Anonymous asked: so let's say hypothetically that I was scared shitless of the future (fascism, global warming, etc). of all the resources you've shared what do you think are the MOST vital/effective/fast
Radical unions. Over 60% of millennials are in favor of unions, but fewer than 5% are members. If 60% of a workplace is organized, that union has a fuckton of control over their conditions - and with some good messaging could no doubt expand into that 40% that’s opposed or unsure. Join the IWW, especially if there’s a local branch (if not, maybe you can help organize one), and they’ll give you all the resources you need. Maybe even consider salting, which is where you join jobs specifically with the intent to organize them (if you’ve seen Sorry To Bother You, Squeeze is a salt). There are a ton of people who are waiting for an opportunity to unionize - take advantage of that
Solidarity economy. On the business/municipal level, the cooperative movement. On the community level, the Transition Initiative. And on the interpersonal level, the Buy Nothing Project. These build an alternative to capitalism from the grassroots and have had great success. I think that’s partially because they’re inoffensive and not overtly political - you can convince pretty much anyone to start sharing and trading things, or to support worker-owned businesses. I think this is our best bet for moving away from capitalism and towards sustainable socialism fast
Meshnets. I know this seems kind of arbitrary and small compared to the others, but communication and organization is vital to any movement, and we’re already seeing surveillance and censorship over the internet which has every potential to get worse. Meshnets are near-impossible to censor or monitor without physically damaging the equipment, and since that equipment is very easy and cheap to DIY and not particularly easy to spot, it’d be fairly safe from fascism. I can also tell you that most people are super psyched about mesh networking when someone actually tells them what it is, so we just need to spread the word and expand the networks and infrastructure
I stand by my belief that everyone should focus on what they’re good at and passionate about, since that will avoid burnout and make you the most useful, but if you’re really filled with a need to change things right now, those are some good starting points
We have plenty of matches in our house
We keep them on hand always
Currently our favourite brand
Is Ohio Blue Tip
Though we used to prefer Diamond Brand
That was before we discovered
Ohio Blue Tip matches
They are excellently packaged
Sturdy little boxes
With dark and light blue and white labels
With words lettered
In the shape of a megaphone
As if to say even louder to the world
Here is the most beautiful match in the world
It’s one-and-a-half-inch soft pine stem
Capped by a grainy dark purple head
So sober and furious and stubbornly ready
To burst into flame
Lighting, perhaps the cigarette of the woman you love
For the first time
And it was never really the same after that All this will we give you
That is what you gave me
I become the cigarette and you the match
Or I the match and you the cigarette
Blazing with kisses that smolder towards heaven
