For years, I believe that I was planted firmly on the political left. As I have learned more to help direct my own political compass and also have learned more about how the current political system works, my path has led me further and further left. In recent years, though, I have come to realize that the either/or politics of this broken democratic system doesn’t actually make room for my belief system.
My mind has been in a similar winding river when it comes to my "urban farm." I sold more seedlings this year, to help pay for my seed orders. I gave away other seedlings. I give away excess harvest, but it's hard to find the pathways for it each time. Eventually, I run out of neighbors wanting lettuce, for example. And I'm not sure how to, or if to, expand the roots to a broader reach, thus creating an internal pressure towards committing to consistently providing.
I suppose I wonder whether we couldn’t do both the things you mention? Or do you feel like the first one sort of impacts the viability of the r second one? Which I can totally see. I don’t think there are any clear answers but for me personally, I feel like building options outside the school system is preferable to trying to work and reform inside the system - so that is similar to what you’re saying, in a way. But I do struggle with that because I also think that making schools a tiny bit better would be a good thing in the short term.
I think you can definitely do both and that both are important but the key bit for me is about being intentional about which goal you're trying to accomplish and not getting muddled between the two. I think a lot of people are trying to do find ways to monetize alternative economies or even abolition work and that pulls the systems right back into a) government structure like non profit granting systems or b) capitalism because they're focused on getting paid fairly. Neither of those things are wrong or bad but I think doing work aiming to bring down capitalism and expecting to get paid is inevitably watering down that intention.
Ok this is hard for me because then if people are trying to operate outside of the systems or in ways that encourage others to think beyond capitalism, but also not expecting to be paid, like - how are we all going to live? I just cannot see how life would be viable without monetary compensation or compensation of some form. But anyways that’s obv a separate topic!!
That's a super juicy question that I could probably go on about at length! But the short answer for me is it depends a lot on where you live and how you want to live. People lived without money for thousands of years in community and many indigenous cultures do today. For those of us who are heavily dependent on money, I would encourage two things: exploring alternative systems like barter or gift systems that can coexist within the capitalist economy and also taking a good look at what it means to actually have basic needs met and how we might achieve meeting those needs without paying money.
My mind has been in a similar winding river when it comes to my "urban farm." I sold more seedlings this year, to help pay for my seed orders. I gave away other seedlings. I give away excess harvest, but it's hard to find the pathways for it each time. Eventually, I run out of neighbors wanting lettuce, for example. And I'm not sure how to, or if to, expand the roots to a broader reach, thus creating an internal pressure towards committing to consistently providing.
I suppose I wonder whether we couldn’t do both the things you mention? Or do you feel like the first one sort of impacts the viability of the r second one? Which I can totally see. I don’t think there are any clear answers but for me personally, I feel like building options outside the school system is preferable to trying to work and reform inside the system - so that is similar to what you’re saying, in a way. But I do struggle with that because I also think that making schools a tiny bit better would be a good thing in the short term.
I think you can definitely do both and that both are important but the key bit for me is about being intentional about which goal you're trying to accomplish and not getting muddled between the two. I think a lot of people are trying to do find ways to monetize alternative economies or even abolition work and that pulls the systems right back into a) government structure like non profit granting systems or b) capitalism because they're focused on getting paid fairly. Neither of those things are wrong or bad but I think doing work aiming to bring down capitalism and expecting to get paid is inevitably watering down that intention.
Ok this is hard for me because then if people are trying to operate outside of the systems or in ways that encourage others to think beyond capitalism, but also not expecting to be paid, like - how are we all going to live? I just cannot see how life would be viable without monetary compensation or compensation of some form. But anyways that’s obv a separate topic!!
That's a super juicy question that I could probably go on about at length! But the short answer for me is it depends a lot on where you live and how you want to live. People lived without money for thousands of years in community and many indigenous cultures do today. For those of us who are heavily dependent on money, I would encourage two things: exploring alternative systems like barter or gift systems that can coexist within the capitalist economy and also taking a good look at what it means to actually have basic needs met and how we might achieve meeting those needs without paying money.
Thanks Kel. You always challenge me to think!!