The is deep dissatisfaction with the current “common sense”, especially in the context of how it has contributed to a pervasive sense of fragmentation, meaninglessness, and cynicism in most contemporary life. The is very little meaning and action in our intellectual movements, the #blocking of the old stories, Marxism, Enlightenment ideals, and even reality itself. The last 40 years of deconstruction of meaning without offering alternatives led to our current dangerous nihilistic dead-end. We live now with “zombie ideologies,” that are not fit for the current #climatechaos driven challenges we face.
As am in Oxford, let’s look at a few of these dead academic paths. #Postmodernism became a perfect fit for the #neoliberalism of the #deathcult of the last 40 years, as both emphasize individualism, relativism, and a rejection of collective, structural change. Neoliberalism, which is still the default economic path, thrived on the breakdown of solidarity, atomizing society and leaving individuals to fend for themselves in a deregulated market economy. The crisis of meaning that postmodernism, the ideas still under much thinking, fed directly into this, with its #blocking of coherent paths for understanding the world and taking action to mediate the ongoing mess. These were both tools of the #deathcult, encouraging passive resignation instead of collective resistance.
Now, more than ever, there’s an urgent need to move away from these decaying paths and find a way that inspires collective action, hope, and builds the needed systemic change. The metaphor of shovelling shit to make compost is a powerful one. The last several decades have produced a lot of intellectual and social decay, instead of simply rejecting it all, we can take what’s useful, like a critical understanding of power structures and cultural influence—and use it to grow better.
The world is changing rapidly, and with it, the intellectual tools we need to navigate and reshape it. Let’s plant the seeds, of meaningful, grounded, collective action, grow solidarity, and a renewed sense of purpose that challenges the status quo. The question is not just about what comes next, but how we collectively build it from the ground up.
Resilience is community and trust, this resilience grows by connecting the actions of today to the possibilities of tomorrow, even when that future is unknowable. It’s rooted in community, and community thrives on mutual trust. Trust isn’t about keeping a ledger; it’s about giving freely without expectation. Money is not the foundation of resilience. Across the world, billions live resilient lives by supporting each other, because if they don’t, they all go under. From our privileged view, we often forget that resilience is nurtured in these commons.
We need to think about this: The idea of dual power isn’t new. It goes back to revolutionary moments when people realized the need to build alternatives to existing oppressive structures rather than only confronting them head-on. In the current political climate, where the failures of state and capitalist control are glaring, we need to revisit and reframe this idea of “dual power”. This isn’t a utopian dream or a naïve belief that we can merely build around the edges while the world burns. It’s about creating practical, grounded alternatives that directly challenge the existing system by living outside of it and dismantling it from the inside.
The current mess, look around. We are surrounded by a mess of our own making. The relentless march of #neoliberalism has commodified every aspect of our lives, and the #dotcons have taken over our social spaces, transforming genuine human interaction into data points for corporate profit and control. The state, meant to serve the people, is a tool of the greedy and nasty, maintaining control through fear, surveillance, and repression. It doesn’t take much to see that the paths we are currently on are leading to #climatechaos, widespread inequality, social and ecological breakdown.
But here’s the problem: most people still think we have choices within this mess. They talk about reforming the system, fixing capitalism, or making dotcons tech more ethical while continuing to operate on the same lost paths. This is delusion, a comfortable delusion for some, but a delusion nonetheless.
On the #DIY path, dual power is about creating parallel paths that coexist with the current ones but serve entirely different functions. Instead of asking for scraps from the masters’ table, we build our own tables, with food that nourishes everyone. It’s about constructing alternative social, economic, and political structures that are directly in opposition to the current hierarchies and power dynamics.
It’s not just about building alternative structures, though. It’s more important for actively delegitimizing and dismantling the existing power structures of capitalism and the state. This involves #directaction, solidarity, and collective organizing to challenge and change state and capitalist control in all its forms. It’s about a two-fold strategy: building the new while composting the old.
Why dual power matters, for too long, the left and radical movements have been stuck in reactionary paths, fighting battles on terrain chosen by the state and capital. We need to change this by recreating a new path, a space where we shape the traditions and myths that shape us. This is not just some theoretical exercise; it’s already happening in many parts of the world.
We see it in the #fediverse, on #mastodon, #bluesky and #noster networks, in grassroots mutual aid networks springing up during the current crises when the state and corporate structures fail. We see it in community run food cooperatives, decentralized digital spaces, and local assemblies where decisions are made collectively, rather than by a few in power. This is not an abstract idea, it’s lived practice, a shift from fighting against the system to creating something new and more humane.
Building dual power in a digital age, the #openweb and federated networks offer a glimpse of what dual power can look like. Unlike the #dotcons that feed on greed and manipulation, the openweb is rooted in principles that serve the community, #4opens, transparency, open collaboration, and autonomy. But even here, we often fall into the trap of merely copying the structures we’re trying to replace, creating the same mess under a different banner. The next step needs to be truly native to the 4opens path, transparent, open, and accountable, rejecting the commodification that the dotcons have normalized.
But digital spaces alone won’t save us. They are tools, important ones, no doubt, but we need a broader focus. We need to create real-world spaces of resistance and creation. Think community gardens that also serve as meeting points for local decision-making. Think of decentralized energy cooperatives that break free from corporate control. Think of neighbourhood assemblies that replace the hollow, bureaucratic local governments that most people have lost faith in. This is dual power in practice.
The roadblocks, the #Geekproblem and #Fasherista paths, let’s not romanticize this process. We need to acknowledge the challenges within our movements, the #geekproblem and the #fashernista paths that unconsciously block the change we need. The geekproblem is the obsession with technical solutions over social and political ones, while the fashernista path focuses on trendy but superficial activism that serves as more of a social club, careerism, than a serious challenge to power. Both paths have their place, but they should not dominate our paths. We need to keep our focus on the bigger picture.
Moving beyond the noise, to those who say, “Now is not the time,” I ask, “When will it be?” The crisis is here. We are all worshiping the #deathcult, masking 40 years of #neoliberal ideology, pretending we have choices that simply don’t exist. Now is precisely the time to dig in, get our hands dirty, and start composting this mess we’ve been dragged into. The work ahead isn’t easy, and there will be mistakes, missteps, and mess-ups along the way. But that’s okay. Composting is messy work, and so is building a more open and sustainable world.
If you’re waiting for someone to tell you what to do, you’ve already missed the point. Dual power isn’t a blueprint; it’s a living practice. It’s a call to start building the new and composting the old, right now, where you are. Lift your head, look at the mess, and start digging. Together, we can build something better than the scraps we’ve been given. Join us on this humanistic adventure in social technology and direct action. The #openweb, the #commons, and the real-world spaces we build are where the future lies. Let’s make it happen #OMN
The article “The Slow Evaporation of the FOSS Surplus” by Baldur Bjarnason discusses the gradual decline in the effectiveness and sustainability of Free and Open Source Software (#FOSS) within, unspoken context of a capitalist economy. The argument is that FOSS, once a thriving ecosystem driven by community effort and collaboration, is now being drained of its vitality by the growing dominance of corporate interests.
Bjarnason points out that the initial “surplus” of creativity, time, and resources that allowed FOSS to grow is being consumed as #dotcons extract value from open-source projects without reinvesting in their development or maintenance. The maintaining of these central projects is thus falling on unpaid or underpaid developers, leading to burnout and stagnation. This mess leads to a less diverse and less vibrant FOSS ecosystem, with projects struggling to sustain themselves without the good will, resources and community support they once had.
This current path highlights a fundamental issue, trying to fit the ethos of FOSS with in the framework of capitalism is a losing battle. FOSS is based on principles of collaboration, sharing, and community effort, its values are a very bad fit with capitalism’s focus on profit maximization, competition, and market control. Attempting to push FOSS, for example the open-source movement, to work better in the mess is not only unsustainable but also counterproductive.
There is an increasing untenable cost to #mainstreaming FOSS within capitalist norms. In simple terms, burnout and decline of community projects. The commercialization of FOSS compromises its fundamental principles—collaboration, freedom, and shared knowledge. Instead of serving the public good, projects are twisted to serve corporate agendas, often at the expense of the communities that built them. This leads to a loss of sustainability, to a decline in quality, security vulnerabilities, and eventually, the abandonment of core projects.
The main problem we face is few people believe there is any viable alternative to this current mess. To ansear this I have been writing for more than 20 years on my website, that there is, clearly showing the pressing need to move away from the #mainstreaming, capitalist path, and how the solution is not to “fix” FOSS within the capitalist framework but to use FOSS as a tool to step away from the current mess.
In the face of global crises like onrushing #climatechaos and resulting social and ecological break down, it becomes clear that we don’t have the choices we pretend we do. We can’t keep perpetuating the myth that we can, or should, bend open-source and collaborative technologies to fit the current capitalist path without real repercussions. With this strongly in mind, we need to use activism to mediate the #mainstreaming pretence, to shift resources and focus to explore alternative paths that align better with the values of #FOSS and the #openweb. The project I talk about a lot, the #OMN is such a path.
This involves, reinvigorating community-driven development by prioritizing projects that serve public interests and are maintained by communities of action. To create new economic models, such as cooperatives, public funding, and community-supported software to feed a culture of resilience to take the dangers paths of then next century.
In this widened view of the original post, “the slow evaporation of the FOSS surplus” I try and make visible the broader systemic failure we need to think about for change and challenge. We are running out of time and resources to take different paths, it’s crucial to recognize that the challenges we face, from software sustainability to climate change. We need to stop pretending that patching up the current system will work and start building new pathways that are true to the “native” #openweb values, to demand a radical departure from the status quo #KISS
One thing we need to emphasize more is that right-wing extremism lacks critical thinking, as conservatism tends to resist openness to alternative paths. Our #mainstreaming#fashionistas — those who mindlessly follow trends — reinforce this mess by promoting this path of #stupidindividualism, where there’s far more “stupid” than actual individuality.
The core issue with conservatism and mainstream conformity, especially in its more extreme forms, is the stubborn refusal to consider alternative ideas and different directions. This rigidity creates a dangerous inability to adapt to the rapidly changing circumstances we face, particularly in the era of #climatechaos and rising migration flows that will be driving social breakdown.
Mainstream #fashionistas, the so-called “influencers” and trendsetters, do little beyond reinforcing the status quo. They mindlessly adopt and promote tired, profitable ideas without questioning their social impact or validity. This behaviour pushes a narrow, unchallenged worldview that generates ever more mess — mess that we then need to compost. And right now, we don’t even have working shovels. #OMN
At the heart of the problem lies #stupidindividualism, 40 years of hyper-individualism, where personal success and self-interest are placed above collective well-being. This common sense mindset breeds division and erodes the capacity for collective action, making it incredibly difficult to build the solidarity needed for meaningful change.
Steps to Move Beyond the Mess:
Balance collective action and individualism, solidarity, not solitude, is key to shifting the focus from individual success to collective well-being. We need to encourage movements that emphasize cooperation, community support, and shared goals. Build and engage with local groups, cooperatives, and grassroots organizations that challenge the status quo from the ground up. Prioritize communal benefits over short-term personal gain to grow networks of care and resilience.
Cultivate critical thinking, it’s essential to question dominant narratives and dig deeper into the issues shaping our world to actorly challenge the assumptions pushed by mainstream media, political rhetoric, and cultural norms. Promote learning that goes beyond surface-level understanding to explore the root causes of social, economic, and political issues. Create #4opens spaces for education and informed discussion to help people see and understand alternative perspectives.
Advocate for systemic change, we need challenge that pushes for real change that addresses the roots of social and environmental issues, rather than settling for superficial fixes. Advocate for economic justice, environmental sustainability, and comprehensive social policies that support this radical change. Embrace and uplift unconventional, radical paths and ideas, progress requires stepping outside the comfort zone of conventional thinking.
Resist conformity and consumerism, to counter that #mainstreaming culture excels at co-opting and neutralizing dissent. We need active resistance to the pressure to conform. Stay aware of how #mainstreaming dilutes and commodifies alternative paths. Challenge the notion that consumerism is the primary way to express individuality. #KISS
Breaking from this cycle, beyond the current mess, we must break from the cycle of #stupidindividualism and blind #mainstreaming conformity. By embracing collective action, growing critical thinking, advocating for systemic change, and resisting conformity, we can step away from the rigid, invisible ideologies that fuel the #deathcult path we’re all caught up in.
It’s time to reclaim our tools, sharpen our shovels, and start composting the mess to grow something better #OMN
The concept of the “good society” is the most socially profound questions we can ask, especially at this moment of history. When we face the overlapping crises of climate change, political instability, and extreme economic inequality, the question of what constitutes a “good society” becomes urgent and pressing.
There should be an obvious view that there is a need for a real change of path, to address the severe social, political, and environmental mess we have made of our time, we need more than just incremental change—we need a fundamental shift in how we think about and act in society. This involves rethinking our economic, political, and social systems in ways that enhance the freedoms and well-being of the majority, rather than concentrating wealth and power in the hands of a few.
This path leads us to break from the current #stupidindividualism of #deathcult worship to walk a very different “good society”. Not the current #mainstreaming one of the minimalist state advocated by #libertarians, nor the highly constricted state envisioned by #neoliberalism. Instead, we have options, the #fluffy path of rejuvenated European social democracy or a new American progressive capitalism—a twenty-first-century version of the Scandinavian welfare state. Or the more #spiky path of #openweb native anarchism or #4opens metadata driven socialism.
What we cannot do is live in the #neoliberalism that has dominated the political and economic landscape for the past 40 years, with the concentration of wealth and power among the nasty few eroding the lives of the nicer meany, with resulting undermining of democratic institutions and social bindings. Our current path, claims to promote “free markets,” has been lying to us, imposed new rules for the benefit of the wealthy and powerful, and socializing losses to the meany. The 2008 financial crisis, where governments bailed out banks with taxpayer money, while the bankers themselves reaped enormous profits, is a prime example of this. This led to economic inequality, political corruption, and a loss of faith in social democratic paths. It is a road to fascism at worst and ecological and social break down at best, please let’s step away from this mess.
On the fluffy path, there is a role for government, a role to play in creating a “good society.” This involves using the economic system to provide people with the resources needed to open the range of options available to them in life. This, in turn, enhances their freedom to act and live up to their potential, its basic humanism. This path, would address the deprivations faced by those with low incomes, ensuring access to basic needs like healthcare, education, and housing. The assumption that economic rights and political rights are inseparable is core to this path. That freedom can be achieved when people have the economic security to exercise their political rights.
The conception of “freedom” promoted by neoliberal thinkers like Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman led us down a dangerous path. While they argued for “free markets” and minimal government intervention, in practice, this restricts freedom for the many while expanding it for the few. The deregulation of markets and the reduction of taxes on the wealthy leads to a concentration of power that threatens the foundations of the #fluffy social democracy path. If we stay on this path, it will lead us to a twenty-first-century version of authoritarianism, where advances in science and technology are used to surveil and control us. In this Orwellian scenario, truth is sacrificed to power, and the freedoms of the majority are eroded.
What would a path to a “good society” look like, prioritizing the well-being and freedom of the many over the wealth and power of the few? From a #spiky view, this would need fundamentalist change that frees us to take very different paths. There are seeds for this in the #OMN#OGB#makeinghistory and #indymediaback etc. For people who doubt, the two paths, projects, will work fine at the same time, many people push the #fluffy path, with its commitment to social democracy, progressive capitalism. The spiky path will work as a balance to this, and maybe replace it if people can get their act together, it’s up to people and communities to decide which path to take in the end.
We are in a global, intellectual, and political war, the paths we take now will determine whether we move towards a just and equitable society, or whether we continue down the path of inequality and authoritarianism, which will lead to #climatechaos, death and displacement. It’s good to remember that the good society provides for the needs of all its people, enhances their freedoms, and ensures that democracy and justice are more than just “chatting class” noise. Let’s please take a different path https://opencollective.com/open-media-network
Why do we still worship the #DeathCult? As we stand on the precipice of onrushing #climatechaos and spreading social break down, it should be clear that much of the world remains on the path of what we usefully call the DeathCult—a term to describe the pervasive, destructive ideology that prioritizes power, wealth, and control over human life and our collective survival. The worship of this cult is clearly seen in the #mainstreaming response that is less concerned with averting disaster and more focused on maintaining the status quo at any cost.
This is a complex mess, a speech on the #deathcult what you have is the old right and the new right – what would the left look like?
The west’s climate-catastrophe plan, the strategies being employed by the few in power to mediate the escalating #climatecrisis reveals a dark and cynical world-view. Rather than addressing the root causes of environmental destruction, the current plan involves:
Silencing and Jailing Dissenters: Across the globe, activists, whistleblowers, and truth-tellers are increasingly targeted by governments. The criminalization of protest, the surveillance of dissidents, and the erosion of civil liberties are all used to silence the few people who challenge the current path. By removing voices of opposition, the nasty few hopes to stifle the more apathetic meany that might threaten their current power and wealth.
Impoverishing and Brainwashing the Masses: Economic inequality is not a by-product of the current system; it is a deliberate strategy. By keeping the majority of people in a state of economic insecurity, the few ruling class maintain control. At the same time, mass media and it “invisible” propaganda shape public understanding and motivation to divert attention away from real issues, to reinforce the #consumerist story’s that supports the current mess.
Imposing Forever Wars and Prison-Camp Epidemics: The endless cycle of wars, coupled with the spread of diseases exacerbated by poor living conditions, serves a dual purpose. It destabilizes regions, making them easier to control, while also reducing populations that might otherwise resist. The situation in Gaza, where millions are trapped in what is essentially an open-air prison, is a stark example of what this could look like when the brutal strategy is used on us as #climatecrises spread floods of migration.
This is the messy path we are walking down to the very real possibility of 21st century global fascism as a failed “solution” to the mess these people are spreading. The combination of repression, economic control, and orchestrated chaos can easily lead to the spread of global fascism, where the primary goal is the preservation of power for the nasty few. The psychopaths who design and implement this care for little beyond their own dominance—not even the future of their children, who will inherit a world on the path of collapse.
Most of these architects of destruction are older men who will likely die in comfort, shielded from the consequences of their actions. Their callous disregard for human life is a normal outcome of “success” to the priests of the #deathcult. If you care to take a moment to look it can be seen in meany #fashionista philosophies like “#longtermism,” which argue that even if billions perish in the coming climate catastrophe, we shouldn’t be too concerned, as the long-term survival of humanity (as they define it) is all that matters.
The DeathCult is a metaphor for #neoliberalisam which worships success in grabbing power above all else. It views the world as a zero-sum game, where the suffering of the many is justified by the comfort and security of the few. Over the last 40 years this ideology has been deeply entrenched in the institutions of the West, from organizations like the #EU, #WTO etc to national governments and corporations, and it is perpetuated by those who benefit from the existing mess. They have no plan or ideas to change this path, even our liberals are talking about this https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-11/joseph-stiglitz-the-road-to-freedom-neoliberalism-fascism/104210670
We need to take a different path to breaking free from the DeathCult, to overcome this grim reality, to take simple steps we must first recognize the insidious influence of neoliberalism on our lives and societies for the last 40 years. Understanding the tactics and objectives allows us to resist its “common sense” pull and work towards creating a world that values humanistic paths over simplistic power and profit.
The Seven Stages of Denial:
1. It’s not real 2. It’s not us 3. It’s not that bad 4. We have time 5. It’s too expensive to fix 6. Here’s a fake solution 7. It’s too late: you should have warned us earlier
Trolls use all of these stages to deny reality.
There is an urgent need for a paradigm shift, we are at a crossroads. The choices we make now will determine the future of humanity and our existence on this planet. It is gently need to reject the nihilism of the #DeathCult and instead embrace different paradigms—one’s that prioritizes #KISS social justice, environmental stewardship, and genuine democracy. This shift won’t come easily, social change is hard, but it is needed if we are to mediate the worst consequences of #climatechaos.
By recognizing, and change, challenging the paths that keep us locked in this destructive cycle, we can start to dismantle the structures of power that push inequality and environmental degradation. The time for action is yesterday, now is a start, before it’s too late.
When I acturly call #mainstreaming people insane, I genuinely mean it. Common sense has become an illness born from 40 years of worshipping the #deathcult, leaving little actual “sense” in society. This is a critical issue we urgently need to address to combat #climatechaos and the pervasive #geekproblem.
Living in the #deathcult, limits our power to effect change. Our media is created and distributed within #dotcons, which are products of our own #stupidindividualism. This cycle of self-destructive behaviour is repeated endlessly, perpetuating the status quo and hindering any hope of a different progress path.
Constructive Truth: Your individualism makes you stupid.
Destructive Truth: Feeling personally insulted by being called stupid.
Both interpretations are valid, but the first one is the constructive truth I’m conveying. The second, feeling insulted, is a reaction rooted in #stupidindividualism itself. This reaction proves the point that our blinded individualism keeps us from the collective action and shared responsibility needed to take different paths.
Breaking the Cycle, it’s crucial to understand that your individualism makes you stupid. This isn’t an insult but a wake-up call. We must recognize that prioritizing individual desires over collective good leads to detrimental outcomes. By embracing this constructive truth, we can begin to dismantle the #deathcult mindset and move towards a sustainable, community-driven approach to solving our pressing issues.
In conclusion, the insanity perpetuated by #dotcons and our current “common sense” is a barrier to meaningful change. We need to shift our perspective to address the environmental and societal crises we face. Only by acknowledging and overcoming our blinded individualistic tendencies can we hope to create a more balanced and sustainable path and any future.
Trust and parodied fuckwittery is a hard bridged to build and keep in place. The #mainstreaming is poison on this path, it why we need to change and challenge the current mess.
In the mess of today’s #dotcons news media, social media platforms have become the primary arenas for public discourse and political engagement. However, the political leanings of these platforms significantly influence the nature of the discussions that takes place. Here’s an overview of the political ground on which some of the major social media platforms stand:
X (Twitter): Far-right Threads (Facebook/Instagram): Corporate right Nostor: Libertarian right Mastodon: Center-liberal
Despite the variety of platforms available, there is an absence of genuinely left-wing social media. This lack needs to be acknowledged, especially when trying to find support for projects like the #OMN (Open Media Network). The prevailing political inclinations of these platforms are influenced by our worshiping the #deathcult, a hashtag describing the pervasive and invisible influence of #neoliberalism in our society. This influence leads most people to act in counterproductive ways without conscious thought, as part of the common sense path of maintaining the status quo and resisting change or challenge.
This unspoken political problem is a part of the issue, what is more important is basically we also need to understand the data paradigm, to navigate out of this entrenched system. We need to recognize the underlying structure of our socio-economic systems are fundamentally driven by data. Consider the following, please:
Capitalism: Essentially data. Money: A form of data. Society: Comprised of stories, which are data. Your Device: A data conduit. This Text: Data.
Without any left wing media, we give “them” and the data and metadata. We don’t have much access to data and, more importantly, metadata? Scenarios:
Open Data: Accessible to everyone, Metadata: Fully available to the public.
Closed Data: Restricted to the individual, Metadata: Controlled predominantly by corporations and governments.
Hybrid Data: Available to hosting corporations, governments, and paying companies. Limited to friends for personal data sharing. Metadata: Owned by corporations and utilized by governments.
The flow of these scenarios helps to mediate the sustainability of computer networks during the ongoing #climatechaos disaster. The path we take will shape the next 50 years of social and political change, it is important to think and act on this to find a path of more equitable distribution of data access.
Moving forward, given the political biases of existing social media platforms and the overarching influence of data control, there is an urgent need for developing genuinely left-wing social media spaces. These platforms need to prioritize #4opens data access and metadata transparency to foster a more democratic and inclusive path through the next years of mess.
Supporting projects like the #OMN, which adhere to principles of openness and community-driven governance, pave the way for such change. By challenging the #mainstreaming narratives and advocating for grassroots solutions, we work towards a future where data and metadata are democratized, ensuring that technology serves the public good rather than reinforcing existing #deathcult power structures.
In conclusion, we need to use the #4opens as a tool to evaluate the platforms we use and advocate for alternatives that align with values of openness, equity, and sustainability. By doing so, we can begin to dismantle the #deathcult and build a digital ecosystem that supports #KISS social justice and collective progress.
Centrism is the #mainstreaming path meany people take, as it is seen as a rational and moderate stance, that presents itself as a balance of reasonableness in the mess of the polarized world. A closer examination reveals that this “moderate” ideology has extremist implications, particularly in its support of economic inequality and environmental degradation. In the era of #climatechaos and social break down, we need to see the extremist position it is.
The economic extremism of #centrism, at its core supports the status quo, includes the worship of the #deathcult, “common sense” #neoliberalism, with the widespread existence of billionaires and super billionaires. This extreme concentration of wealth among a tiny fraction of the population has far-reaching consequences for economic inequality. The wealth is not only a passive accumulation; it actively siphons resources from the broader populace. The immense financial power translates into influence over political processes, economic policies, and social norms, that creates the current cycle where the rich get richer, and the rest struggle to keep up.
Centrism’s reluctance to challenge this dynamic effectively endorses it. By advocating for incremental change and compromise, and actively opposing more radical reforms. The centrism stance is, not neutral, it is complicit in the current mess that “benefits” the nasty few, wealthy at the expense of the majority. This passive acceptance of economic inequality is easy to see as the extremism it is, as defacto supports of structures that are fundamentally unjust and unsustainable.
Environmental inaction and the climate crisis: centrism’s approach to environmental issues is deeply problematic. In the face of a rapidly escalating #climatechaos, centrists advocate for moderate, incremental measures. While these steps may seem reasonable, they are woefully inadequate given the scale and urgency of the problem. The scientific consensus is clear: drastic and immediate action is necessary to mitigate the worst effects of climate change.
By endorsing minimal and gradual responses, centrism effectively delays meaningful action. This not only fails to address the environmental crisis but also exacerbates it. The longer significant action is postponed, the more severe the consequences will be for the planet and future generations. In this, centrism’s support for the status quo is not a neutral position but a deeply destructive one. It aligns with a form of nihilism, where the impending environmental catastrophe is met with complacency and inaction.
The nihilistic push of centrism, with the failed path of addressing pressing economic and environmental issues, reflects a broader nihilistic path. Nihilism, the belief that life lacks meaning or purpose, is characterized by apathy and inaction. When centrism advocates for minimal changes in the face of profound challenges, it embraces this nihilistic outlook, a resignation to the current state of affairs, despite its clear inadequacies. This nihilism is particularly evident in centrism’s response to social issues. While centrists acknowledge problems such as poverty, inequality, and climate change, their proposed solutions lack the urgency and scope needed to effect real change. By prioritizing stability and gradualism over justice and sustainability, centrism contributes to a sense of hopelessness and futility.
With the need for radical change, it is clear that centrism is not the moderate or rational stance it purports to be. Its support for the status quo, in both economic and environmental terms, reveals a deeply flawed ideology. To address the urgent challenges facing society, we must move beyond centrism and embrace more radical approaches that prioritize a different “common sense”. What we call this is up in the air but, economic reforms such as wealth redistribution, progressive taxation, and corporate regulation are necessary to tackle inequality. Similarly, bold environmental policies, including a rapid transition to renewable energy, stringent emissions targets, and conservation efforts, are essential to combat the #climatecrisis. These measures may seem radical, but they are proportionate responses to the severity of the problems we face.
The extremist ideology of #centrism, with its innate reluctance to challenge the status quo, pushes injustice and exacerbates the #climatecrisis. We are far down this deeply destructive path, that is increasingly simple nihilism. Ideas please to try to mediate this all to common crap and prat’ish behaver please.
It should be obvious to most of us that we’re moving through an era of mass delusion, unbridled folly, and unrestrained hysteria, with the old facts and reason’s forgotten amidst the building #climatechaos of social and ecological breakdown. We are in this mess due to the embrace of the #dotcons, the spread of misinformation and the decline of rational discourse that has now reached alarming levels. Social media platforms, echo chambers, and the proliferation of fake news have created a fertile ground for delusion to thrive. Conspiracy theories abound, gaining traction despite being thoroughly debunked. From anti-vaccine movements to flat Earth theories, unscientific beliefs flourish in the absence of #KISS skepticism.
“We’re living in an age of mass delusion, unbridled folly, unrestrained hysteria. Facts & reason have slipped down the back of the sofa and been forgotten. Our descendants (should there be any) will look back on this time the way we look back on our ergot-infected ancestors who arrested chickens on suspicion of using dark magic and believed wombs could wander around women’s bodies.” https://kolektiva.social/deck/@Richard_Littler@mastodon.social
The rise of these delusions is not only a result of ignorance, rather the outcome of our embracing of #postmodern and #neoliberalism that has been pushed over us for the last 40 years. This has lead to distrust in institutions, polarization, and the commodification of attention, all contributing to an environment where sensationalism overshadows substance. The erosion of shared reality undermines the foundation of democratic society, making it difficult to address catastrophic challenges such as #climatechaos or basic things like public health crises, and social inequality.
History offers examples of mass hysteria and folly that parallel our current predicament. The ergot-induced hallucinations of the Middle Ages, led to bizarre and irrational behaviour, are strikingly similar to the modern phenomenon of mass delusion. During the Salem witch trials, fear and superstition overpowered reason, leading to the persecution of innocent people. Similarly, the belief in “wandering wombs” reflects how unscientific ideas can dominate medical understanding and treatment.
These historical episodes remind us that human societies are vulnerable to waves of irrationality. They illustrate how fear, ignorance, and social dynamics create paths where absurd beliefs take hold. Importantly, they also highlight paths that exacerbating or mitigating these delusions. In the past, religious and political leaders fueled hysteria for their gain, much like our #mainstreaming crew that exploit misinformation for power and profit.
The role of technology in amplifying delusion, our embraces of the #dotcons age has magnified the impact of mass delusion. Algorithms designed to maximize engagement prioritize sensational and polarizing content, creating echo chambers that reinforce #mainstreaming mess, to amplify misinformation. The speed and reach of social media allow falsehoods to spread rapidly, outpacing efforts to debunk them. This environment fosters a culture where emotional appeals and confirmation bias trump evidence and any attempt at rationality.
The consequences of mass delusion are far-reaching and catastrophic. In the realm of public health, vaccine misinformation has led to the resurgence of preventable diseases. Climate change denial hampers efforts to address one of the most pressing existential threats facing humanity. Political polarization, fueled by misinformation, erodes trust in basic democracy and undermines our hard won social stability.
On a more personal level, individuals caught in the web of delusion suffer from cognitive dissonance, living in a reality disconnected from the social facts. This not only affects their decision-making, but also strains relationships and fosters an environment of suspicion and hostility. The cumulative effect is a mess where fear and mistrust easily push over cooperation and mutual understanding.
Addressing the age of mass delusion requires a multifaceted approach. Education systems must prioritize critical thinking and media literacy, equipping people with the tools to discern facts from fictions. We need to build institutions and networks like the #OMN, particularly in media and technology, to take some responsibility for curbing the spread of misinformation and promoting more reliable and truthful sources of information. Encouraging open dialogue can help bridge divides and rebuild trust in shared reality. The #4opens are a path to this to not only challenging falsehoods but also providing compelling narratives that resonate with people’s values and emotions. By creating a social environment that rewards paths of truth and reasonableness, we can push back at the tide of delusion and hysteria.
Our age of delusion, folly, and hysteria mirrors historical periods of irrationality and superstition. The erosion of shared social norms and reasonableness poses obverse risks to public health, democracy, and social cohesion. The path forward is clear, use the #4opens and tools like the #OMN to reclaim our commitment to truth and foster meany societies that value evidence and critical thinking #KISS
How can we get people not to be prats about this path, ideas, please?
The path through technology, society, and environmental crises is a challenge that most people find difficult to find, let alone walk. This is why I have been building “sign posts” in a #hashtag story for the last 20 years, hashtags such as #geekproblem, #KISS, #4opens, and #deathcult etc. These are metaphors that highlight our technological thinking and represent issues and philosophies that make visible the paths of technological advancements and social cohesion. By using these “signs” and path, people can better understand the need to move from individualistic and technocentric working to collective and sustainable social practices.
The #geekproblem has the tendency of technologists and enthusiasts to focus excessively on technical solutions, neglecting the social and human aspects of these paths. Technologists struggle to comprehend the simplicity of #KISS path to overcome the tunnel vision where technical fixes are panaceas, side lining the importance of social dynamics and community engagement. The #4opens framework—open data, open source, open standards, and open process—offers a counterbalance by providing a structure that promotes transparency and collaboration. However, this does not inherently solve issues; it simply creates a space for people to engage and address problems collectively.
A significant barrier to overcoming the #geekproblem and embracing more holistic approaches is the pervasive culture of #deathcult worship. This is a metaphorical for the last 40 years of #neoliberalism, a term that describes the idolization of technological progress and capitalist efficiency at the expense of environmental sustainability and social well-being. Many people and groups, consciously or unconsciously, worship this path, prioritizing short-term gains and #fashionista “marvels” over sustainability and human connections.
The worship of this #deathcult is destructive because it undermines broader societal issues, it pushes the culture of #stupidindividualism with blinded competition, making it challenging to discuss and address anything outside the #mainstreaming agenda. This focus diverts attention from the collective action needed for #KISS tackling complex problems like #climatechaos and resulting social break down.
In this metaphor, composting represents the process of breaking down and re-evaluating our technological and social practices. It requires a willingness to let go of dysfunctional and harmful paradigms and to create fertile ground for new seeds or sustainable and humane approaches. This fertile soil, enriched by lessons learned and experiences gained, can nurture the sprigs of humanity through the on rushing era of #climatechaos.
To move beyond this destructive worship and technocentric mindset, we need to recognize and reject the blinded pushing of technology and efficiency as easy goals. This involves a critical examination of our values and the systems we support, using the #4opens to composting the piles of #techshit accumulated over the past decade’s symbolizes a necessary shift from merely accumulating technological advancements to reflecting on their impact and repurposing them for good.
Balance Individualism: Embrace collective action and community engagement. Recognize that social problems cannot be solved by technical solutions alone.
Promote the #4opens: Encourage transparency, collaboration, and openness in all endeavours. Use these principles to create spaces where people can engage and address issues together.
Critique the #Deathcult: Actively challenge the idolization of blinded technological progress and capitalist efficiency. Advocate for sustainable and socially responsible practices.
Compost and Rebuild: Reflect on past practices, learn from mistakes, and repurpose technology to support long-term sustainability and human well-being.
Nurture Humanity: Focus on building strong, resilient communities that can withstand and adapt to the challenges of the #climatechaos era.
The journey to overcoming the #geekproblem and moving away from #deathcult worship is needed, it’s past the time to pick up your shovels and make compost on this.
On the path of the current climate and systemic crises, it becomes realistic to see that #neoliberalism, with its free-market orthodoxy and the pushing of minimal state intervention, is fundamentally an inadequate path that is ill-equipped to address #climatechaos and social challenges we face. This failure means a radical shift in perspective and approach is going to happen, with this we might need to shift our “common sense” to being “Revolutionary Realism.”
The current #mainstreaming of false promises of #Neoliberalism over the last 40 years has pushed the fundamentalist free market path as the engine of prosperity, wealth and efficiency. However, since the 2008 financial crisis, these promises have increasingly rung hollow. The empirical evidence—rising inequality, decreasing life expectancy, and environmental degradation—exposes the limitations and failures of this economic model.
From our turn of the century Alt globalization movement, we have Mark Fisher’s concept of “capitalist realism”, which describes the pervasive belief that capitalism is the only viable economic system. This invisible dogma has fostered a sense of fatalism, particularly on the left, where a resignation to critique and protest has replaced active efforts to envision and construct alternatives. This defeatism perpetuates the status quo, as it undermines belief in the possibility of systemic change.
The need for revolutionary path in the imminent collapse of capitalism, contrary to the notion that capitalism is indestructible, we are witnessing its destabilization under the weight of its inherent contradictions and the accelerating climate mess. This realization prompts a shift from capitalist realism to revolutionary realism, acknowledging the inevitability of capitalism’s decline and the necessity of preparing for what comes next.
The climate crisis is a catalyst, a primary driver of this impending transformation. From droughts affecting global trade to natural disasters disrupting economies, the environmental impacts of #climatechaos are compounding the systemic vulnerabilities. These disruptions necessitate a move towards a different way of organizing economic systems, this could be a controlled and planned economic system or more a balance of grassroots federated democracy.
State control of the economy is one path. Historically, state intervention has proven effective in times of crisis, as seen during World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic. State control of the economy does not inherently mean totalitarianism; it can involve a balanced approach, with both top-down planning and bottom-up participation.
Effective planning is a path we might need to take, being crucial for managing resources and ensuring equitable distribution. This could involve simplifying economic processes, such as reducing the variety of consumer goods and localizing production to reduce dependency on international trade. Digital #4opens technology can enhance this planning by providing real-time #opendata and facilitating more responsive governance.
Democratic Participation is a path to avoid the pitfalls of authoritarianism, any new system must incorporate democratic mechanisms, such as #OGB path of building the power of citizens’ assemblies, to legitimize state actions and ensure accountability. This grassroots participatory approach mitigates the risk of corruption and foster a sense of collective responsibility.
Practical steps for transition, free basics and rationing. A key element of a new system would be the socialization of essential services—healthcare, housing, and food production—to ensure that everyone’s basic needs are met. Rationing of luxuries and non-essential goods can help to push some sustainability and equity on this mediation path.
Encouraging worker participation in decision-making using projects like the #OGB and perhaps supporting small businesses, as a path out of the current #mainstreaming, can humanize the economy and maintain a degree of market diversity to push the needed transition. This hybrid approach blends state control with “entrepreneurial” social freedom, making the path through the coming mess by balancing efficiency with innovation to shift our dogmatic common sense.
But fundamentally we need a cultural shift towards valuing sustainability, community, and collective well-being over the #stupidindividualism of individual consumerism. This can be promoted through, empowering #DIY education, radical media (#indymediaback), and grassroots movements. There is a long history of this (#makinghistory) which we need to remind our selves about.
The transition from current #mainstreaming to a more sustainable and equitable system requires revolutionary realism—a pragmatic recognition of the imminent collapse of the current system and a proactive approach to growing its successor. This might involve embracing state control, and or fostering grassroots democratic participation, to push the cultural shift towards sustainability and collective well-being. Can we navigate the complexities of this transition to take the path to building a more resilient and just society is the most important question for today?
