#nothingnew sets the stage for #somethingnew

The #nothingnew hashtag offers a straightforward and bold #KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) approach to rejecting the prevailing ideologies of the past 40 years: #neoliberalism and #postmodernism. These ideologies have shaped the current “common sense” to push individualism, relativism, and market-driven solutions, at the expense of collective action and systemic change we so urgently need.

Neoliberalism is an ideology that emphasizes free markets, deregulation, and privatization, by eroding social safety nets and collective power. It normalizes austerity, wage suppression, and the commodification of public goods, making systemic exploitation appear inevitable and unchangeable. This is the mess we have made over the last 40 years.

Postmodernism, is rooted in scepticism and relativism, which undermines the belief in truths and collective narratives. While it does critique power structures, it leaves people without a path forward, reinforcing apathy and fragmentation which our economic system has spread.

Together, these ideologies create a world-view where large-scale social change is dismissed as impossible, reinforcing a status quo that benefits the few. We are past the time when we need to reboot social change back to a more action orientated modernism path. This is how #nothingnew sets the stage for this #somethingnew.

The #nothingnew framework advocates revisiting modernism, which championed progress, reason, and collective solutions to social challenges. Modernism’s optimism and belief in systemic change are powerful antidotes to the paralysing scepticism of postmodernism. By rejecting the last 40 years’ intellectual and economic inertia, #nothingnew seeks to create a foundation for practical, action-oriented social movements we need to mediate the building crises.

Building #somethingnew, is about recentring collective action with a shift of focus from isolated individual efforts to collaborative, community-driven paths. This path needs simplicity and accessibility by keeping frameworks clear, actionable, and rooted in shared goals, avoiding over-complication. to make this happen we need to build trust in progress, by advocate for meaningful growth—improvements in living conditions, equality, and sustainability that serve humanity rather than the profits of the few.

The #nothingnew project isn’t about nostalgia—it’s about learning from the past to chart a clear, modernist-inspired course for a future that values fairness, collaboration, and systemic change over stagnation and skepticism. It lays the groundwork for a transformative shift to #somethingnew and is an important part of the #hashtag story and #OMN

Individualism isn’t the problem, the “stupid” part is the problem

let’s try and compost the mess in this, there is nothing wrong with being your own person, having an authentic inner life, and cultivating a strong sense of self. In fact, psychological separation from family, nation, and community is a critical aspect of human maturity. This perspective was forcefully argued by the socialist psychologist Erich Fromm, who saw the problem not in individualism per se, but in what we might call hyperindividualism, toxic individualism or what I call #stupidindividualism in the #hashtag story.

The three-stage psychological development process that captures the journey of human maturity:

Absorption of worldview, when we are born, we absorb the worldview of our family, community, nation, or clan. In this, one’s identity is intertwined with these external structures—what Fromm calls “blood and soil.” People in this stage see themselves as extensions of their family or nation.
Independence of thought, as we mature, an authentic inner self begins to develop, and we break away from external identities. Achieving independence of thought to not rely on the beliefs and views of others to define ourselves. At this stage, a person’s identity comes from their authentic inner life, rather than from intense belonging to tribe, country, or religion.
Reconnection through solidarity, the final stage, involves reconnecting with others, but not through blind conformity. Instead, this stage requires a re-connection through solidarity—a unity with others that does not destroy one’s individuality. Psychological health, according to #Fromm, requires this balance: to be oneself and yet be connected to the broader human community in a meaningful way.

When people fail in the progress through these stages, social and psychological dysfunctions grow. For instance, fascism, Fromm argued, is a product of being stuck in the first stage, where they crave authoritarianism because they have not grown as authentic individuals. On the other hand, those stuck in the second stage, cannot reconnect with humanity, also suffer from isolation and alienation.

Capitalism is “individualist” and anti-individualist, it is heralded as a system that celebrates the individual. However, this is a misleading portrayal, as #capitalism is both “individualist” and anti-individualist. If you truly think for yourself within capitalism—questioning the status quo, challenging authority, or stepping outside the normal #mainstreaming roles—If this is threatening, you are ridiculed, ostracized, ignored, and marginalized. Genuine individuality, especially when it contests capitalist norms, is not celebrated but rather suppressed.

In the current path, individualism is for the rich. The wealthy can afford to “be themselves” because they have the means to cushion the consequences. Everyone else must conform—follow orders at work, keep their heads down, buy the same cheap products, watch the same blockbusters, and generally consume and behave as they are told. Deviating from this path risks economic ruin and social exclusion. The stupid part “freedom of choice” is in the current mess reduced to trivial decisions like choosing between McDonald’s or Burger King, or which big-budget superhero movie to watch. This mess reduces human worth to economic output and consumer choice, devaluing real individuality that does not conform to its profit-driven logic.

Thus, the individual within capitalism is constrained, workers are rendered disposable the moment they are no longer “useful” to the corporate machine. This mess is full of irony: while capitalism promotes the ideal of rugged #individualism, it actually holds contempt for the vast majority of individuals who do not fit into its narrow path. The distortion of individualism, capitalism turns individualism into a competitive drive that compels people to measure their life’s worth in the greed and fear driven push of personal successes and failures, rather than by group and community paths. This divisive force undermines collective solidarity.

“Socialism entails a collectivism which does not suppress the individualism of bourgeois society, and in contrast to the ‘crude’ collectivism of very poor working class communities, is a collectivism which transcends (or sublates) individualism.”

This path of collectivism does not erase individuality, instead, it moves past the hollow, competitive individualism pushed by capitalism. This balancing of collectivism encourages personal development in the context of a supportive community. In conclusion, the problem is not individualism, but the path that warps it into stupidindividualism, a toxic, isolating force that fragments solidarity and community, this is the “stupid” in the hashtag #stupidindividualism, yes it is stupid and makes us stupid, we do need to talk about this to compost mess.

Reconnect with Our Social Roots

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.

Pickup your #OMN shovel and get to work:

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.

https://opencollective.com/open-media-network

The hashtag #deathcult is a highly charged but uncontroversial characterization of #neoliberalism.

The #hashtag was coined by #hamishcampbell on his blog (http://hamishcampbell.com) from long expirence of protest, this came to a head at the launch of Extinction Rebellion (XR) a global environmental activist movement that seeks to raise awareness about the urgent threat of climate change and biodiversity loss. Known for its nonviolent direct actions, such as protests and civil disobedience, to push governments to take stronger action on the climate crisis.

XR and its supporters, unspoken, view the current political system as a #deathcult because they believe that it is not taking the necessary actions to address the climate crisis and is instead prioritizing economic growth and profits over the long-term survival of the planet and its inhabitants. In their view, the political system is driven by a destructive #ideology that prioritizes short-term gains over the well-being of future generations and the environment.

They argue that this approach is unsustainable and will lead to the collapse of ecosystems, mass extinction of species, and severe impacts on human societies, such as food and water shortages, displacement, and conflict.

The hashtag is simple, a metaphor for the last 40 years of #Neoliberalism, which is a political and economic #ideology that emphasizes the importance of free markets, deregulation, and minimal government intervention in the “economy”. Over the last four decades, this ideology has shaped the policies of many countries, leading to a shift toward globalization, privatization, and a focus on maximizing profits.

This has led to negative outcomes, increasing income inequality, job loss, and a decline in social services and safety nets for those in need, contributing to a culture of greed and a disregard for well-being, leading to #deathcult mentality in which individuals prioritize their own self interests over the collective and ecological good.

A second look

The hashtag #deathcult is a charged and emotive characterization of #neoliberalism, a political and economic ideology that fetishizes free markets, individualism, and limited government intervention in the economy. Proponents of neoliberalism argue that it leads to increased economic growth, increased prosperity, and greater individual freedom, while critics argue that it leads to inequality, the degradation of public goods and services, erosion of workers’ rights and the death of our civilization.

The term #deathcult highlights the negative impacts of neoliberalism, characterizing it as a destructive and dangerous ideology. This term should be used by people who are critical of #neoliberalism, and who believe that its focus on profit and individualism comes at the expense of the well-being of communities and the environment.

https://hamishcampbell.com/the-wests-climate-catastrophe-is-native-to-the-mess-we-are-in/

The hot air block on social change

In more than 20 years of activism I have seen our use of language fail us. There mainstreaming language, all we have, has no power it is just hot air.

If we are to have hope. We have to reclaim our language, we have to recreate our language. We need to call everyday things by what they are.

#deathcult the neo-liberalism that has ripped our society and ecology apart for the last 40 years. This is inside everything we touch and shapes our thoughts.

* liberalism is seen as a good, it is, the small “neo” is meaningless in our language. #XR has made mainstream that it is about death and despair at an unimaginable scale. A cult? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult its invisible death that we all share and believe in, the glue that binds us.

#dotcons are the new internet based media companies such as #failbook who are the #deathcult in code and algorithms, all the new economy which shapes us every hour of our lives.

* it took 10 years of fighting against the #openweb for us to accept our digital addictions. We knew that they were cons to make lots of money, what we did not know was that they were about social control.

These new #hashtag words need a growing community to reache a critical mass. Then the door to the mainstreams will open. Until then it is locked and bolted and hot air of our current languages stinks.

What is a hashtag

I use the #deathcult tag to highlight the neo-liberal era of the last 40 years which has left us in this current mess. A cult as few of us inside can see outside “common sense” and death as #XR has made the climate chaos cliff we are facing and billions of deaths visible to the mainstream. Of course neo-liberalism is just an extream form of capitalism we had it before in the UK during the irish potato famine with its millions of deaths and displacements. When people realised the problems mainstream moved to social democracy (soft) capitalism before “forgetting” agen in the late 1970’s. Corbyn and Sanders are trying to move us back to social democracy, which is of course no sulution BUT much better than the current mess. We as radicals need to do better #OMN

My point is that sanders and Corbyn are old mainstream and the current #deathcult are the current mainstream that’s dieing now. Ie we should create real radicalism to make Corbin and Sanders the centrist they actually are if you look back for a moment to the 20th century. We could get some real change then, if we keep them as the “radicals” then the is no future #XR

Calling the current lot a #deathcult is about opening up the space for Corbin and Sanders to be centrists in our minds. No matter what we do the right will be nutters, so not aiming at them with the tags at all.

This applys to everything. So the digital economy are all #dotcons and #failbook with its ownership of whatsapp and Instagram etc. Is the digital leader of the the #deathcult with google and Apple not far behind.

Pushing the dialog is probably the most powerful nonviolent direct action you can do from a armchair or public meeting

Q. The tags my friend are meaningless distracting drivel alas. That allude to something grand. When I click on them sometimes all I see is a list of Hamish posts. They have some utility if they bind peoples posts by theme, which is how they came to be popular on twitter I guess. They are useless when forging ahead one ones own with one’s own invented idiosyncratic tags that just litter ones text with # chars and jargon.

You have great things to say and if you shared them in common English you would reach many more people with them, I assure you.

A. look at the problem I am trying to solve agen. You actually do describe it in your reply but that is as far as your understanding goes in this reply. Note if you would have added a common #hashtag your post WOULD have been added to that hashtag view and the would have been more than my voice. Now keep adding new (common) hashtag users and you get a meaningful conversation and organic spread. When you don’t do this all you have is your #failbook echo chambers. I call this problem #stupidindividualism and it is both #mainstreammedia bad and sad

Note hashtags are comparable across #silos and more importantly on the #openweb get a #hashtag conversation going then do a web search on it to reach outside the #dotcons its very basic stuff.

As an example. The is a opening to #stepaway from the #dotcons here if people desire change. That problem we face is fear and doubt and the widespread use of #FUD https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/F/FUD.html