The anarchist spork started as a joke among 1990s Food Not Bombs groups, who served free meals with donated sporks. It became a meme when anarchists began bending the spork into a circled-A — a harmless piece of plastic turned into a symbol of resistance.

Symbolic meaning:

• Rejects hierarchy/specialization: A spork is a “generalist,” mocking rigid roles imposed by states and corporations.

• Weaponized everyday object: Prison shivs made from sporks inspired the “bent spork” as a tool of subversion.

• Humor as a tactic: It’s intentionally absurd, mocking how seriously authority takes itself.

• DIY/anti-consumerism: Cheap disposable plastic repurposed into rebellion.

And with that, Sporky was born. An anthropomorphized, pot smoking, spork with some bent tines and funny lines.