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Susan T's avatar

I agree that we all have to change because nobody will fix this mess for us. But I don't see that happening in time to save us and our planet. Today someone told me that new cars are all going to have some kind of surveillance system in them. So his solution was that we should buy old cars. Nothing about giving up cars. Christmas is on the way. Consumption season. When I talk negatively about Christmas, I am called a grinch. People are going to have to be really pressured hard to stop using fossil fuels, to stop buying buying buying, to stop wanting everything bigger so they can be better. Instead we hear about how our economy will be improved with more oil pipelines, more mines, more, more, more of everything. Until the part that they don't mention and it just disappears.

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Landru's avatar

We won't even stop a Genocide murdering several hundred thousand innocent people.

You are right, the tipping point is past. We have each other in the Caitlin Nation of Peace.

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Jo Waller's avatar

No it will not happen it time to save billions of us, but the more, or rather the less, we do today the less bad it'll be. But this would have to be multilateral degrowth.

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Moebius Infinity's avatar

Quit fiscal end of the year shopping and leave blackrock with a fiscal bummer.

Then screw them again to buy in january instead and give them a fiscal headache to start 2026.

F#ck santaclause. Lets have a real party

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Fawad Ali's avatar

“Everyone wants change, but no one wants to change.”

That is the heart of it. We are rudderless, going wherever the winds take us. If we want to get to our destination we will have to make an effort to go in that direction. No one can do it alone. Our oppressors always band together, it’s time we do as well.

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SafePlace's avatar

The people, united, can never be defeated. But they have to put in the work. Together. Not too hopeful but never giving up.

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Susan T's avatar

united is the key. That does not seem to be happening

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SafePlace's avatar

In small places at small times. But not enough

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Pippi Smythe's avatar

True.

Let's take direction of this Ship of Fools.

Our lives are like a movie. Or shall I say what movies taught us to expect.

Self Predictive Programming.

We are waiting for the happy ending, with no use of creative will.

We love nouns and avoid verbs.

Ever engage with Sophia? Outcomes defy cultural limits.

Covid, allowing a private central bank, making poisons legal in our food, injecting childhood vaccines ( with zero true control studies), etc, this is one long IQ Test.

As long as you are artificially protected in this cozy, comfortable false corner, being used to fund the suffering of others, make sure you are not just being fattened up for this winter's Sunday dinner.

The price of true freedom is discernment and vigilance.

The true price of the illusion of freedom, is the loss of humanity's potential.

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Nick Douglas's avatar

Agree. In my opinion Ali it is because people lost perspective of what life is. Many humans live lives only to materially enriched themselves even if that includes cheating, lying, stealing, and killing others. israelis are the best example of that total human decadence and perversion. A cancer if not addressed immediately will destroy all humanity.

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Aamir Razak's avatar

Well said Mr. Ali, we want to change and we want things to improve, but we need to take the actions necessary to implement that change. Here's hoping the way things are going can help people unite and work toward building a more just, sustainable, equitable and decent world

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Ant7's avatar

Yes - right on all counts Caitlin.

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Rhys Stanley's avatar

Ant7.

Yes. Caitlin is so right. So rational is today's writing .......being a warning to all.

Sad to say that I do not think there is one chance in hell of seeing that which is desperately needed to be done, being done.

No, I am being negative, but the fact that we have reached this stage at all indicates quite clearly to me that we do not have the strength among all our populations to make it all stop, NOW, and to complete a 180 degree turn to start us all on the way back to a recovery. “Us”, being the world.

The once respected organisation called the United Nations this week has been yet another disgraceful confirmation of that fact, there for all to see. The fact that the UN vote at the UNSC was unamimous is a clear indication that the corrupt influence of the USA (sponsored by the genocidal Israel) is still in there, boots and all.

So off we go on yet another well planned diversion, back to 1947. In 1947, the newly formed United Nations accepted the idea to partition Palestine into a zone for the Jews (Israel) and a zone for the Arabs (Palestine). With this United Nations proposal, the British withdrew from the region on May 14th 1948.

History does repeat itself in some of the most frightening ways as Palestine, previously a British responsibility, will now become yet another US / Israel controlled military base. To the Palestinian Arabs, the area the Jews call Israel, will always be Palestine. To the Jews it is Israel. There have been very few years of peace in the region since 1948.

Now it will become a plaything for the oligarchs……with full United Nations approval.

Progress, over 78 long years...... zero.

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Nick Douglas's avatar

After WW3 UN will become history just like League of Nations became history after WW2.

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Rhys Stanley's avatar

Nick.

If that should happen, it will be justified based on the UNSC action this week.

It is past its use-by-date.. It's continued allowance of the use of VETO's makes it a US plaything, not a United Nations

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serafino bueti's avatar

The U.N. was created to create Israel. It is controlled by Israel. Israel picks and chooses which ''resolutions'' to exploit, and which ones to totally ignore. With this latest abomination, they plan on having other nations' forces to take out Hamas, and then take everything for themselves. Demons.

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Nick Douglas's avatar

Isn't that crazy serafino. That shitty little illegal and illegitimate genocidal thieving entity in the ME called israel. Amazing. When fascist EU is so protective of the white khazarian converts with zero semitic DNA they should just take that garbage back.

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Joy in HK fiFP's avatar

13-0 isn't good, but it also isn't unanimous.

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serafino bueti's avatar

Only because the Russian and Chinese puppets ''abstained,'' which in this case is a ''yes.''

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Bob Ellett's avatar

Canada is working to save itself. More and more we realize that Russia is not our enemy! Education and understanding history are the keys!

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Chang Chokaski's avatar

I would disagree with you on your assertion that 'Canada is working to save itself'. If you observe Canadian politics, Carney is following along in Trump's footsteps bringing MORE neoliberal capitalism and 'his form of austerity' to Canada.

There has not been a SINGLE good act by Carney (who is a BANKER) that works in favor of the working class. He works for the Capitalist class - and if you don't realize this, I don't know what to tell you.

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Ron Stockton's avatar

I’m Canadian and Chang is right, but it’s worse. Carney is attacking immigrants and giving police more power to spy on us and arrest us for opinions contrary to the empire. Carney is a fascist just like most western leaders.

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Indu Abeysekara's avatar

Ron and Chang, I agree with you. I will add that most western countries are following Trump's agenda for their kind of a brave new world. The moment Trump got a nazi like ICE to strut up so called immigrants and deport them to an off shore prison, to a puppet regime, Europe was not far behind in following. The new 'bravery' is not even being covert about their racism.

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Susan T's avatar

Canada might be working to save itself, but then Carney steps in and puts more roadblocks in the way. More pipelines. More mines. More connections to countries that aid and abet genocide. Education would help a lot more if people were willing to be educated.

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Feral Finster's avatar

Lol. The Ukrainian diaspora plays a similar role in Canada that Miami Cubans do in the US.

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ikester8's avatar

This is true, and both cases are examples of the destructive power of tribalism, as is Zionism.

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Erwin Warth's avatar

There is a global arrangement in play based on mutual fear. The lowest denominator (Israel) threatening to use atomic weapons and low and behold the whole world falls into line. How long this status quo is going to persist depends whether we accept Zombie status or whether we feel strong enough to raise above the parapet. What or how much are we prepared to sacrifice?

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Davina's avatar

Exactly. And how are Palestinians able to help themselves against an armed-and dangerous-israel when they have no way of fighting back with the same weapons as Israel has, and is given a lot of the time by American tax-payers money? Can someone tell me how they will be able like to free themselves from these leeches without outside help when the UN council has given Israel rule over Palestine? How the hell can they do it alone? I'm waiting for the answer to that question. HOW?

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Rebekah Ewbank's avatar

Dmitry Orlov's collection of essays titled "communities that abide" gives one example right in the introduction (becoming nomadic, fleeing and rebuilding somewhere safer from absolute scratch) and in that same book is another great article titled "Resilience in the face of genocide" by Jason Heppenstall.

Humans have been surviving horrific conditions and situations and rebuilding after losing everything since the beginning of our time - it's not fair, it's not right, but it's A way that individuals and some of their luckiest family members and neighbors have survived before, and will survive again.

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Davina's avatar

True, but those humans were not locked in. Look what happened when some of those humans broke out - the rest have been living in hell for over two years now with no way out because israhell wants them all dead, every last man, woman and child so it can move on to takeover its other neighbours as illegal occupier - and the UN council has just opened the door for that.

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Landru's avatar

We are still fighting with them. israel is dead, long live Palestine.

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Nick Douglas's avatar

shitsrael is not the only country with nuclear weapons. Some other countries have much more.

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Steven Marriott's avatar

My grandmother had the recipe back in the 50s ,a backyard garden, bicycle to the market place,grandad would bring home the fish from the bay . Didn't spend what you didn't have.Now capitalism wants you to buy more,more more. Every one wants to blame someone else but not except any responsibility for there own behaviours. The old CSNY song. Teach Your Children Well.

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SW's avatar

Consumption is driving the bus over the cliff. I went to a big discount store today with my daughter and it was packed with Christmas crap — cute cups, gift sets, stocking stuffers, you name it - they had it. It’s got to stop but I don’t know how.

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serafino bueti's avatar

Boycott big discount stores.

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Landru's avatar

I will settle for boycotting ALL that is israel. Eliminating the evil nation of israel will be a great victory as well as a big effort against climate change.

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Nick Douglas's avatar

Defeat of shitisrael and western zionism will be rebirth of humanity.

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wrknight's avatar

Sorry Caitlin. The bridge has been washed out, the train is going at full open throttle, and there's no one in the cab.

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Landru's avatar

I am writing a different story. The story of the New Nation of Caitlin. A country for all people of peace. Caitlin has shown the way many times and there are more and more people following her wisdom every day. I see it in my own bubble.

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SW's avatar

I worked in detox/rehab for over 20 years and we told the patients “we can get you safely detoxed and introduce you to what you need to do to stay sober but the only person who can commit to a new life is you and you alone.” And it won’t be easy. Your message is spot on.

Rather than give up power our dear leaders will launch more wars and at some point, go nuclear and I would bet it would be us that fires the first shot. I hope it will never happen but I look at these reckless, vile people in charge of the world and don’t have much reason to believe they have any judgement.

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Niemoller's Ghost's avatar

I encourage spending 30-60mins/day reclaiming the locus of control (prefrontal cortex)

from those human voices feeding us a diet of hate, fear, and despair.

We become what we think and do most: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases

We can develop better thinking patterns, better behavior patterns, and better external influences.

If we want more compassion, law-abiding, and good health in our lives,

then I recommend we think about, and put into practice, what we want to believe in and be.

Less mindless thinking about hate, status, sloth, and greed, and more growing mindfulness.

Inspiration on how to do this better might come from quotes from someone you admire.

Just be aware that even the most quotable person will also make their share of mistakes (quoted).

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Chang Chokaski's avatar

👏👍 Thank you Niemoller's Ghost! 🙏

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Harry Ziboo's avatar

So what exactly do we we need to do and how are we going to do it with the madmen who own everything? How do the people get to a socialist government without getting killed?

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Caitlin Johnstone's avatar

Step one is to do everything we can to help foment a revolutionary zeitgeist:

https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/revolution-is-now

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Harry Ziboo's avatar

Thank you for that. Everyone needs to read this!!!

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Chang Chokaski's avatar

Why do you assume it will NOT involve people getting killed? People are killed every second all around the globe for the simplest or most non-sensical of reasons. No worthwhile change in history has happened without the sacrifice of lives (unless you believe in some kind of utopia). Lenin has some good works in this regard.

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ikester8's avatar

Memento mori. Always remember, we are mortal and we're all going to die at some point anyway, no matter what we do. So how are you going to spend your precious time on this mortal coil?

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Nick Douglas's avatar

Agree. It is not how long one lives but how one lives. Sacrifices will be made but the cancer of humanity called zionism must be defeated. israelis are cowards. They slaughter unarmed Palestinian civilians. that is what israeli jews do best. Remember how they were crying when Iranian rocktes were pummeling them. IMO, Iran made a mistake to have stopped.

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Landru's avatar

If there was no risk we would be there. You are so right my friend as always.

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Christopher Pickell's avatar

Exactly. I respect Caitlin Johnson. I send funds to her monthly. I will forever do so, but she isn't the one stuck in the US. I am. And if I go out on the street attempting real change, I'm going to be six feet under in five minutes. So, I'll wait for China. Or at least better direction than the constant reminder that we are going to have to do something.

I think in the end, these articles are to serve as guides for the freshly woken.

Sad part, those of us who are awake and those of us who will wake, will always be left to toil in this way. Without substantial power backing us, we, the people, can not in fact rise up. There is literally nothing left for us to do besides expat and move to an opposing country, and then assist that country in its own empowerment. Which is literally the only thing we (proletariats) can do, because there is not legitimate elections here. There is no representation of the working class.

Anyway, Portugal seems nice this time of year. Maybe they need an English teacher.

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Chang Chokaski's avatar

Here's something YOU can do DIFFERENTLY to make a change -> change your CONSUMPTION habits, change your lifestyle, change WHAT you spend your money on and WHO (i.e. which corporations/organizations/etc.) you spend your money on.

There are some things that are 'out of your control', but there are ALSO some things that you have a certain amount of 'control over'.

There are many more things that one can do to impact positive change ->

(1) Think CONSCIOUSLY about HOW you use AI technologies

(2) Think about how you interact on Social Media and especially HOW MUCH TIME is lost through such networks

(3) Think about HOW your interaction on the Internet (Social Media, etc.) impacts the collection of 'behavioural data' by behavioral surveillance companies (like Google, Meta, Microsoft, etc.) to SELL your 'behavioral data' that can be exploited to either SELL you more stuff or change your behavior in ways that benefit others.

(4) Think about the environmental impacts of your lifestyle, etc.

There is much more on this list, as this is just a starting point (that I have PERSONALLY used to make changes in my lifestyle and spending habits). I try to make the most of ANY opportunity to 'stick it to the man' (i.e. corporations, levers of Capitalism, Govts., etc.).

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Christopher Pickell's avatar

Agreed.

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Landru's avatar

History tells a different story. Small groups making small changes, networking more small groups. Each group only knows one person in the other group who knows one person in the other group. 1789.

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Sayyid Zayn's avatar

I agree but I also disagree. There is one type of belief in divine intervention which makes one lazy, as you've pointed out. There is another which makes one strive more. The proof is in the pudding really. Excluding individual efforts by people like yourself, which are quite commendable, a collective of people who are literally putting everything they have on the line against the evil of Israel are people who also have hopes in a saviour. Not only that, they believe that nothing whatsoever happens except that God wills it to happen. Yet this does not lead to inaction. On the contrary, it leads to fearless action. It leads to a deep sense of responsibility towards doing what is good and right. It leads to immense hope knowing that if we do what is good, regardless of how the odds look from our limited perspective, there will be success.

Of course I don't except you to accept my worldview based on these few lines. This is just an invitation to understand it better.

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Robert Billyard's avatar

The West is at war with itself and the rest of the world and sinking fast. We are facing a long dark age. The West will be a boondock spectator to the rest of the world.

Trump is pissing on a roaring fire he can't put it out-- no matter how many Cokes he drinks in a day.

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Ibti's avatar

The west is in the Dark Ages and the Renaissance will be midwifed by Muslims, again.

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Nick Douglas's avatar

That would be a mistake. Western culture of supremacism, zionism, and fascism is absolutely not worth saving.

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dale ruff's avatar

Either dystopia or rescue is a false choice easy to claim will never happen. Here is what does happen: change. Radical change. It starts with people, small groups, is mocked, denounced, marginalied, and finally it becomes a mass movement and succeeds. In 1989, 7 dictatorships in Eastern Europe collapsed in the face of mass protests and strikes, without bloodshed. Most said it could never happen: it happened.

And of course if you refuse to believe it can happen, it will either not happen or happen without you. So as I like to say: if you can't lend a hand, perhaps support those in Congress voting to end arms shipments to Israel, those who refuse to take Pac or corporate money, those promoting democratic socialism and you are pure to do that, get the fuck out of the way...for the times they are a changing, both on the grass roots level and on the political level.

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Indu Abeysekara's avatar

dale ruff, You state that "In 1989, 7 dictatorships in Eastern Europe collapsed in the face of mass protests and strikes, without bloodshed".

Are you totally unaware that they collapsed with a little/big help from the US empire?

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dale ruff's avatar

They were grass roots with indirect US support but the greatest factor was the rejection by the Soviet Union of intervention: "Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria

These countries experienced largely peaceful transitions.

The US provided diplomatic encouragement, economic guidance for reform, and sometimes small amounts of support for civil society groups, but it was not a driving force.

The key factor was the Soviet Union’s decision under Gorbachev to allow reforms without military intervention.

Bottom line

US involvement existed, but it was indirect, mostly through support for civil society, dissident groups, and diplomacy.

The revolutions were mainly driven by domestic dissatisfaction, economic crisis, and the Soviet Union’s withdrawal from strict control.

The US did not orchestrate or directly intervene militarily in these 1989 transitions."

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Francis/Clare's avatar

And in the end Russia got screwed by Putin and the Oligarchs.

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Feral Finster's avatar

Moreover, note how the same nomenklatura quickly took charge after the "dictatorships" fell. Except now the former communists branded themselves pro-western liberals.

What happened was that the elites decided that they could grab a bigger chunk of the The Goodies for themselves outright, no longer any need to bother with public ownership.

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Mary Wildfire's avatar

What the examples you name--color revolutions--and also the other winners of the last 30 years in the US, mostly gays, maybe women and blacks though note all are now losing ground--is that they were not fighting against the power structure of the empire. The empire supported the color revolutions, and didn't care about stuff like gay rights. But workers' rights, or environmental defense would cost them money so THOSE could make no gains. Actually in the last few years workers have made some gains, because the grassroots, rank and file rose up and forced change.

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Ibti's avatar

Allah doesn't change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves 13 11

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Musings off a Muddled Mind's avatar

The Game is Rigged..

But you can not lose if you dont take part..

Work will not set you free..

If you could persuade the bottom 20-30% of any population to refuse to support their own slavery and just stay home.

The system will fall over on its own.

An idividual is irrelevant to them, but the collective have power.. only if used at same time!

Poor people need to realise not just no god is coming, no one higher up the foodchain will help either - they sold those below them out a long time ago - happy being the house slave looking out the window at the field slaves !!

STAY AT HOME - 5 working days and the system will collapse..

Give them no warning, no arranged strikes so they can arrange a convienent time for least impact.

no protest/march to encourage violence or allow a narrative about it.

And your not asking people to spend money and waste time or risk arrest gathering or giving some politician the chance to claim the movement so to speak -- just stay home!

Make sure those close have enough food / supplies as they'll get dirty as they get desperate - stock up on basics , a camp stove and a chargable lamp..

They can either give in to demands or fall down to our side - maybe we can build back together!

Most off us have already hit the bottom anyway so lets enjoy seeing the rest come on down to our level..

We have 1 major advantage - we know how to struggle !!

Or maybe try make X and the rest socialable contributors? Im no computer expert - nor on any social media site(facebook/insta/tiktok/X) so not sure how the paid by follows works -- but if you got say 5000-10000 people to follow eachother and like photos/posts - would it pay out everyone literally?? and how much time would be needed?? Perhaps we can all do it while sitting at home???

Those waiting for god might aswell sit at hogwarts station and call for dumbledore!!

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Mary Wildfire's avatar

And the keyword here is "we." We--humanity--can only pull this off if we set aside the "us versus them" pattern, which I suspect is hardwired in humans--stop fighting the other team and unite against the existential threats and--realistically--against the oligarchs who keep making things worse.

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Chang Chokaski's avatar

Us vs. Them is unavoidable - it seems to be a part of human nature. But what can (and should be) done is to change WHO belongs in 'us' and who belongs in 'them'.

According to me, at least 95% of humans belong in the 'us' category (the workers, proletariats, peasants, etc. - using marxist terms), while the top 1% (and the 4% that 'support' this 1%) belong in the 'them' category/group.

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Mary Wildfire's avatar

I agree on both counts. First, that it's "part of human nature"--even though I disagree that human nature programs us for wars and dominance structures, selfishness--I think both selfishness and cooperation are part of the repertoire of human nature and it's culture that emphasizes one over the other--I saw a Nate Hagens interview where a neurobiologist said that testosterone makes us more aggressive, yes, but only against "them," and ocytonin makes us more loving, yes, but only with those we identify as "us," which certainly suggests hard-wiring, and I see an evolutionary reason for it: for hundreds of thousands of years, human survival depended on being part of a closeknit clan, and within such a clan there will inevitably be tensions. I can see where good old fashioned projection and displacement would make living with those tensions easier--if your jealousy of your rival or your irritation with your mother-in-law's meddling has you fantasizing murder, it would really help to look at that weird group in the next valley with hatred, dumping the negative emotions onto them.

And I agree that even if this is hardwired, we could be trainable, so that people beginning to succumb to the instructions of a Two Minute Hate could remind themselves that this is bullshit, to ask why they should view the target with enmity, to ask what motives those pushing the two minute hate might have. And always to question inequality, to have rules in which, where leaders are needed, they cannot be self-chosen. Willingness, or especially eagerness to serve as a leader, should be regarded as disqualifying. The leaders should be dragooned into position and given no perks, just responsibilities.

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Feral Finster's avatar

Who is "we", human?

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Mary Wildfire's avatar

Like I said, we = humanity. But the "primitive groyups" who had this down also understood the place of humanity within the web of life, while the culture of domination whose children we are regards the rest of it as our possessions. "Natural resources."

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Feral Finster's avatar

I am a cat.

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Chuck Nasmith's avatar

I asked a dog what was on top of my house. The response was "woof".

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