Computer centre explosion

Press, 25 November 1982, Page 20

Computer centre explosion

Sir,—Anarchism is not a “sad, flippant kind of nihilism" (“The Press,” November 23, Reporter’s Diary), but a complex set of ideas reaching back several centuries, based on the belief that humans can live with one another without coercion or the development of a large centralised state, and that it is worth trying to achieve this. Of course that young man was sad and undoubtedly despairing, but hardly flippant. Surely we should consider why he and so many other young people are in such angry despair, rather than trivialise and discount his action as that of a “misfit.” When we see the number of people on the dole, the preparations being made overseas for ' rjuclear war, and other evidence of our rulers’ crazy incompetence and our own apathy, is it really so hard to understand why young people shout in our faces, “We have maintained a silence closely resembling stupidity"? —

Yours, etc., T. WAINWRIGHT. November 23, 1982.

Sir,—lt appears that your Reporter’s Diary writer does not need to maintain a silence in order to appear stupid, (November 23). He dismisses Neil Roberts as “the misfit son of a rich Auckland family” subscribing to a “sad, flippant kind of nihilism.” It is easy to criticise beliefs, but not so easy to dismiss someone willing to die for them. History has documented many individuals prepared to act upon, rather than merely expound, their philosophy. Neil Roberts will be remembered, unlike your Reporter’s Diary writer, who seems to need anonymity. — Yours, etc.,

J. S. LYON. November 23, 1982.