Dunno if this belongs here, but it's going in;

[kitkat]

many of us are disillusioned with our society largely based around neoliberal principles of profit, privatisation, and competition.
This encompasses all our social relations, infrastructure, institutions and generally, ways in which we learn and understand the world around us.
I too, am so fucking infuriated with 'the system', so embedded that Thatcher's infamous phrase 'There is no alternative' is a living, breathing, revolving, nightmare.
Don't get me wrong, I'm also constantly amazed and grateful at the beauty of life and of course how the luxuries afforded to me are not available to all, like clean water, not living in a warzone, dumpster diving and actually finding enough food to live off of etc etc.
But this to me just exemplifies how absurd it all is. Anyway.
I guess what I wanted to hear from you all is, at this point, how do you feel you share with your local and wider community to resist + challenge + confront?!

A part of me just wishes to live off the grid, share knowledge about alternative energy and lifestyles as an inclusive example for those who wish to learn and understand that we can create our own reality.
The other me argues that wait, no, the fact that you're able to do this is also a luxury afforded to you based on your nationality, and the ability to take acquire land. Whatever's going on will keep perpetuating, and you're living in your own bubble.....unless we're talking about the Zapatistas, in which case, they're badass. I'm all for reclaiming native land.

Then another visualises mobilising people in a grassroots sense, bottom up, as well as top down to deconstruct the power structures in place. Huge topic I know.

So I just wanted to hear what you guys think and have a discussion here?
If you feel revolutions are happening everyday: What have you experienced or done which made you feel like a spark or inspiration has been triggered?
Have you felt overwhelmed and undecided yet restless about your world, and if so, where are you at now and what did you do?
If you feel a revolution is inevitable: Are we waiting for someone else to hold our hand, to 'lead' us there?

mind is all over the place...what are your thoughts? SPEAK!

 

[that one guy]

Not to sound too assholish but this is just a phase, you'll grow out of it, you'll settle into some level of apathy somewhere between 25 - 60 not to say you will forget or not care, its just ambitious and angstful youth, thats why the wealthy elite use us to fight their wars, cause they know that only money and power actualy effects any change - the more of us they can kill off, force to grow up inside or leave war town the better, keeps us off the street burning shit and clashing with the police over petty shit like tuition hikes, government scandal and petty policy change that shrinks the middle class.
I stopped caring about the world when I realized that my caring was making it a worse place to live, also this drive to change the world is all programming, we are afraid to die and leave no trace of our existence so we are moved to make an impact also to control and manipulate, literally nothing was ever done "for the fuck of it"
Its all just programming, like sex is just programming to make more humans.
And on that note if you follow the logic, this world is exactly the best it can be and it couldn't have turned out any other way; we are operating at peak efficiency, all systems are a go, our song has already been wrote, its just up to us to sing it and take a bow.

 

[Whereamiwhatdoido]

There is definitely going to be a revolution, it's just which kind, that's my real question about the topic.
I am surely not doing everything I'd like to, to establish information points, paintings and slogans, things that will threaten the public order, great things in small things, like hanging a sign somewhere totally obscure, just to provoke a thought stream reaction, telling that there should be more to life. I live in Denmark, it's one of the richer countries in this world, and to stir a revolution in a people who are mad comfortable isn't just a thing you can do overnight, there need to be something awakened in them that will spark a desire to know more about alternatives.

We are currently forming a group, nothing anarchistic, punk type thing, going against the world, but a group of individuals who are all more or less spiritually awakened, we'll start doing group meditations and develop the healers that naturally can heal, from there hopefully we'll receive more knowledge and understanding from each other and our common experiences.
Besides a larger percent of the group is also making music, video productions and photo shoots.As I am just getting familiar with the group, they're just till now a bunch of good ideas, but interestingly they would like me to get involved to get all things moving, they've been designing clothes for a while, but still need the trigger finger on it all. Besides that the overall plan is to get ourselves hooked up in society, so that we can say shit and people will actually hear our voices.

Hopefully if nothing else it's gonna be a thrill to be involved in, if everything works out for a greater better, we'll have a little enlightenment in the dark north sometime over the next few years.

Taking the enhanced life that many of us experienced on psychedelic drugs and putting it into a generation that will basically follow any stream - where that stream takes them, is what we want to influence.

 

[kitkat]

And on that note if you follow the logic, this world is exactly the best it can be and it couldn't have turned out any other way; we are operating at peak efficiency, all systems are a go, our song has already been wrote, its just up to us to sing it and take a bow.

Hey
I agree with this to an extent too, that we are evolving as we should, and everything is exactly where it needs to be.
But also feel that this is a slippery slope into apathy, because if humans can create the world, we can also create the many possible ways in which we live in it. Also because I am stubborn yes, definitely not doing for the fuck of it , the ideologies of the previous generation has always been challenged, because they conserve old ideals, hence conservatives.
I also think their supply of minions exist because of the education system, because we want to believe in something, and like you said how bizarre life is and the fear of death.

BUT. How was caring making it worse from your experience?

Anyway that last line was sweet. In the macrocosm of things, it doesn't matter, we assign all meanings. We're not that important and things are moving as they should, but the potential to make and imagine!
I'm drunk on imagination.

 

[that one guy]

 

[CelticWanderer]

I feel like, in america anyways, the people are way too complacent to do much of anything. Yea we get pissed off about some things and have a riot here and there but its usually misdirected anger. Getting pissed at whats in front of you instead of the people in power that put those who wronged you in their seats. We get too distracted as well, Something about a gorilla and a swimmer, we get all fuckin up in arms about it until the next thing comes along. but when something /really/ bad happens, like the 50 that were killed in Fl, or the obviously rigged election system we kinda push it aside, and find some other trivial nonsense to get angry about. I guess maybe cause that stuff seems to big, to scary to tackle, so we squabble about random shit. Maybe to feel validated? To say, I have an opinion. and that is enough, cause its a thing that happened and can't change. But police brutality, the bullshit politics, beng lied to, being fucked over, everything you mentioned, is just too big, makes us feel small, cause we can't change it. Someone else will. I also feel like were being desensitized to mass murdering and tragedy, so when shady shit goes down we all just say, oh look. It happened again, this is crazy. And then go back to arguing about whatever stupid shit is in the media at the time.
My heads pretty scattered right now, i guess what im tryin to say is we are getting really good at just not giving a fuck about the important things.
I'd like to riot and fuck up Washington and let those fuckers know that we know shit is fucked.
But damn.
I also just wanna float on a fucking boat and play my guitar.
ugh, that might be way too all over the place to post but i already typed it all out.

 

[that one guy]

Word good attempt, I'm right there with you, I can't really express myself on ALL THIS cause I'll end up in a downward spiral of introspectiveness.
Thats why I ignore it, I ignore it all, I could give a fuck if they start the fema concentration camps or start blasting galactic container ships of people to the sun next week, I'm just done riding the crest of every high I'm expected to jump onto, Long as there is electricity, water and insulated buildings I'll fit in where I get in, working for my wage to buy food and entertainment, I aint got no time to overthrow the government and reinvent it, That will be for my daughter to do in her angstful youth.

 

[Mankini]

Just remember: Nihilistic Orgies should be FUN. If theyre not fun, noone would wanna revolt, am i right? To paraphrase Emma Goldman, No twerk, no revolution.

 

[kitkat]

No twerk, no revolution

Hahah, YES! This is true.
No twerky twerky...
no revy revy.

 

[Mankini]

#twerkingrightnow #twerkingwhilesquattheplanetting #twerkingandthinkingaboutyou

 

[kitkat]

great things in small things

I feel that, in Australia too, we're all to comfy and snug. We're a welfare State, so hey, at least if you play by SOME of the rules, you won't starve. The State gives you cash to do whatever you want with it.
Standard of living relatively high blah blah, unless you look at the neglected indigenous population, which I imagine is similar to the situation in the States and Canada etc
I think the biggest thing, and what you are already doing is building a community! and sharing knowledge!
The pedagogic process in our world, from what I've experienced anyway is largely a product of the industrial revolution, transmission of information, in order to mold people for roles blah blah blah, and doesnt cater to their personal development, asking key questions, and playing and creating!

 

[Mankini]

I feel that, in Australia too, we're all to comfy and snug. We're a welfare State, so hey, at least if you play by SOME of the rules, you won't starve. The State gives you cash to do whatever you want with it.
Standard of living relatively high blah blah, unless you look at the neglected indigenous population, which I imagine is similar to the situation in the States and Canada etc
I think the biggest thing, and what you are already doing is building a community! and sharing knowledge!
The pedagogic process in our world, from what I've experienced anyway is largely a product of the industrial revolution, transmission of information, in order to mold people for roles blah blah blah, and doesnt cater to their personal development, asking key questions, and playing and creating!

You familiar with EndCiv type literature and philosophy? I particularly like the Derrick Jensen\Ed Abbey\Pentti Linkkola variety. After attempting to assuage problems in Greece with Syrian refugees facing European discrimination, I flung my hands in the air and told them to forget their dreams, and return to a much older, much simpler set of skills and lifeways. Told them to learn map and compass skills; how to identify natural botanicals; how to snare small game; how to survive cold rainy weather in the mountains; in short, everything a good Eagle Scout would know. I told them that civilization had turned its back on them....and that to continue to pursue civilization, like an unrequited obsession, is just folly. Call me cold, callous, heartless, or deranged. But thats my feelings on the subject.

 

[kitkat]

that to continue to pursue civilization

Not familiar with those authors but definitely aligned with their theories, in the sense that, from all our progress since the Enlightenment, scientific revolution to industrial, we've become SO deluded that we somehow have the ability to manipulate the earth and its various sources of energy for our own benefit without any repercussions...

well that's what i've gotten from a quick geez anyway?

And yes! civilisation, which i understand now as the pursuit of profit, more infrastructure and complex systems is still tied into all the material structures we've built with the energy on earth!

Some people say follow the money....follow the energy
we should respect that

 

[Vulture]

many of us are disillusioned with our society largely based around neoliberal principles of profit, privatisation, and competition.
This encompasses all our social relations, infrastructure, institutions and generally, ways in which we learn and understand the world around us.
I too, am so fucking infuriated with 'the system', so embedded that Thatcher's infamous phrase 'There is no alternative' is a living, breathing, revolving, nightmare.
Don't get me wrong, I'm also constantly amazed and grateful at the beauty of life and of course how the luxuries afforded to me are not available to all, like clean water, not living in a warzone, dumpster diving and actually finding enough food to live off of etc etc.
But this to me just exemplifies how absurd it all is. Anyway.
I guess what I wanted to hear from you all is, at this point, how do you feel you share with your local and wider community to resist + challenge + confront?!

A part of me just wishes to live off the grid, share knowledge about alternative energy and lifestyles as an inclusive example for those who wish to learn and understand that we can create our own reality.
The other me argues that wait, no, the fact that you're able to do this is also a luxury afforded to you based on your nationality, and the ability to take acquire land. Whatever's going on will keep perpetuating, and you're living in your own bubble.....unless we're talking about the Zapatistas, in which case, they're badass. I'm all for reclaiming native land.

Then another visualises mobilising people in a grassroots sense, bottom up, as well as top down to deconstruct the power structures in place. Huge topic I know.

So I just wanted to hear what you guys think and have a discussion here?
If you feel revolutions are happening everyday: What have you experienced or done which made you feel like a spark or inspiration has been triggered?
Have you felt overwhelmed and undecided yet restless about your world, and if so, where are you at now

 

[kitkat]

I am also sick of anarchists and idealists.

Implying that you have had an excess of those who *claim* to be anarchists and idealists in your life?
Or people who are against the social hierarchy of the need for a 'ruler'
Or people who strive for ideals which only exist as an archetype?

actually wanna know

 

[Hillbilly Castro]

Politics of this sort is a thing we'd do well to engage with carefully. Usually ideology serves to justify our present position and attitude about life, for better or worse. I see a lot of depressed people scatter-spray nihilistic sentiment as a means to justify their own suffering - I tend toward thinking a lot of the "used-to-be-an-anarchist-and-now-am-a-hard-drinking-conservative" folks that are in the transient community fall into this category. But I see, on the other side of the fence, the howling revolutionaries using big-picture ideals as a mythological safety-net to bring them out of their despair temporarily. The tendency with them is to imply that if only everyone were living like them we'd be delivered to an anti-authoritarian utopia, or in other words, to blame others. I'm obviously painting with broad strokes here, but these tendencies seem very real to me and suggest that ideology isn't actually a useful critical framework for much but is instead a narcotic we use in the face of the devastating realities of civilized, industrial life.

I don't buy the 'privilege' argument, at least as it is generally presented. It usually is made out to be very simple: If I am rich, my life is easier, and if you are poor, your life is harder, and then a politics of remuneration stems from that in most academic social justice settings. And that way of thinking does address some very real differences among those who inhabit different ends of complex systems of social hierarchy. Because I am white I am less likely to be murdered by police or put in prison, for example. Does that mean living as a white person is a utopia? Not at all, and that's what a lot of modern social justice fails to address. Because I am white I live among people who have no ancient knowledge of themselves or the land, as indigenous people often do. I live among consumerist cultural vampires who, because of the violence of our ancestors and the ongoing violence of prison society, are stuck in a cyclical void of creating spectacles to stuff into the wounds our history made. We are more depressed and suicidal and addicted than humans of any other society ever to exist. So we've got to remember in the example of racial justice that when we talk about fixing the problem of white supremacy, we are only seeking reform inside the larger prison of industrial civilization. Similar examples could be made for the privileges of wealth, of maleness, straightness, and so forth.

When you bring up the various 'privileges' that support your capacity to drop out, it is easy to forget that dropping out is a sane response to the void one experiences when living at the top of systems of power, authority, economic exploitation, and hierarchy. A deeply disturbing sentiment seems to exist among the rich, for example, of "we have everything we could ever want - why are we unhappy, then?" They know they lack something that money can't buy. Love, community, meaning. And while most of us are not rich and many of us are dirt-floor-poor, that we live in the US gives us a similar feeling, and the romantic life of traveling offers a counterpoint to that lack. To put it simply and perhaps crassly, for many of us it was Prozac and 7-11 or the gun or the needle - or it was hitting the road. That we have made this choice and have continued to truly Live is subversive in a death culture that teaches that "there is no alternative." There is, and we live it.

From the vantage point of the outsider, the suggestion that because of my 'privilege', because some people somewhere that I do not know cannot live like me, that I should then stop this and do something "more productive" is a trick that just brings us back into the fold of suffering. I was depressed, I dropped out and became radical and lived life, and then from there I was convinced by radical ideas to become depressed again for different reasons. It's a fucking scam. Doesn't mean I don't care about the great mass of humanity and life at large, or that I won't work for that liberation. But as was said above, I'm gonna twerk the whole way home and also recognize that any freedom secured for any individual in this society sustains resistance and is subversive.

Note that bridges do not rust into their breaking points overnight. It takes time, and the rust spreads, at faster and faster rates as time passes. Industrial civilization and its incumbent prisons are not different, and that we exist as dropouts in increasing numbers is proof that the rust is spreading. My work then, is to help others escape.

 

[that one guy]

Fucking eloquently put and beautiful, I love You buffalo, you have said what I was feeling, I just lack the linguistic knowledge and time to put it into words; I've dropped out of society, I came back, I have done this many times now, I don't care about the struggle of the people cause they make no headway, but when I see REAL fissures in the structure open up and the whole damn thing starts leaning - you'll see me down at the base with my kid teaching her how to use a plasma torch and a sledge hammer, but in the mean time I have to go to work so I can buy shit.

 

[Mankini]

Fucking eloquently put and beautiful, I love You buffalo, you have said what I was feeling, I just lack the linguistic knowledge and time to put it into words; I've dropped out of society, I came back, I have done this many times now, I don't care about the struggle of the people cause they make no headway, but when I see REAL fissures in the structure open up and the whole damn thing starts leaning - you'll see me down at the base with my kid teaching her how to use a plasma torch and a sledge hammer, but in the mean time I have to go to work so I can buy shit.

teach her now. cutting, welding, masonry, electrical, auto mech., WEMT, horticulture, hunting, fishing, leatherwork, sewing, plumbing, food preservation....All of these were common knowledge 100 years ago and were stolen from us. Teach her now.

 

[Brother X]

I think a lot of the existential angst that seems to come as a package with modernity is a subconscious (or conscious in our case) realization that we have lost the most basic animal skills, namely how to survive on our native planet. Does a tree or a raccoon have to read a self help book in order to know how to survive? Nope. We've domesticated ourselves right into a ELE of stupidity.

 

[Mankini]

Damn skippie. This was done to us: it did not just happen.