Understanding Current Tech Paths

The accidental #openweb reboot of the #fediverse was created and popularized by a diverse and disorganized group of progressives with meany #fashernistas, this is a “native” path and reflects the decentralized and chaotic nature of grassroots movements. This “herding cats” means that achieving consensus or coordinated action is challenging. The last 40 years have seen the rise of neoliberalism, emphasizing individualism, deregulation, and market-driven policies. This ideological backdrop complicates collective action and pushes #stupidindividualism, where individual interests override communal goals.

Proposed paths to mediate this mess, the #OGB Grassroots #DIY Producer Governance is core to building away from this mess, to shape a more inclusive and responsive governance model for the #fediverse. By emphasizing local, bottom-up governance, communities retain control over their own platforms and content, fostering a resilient and adaptive “native” #openweb.

Naming and challenging the status quo worshipping the #deathcult is basic. Continually calling out the prevailing “common sense” that aligns with neoliberal values as the “deathcult” disrupts complacency and encourage critical thinking. If this is, pushed this approach makes #mainstreaming acceptance of harmful practices uncomfortable and prompt more people to question and resist them.

Promoting simple, powerful concepts. The #KISS “Keep It Simple, Stupid” helps to clarify complex issues. Promoting straightforward concepts like #openweb vs. #closedweb simplifies the narrative and makes it more accessible. Please use the framework (open data, open source, open standards, open process) as a benchmark to evaluate and critique technology for better decision-making that reduces #techchurn.

Leveraging group use of hashtags as an organizing tool, consistent and strategic use of hashtags helps unify efforts, spread ideas, and create a sense of collective identity to increases visibility and engagement, making it easier to coordinate actions and amplify messages.

What you can do? Develop and promote #OGB resources and guides for grassroots DIY governance paths. Encourage communities to adopt these models and share their experiences. Challenge neoliberal ideology, by use all your platforms to name and critique the prevailing neoliberal “common sense.” Create content that explains the concept of the #deathcult and its implications in an every way possible. Simplify and clarify messaging, develop clear, #KISS explanations of the #openweb, #closedweb, and concepts. Create infographics, videos, and other media to make these ideas more digestible and shareable. Organize through hashtags, establish and promote key hashtags for initiatives. Encourage coordinated use of these hashtags to build momentum and visibility for campaigns. Build alliances and networks, collaborate with like-minded people and organizations to strengthen the path. Participate in and organize events, both online and offline, to foster a sense of community and shared purpose.

These are steps that communities can take to navigate the challenges posed by the current ideological landscape, promote effective governance models, and strengthen the #openweb path. Let’s please try improving the current state of the #fediverse, and the broader #openweb.

#EU bureaucracy in tech funding

Tackling the challenges of bureaucracy and #mainstreaming inertia. We need to try and jump the hurdles within tech communities with for example the current pouring down the drain of tech funding provided by #NGI (Next Generation Internet). It is an obvious path we need to get right soon:

Addressing bureaucratic inertia (and native corruption) in the EU tech funding:

  1. Leverage small wins pilot projects: we need to get some funding to shift to real alternatives, Implement small-scale pilot projects that demonstrate benefits and serve as proof of concepts. These projects gradually shift perspectives and encourage larger scale initiatives. Advocate for incremental changes rather than radical shifts, which are more palatable to bureaucratic institutions.
  2. Engage stakeholders in collaborative platforms, we need to rejuvenate the moribund https://socialhub.activitypub.rocks/ to build agen the collaborative space where policymakers, activists, industry experts, and community members discuss, co-create, and refine initiatives.
  3. Storytelling and communication narrative building to craft compelling narratives, using the existing hashtag seeds to highlight the human and societal benefits of proposed changes. Use storytelling to make abstract concepts tangible and relatable.

Mediate the #geekproblem in our tech communities:

  1. Resource allocation funding initiatives: Seek funding from diverse sources, including grants, crowdfunding, alongside the #EU institutional funding. Use this to invest in skill development to bridge gaps within the community and foster the “native” #openweb path.
  2. Encourage collaboration across different prospectives to bring fresh paths to push solutions. Knowledge sharing, use the to clear meaningful paths to move outside the current clutter. Create platforms for sharing this knowledge, run workshops, webinars, and hackathons, to facilitate “native” learning and collaboration.
  3. Promote open practices that encourage contributions from a wide range of participants, not just the core tech-savvy individuals. Experimentation Spaces: Create spaces for experimentation where failures are seen as learning opportunities rather than setbacks.

Bridging the Gap Between EU Bureaucracy and Tech Communities:

  1. Dialogue and advocacy: Establish regular dialogues between tech communities and EU policymakers to discuss challenges, share insights, and co-develop solutions. Use projects like the #OGB to build up tech ambassadors and liaisons who can effectively communicate this divide.
  2. Develop joint projects where tech communities and EU bodies work together on common goals, such as digital transformation, data commons, and open internet standards. Learn from the “native” hackerspace movement to create innovation hubs that serve as collaborative spaces for tech communities and policymakers to experiment with new ideas and technologies.

In conclusion, the journey to shift meaningful initiatives within the #EU and overcome the #geekproblem in tech communities involves activism leveraging small wins, engaging wider stakeholders, using community advocacy, and fostering inclusive and collaborative #openweb environments. These are a path to build the power of community to shift the resources of bureaucratic institutions while overcoming internal #geekproblem challenges, ultimately driving the positive and impactful change that is so obviously needed to reboot the #openweb

#NLNET #NGIzero

Change and challenge group dynamics

#fashernistas are unconscious of the dynamics of “in and out groups” that split the workings of the social change movements. Let’s look at this in our #fediverse. Firstly why? The need for feelings of importance, that feeds the need for control and exclusivity behaviour, that then stifles diversity of thought and hampers meaningful change and challenge. This is at the core of #blocking.

In group members push to feel they are accepted and seen as part of the core community, out-group members are then excluded and marginalized, feeding feelings of alienation. This need for control and exclusivity power dynamics with in-group members shapes who hold power and influence within the community, thus shaping the norms and values. This failed diversity is a sterile environment where only limited viewpoints are accepted, on this path the is no if any community growth.

The negative impact on the #fediverse leads to a stifling diversity and echo chambers where only similar, and dysfunctional views are shared. This #blocking of “native” diversity, increases conflict us vs them mentality, reducing cooperation. Making the out-group feel marginalized and excluded, reducing their participation and contribution.

How to mitigate this mess? Start by inclusivity and diversity, encourage open discussions and actively seek diverse viewpoints. When the invertible splintering starts to happen, do not keep pushing the #blocking that feeds this blinded exclusionary behaviour. A healthy active balance is needed for change and challenge for building the empathy and understanding of different perspectives, respecting dialogue and criticism is a healthy path. When we can only take the path of #blocking the community is failing and so is the core project, look at the #fediverse and the last few years on https://socialhub.activitypub.rocks/ as an example of this fail.

To make this work, initiate collaborative projects that require input from a diverse group of members. Build mentorship programs into every path of these projects, pass on experience, guide and support. Be careful of #fahernistas hiding behind the burocracy of “Safe Space’s” mess making, they are the problem and have little to do with solutions or “safety”. In #openweb tools, use moderation to promote diverse content and prevent exclusionary behaviour, implement redundant feedback mechanisms to allow communities to report and address this themselves.

In the #fediverse, the “in and out group” dynamics constantly need to be mediate so our “common sense” #fashernistas behaver is not blindly pushed over the real diversity of healthy spaces. Our communities are “native” , diverse, and resilient, the path that fosters the change and challenge we so obviously need for a working #openweb reboot.

Maybe I need to say this clearer?

How you use the #4opens

The is a path to evaluate the value and openness of alternative or grassroots technology projects. A way to promote transparency, accessibility, and collaboration on the path to of alternatives to #mainstreaming, closed systems. It stands in contrast to #dotcons projects that hoard closed and monetize data. By adhering to these principles, projects offer value to people and the broader community, as opposed to extracting value.

While traditional open data initiatives focus primarily on making data accessible, the framework encompasses a more comprehensive approach to openness. This grassroots focus extends beyond just data to include source code, operations, and process. This is in contrast to traditional open data initiatives are associated with government or large institutional efforts. By including four distinct aspects of openness, the provide a holistic way to judge the value and transparency of a project. This contrasts with traditional initiatives that focus solely on data accessibility.

The strong emphasis on community participation and collaboration. The “Open Process” aspect goes beyond just sharing data or code, emphasizing transparency in how a project is run and managed. This is not typically a core component of traditional open data initiatives, and makes this a real alternative to corporate models. The framework is explicitly focused on judging the overall value and ethos of a project, rather than just its technical compliance with open data standards.

Collaborative development: With open source as a principle, grassroots projects benefit from collective efforts in improving and expanding their technology. This allows for faster innovation and problem-solving. Trust-building: Open process promote transparency in how projects are managed and run. This builds trust within the community and attracts more participants and supporters. Problem-solving focus: The framework encourages the development of tools and approaches that address real issues arising from social organization within #openweb communities, fostering practical solutions to grassroots challenges.

The serve as a simple yet effective way to #KISS judge the value and openness of grassroots tech projects. This helps both project creators and users assess the alignment of a project with open principles. By adhering to these principles, grassroots tech projects offer more value to people and the broader community, building the needed open, collaborative, and community-driven approach to technology development.

The framework fosters collaboration among grassroots tech projects

* Open Data: By making data freely accessible, projects share information, metadata and insights, enabling cross-project collaboration and innovation. This openness allows different initiatives to build upon each other’s work and avoid duplicating efforts
* Open Source: The emphasis on open source software encourages collaborative development across projects. By sharing code, grassroots initiatives leverage each other’s work, contribute improvements, and collectively advance their goals. This fosters a culture of shared knowledge and resources
* Open Standards: Adherence to open industrial standards promotes interoperability between different grassroots projects. This allows diverse systems to work together seamlessly, facilitating integration and collaboration across initiatives
* Open Process: This encourages transparency in project workflows and decision-making. By adopting open processes like wikis and activity streams, projects involve stakeholders in planning, development, and governance. This fosters trust, accountability, and collective ownership among collaborators

Community Involvement: The framework promotes community participation, allowing people interested to contribute to projects. This creates a broader collaborative ecosystem where diverse skills and perspectives are shared across initiatives. The provide a common set of principles for assessing grassroots tech projects. This shared framework allows projects to evaluate each other, identify collaborators, and build trust within the community. By positioning as alternatives to closed, corporate models, projects gravitate towards collaboration with like-minded initiatives. This fosters a supportive ecosystem of grassroots tech projects working towards similar goals. The openness promoted facilitates the sharing of best practices, lessons learned, and approaches across projects. This collective learning accelerates progress and problem-solving within the grassroots tech community.

The can be used to build a foundation of trust and shared values that enables diverse projects to work together towards common progressive paths.

When did Christians start doing the opposite of what Christ taught?

The issue here is recognizing that Christianity, like all major religions, has evolved over centuries, shaped by social, political, and cultural contexts. Early #Christians faced persecution and were marginalized groups. Their practices were aligned with the teachings of #Jesus, focusing on community, charity, and non-violence. Though, even in these early years, there were conflicts and disagreements about interpretation of Jesus’ teachings, you can see this in various New Testament letters.

The conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity and the subsequent Edict of Milan (313 AD) drastically changed the Christian landscape and shifted the beliefs. Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire, this led to increasing #burocracy of the Church, building religious authority with real power, this accelerated the shift away from the teachings of humility, poverty, and non-violence preached by Jesus.

During the Middle Ages and the Crusades. The Church amassed huge power and wealth, leading to corruption and practices starkly opposed to Christ’s teachings on poverty and humility. The Crusades (1096-1291) are an example where Christians engaged in warfare, motivated by a mix of religious zeal, political ambition, and economic gain, this clearly contradicted Christ’s message of peace and love for enemies.

The Reformation (16th Century), led by Martin Luther and a widening group of reformers, was a hard knock back to the corruption and moral decay within the Roman Catholic Church. Thought aiming to return to a purer form of Christianity, the reformation instead led to religious wars and persecution between different Christian sects. European colonialism used Christianity as a justification for the conquest and subjugation of the wider world, peoples, directly opposing Christ’s teachings on love, justice, and respect for others.

Modern Christianity. Today, Christianity is highly diverse, with some tiny groups like the Quakers closely adhering to Christ’s teachings of love, compassion, and justice, while others support policies and engage in behaviours that make a mockery of the simple truths and contradict these principles. Examples would be the prosperity gospel, political alignments that ignore any justice, and numerous sexual and money scandals within religious institutions, this highlight, the meany contradictions between professed beliefs and widespread actions.

These tensions always existed, Christians diverging from the teachings of Christ early in the history of the religion, this accelerated as soon as the movement adapted to larger and more burocratic communities. Over the centuries, the alignment between Christian institutions and political power has led to actions and policies that repudiate and contradict the core teachings of Jesus. This divergence is not uniform, as there have always been small numbers of people and groups within Christianity striving to live according to the balance of Christ’s principles.

The tension between the ideal and the reality of Christian practice is currently a mess, with the hard shift to the right. A recurring theme in the history of the religion, you can see this in the BGP in India the path is just the same. Understanding this history can help people to step away from this mess to address contemporary issues within the faith paths.

#dotcons push consumerism as propaganda


In the United States, propaganda is intertwined with consumerism. Edward Bernays working in the US is the father of modern propaganda, he believed that humans were driven by instincts and animal desires. His work was used to harness these instincts through advertisements (propaganda) to create inner desires within people, to feed consumerism, which corporations could then satisfy with their products. This is known as the “engineering of consent” which he created to #blocking social change and challenge, this “sweet, sickly mess” was pushed to keep society aligned with the aim of social control.

This strategy you can find in plain language in his books, it clearly shows the path of advertising and propaganda to push corporate and political goals. The objects advertised and sold were used as symbols of government propaganda, for example, the American Department of State funded exhibits at the Museum of Modern Art to showcase American consumerism as a symbol of progress and superiority over communism. This legacy of propaganda is alive and flowing in all our disasters youse of #dotcons to shape perceptions and dictate behaviour and algorithmically manipulate and control. This has played a core role in building up the current mess, this technology has shaped our collective consciousness over the last 20 years. This “sweet and addictive” digital intervention pulled us off the social disruptive “native” path of anarchy, of the #openweb

How do we get outside this mess, the power of design in propaganda lies in its ability to convey meaning in symbolic, abstract terms that go beyond words. Whether through #dotcons #UX pushing overt displays of authority or subtle bureaucratic defaults, design influences our thoughts and perceptions, hiding brutal truths behind a veil of ordinary, boring bureaucracy. As we navigate the digital world around us, it helps to remain curious and question the narratives our “common sense” paths serve, if we are to push change, challenge we need to recognize the responsibility that comes with this power.

https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/dotcons

The UK Election

As we approach the upcoming election in the UK, let’s examine our choices. Over the past 40 years, we’ve seen strong degrees of negative leadership: initially vile and evil, then evil and vile scum, and more recently, incompetent vile evil scum. It’s hard to imagine worse politicians.

In this next election, the Labour Party under Keir Starmer, who is a known lier, is likely to win. From a progressive perspective, we hope that he’s still lying and not truly as incompetent and vile as he appears. The best option in the current political landscape is to hold our noses and vote for these lies, optimistically believing that his dishonesty might work in favour of positive change.

This is the only viable path within the framework of mainstream politics right now. Let’s vote for lies is not the best rallying cry, we can’t keep doing this mess.

Update:

The blindness of fluffy and spiky liberals

The last 40 years of social and environmental mismanagement have brought us the onrushing disaster of #climatechaos and social break down. This situation highlights a troubling reality about society. On one side, we have the powerful and fundamental evil hard right anti #mainstreaming entities responsible for the harm. On the other side, there’s a small movement of left anti manstreaming activists pushing for urgent and necessary change. Caught in the middle are the mainstreaming majority, the “common sense” liberals, who by default align with the #mainstreaming evil forces that side with the hard right to resist this push for needed change. This alignment is a #blocking obstacle to addressing the root causes of our environmental and social crisis.

What I’ve been doing through the #OMN (Open Media Network) the last 20 years is to support the left and targeting these middle-ground liberals, aiming to grow their perspective and support towards meaningful change. It’s notable that #XR (Extinction Rebellion) has also taken the fluffy side of this approach in recent years. Currently, liberals represent a #blocking force. Overcoming their resistance is essential to addressing the challenges posed by dogmatic power and achieving the transformative change our we and the wider ecological planet so desperately needs.

It’s a desperate time for people have to work past their prat’ish “common sense” to compost this mess.

The liberals criticising the #deathcult are worth listening to https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-11/joseph-stiglitz-the-road-to-freedom-neoliberalism-fascism/104210670

Woking for the “man” is not voluntary

Let’s look at another issue that for meany people is hidden by “common sense” in our daily #deathcult worship. That wage labour is not voluntary and limits freedom, workers are forced to sell their labour due to lack of alternatives for basic survival. The ability to choose between employers does not equate to freedom in this sense, it limits freedom because workers have no meaningful alternative. Capitalist wage labour alienates workers from their labour, the products of their labour, their human nature, and other workers, This #alienation leads to a loss of freedom and self-realization.

“Wages are determined through the antagonistic struggle between capitalist and worker. Victory goes necessarily to the #capitalist. The capitalist can live longer without the worker than can the worker without the capitalist. Combination among the capitalists is customary and effective; workers’ combination is prohibited and painful in its consequences for them. Besides, the landowner and the capitalist can make use of industrial advantages to augment their revenues; the worker has neither rent nor interest on capital to supplement his industrial income. Hence, the intensity of the competition among the workers.” https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/wages.htm

The capitalist and #socialist perspectives offer different ideas of freedom.

Individual liberty: #Capitalism emphasizes individual freedom to make economic choices without government interference. The ability to own private property, engage in “voluntary” exchanges, and pursue profit in a free market economy. Consumers have the freedom to choose from a variety of goods and services produced by competing businesses. Freedom is defined as the absence of coercion or constraints imposed by others, especially the government.

Collective freedom: Socialism focuses on collective liberation from economic exploitation and the constraints of capitalism. Freedom can not be achieved without basic needs (food, housing, healthcare, education) guaranteed for all. Freedom as the ability to realize one’s potential, which requires access to collective decision-making over economic resources and production.

Capitalist freedom is tied to market mechanisms, socialist freedom involves democratic planning of the economy. Formal vs. real freedom distinguishes between formal (legal) freedom and real (material) freedom, capitalism only provides the former. Capitalism focuses on economic and political freedoms, while socialism expands the concept to include social and economic issues. The elimination of economic constraints on human potential, this is the humanistic path we need to take.

On this path, we need to view justice and freedom as intertwined concepts. True freedom is defined to incorporate justice, equality, solidarity, and universal access to substantive (not just formal) freedoms. The #anarchist and socialist perspectives reject definitions of freedom that ignore this, our “common sense” needs to reflect this.

What tools would we need to take important parts of society away from this mess https://opencollective.com/open-media-network

The stuff of disaster movies

On this blog, I am looking at the path of change challenge, with a focus on tech and activism leading to revolution. What meany people still do not understand is that this is the positive path to take. Though, as has been pointed out, “the issue is that time is running out for this path before global climate collapse — one bad feedback trigger cascading into the next. Ocean circulation and weather disturbances, massive forest fires and famine, ocean acidification, phytoplankton death, oxygen depletion. The stuff of disaster movies.”

In a world hurtling towards environmental catastrophe, for some people the spectre of revolution can be seen as pointless. The harsh reality is that the clock is ticking, and our time and focus to avert the most devastating impacts of climate change is fading, we do need to act, and we need tools to act with #OMN. The real nightmare begins with one feedback loop after another: Ocean Circulation Disruptions: Changes in ocean currents drastically alter global climate systems, leading to unprecedented weather disturbances. Massive Forest Fires: Temperatures rise, forest fires become more frequent and intense, releasing massive amounts of carbon dioxide and further accelerating global warming. Famine: Altered weather patterns and prolonged droughts could devastate agriculture, leading to widespread food shortages and famine. Ocean Acidification: Increased CO2 levels lead to more acidic oceans, endangering marine life, especially those with calcium carbonate shells or skeletons. Phytoplankton Death: The death of these tiny but vital organisms would disrupt the marine food chain and significantly reduce oxygen production. Oxygen Depletion: With less oxygen being produced by phytoplankton, we face a future where breathable air is no longer guaranteed.

Without urgent change, we will likely survive this, but at what cost? Think Mad Max rather than liberal norms, there might be a billion survivors, but they won’t be happy people. Struggling to live in a world drastically different and much harsher than the one we know today. Necessities like food, water, and clean air become scarce, with societal structures collapsed under the pressure of survival. The thought of living through such a scenario is scary.

So on a positive note, this is a wake-up call for the urgent need for social change and immediate action to mediate climate change, we need to shift our focus from merely surviving to thriving by fostering resilience and sustainability, fundamentally shifting away from the current mess. We need tools to use to bring about this change #OMN

It should be obverse to most of us that we are past the stage for pushing only sustainable practices in daily life, from reducing waste to supporting eco-friendly businesses. The is likely still some effect from, policy changes and raising awareness to educate others about the dangers of climate collapse so they can take direct action now to build communities. One thing which will have some affect is building resilience by invest time and effect in community projects to help mediate the social paths through the impacts of climate change.

The fight against climate change is not only about preventing disaster; it’s about creating a path through the mess. We can still take action, as catastrophe unfolds. Understanding paths that actually matter, helps. You can support one path here https://opencollective.com/open-media-network

The Looming of Human Extinction: We Need A Call to Action

Why Human Extinction is Almost Certain, human survival is based on maintaining global temperatures within a certain threshold. Staying under 5°C of additional global warming to avoid catastrophic consequences. Peer-reviewed research says that the pace at which temperatures are rising has been underestimated due to greenhouse gas emissions driven by the current mess. We are now on a trajectory towards 7-13°C of additional heating, far exceeding the critical threshold of 5°C.

The Evidence is in the underestimation of Temperature Rise. Multiple peer-reviewed studies highlight that the rate of temperature increase has been significantly underestimated. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) climate models have not fully accounted for feedback loops and other accelerating factors.

Current emissions’ trajectory, despite crap international agreements and pledges, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to skyrocket. Coming over the next ten years are feedback loops, permafrost thawing, ice melt, and oceanic methane release. These feedback loops are not linear; they amplify the effects of greenhouse gas, leading to faster and more severe #climatechaos.

The consequence of 7-13°C Heating is simply ecosystem collapse, disrupting food chains and natural services. Human health and livelihoods are affected by heatwaves, severe weather events, and sea-level rise which will displace millions. Agricultural productivity will plummet, leading to widespread food shortages and famine, combined with increased disease transmission due to changing climates and habitat ranges for vectors.

Social and Political Unrest, resource scarcity will push conflicts and migration crises. Political instability and societal breakdowns will become more frequent as communities struggle to adapt. Why Transformation is Inevitable, leading to revolutionary change. The impending collapse of societal structures under environmental pressures necessitates revolutionary change. Transformation is not just desirable, but essential to steer the course towards any future.

Guiding the Transformation is a role for our grassroots movements, activism and community-driven initiatives that are crucial. The Open Media Network (#OMN) and other decentralized platforms provide tools for organizing and disseminating information for action. This can drive technological and social innovation, shifting investment to renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and resilient infrastructure. This will need social innovations, such as new governance models exemplified by the Open Governance Body (#OGB), which offers adaptive and participatory solutions.

More #mainstreaming policy and accountability has a role in holding our greedy classes and policymakers accountable for climate actions and emissions. International cooperation and enforcement of stringent climate policies needs to be prioritized.

Call to Action, human extinction due to #climatechaos is not a distant possibility but an imminent threat. We must act to mediate in any way we can the worst outcomes and guide on a progressive path the inevitable transformation. Join grassroots movements, support technological and social innovations, and demand accountability from those who cling to power. Together, we try to steer the course of history towards survival and flourishing rather than extinction.

#ClimateCollapse #Sustainability #EnvironmentalAction #Survival #FutureGenerations #ClimateChange #EcoAwareness #SaveOurPlanet #Climatechaos

Understanding Anarchism

As I said before, anarchism is the most “native” philosophy for the #openweb, a #FOSS network free from hierarchical structures and state authority, based on self-management, voluntary cooperation, and mutual aid. With this in mind, let’s look at what anarchist think:

Clement Duval “Anarchy is the negation of all authority” anarchism’s core principle of rejecting all forms of imposed authority, advocating for self-governance.

Kevin Carson: “The outcome of this vote will, at best, slow down the rate at which the American government gravitates towards plutocracy, police statism and global corporate Empire.” The inefficacy of electoral politics in curbing the drift towards oligarchy and authoritarianism, underlining the need for systemic change.

Ravachol “Anarchy is the obliteration of property.” the critique of private property as a source of inequality and exploitation.

Marius Jacob: “In order to destroy an effect, you must first destroy the cause. If there is theft it is only because there is abundance on one hand and famine on the other; because everything only belongs to some.” that social ills like theft stem from economic inequality and that true justice requires communal ownership and sharing of resources.

Murray Bookchin: “An anarchist society, far from being a remote ideal, has become a precondition for the practice of ecological principles.” that sustainable ecological practices are incompatible with hierarchical and capitalist systems.

Lucy Parsons: “The struggle for liberty is too great and the few steps we have gained have been won at too great a sacrifice, for the great mass of the people of this 20th century to consent to turn over to any political party the management of our social and industrial affairs.” warns against the dangers of political parties co-opting social movements, advocating for direct action and grassroots organizing instead.

Max Stirner: “The Revolution aimed at new arrangements; insurrection leads us no longer to let ourselves be arranged, but to arrange ourselves.” distinguishes between revolution and insurrection, emphasizing self-organization over top-down restructuring.

Voltaire: “It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.” the timeless observation underscores the risks of dissent in an unjust system, the anarchist critique of state repression.

Rudolf Rocker: “Dictatorship, the most extreme form of tyranny, can never lead to social liberation.” that true freedom cannot be achieved through authoritarian means, highlighting the importance of democratic and decentralized approaches.

Camillo Berneri: “Whereas we anarchists desire the extinction of the state through the social revolution and the constitution of an autonomist federal order, the Leninists desire the destruction of the bourgeois state and moreover the conquest of the state by the ‘proletariat.'” contrasts anarchist and Leninist strategies, advocating for a stateless society rather than the mere transfer of state power.

William Godwin: “If there be such a thing as truth, it must infallibly be struck out by the collision of mind with mind.” stresses the importance of free exchange of ideas in discovering truth, reflecting the anarchist value of intellectual freedom.

Errico Malatesta: “Anarchism was born in a moral revolt against social injustice.” emphasizes the ethical foundation of anarchism, rooted in opposition to systemic injustice and exploitation.

Emile Henry: “The influence that theoretical anarchists pretend to wield over the revolutionary movement is nil. Today the field is open to action, without weakness or retreat.” underscores the importance of direct action over theoretical discourse in advancing revolutionary goals.

Albert Libertad: “Those that envision the goal from the first steps, those that want the certitude of reaching it before walking, never arrive.” revolutionary change requires taking risks and proceeding without absolute certainty of success.

George Carlin: “The politicians are put there to give you the idea that you have freedom of choice. You don’t. You have no choice. You have owners. They own you.” anarchist views on the illusion of democracy under capitalist systems, where real power lies with the elite.

Anselme Bellagarrigue: “Anarchy is order; government is civil war.” contrasts the natural order of anarchism with the inherent conflict and coercion within governmental systems.

Rudolf Rocker: “The growth of technology at the expense of human personality, and especially the fatalistic submission with which the great majority surrender to this condition, is the reason why the desire for freedom is less alive among men today and has with many of them given place completely to a desire for economic security.” critiques the dehumanizing effects of technological advancement and the resulting loss of a collective yearning for freedom.

Banksy: “We can’t do anything to change the world until capitalism crumbles. In the meantime, we should all go shopping to console ourselves.” the ironic statement critiques consumerism as a coping mechanism in a capitalist society that resists meaningful change.

David Graeber: “‘Communist society’; in the sense of a society organized exclusively on that single principle — could never exist. But all social systems, even economic systems like capitalism, have always been built on top of a bedrock of actually-existing communism.” points out that communal and cooperative practices underpin all social systems, even those ostensibly opposed to communism.

Bruno Filippi: “Maybe I am crazy. But my madness is the most terrible rationality. I see further, I feel life more vividly.” reflection speaks to the deep, often radical awareness and sensitivity to social injustices that drive anarchist thought.

To sum up: Anarchism is native to a lot of people reading this as it challenges political and economic structures, advocating for a both online (#FOSS) and offline a society based on voluntary cooperation, mutual aid, and the abolition of hierarchical authority (though the is also strong feudalism in #FOSS). These quotes are a glimpse into the diverse and rich tradition. A window into the motivations, challenges, and aspirations of anarchist philosophy, emphasizing the importance of action, ethical resistance to injustice, and the push for genuine social freedom.

More on this https://hamishcampbell.com/the-fediverse-is-native-to-anarchism/

Quotes from @anarchistquotes

Building a “nativist” humanistic societies

We need to move away from the #mainstreaming mess because the current political and economic systems actively push the mess, while also avoiding dealing with any of the root causes of the problems they create by the mess they make. For decades, all our politicians support endless wars, military interventions, and the militarization of police forces. Pushing the very global instability and domestic repression they say they are addressing. Despite constant claims of economic growth, people face stagnant wages that have not kept up with the cost of living, crippling inflation and skyrocketing rents are making it difficult for normal people to make ends meet.

The ongoing ecological crisis, marked by record-breaking heat waves, wildfires, and extreme weather events, is a direct result of decades of environmental neglect and exploitation. All of our parties have failed to take meaningful action to address climate change, prioritizing corporate profits over sustainable practices. The failure to address the ecological crisis threatens the survival of our planet and future generations.

The crackdown on social movements and mass incarceration are distraction and a tool by the state to maintain control and suppress dissent, stifling the potential for transformative social change. The growing anger and disillusionment with #neoliberal policies allow demagogues like Farage and Donald Trump to present themselves as alternatives. But their solutions are not progressive, rather rooted in racism, xenophobia, and authoritarianism, that only leads to growing fascism.

All the major political parties are inbred with corporate interests. They offer superficial solutions to systemic problems, seeking to manage rather than resolve the crises they have created. Real change needs organizing and building vibrant, diverse grassroots movements that can grow new forms of life and community outside the collapsing #mainstreaming structures. Faith in current institutions is becoming irrelevant because they fail to address the fundamental issues facing society.

We need to step away from the #mainstreaming mess, reject “common sense” liberal and #neoliberal, #fascist agendas. Instead, focus on building a diversity of new societies to give people a real chance to step away. This likely requires a collective effort to organize, resist, and create alternative forms of social and economic to build more “nativist” humanistic societies.

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