everything, and runs “re-education” camps. Camps much like the one V was experimented/tortured in. Do you see my problem here? Maybe I’m reading too much into it. Maybe not. I just can’t help wonder What Would V Do?
