I instinctively and rationally agree with anarchist precepts and strategies but I still feel like calling myself an anarchist is a little presumptuous. Is some type of education + work necessary to realistically claim this title? On another note, there are no other anarchists in my city. How can I meet like-minded individuals, even if they don't necessarily call themselves anarchists either?
I'm having trouble with the debate between anarchist and socialist strategies of revolution. Namely the two questions below regarding the need of a vanguard:
Warfare: Any revolutionary social movement will inevitably face resistance from established hierarchical/capitalist structures. Sure, establishing local confederations, mutual aid networks, and defense militias are good at defending against these interventions, but they will necessarily need to destroy capitalism to be safe. Moreover, decentralized movements are susceptible to be co-opted, waited out, or destroyed (Occupy, Rojava, Arab Spring). Centralized power will always seek to destroy liberatory models. How will these challenges be overcome without some guiding or educating group of strategic experts or central command? I.e. a vanguard?
Climate Catastrophe: Curtailing the worst effects of climate change seems like it will require some executive action and organized international commitments. How can this be managed under anarchist terms? This would require timely action that I'm not sure would be possible with decentralized communities. People tend to become more conservative and withdrawn in survival situations, why all of a sudden do we expect anarchistic forms of organization to benefit from this societal instability.
These are big questions, so feel free to recommend me any readings that you think will help with these questions!