The Tavern

Enter The Tavern, where the deepest discussions and most spirited debates come to life. This is the forum for exploring complex ideas, posing challenging questions, and diving into the nuanced aspects of freedom and community. Here, philosophy meets practice, theory is tested against experience, and the living culture of voluntaryism is passed down through story and conversation.

The Heart of the Network

Every movement needs a place where its members can gather to think aloud, challenge assumptions, celebrate victories, and commiserate over setbacks. The Tavern serves this essential function within our network—it's where we come together not just to exchange information, but to forge the shared culture that makes us more than a collection of isolated individuals pursuing similar goals.

Unlike formal meetings or structured workshops, The Tavern is intentionally informal. The best conversations happen when people feel comfortable enough to be honest, vulnerable, and curious. When the pressure to perform or present a polished image is removed, real connection and insight emerge.

What Happens at The Tavern?

Philosophical Exploration

This is the space to wrestle with the big questions that don't have easy answers:

These aren't abstract academic exercises—they're practical questions that arise when building voluntary communities. The Tavern is where we think through them together, drawing on diverse perspectives and lived experiences.

Strategy Sessions

How do we actually achieve a free society? Tavern discussions explore:

• Effective outreach methods and which audiences to prioritize
• How to build economic resilience in the face of state interference
• Technology that enables or threatens freedom
• Lessons from historical movements (what worked, what failed, why)
• Coordination between different parts of the network

Story Sharing

The Tavern is where the oral history of the movement lives. Members share:

These stories do more than inform—they inspire, warn, connect, and remind us we're part of something larger than ourselves.

Debates & Disagreements

Not everyone in the network agrees on everything, and that's healthy. The Tavern is where respectful disagreement happens:

• AnCap vs. Left-anarchist approaches to property
• Gradualism vs. revolutionary change
• Whether to engage with mainstream politics at all
• Role of religion/spirituality in voluntary communities
• Parenting philosophies and children's rights

These debates sharpen our thinking, reveal blind spots, and help us understand why good people pursuing freedom might choose different strategies. The goal isn't unanimous agreement—it's mutual understanding and respect despite disagreement.

Q&A Sessions

The Tavern regularly hosts scheduled question-and-answer sessions where:

• Experienced network members share their expertise
• Newcomers can ask "basic" questions without judgment
• Specific topics are explored in depth
• Guest speakers from other freedom movements share insights

Tavern Culture & Etiquette

While The Tavern is informal, it's not a free-for-all. Certain cultural norms help maintain it as a space where productive conversation thrives:

Good Faith Assumption

Assume people mean well unless proven otherwise. Most disagreements come from different experiences and priorities, not malice. Approach conversations with curiosity about why someone thinks differently rather than assuming they're stupid or evil.

Steel-Man, Don't Straw-Man

Before arguing against someone's position, state their position back to them in the strongest, most charitable form. They should be able to say "yes, that's what I mean" before you engage. This ensures you're addressing their actual argument, not a caricature.

Cite Experience Over Ideology

"In my experience..." or "I've observed that..." is more valuable than "Theory X says..." We're building something real, not defending abstract systems. Share what you've actually seen and done, not just what you read in a book.

Admit When You Don't Know

It's okay—encouraged, even—to say "I don't know" or "I haven't thought about that enough to have a solid opinion." The Tavern is for exploration, not posturing.

Change Your Mind Publicly

If someone presents evidence or reasoning that changes your view, say so. This isn't weakness—it's intellectual honesty and growth. It also models the behavior we want: prioritizing truth over ego.

Know When to Walk Away

Not every disagreement needs to be resolved. Sometimes you've said your piece, heard theirs, and that's enough. Agreeing to disagree is fine. Arguing in circles for hours helps no one.

Tavern Formats

While The Tavern is conceptually one space, it manifests in different formats depending on location and medium:

Physical Tavern Gatherings

When the caravan or a host location sets up a physical Tavern, it might look like:

• Evening gatherings around a fire or in a common area
• Potluck dinners where conversation is the main course
• Weekly "Tavern Nights" at network properties
• Festival gatherings where members from different regions meet

Physical Taverns have the advantage of reading body language, sharing meals, and forming deeper bonds through in-person connection.

Digital Tavern Spaces

For those separated by distance, The Tavern exists online through:

• Voice chat rooms on encrypted platforms
• Video conference discussions
• Forum threads for asynchronous conversation
• Live-streamed Q&A sessions

Digital Taverns allow broader participation but require more intentionality to create the informal, convivial atmosphere that makes The Tavern special.

Traveling Tavern

The CaravAnarchy team brings The Tavern wherever they go, setting up temporary gathering spaces that:

• Introduce local freedom-minded people to each other
• Connect isolated individuals to the broader network
• Share stories from other regions
• Plant seeds for permanent local Taverns to form

Topics That Often Arise

While The Tavern welcomes any topic relevant to voluntary living, some discussions recur because they're particularly thorny or important:

The Children Question

How do we handle the fact that children can't consent? What obligations do parents have? What rights do children have? When can community intervention in parenting be justified? These discussions get heated but are essential.

The Immigration/Open Borders Question

In a stateless society, would borders exist? If so, what kind? How do voluntary communities handle newcomers? What about cultural preservation vs. openness? People with different backgrounds often have very different intuitions here.

The Intellectual Property Question

Can you own an idea? How do creators get compensated without IP law? Are patents and copyrights compatible with the NAP? Practical implications for network members who create content, software, designs, etc.

The Self-Defense Question

Where's the line between defensive and aggressive force? What about pre-emptive strikes against known threats? How much force is proportional? These aren't abstract—they affect how we actually respond to violations.

The Addiction/Mental Health Question

How do voluntary communities handle members with addiction or severe mental health issues? What's the balance between compassion and boundaries? When is intervention justified? This is practical and urgent.

What The Tavern Is Not

To maintain its function, The Tavern deliberately avoids being:

The Bards of The Tavern

Every culture has its storytellers—people who remember and retell the formative stories, who capture the spirit of the movement in words and song. The Tavern is where these bards emerge.

Some document the conversations in writing. Others create songs, poems, or artwork inspired by Tavern discussions. Still others simply have the knack for telling a story in a way that sticks in memory and gets repeated.

This isn't an assigned role—it emerges naturally. But it's essential. Without storytellers, movements lose their soul and become mere logistics. The Tavern keeps the movement human.

When to Come to The Tavern

You might seek out The Tavern when:

• Grappling with a difficult question that doesn't have an obvious answer
• Feeling isolated in your pursuit of freedom and needing to connect with others who understand
• Celebrating a victory and wanting to share it with people who'll appreciate what you've accomplished
• Facing a setback and needing perspective, encouragement, or practical advice
• Exploring new ideas and wanting to test them against diverse viewpoints
• Curious what others are working on and looking for inspiration or collaboration opportunities
• Simply enjoying good company and stimulating conversation with like-minded people

Starting Your Own Tavern

If there's no Tavern in your area, you can start one. It's simpler than you might think:

1. Find a space - Your home, a public park, a private venue, anywhere people can gather and talk
2. Set a regular time - Weekly or monthly, consistency matters
3. Invite people - Start with friends, use network connections, post in local freedom groups
4. Establish the culture - Good faith, curiosity, respect, no topic off-limits but maintain civility
5. Let it evolve organically - Don't over-structure it. The best Taverns have emergent rather than imposed order

Some of the most vibrant parts of the network started as just a few people meeting regularly to talk. Your local Tavern could become a hub that connects dozens or hundreds to the broader movement.

The Living Tradition

The Tavern represents something essential that the state tries to destroy: the formation of culture and shared understanding outside official channels. When people gather voluntarily to think aloud, challenge each other, and build shared narratives, they become dangerous to power.

This is why oppressive regimes ban unauthorized gatherings. They know that when people freely associate and form their own culture, their own stories, their own understanding of what's true and good—the state's propaganda loses its power.

Every time you participate in Tavern discussions, you're not just exchanging ideas—you're participating in the living tradition of free people thinking together. You're part of a thread that stretches back to ancient agoras and forward to the truly free society we're building.

Welcome to The Tavern. Pull up a seat. The conversation's just getting started.