Women will only be able to mobilise under Harris? You mean the VP in charge of supply of munitions for the genocide? That Harris? Right.
I'm reminded of the saying "whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right". The Democrats have had fifty years to get Roe on the books and didn't bother. Colour me cynical but I can't help but notice it keeps being a convenient rallying call for them come election time.
Listen, I like your work but this is no time for that bonkers "in the real world" thinking. The woman arming Israel now doesn't have her hands tied by Biden, she shouts her support from every platform she's given.
The solution here is to vote for Stein and then step up, in whatever way is necessary to support women and women's rights. I'm afraid change involves getting your hands dirty and involved in things you'd probably rather not do. Personally I find the notion of community outreach and all that quite hideous, and, I see how necessary it is, so I consider it a duty.
Activism, sadly, requires more than just ranting at people, signing petitions and going on demos.
After all, legislation takes time and women's rights aren't profitable so I bet it'll get dropped like a hot coal post election if she wins, just like Obama did.
Meanwhile, people are starving to death and being murdered NOW, it's been going on for over a year and you and I are paying for it. I'd live on instant noodles for five years if that's what it would take. Sometimes things are simple. What price are you willing to pay for cheaper groceries and women's rights? The Palestinians or not?
Yes, you have a big problem in America and Trump, is merely the product of it, not the cause. Every time you repeat the wasted vote mantra, you ignore the observable fact that voting has little impact on policy. (Don't believe me, believe Princeton)You need total electoral reform, as do we in the UK. A third party turn out tells them we see you and we've had enough. A Harris vote lets them know that the coolade is still working.
That was very unprofessional of you, Rachel :-), but I "feel your pain." Otto von Bismarck (of all people) once said: "Let us not fall into the trap of doubting either the good sense or the good will of anyone who disagrees with us." The first step of communication is to build trust by establishing some common ground. The rest is manipulation. Some weeks ago, I had a very long conversation with a colleague who is a very charming person, even though we agree on very little. He is a libertarian and not at all worried about climate change. In the end, we managed to find the source of our disagreement: To him, climate change will make the planet a bit warmer and we will fix this problem with new technology once we get there. Given this view, his arguments were neither irrational nor evil. Now I have to teach him about tipping points, which might be difficult. Remember, "the good guy's don't always win" (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/08/salman-rushdie-peace-freedom-barbie-myths-fables)
Excellent essay. Few people in my real life will engage in conversations like these, as in virtually never. They prefer to pretend climate change and overshoot aren't real, or are in the, "It's a hoax" cult. A couple of years ago, I got into a debate with two right-wingers at a party. It took all the self-control I had to stay civil, listening to their ideas that revealed a complete disconnection from the reality of the limits of growth. In those conversations, I try to keep circling to the original issue, as they usually quickly become far ranging and heated. I try to plant one seed at a time.
The problem is, we're way too far down the road for merely planting seeds, and we average people have no effect on the decision makers.
Yes Geoffrey, we are the only species creating our own perception of reality, even if it contradicts the basic laws of physics. To say it with William E. Rees :
"We socially construct our reality. The conceptual lens through which we perceive reality determine the kind of reality we perceive. We cannot regulate our interaction with any aspect of reality that our model of reality does not include."
Reality is coming for us, but there will be those who don't see it even on their last dying breath. This is the sad truth about how easily we are misled. It's surreal to think our last chance of survival may be coming down to the next few hours, weeks, or months.
Thank you Rachel. Dialogue is the only way we can change this mindset, of some human beings believing that they are superior to others. It’s very difficult to do well, but there are many people over the world making sincere efforts daily to achieve it. We keep going! Thank you for your work
I must have read a different article than you - Where did she say she was superior to anyone else? I thought she came off as a perpetual learner grounded in humility.
First, you write "thank you infinitely for investing in this work." I think we need to be thanking you for infinitely investing your passion, intellect and writing skills to this work.
As usual, your essay was powerful and thought provoking. Among many thoughts that came to mind, I had a general observation to pass on. Throughout my now many decades of life, I have noted how critical it is to define our terms. (Not sure where or when I first read this concept expressed.) Early in your essay, you mention "capitalism" and "communism." Those words get thrown about a lot and also carry different meanings and baggage depending on part one's ideological leanings. To have a constructive conversation, someone should question right from the beginning what they mean by those terms. If capitalism is meant to be "private" ownership of the means of production, OK. But the devil is, as always, in the details. In reality, "capitalism" for some brings up the "neoliberal" version. For others, "capitalism" is an economic system that needs rules to function well in distributing the outputs of goods and services. (Of course, in reality, sometimes the rules, as Adam Smith would have thought, are to ensure the "common welfare" is taken into consideration, and of course, sometimes the rules favor to one degree or another favor accumulation of wealth not necessarily related to what is "earned.") "Communism" is "A system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy." None of the flavors of communism have worked well. "Socialism" has many meanings in practice, and needs to be explained if used. [Of course, much of the western world are "mixed" economies.] To call someone a "communist" is simply a slur and a destroyer of civil interchange.
I'm sure we all are aware of "triggering" words and in conversation should almost always ask "what do you mean by that" before moving on.
Wow Rachel, this is incredible. Searingly honest and so beautifully written - I feel as though I was there.
I understand that feeling of shame, though I usually get it for not speaking up. I practice unconditional, forgiveness and compassion, first and foremost for myself when I remember to do so. We're all products of our conditioning and circumstances, like you say, there is no good or evil, right or wrong, just what is. Finding out who we are underneath all the layers of socialisation would be a lovely thing though.
I have a good friend who I can amiably disagree with about some things- I tell her how disappointed I am that she can watch Simon Amstell's 'Carnage' and still not be vegan, or about how her health problems seemed to appear after she had some 'covid' jabs. But about the proxy war in Ukraine we cannot talk. She baits me to say how terrible Putin is and when i refuse to play she baits me some more- I say we have very different views lets not discuss it- she goes on finally i tell her she's been completely brainwashed- she tells me that no, it's me that's been brainwashed and if I had some more background knowledge of the situation I would agree. We avoided each other for awhile.
Then my cat died and I needed her company and didn't give a shit, what does it matter if we disagree, we agree on the important things in our actual lives.
Trump leading us into the Handmaid's Tale may be stopped by Harris and the elites ransacking the world may be stopped by BRCIS or economic collapse or the climate crisis and mass migration of a billion people.
But don't be afraid. The snowflakes fall, each in their proper place.
I don't think I believe in words nor changing other people's minds. I believe in silence and love.
Now here in the U.S. and those in reach of It’s Empire, draw closer to open fascism, we hear rhetoric that there will be only one viable party from president elect Donald Trump.
His first agenda is to eliminate governmental regulations, free Federal Land for fossil fuel extraction, lower fuel prices and aid consumerism.
Harris’s Gaslighting was not the lesser of two evils, simply where we are now.
Partially true. Jim left before the recession, seeing there would be continued trends in Globalization led job losses. He saw certainty in some sectors in our country, he did not care about lifting millions out of poverty in developing countries.
To use Trumps vernacular:“Those Shit hole countries“ You are most likely aware of ways to mitigate the negative effects of globalization, such as worker retraining programs and trade policies that promote fair competition.
"Trumpian National right agenda." There are nationalistic and protectionist policies that some consider appropriate for Western nations, but these can also lead to trade wars and higher prices for consumers.
Many Western nations are looking for ways to balance the benefits of globalization with the need to protect their domestic economies and workers. There are a variety of approaches to this challenge.
De-globalization is a complex issue with potential benefits and drawbacks. It's uncertain if it will happen to a significant extent.
Eliminating wasteful practices can help achieve NetZero faster, regardless of globalization. If I read your words correctly, you do not care about a sustainable future? You are concern with short term profits?
De-globalization could disrupt supply chains and lead to higher prices for consumers. However, it could also reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation. Focusing on reducing waste and increasing efficiency will be crucial for achieving NetZero.
Reshoring (bringing manufacturing jobs back to a country) is happening to some extent, but it's unlikely to be a major trend.
My brother Jim, left Michigan when industry gave up on Unions, building plants outside a living wage, in countries welcoming industrial exploitation. We were left with empty buildings, and a series of rollercoaster economic crashes designed to monopolize, capitalism ate our economy.
Jim moved to Costa Rica, married a local woman, gained citizenship and drew from the socialist splender of the State.
I would call him for years everyday twice a day simply to share time with him and enjoy a glimpse of his life in the jungle, on WiFi.
He became more and more radicalized by internet consumption, a platform called Rumble? Where far Right hosts of opinion themed messaging wrote and performed triggering propaganda. I would note the issues he would rant over, and tell him, thank You. “I will look into the topic, and yes, “I love You”
I found Scientific studies, historical documents and honored reliable resources to allow truth to rise above my brother’s rant? I would not confront him with my findings, most of the time.
Rarely he would receive a link from me, to look up an inquiry he was interested in, or he would hear me question his point with an honest reflection until this ended. One day, I snapped, I said nothing but swear, a single word. I repeated that word several times, and hung up shaken.
Don't be too hard on yourself. We wouldn't be human if we were perfect. It is painful, sometimes, to reflect honestly on how we have treated others and that's not to be ignored. The passion that ignited that response is also the passion that drives your work. When you see or hear about the horrors of the world you experience something that all - if they had ears to hear and eyes to see - would also experience. You are a witness and the testimony of witnesses is very powerful indeed.
Thanks, Rachel! I have recently put together some of my readings like this. No matter our specific opinions, our evolutionary selves are striving, in many disparate often conflicting ways, to restore what I call the 'three pillars' we all need: stability, predictability, and connection. Here's one such offering; https://jstuckey.substack.com/p/on-being-just-another-animal
It's definitely true that our rights aren't a "given". Throughout history, working class people have had to organize and disrupt and fight in order to get rights. All you have to do to have your rights taken away in the US is lose your home or get caught up in our "criminal justice" system. We've made poverty a crime again, and there are many Americans sleeping on our streets whose lives won't be improved by an election (certainly not a presidential election, at any rate). What we can do in the meantime is what we should have been doing all along--getting out into our actual communities, organizing with the people around us, and building the infrastructure we need to take care of ourselves and each other. This government and the capitalists who own it will always be totally fine sacrificing our health and safety for profit, just as they always have done. If we want to survive, we must dismantle it and build something better in its place. Those direct actions are so much more important than any presidential election could ever be in a world where both candidates proudly support genocide. This election is a distraction from the real work. It's intentional that people are so caught up in it so they won't actually hold any of these politicians accountable for actually living up to who they represent themselves to be in their campaign speeches. We're all shouting at each other about which one tells us the prettier lies while ignoring that their actual policies do not differ in any material way at this point. We have to grow up and move beyond "red team blue team" nonsense if we ever actually want to be free.
Honesty and passion...you can't go wrong with that!
Beautifully written. Powerful.
Women will only be able to mobilise under Harris? You mean the VP in charge of supply of munitions for the genocide? That Harris? Right.
I'm reminded of the saying "whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right". The Democrats have had fifty years to get Roe on the books and didn't bother. Colour me cynical but I can't help but notice it keeps being a convenient rallying call for them come election time.
Listen, I like your work but this is no time for that bonkers "in the real world" thinking. The woman arming Israel now doesn't have her hands tied by Biden, she shouts her support from every platform she's given.
The solution here is to vote for Stein and then step up, in whatever way is necessary to support women and women's rights. I'm afraid change involves getting your hands dirty and involved in things you'd probably rather not do. Personally I find the notion of community outreach and all that quite hideous, and, I see how necessary it is, so I consider it a duty.
Activism, sadly, requires more than just ranting at people, signing petitions and going on demos.
After all, legislation takes time and women's rights aren't profitable so I bet it'll get dropped like a hot coal post election if she wins, just like Obama did.
Meanwhile, people are starving to death and being murdered NOW, it's been going on for over a year and you and I are paying for it. I'd live on instant noodles for five years if that's what it would take. Sometimes things are simple. What price are you willing to pay for cheaper groceries and women's rights? The Palestinians or not?
Yes, you have a big problem in America and Trump, is merely the product of it, not the cause. Every time you repeat the wasted vote mantra, you ignore the observable fact that voting has little impact on policy. (Don't believe me, believe Princeton)You need total electoral reform, as do we in the UK. A third party turn out tells them we see you and we've had enough. A Harris vote lets them know that the coolade is still working.
A vote for the egomaniacal Jill Stein is a vote for Trump. What do you think you are accomplishing with your hissy fit vote?
And what do you think you're accomplishing with yours?
Yeah, Walter?
I see reading comprehension is not one of your special skills. Little point writing a response really.
That was very unprofessional of you, Rachel :-), but I "feel your pain." Otto von Bismarck (of all people) once said: "Let us not fall into the trap of doubting either the good sense or the good will of anyone who disagrees with us." The first step of communication is to build trust by establishing some common ground. The rest is manipulation. Some weeks ago, I had a very long conversation with a colleague who is a very charming person, even though we agree on very little. He is a libertarian and not at all worried about climate change. In the end, we managed to find the source of our disagreement: To him, climate change will make the planet a bit warmer and we will fix this problem with new technology once we get there. Given this view, his arguments were neither irrational nor evil. Now I have to teach him about tipping points, which might be difficult. Remember, "the good guy's don't always win" (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/08/salman-rushdie-peace-freedom-barbie-myths-fables)
Excellent essay. Few people in my real life will engage in conversations like these, as in virtually never. They prefer to pretend climate change and overshoot aren't real, or are in the, "It's a hoax" cult. A couple of years ago, I got into a debate with two right-wingers at a party. It took all the self-control I had to stay civil, listening to their ideas that revealed a complete disconnection from the reality of the limits of growth. In those conversations, I try to keep circling to the original issue, as they usually quickly become far ranging and heated. I try to plant one seed at a time.
The problem is, we're way too far down the road for merely planting seeds, and we average people have no effect on the decision makers.
Atwood had so much eerily right.
I think we're screwed regardless of the outcome of this election, too many planetary boundaries have been exceeded. https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/the-planet-has-limits-so-must-we
And by the way, the Greenland ice sheet is done.
https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/the-greenland-ice-sheet-is-gone
Yes Geoffrey, we are the only species creating our own perception of reality, even if it contradicts the basic laws of physics. To say it with William E. Rees :
"We socially construct our reality. The conceptual lens through which we perceive reality determine the kind of reality we perceive. We cannot regulate our interaction with any aspect of reality that our model of reality does not include."
Reality is coming for us, but there will be those who don't see it even on their last dying breath. This is the sad truth about how easily we are misled. It's surreal to think our last chance of survival may be coming down to the next few hours, weeks, or months.
Yes, Geoffrey, it is too late for seeds.
Thank you Rachel. Dialogue is the only way we can change this mindset, of some human beings believing that they are superior to others. It’s very difficult to do well, but there are many people over the world making sincere efforts daily to achieve it. We keep going! Thank you for your work
I believe that when we think we can change someone who thinks they are superior to others we're saying that we are superior to them and know better!
I think it's all projection.
I must have read a different article than you - Where did she say she was superior to anyone else? I thought she came off as a perpetual learner grounded in humility.
Thank you. Good point. Something for me to think about
First, you write "thank you infinitely for investing in this work." I think we need to be thanking you for infinitely investing your passion, intellect and writing skills to this work.
As usual, your essay was powerful and thought provoking. Among many thoughts that came to mind, I had a general observation to pass on. Throughout my now many decades of life, I have noted how critical it is to define our terms. (Not sure where or when I first read this concept expressed.) Early in your essay, you mention "capitalism" and "communism." Those words get thrown about a lot and also carry different meanings and baggage depending on part one's ideological leanings. To have a constructive conversation, someone should question right from the beginning what they mean by those terms. If capitalism is meant to be "private" ownership of the means of production, OK. But the devil is, as always, in the details. In reality, "capitalism" for some brings up the "neoliberal" version. For others, "capitalism" is an economic system that needs rules to function well in distributing the outputs of goods and services. (Of course, in reality, sometimes the rules, as Adam Smith would have thought, are to ensure the "common welfare" is taken into consideration, and of course, sometimes the rules favor to one degree or another favor accumulation of wealth not necessarily related to what is "earned.") "Communism" is "A system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy." None of the flavors of communism have worked well. "Socialism" has many meanings in practice, and needs to be explained if used. [Of course, much of the western world are "mixed" economies.] To call someone a "communist" is simply a slur and a destroyer of civil interchange.
I'm sure we all are aware of "triggering" words and in conversation should almost always ask "what do you mean by that" before moving on.
Awesome post Rachel, thank U 👆🏼
Wow Rachel, this is incredible. Searingly honest and so beautifully written - I feel as though I was there.
I understand that feeling of shame, though I usually get it for not speaking up. I practice unconditional, forgiveness and compassion, first and foremost for myself when I remember to do so. We're all products of our conditioning and circumstances, like you say, there is no good or evil, right or wrong, just what is. Finding out who we are underneath all the layers of socialisation would be a lovely thing though.
I have a good friend who I can amiably disagree with about some things- I tell her how disappointed I am that she can watch Simon Amstell's 'Carnage' and still not be vegan, or about how her health problems seemed to appear after she had some 'covid' jabs. But about the proxy war in Ukraine we cannot talk. She baits me to say how terrible Putin is and when i refuse to play she baits me some more- I say we have very different views lets not discuss it- she goes on finally i tell her she's been completely brainwashed- she tells me that no, it's me that's been brainwashed and if I had some more background knowledge of the situation I would agree. We avoided each other for awhile.
Then my cat died and I needed her company and didn't give a shit, what does it matter if we disagree, we agree on the important things in our actual lives.
Trump leading us into the Handmaid's Tale may be stopped by Harris and the elites ransacking the world may be stopped by BRCIS or economic collapse or the climate crisis and mass migration of a billion people.
But don't be afraid. The snowflakes fall, each in their proper place.
I don't think I believe in words nor changing other people's minds. I believe in silence and love.
Does your stomach not ache for resolve?
Now here in the U.S. and those in reach of It’s Empire, draw closer to open fascism, we hear rhetoric that there will be only one viable party from president elect Donald Trump.
His first agenda is to eliminate governmental regulations, free Federal Land for fossil fuel extraction, lower fuel prices and aid consumerism.
Harris’s Gaslighting was not the lesser of two evils, simply where we are now.
Can you help me quiet my anxiety?
Been There,
Done That.
I struggle
I haven’t talked to my MAGA TRUMP cultist bigot of a brother in months. Still not knowing how to press on, exhausted.
All you write
All you investigate
I cherish, hoping to see forward.
Please continue
just tell your brother you love him and he is right :-)
Partially true. Jim left before the recession, seeing there would be continued trends in Globalization led job losses. He saw certainty in some sectors in our country, he did not care about lifting millions out of poverty in developing countries.
To use Trumps vernacular:“Those Shit hole countries“ You are most likely aware of ways to mitigate the negative effects of globalization, such as worker retraining programs and trade policies that promote fair competition.
"Trumpian National right agenda." There are nationalistic and protectionist policies that some consider appropriate for Western nations, but these can also lead to trade wars and higher prices for consumers.
Many Western nations are looking for ways to balance the benefits of globalization with the need to protect their domestic economies and workers. There are a variety of approaches to this challenge.
De-globalization is a complex issue with potential benefits and drawbacks. It's uncertain if it will happen to a significant extent.
Eliminating wasteful practices can help achieve NetZero faster, regardless of globalization. If I read your words correctly, you do not care about a sustainable future? You are concern with short term profits?
De-globalization could disrupt supply chains and lead to higher prices for consumers. However, it could also reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation. Focusing on reducing waste and increasing efficiency will be crucial for achieving NetZero.
Reshoring (bringing manufacturing jobs back to a country) is happening to some extent, but it's unlikely to be a major trend.
I will look for your Book
It
I have done this, what you suggest. Thank You.
My brother Jim, left Michigan when industry gave up on Unions, building plants outside a living wage, in countries welcoming industrial exploitation. We were left with empty buildings, and a series of rollercoaster economic crashes designed to monopolize, capitalism ate our economy.
Jim moved to Costa Rica, married a local woman, gained citizenship and drew from the socialist splender of the State.
I would call him for years everyday twice a day simply to share time with him and enjoy a glimpse of his life in the jungle, on WiFi.
He became more and more radicalized by internet consumption, a platform called Rumble? Where far Right hosts of opinion themed messaging wrote and performed triggering propaganda. I would note the issues he would rant over, and tell him, thank You. “I will look into the topic, and yes, “I love You”
I found Scientific studies, historical documents and honored reliable resources to allow truth to rise above my brother’s rant? I would not confront him with my findings, most of the time.
Rarely he would receive a link from me, to look up an inquiry he was interested in, or he would hear me question his point with an honest reflection until this ended. One day, I snapped, I said nothing but swear, a single word. I repeated that word several times, and hung up shaken.
Looks like he was a hard bitten victim of Globalization... which is for many people a hard reality.
He is probably following a Trumpian National right agenda …. Which is appropriate for where most of the western nations find themselves.
De-globalizing will happen and if we Nix the waste of climate change NetZero can happen a lot faster.
It wont be the same or all the industries that come back ….. but reshoring will happening.
More at www.nigelsouthwayauthor.com
send him a link to my book .. :-)
Don't be too hard on yourself. We wouldn't be human if we were perfect. It is painful, sometimes, to reflect honestly on how we have treated others and that's not to be ignored. The passion that ignited that response is also the passion that drives your work. When you see or hear about the horrors of the world you experience something that all - if they had ears to hear and eyes to see - would also experience. You are a witness and the testimony of witnesses is very powerful indeed.
Beautiful, honest, powerful, and helpful for this one... Reflections that remind us who we are together... Many thanks... ! 🙏
Inspirational, open, lucid, honest, insightful stuff. <3
Thanks, Rachel! I have recently put together some of my readings like this. No matter our specific opinions, our evolutionary selves are striving, in many disparate often conflicting ways, to restore what I call the 'three pillars' we all need: stability, predictability, and connection. Here's one such offering; https://jstuckey.substack.com/p/on-being-just-another-animal
It's definitely true that our rights aren't a "given". Throughout history, working class people have had to organize and disrupt and fight in order to get rights. All you have to do to have your rights taken away in the US is lose your home or get caught up in our "criminal justice" system. We've made poverty a crime again, and there are many Americans sleeping on our streets whose lives won't be improved by an election (certainly not a presidential election, at any rate). What we can do in the meantime is what we should have been doing all along--getting out into our actual communities, organizing with the people around us, and building the infrastructure we need to take care of ourselves and each other. This government and the capitalists who own it will always be totally fine sacrificing our health and safety for profit, just as they always have done. If we want to survive, we must dismantle it and build something better in its place. Those direct actions are so much more important than any presidential election could ever be in a world where both candidates proudly support genocide. This election is a distraction from the real work. It's intentional that people are so caught up in it so they won't actually hold any of these politicians accountable for actually living up to who they represent themselves to be in their campaign speeches. We're all shouting at each other about which one tells us the prettier lies while ignoring that their actual policies do not differ in any material way at this point. We have to grow up and move beyond "red team blue team" nonsense if we ever actually want to be free.
Ah Rachel, in my opinion your outrage was completely justified.
I think, maybe subconsciously, you recognised and went to war against the true demon in our current predicament.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of millions are addicted to the system.
Trying to improve their lives, to 'educate' them, is like taking their drug away.
At first you'll get excuses, then resistance and then hostility...
Have fun extending that analogy - it's quiet enlightening.
P
Trying to improve their lives! This makes me think of the beautiful analogy of taking a plank out of ones' own eye to see clearly to remove some dust.