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It’s 1:30 in the morning and I can’t sleep but I’m thinking about property and ownership and how it’s bothering me.
This will be a sleepy, rambling thread. You’ve been warned.
Earlier today I was thinking about the financial instability many are facing and the fact that
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This will be a sleepy, rambling thread. You’ve been warned.
Earlier today I was thinking about the financial instability many are facing and the fact that
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many of the fears and much of the anxiety people are facing would be practically eliminated if we didn’t fuss fuss so much about property and money.
Like these are just ideas. If we understood that, we could let them go.
I really haven’t read much of Marx except
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Like these are just ideas. If we understood that, we could let them go.
I really haven’t read much of Marx except
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my little Penguin Communist Manifesto so many years ago but the whole alienation of labour from its fruits feels especially relevant right now.
How many people are moaning about lost income that’s essentially passive? (I’m looking at you landlords, for example, but
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How many people are moaning about lost income that’s essentially passive? (I’m looking at you landlords, for example, but
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others too).
The world just wouldn’t fall apart, I think, if temporarily, money didn’t matter and lives did.
It’s 1:40 now and I don’t know fully what that looks like but I’m sure smarter people than me can figure it out.
Can you feel it? Can you feel that there a better
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The world just wouldn’t fall apart, I think, if temporarily, money didn’t matter and lives did.
It’s 1:40 now and I don’t know fully what that looks like but I’m sure smarter people than me can figure it out.
Can you feel it? Can you feel that there a better
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way and we’re so close but we’re also so very stuck to how we see and understand the world?
I mean, there’s no truth to so much of it. What’s the truth in money? It’s paper or coin or a digital imprint. How ridiculous is that?
A server fails and you are worth $0 til it’s
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I mean, there’s no truth to so much of it. What’s the truth in money? It’s paper or coin or a digital imprint. How ridiculous is that?
A server fails and you are worth $0 til it’s
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fixed? Or there’s a data entry error or funny typing and someone’s account now has millions instead of hundreds?
It would be funny if it weren’t so tragic.
Because we believe in property and ownership, people are homeless?
Because we believe in riches and wealth
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It would be funny if it weren’t so tragic.
Because we believe in property and ownership, people are homeless?
Because we believe in riches and wealth
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hierarchies, people should go without basic needs?
Because some people know how to “game” “the system” (by the way there is no “system” and they’re just playing with how we’ve been socialized to see and exist in the world), they hang out on a private beach while others
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Because some people know how to “game” “the system” (by the way there is no “system” and they’re just playing with how we’ve been socialized to see and exist in the world), they hang out on a private beach while others
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along us are.. what? Fighting for toilet paper? What?
Universal Basic Income is great (with a soon to be congrats to Spain), but I think we can push even harder, imagine and create even better.
Why on earth do we have under-resources health care facilities and lack of
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Universal Basic Income is great (with a soon to be congrats to Spain), but I think we can push even harder, imagine and create even better.
Why on earth do we have under-resources health care facilities and lack of
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protections for people who *save our lives* by working in our hospitals, providing us with food, water, keeping things clean (thank you oft-forgotten garbage collectors who are putting their health at serious risk: I’m looking at you disposing your
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tissues and things inappropriately).
In the process of “losing” so much, we are being reminded (at least some of us) of what’s important.
Freedom isn’t hate speech. It’s the opportunity to live a good life.
Friendship and community (and occasional solitude) is greater
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In the process of “losing” so much, we are being reminded (at least some of us) of what’s important.
Freedom isn’t hate speech. It’s the opportunity to live a good life.
Friendship and community (and occasional solitude) is greater
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any amount of time you can spend on any social media right now.
The people on whose backs we need to live are still the people on whose backs we need to live.
And maybe we can start to see that these are often the most criticized and least appreciated (words are cheap,
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The people on whose backs we need to live are still the people on whose backs we need to live.
And maybe we can start to see that these are often the most criticized and least appreciated (words are cheap,
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give them the ability to live and do their work without unnecessary fear, with dignity and confidence).
Sometimes it seems the things that make our civilization complicated are the things that mess it up.
Like why are taxes complicated?!? And the whole processes of
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Sometimes it seems the things that make our civilization complicated are the things that mess it up.
Like why are taxes complicated?!? And the whole processes of
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all kinds of strange things that are literally built for the sake of money.
Again, what is money? Like really, what is it? So useless.
It’s only useful in terms of what it can get you or do for you.
It has no intrinsic worth. Life has purpose when surrounded by that
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Again, what is money? Like really, what is it? So useless.
It’s only useful in terms of what it can get you or do for you.
It has no intrinsic worth. Life has purpose when surrounded by that
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which has intrinsic worth.
I mean, that sounds good. It’s 2 in the morning. Feel free to argue with me.
Time is also ridiculous. Especially when we change the hours.
It’s one more example of someone thinking it’ll make people more money at the risk of human life.
I mean,
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I mean, that sounds good. It’s 2 in the morning. Feel free to argue with me.
Time is also ridiculous. Especially when we change the hours.
It’s one more example of someone thinking it’ll make people more money at the risk of human life.
I mean,
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we’ve all heard about sleepy drivers and increases in accidents when we change the time.
Ridiculous social constructs.
Imagine talking to any past civilization and saying: “hi we change the time twice a year bc someone thought it was a good idea.”
“Riiiight” and walk
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Ridiculous social constructs.
Imagine talking to any past civilization and saying: “hi we change the time twice a year bc someone thought it was a good idea.”
“Riiiight” and walk
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away slowly.
How are you still reading this? I’m impressed. Pretend I gave you some money.
Also, on property and ownership, it’s frustrating how it finds its way in our language.
My kids for example. My kids? Are you kidding me? They own me at least as much as I can
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How are you still reading this? I’m impressed. Pretend I gave you some money.
Also, on property and ownership, it’s frustrating how it finds its way in our language.
My kids for example. My kids? Are you kidding me? They own me at least as much as I can
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call them mine.
Goes for money too, I guess. A lot of people are owned by their money as much as they “have” it.
Imagine if our usage preferred terms that connote “caregiver” or “provider” or “one who gives out of love.”
I don’t have a dog, I “amoray” a dog. Where
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Goes for money too, I guess. A lot of people are owned by their money as much as they “have” it.
Imagine if our usage preferred terms that connote “caregiver” or “provider” or “one who gives out of love.”
I don’t have a dog, I “amoray” a dog. Where
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“amoray” is a bastardization (internal giggle, followed by anger at the connotations of *that* word) of the Italian a more, for love, and it means:
“Out of love, I care and provide for this dog.” Note that it isn’t transactional, you don’t always have to receive something
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“Out of love, I care and provide for this dog.” Note that it isn’t transactional, you don’t always have to receive something
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in return. (Though mark my words you do - heart joy and heart ache, as with any living thing. “Thing”? Really? How about “as with any other being.”
We aren’t things. You own things. You don’t own lives (I’m talking to you if you pay minimally for the labour of others, and
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We aren’t things. You own things. You don’t own lives (I’m talking to you if you pay minimally for the labour of others, and
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I’m looking at you if you’re treating profits as more important than lives, and I’m looking at you slave traffickers, and you too pimps, and you believers in austerity, and I’m looking at myself in the mirror - purchasing fast fashion).
But really, I’m looking at us because
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But really, I’m looking at us because
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we have the power to change these things.
In some ways, we are the *only ones* with that power.
What am I talking about? (How are you still reading this?).
It’s past my bedtime and I’m going to tell you a story.
Back when I was in university, my ex and I had a friend
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In some ways, we are the *only ones* with that power.
What am I talking about? (How are you still reading this?).
It’s past my bedtime and I’m going to tell you a story.
Back when I was in university, my ex and I had a friend
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who worked on the synchrotron at the University of Saskatchewan (had to mention that bc it was new and sooooo cool).
He’s Russian, I don’t remember his name.
We were students ourselves but used to have students over all the time and I’d cook for them and we’d chat for
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He’s Russian, I don’t remember his name.
We were students ourselves but used to have students over all the time and I’d cook for them and we’d chat for
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hours. I miss that (you know I ramble).
We talked. Talk to people with experiences nothing like yours. Do it!!!He came over on his bike.
We chatted about cars and homes. It was incomprehensible to him that people take our loans and mortgages to buy things.
“But why?
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We talked. Talk to people with experiences nothing like yours. Do it!!!He came over on his bike.
We chatted about cars and homes. It was incomprehensible to him that people take our loans and mortgages to buy things.
“But why?
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Why do people do this? What if society breaks down?”
Whoa.
What if society breaks down.
What if you can’t pay.
Talk about a post-Soviet wake up call. Dude. We are the Soviets.
What? Well, I mean we are people. We are people who live in a society that can change. Does
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Whoa.
What if society breaks down.
What if you can’t pay.
Talk about a post-Soviet wake up call. Dude. We are the Soviets.
What? Well, I mean we are people. We are people who live in a society that can change. Does
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in fact change.
Case in point yo, these are historic times.
And don’t give me any high horse nonsense about the atrocities of the USSR, because although they were there, we need a good look at our own massive, often unpunished moral failures.
At this point, the
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Case in point yo, these are historic times.
And don’t give me any high horse nonsense about the atrocities of the USSR, because although they were there, we need a good look at our own massive, often unpunished moral failures.
At this point, the
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consequences of our western, democratic, principled (haha), industrialized civilization have hurt many more people than “they” did.
Forget that. There is no “they.”
Well, I told the Russian guy, if society collapses, you sell the house. If you can’t sell, you go bankrupt;
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Forget that. There is no “they.”
Well, I told the Russian guy, if society collapses, you sell the house. If you can’t sell, you go bankrupt;
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and so on.
But also, my attitude has always been: it’s just money. If it’s al gone then ok.
Being so naïve, I didn’t think about things like jail or death. I mean, that happens to people here.
Think about the vulnerability and criminalization of poor people and homeless
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But also, my attitude has always been: it’s just money. If it’s al gone then ok.
Being so naïve, I didn’t think about things like jail or death. I mean, that happens to people here.
Think about the vulnerability and criminalization of poor people and homeless
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people. Plus racism.
On that “it’s just money” thing. I know I’m weird that way but I really do feel that flippant about it.
I think it’s because I have this strange faith that things will be ok. Maybe because God. But also because: each other.
We can be there for each
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On that “it’s just money” thing. I know I’m weird that way but I really do feel that flippant about it.
I think it’s because I have this strange faith that things will be ok. Maybe because God. But also because: each other.
We can be there for each
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other (admittedly, I suck at reaching out but I will do as much as I can if someone reaches out to me).
We are the only ones who can change things. It’s always come from us.
From Resistance(s), to protests, to unionization, to strikes. We can change language. “OK boomer”
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We are the only ones who can change things. It’s always come from us.
From Resistance(s), to protests, to unionization, to strikes. We can change language. “OK boomer”
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changes the conversation. The way we frame things is SO important. It changes the conversation if not the perspective.
We not only have the power to do it, we extra “ordinary” people have always done that.
WE influence policy and govt.
We have to use that. If we do not,
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We not only have the power to do it, we extra “ordinary” people have always done that.
WE influence policy and govt.
We have to use that. If we do not,
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then others will find the opportunity and do it.
Don’t you see that none of us have to work to exhaustion (unless we want to), none of us have to suffer so others can profit, we can invest in health care and education and transit and the “good things.”
This is what
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Don’t you see that none of us have to work to exhaustion (unless we want to), none of us have to suffer so others can profit, we can invest in health care and education and transit and the “good things.”
This is what
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those who are benefitting from *how things are* don’t want us to see.
Stop using combative language. Use communal language.
Don’t fight the power. WE are the power (why else do those invested in the status quo keep trying to influence us).
Let us CLAIM our power.
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Stop using combative language. Use communal language.
Don’t fight the power. WE are the power (why else do those invested in the status quo keep trying to influence us).
Let us CLAIM our power.
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Let us work now.
I promise you, I’m sure of it, in the new year, there will be massive cuts to work forces.
We’re exhausted (I normally wake up less than 4 hours from now) but if you can, if it energizes you, think about how we reconstruct society.
How do we leave those
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I promise you, I’m sure of it, in the new year, there will be massive cuts to work forces.
We’re exhausted (I normally wake up less than 4 hours from now) but if you can, if it energizes you, think about how we reconstruct society.
How do we leave those
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things behind that hurt us, each other, (what insanity have we created with a society that harms the most vulnerable rather than “amorays” them?!?!?). M
Let us create better. And screw up, and fix it. And try again. And work together.
Me? I’m thinking co-ops.
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Let us create better. And screw up, and fix it. And try again. And work together.
Me? I’m thinking co-ops.
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I’m just mad that we have people at greater risk than necessary bc we’ve not invested enough in those “good things“ (bc bailouts or austerity or something??).
We have to keep trying.
I amoray you all as much as I can.
If anyone’s reading, you’re tired. I’m tired.
Zzzz.
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We have to keep trying.
I amoray you all as much as I can.
If anyone’s reading, you’re tired. I’m tired.
Zzzz.
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I slept (a bit). “Amoray” is ridiculous but I love making up words and I love Italian.
The better word would have been agape.
Just putting that out there.
The better word would have been agape.
Just putting that out there.
