I read in a book/essay that Rebecca Solnit wrote, Hope in the Dark, a quote she got from another person, I think it was a man who wrote Bury My Chains, and it was on mental slavery. Where even in our minds the systemic expression of ‘reality’ is owned by the dominant and dominating norm. A friend of mine told me in college course of hers a travelling professor gave an assignment that I think was for a quarter. It was to come up with the perfect society and be able to explain it. What they came up with was that there were ‘few poor people, a large middle class, and a few rich people’-and I was flabbergasted. Apparently the Professor was too who reiterated that there could be any sort of society but they still came up with this, a society that still had poverty in it.
I do not illustrate these things because I think that I am immune to this. Let me honest about this. When I think of a society rooted in the Truth and what it would look like, I often can get to a place where there are systemic practices that opposed the dominant narrative, let's say a Universal Income, but an anxiety arises in me with the question, “What would we do?” Now before I answer this I want to express that a Universal Income is not something that ‘must’ be in all societies that strive for the perfect, to be aligned with Truth, but I do think it is something that, if not a must, is something that will have to be part of the solution moving forward. I have a deep unease about the natural inclination toward automation that our processes are moving toward. To say that there will be ‘more jobs’ that are just different doesn’t seem to stand up to examination. Take, for example, Google, the top ten businesses by market cap, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Berkshire Hathaway, Facebook, Amazon, Johnson and Johnson, Exxonmobil, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, of these 2 are in the top 10 employers. That would be Amazon and Berkshire Hathaway. The top 3 in market cap, Apple, Google, and Microsoft, are 79th, not in the top 100, and 55th. General Motors by itself, a shell of its former employing body, at its peak employed nearly 619 thousand people (Which would have put it 3rd in today’s employer numbers behind the US government and Walmart), employs more than 6 of the top 10 market cap companies though itself is not in the top 50 market cap companies. This is just a cursory glance at this but even the idea of companies that used to employ large swaths of people, such as the mining industry, the steel industry, no longer need such human labor intensive workforces. I live in the PNW and Boeing, which used to have boom and bust cycles of employment based on how many planes it sold, however this is breaking down (see article here.) Boeing is in one of its largest peacetime booms for plane sales but it is doing so with only 1/3rd the workers. Technological efficiencies, robots etc. are leading us to this.
If this is coupled with the idea that ‘work’ as we know it is to be replaced by technological efficiencies and workers are not then excluded from the means of a life because of it, then I am all for it. Truly. The issues that I have had with it as explicitly stated in Letters of Discontent are that in the dominating societies that we have lived in the only reason that the Masters had workers is because they “couldn’t get the meat from the Pig without feeding the pig”, if this model persists and they can get the ‘meat’ without needing to feed the Pig then rest assured they wouldn’t. History tells us this sorry tale. However, this is not to rehash this that I have already spoken on. This article is to lead us to thinking on ‘what might be’ if we are to transition into a newer world, for that is what it feels like is going on. The anxiety in the air is an anxiety of change, a change that is pointing to a world in which we have never experienced yet, as we are. Perhaps in pre-historic times we lived similarly in a model though not in processes, but that is lost to us and that person(s) is as alien to us as an Alien would be. Most humans make the mistake of making their environment, at the time, Reality instead of an expression of reality. An expression is just that, it is not Reality, reality is forever changing, mostly subtly, until it becomes gross and there is a crisis for many, most people. We are in such a state. But one that is not like the ‘internet’ revolution, or the ‘computer’ revolution, which had consequences to our body as a whole, but it was able to give the image of ‘immutability’ because shopping, lets say, on the internet does not ‘feel’ drastically different than shopping at a market. Communicating through a computer medium not radically different than a phone or writing. But not ‘working’ for a living is radically different, just to take one aspect of a new paradigm. This would be something so different that we would be shaking the very foundation of what we think is ‘real’, to couple this with a newer look at the roles of people in this dynamic, what is the role of government, what would it be? What of Faith, etc. What if one didn’t have to work for a robust minimum of home, food, etc. what would our faith systems look like? This article is going to look at these from the positive because to ‘bury’ or even destroy our Chains we must know what it is we are trying to move toward lest it become a reconstruction of what was past, pervaded by its nature of oppression, though it looks physically different.
I do not illustrate these things because I think that I am immune to this. Let me honest about this. When I think of a society rooted in the Truth and what it would look like, I often can get to a place where there are systemic practices that opposed the dominant narrative, let's say a Universal Income, but an anxiety arises in me with the question, “What would we do?” Now before I answer this I want to express that a Universal Income is not something that ‘must’ be in all societies that strive for the perfect, to be aligned with Truth, but I do think it is something that, if not a must, is something that will have to be part of the solution moving forward. I have a deep unease about the natural inclination toward automation that our processes are moving toward. To say that there will be ‘more jobs’ that are just different doesn’t seem to stand up to examination. Take, for example, Google, the top ten businesses by market cap, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Berkshire Hathaway, Facebook, Amazon, Johnson and Johnson, Exxonmobil, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, of these 2 are in the top 10 employers. That would be Amazon and Berkshire Hathaway. The top 3 in market cap, Apple, Google, and Microsoft, are 79th, not in the top 100, and 55th. General Motors by itself, a shell of its former employing body, at its peak employed nearly 619 thousand people (Which would have put it 3rd in today’s employer numbers behind the US government and Walmart), employs more than 6 of the top 10 market cap companies though itself is not in the top 50 market cap companies. This is just a cursory glance at this but even the idea of companies that used to employ large swaths of people, such as the mining industry, the steel industry, no longer need such human labor intensive workforces. I live in the PNW and Boeing, which used to have boom and bust cycles of employment based on how many planes it sold, however this is breaking down (see article here.) Boeing is in one of its largest peacetime booms for plane sales but it is doing so with only 1/3rd the workers. Technological efficiencies, robots etc. are leading us to this.
If this is coupled with the idea that ‘work’ as we know it is to be replaced by technological efficiencies and workers are not then excluded from the means of a life because of it, then I am all for it. Truly. The issues that I have had with it as explicitly stated in Letters of Discontent are that in the dominating societies that we have lived in the only reason that the Masters had workers is because they “couldn’t get the meat from the Pig without feeding the pig”, if this model persists and they can get the ‘meat’ without needing to feed the Pig then rest assured they wouldn’t. History tells us this sorry tale. However, this is not to rehash this that I have already spoken on. This article is to lead us to thinking on ‘what might be’ if we are to transition into a newer world, for that is what it feels like is going on. The anxiety in the air is an anxiety of change, a change that is pointing to a world in which we have never experienced yet, as we are. Perhaps in pre-historic times we lived similarly in a model though not in processes, but that is lost to us and that person(s) is as alien to us as an Alien would be. Most humans make the mistake of making their environment, at the time, Reality instead of an expression of reality. An expression is just that, it is not Reality, reality is forever changing, mostly subtly, until it becomes gross and there is a crisis for many, most people. We are in such a state. But one that is not like the ‘internet’ revolution, or the ‘computer’ revolution, which had consequences to our body as a whole, but it was able to give the image of ‘immutability’ because shopping, lets say, on the internet does not ‘feel’ drastically different than shopping at a market. Communicating through a computer medium not radically different than a phone or writing. But not ‘working’ for a living is radically different, just to take one aspect of a new paradigm. This would be something so different that we would be shaking the very foundation of what we think is ‘real’, to couple this with a newer look at the roles of people in this dynamic, what is the role of government, what would it be? What of Faith, etc. What if one didn’t have to work for a robust minimum of home, food, etc. what would our faith systems look like? This article is going to look at these from the positive because to ‘bury’ or even destroy our Chains we must know what it is we are trying to move toward lest it become a reconstruction of what was past, pervaded by its nature of oppression, though it looks physically different.
- Universal Income to Robust Minimums: If we maintain a monetary society then we have a decision made democratically on what the robust minimum of wage is going to be. This wage has to take care of robust minimums on what society determines to be root, foundational material necessities; food, shelter, healthcare, education, etc. Whether this is through a monetary lens or through a lens of a robust minimum being provided through other means, such as suggested and trying to be proposed-the Worker’s Cooperative, doesn’t matter.
- “What would we do?”
6 months after the ‘policy’ reached the entire population, it was in tiered approach, starting first with the most vulnerable, the laid off, etc. Then slowly integrating into the rest of society until finally 100 percent of the population was receiving a robust minimum income. There were far fewer glitches in the processes than was thought was going to happen, it is thought that using existing channels for funneling funds through the social security office allowed for this process to be relatively smooth.
The Coalition Of Workers and Corporations for the Humanistic Processes of Automation had come up with a workable process of automation that had been voted for approval by all labor boards across the country. Its alignment with reduction of workforce with pay in tune with the increase of productivity and automation, for example, when productivity increased via automation and or/human processes by 5 percent then the reduction of human hours would correspond, it would also correspond with a reduction of overall pay by 5 percent down to a maximum reduction of 50 percent. However, the reduction on pay, with the Robust Minimum (RM) allowance, more than made up for overall income. Including a 50 percent flat tax on all income above the RM. More than a quarter of people who were eligible to participate with pay decided they would rather transition to RM exclusively and then access their retirement benefits. The majority of this quarter of people were post 58 years old. Since the workforce average age is nearing 54 it is expected that more of these employees will take this option once minimum levels of retirement are met. (see more policy in the Federal and Worker’s Cooperative United Handbook)
Interesting FAQs
After 1 year of these first groups entering the Policy massive engagement with environmental groups has occurred. Much of this work is at a grassroots level such as the “Clean the Duwamish” and what has been found is that the hours of ‘work’ that had previously been dedicated to making a living has been transitioned to such activities.
Washington state was the first state to have not a single child in foster care, other states are close behind.
Washington state was the first state to have not a single child in foster care, other states are close behind.
Huge communal farms both urban and rural have had an influx of NFH (Not for Hire) workers. The bulk of these farms are practicing Natural and Organic farming.
The Arts are in Full Bloom, the Local Worker’s Cooperative in Seattle, Washington has set up classes to teach in multiple mediums, these classes have been full for the last 2 years and enrollments are expected to grow as the final group of people enter into the Policy.
The average weight of people on the Policy has dropped precipitously. In Seattle Washington the last person who was considered obese has made their weight. There is a celebratory walk/run/talk 5k planned from Greenlake to the Fremont Troll.
Walking, biking, are up. The City in Conjunction with the Workers Cooperative Transportation Board have decided to dedicate a single lane of the interstate to biking, the other to walking, and are considering, if car ridership continues to decrease, incorporating the Highway of Gardens initiative to being a dedicated lane’s instead of lining the lanes.
Walking, biking, are up. The City in Conjunction with the Workers Cooperative Transportation Board have decided to dedicate a single lane of the interstate to biking, the other to walking, and are considering, if car ridership continues to decrease, incorporating the Highway of Gardens initiative to being a dedicated lane’s instead of lining the lanes.
Let's Go Solar, in conjunction with the Workers Cooperative Energy Board, the City, State, and County are launching the development of solar panels lining all interstates, public buildings, and incentives for private homes to include these are no cost. This has been possible because of the funds raised by these groups and the massive support from people volunteering expertise from engineers in the field, colleges, and plain old ‘elbow grease’ volunteers. It is believed that they can follow the process of Germany and Denmark in becoming 100 percent alt. Energy dependant with fossil fuels, at this time until batter storage is more reliable, used as emergency back up. It is believed that numerous Dams will not be necessary once this policy goes into place. The Alder Dam is the first slated for removal once energy needs are exceeded by 50 percent of current capacity via solar, and eventually other means of energy production.
Carbon Emissions are at a 50 year low and falling. With the advent of alt. Energy and usage of electrical cars, and the reduction in driving, it is believed that the increased focus of the first and second wave of ‘Policy’ people on Carbon reduction and using alternative means to transport themselves, that the decrease of Emissions will only increase. Coal energy plants are unnecessary in much of the Southern states as the solar methodologies have taken place.
All crimes across the board are down to historic lows. Incarceration is at all time lows. Georgia, California, Texas, have begun to tear down former prisons and are in discussions with their Worker’s Cooperatives on what to put on the land.
New York City has reached 0 percent of unhoused people. It is the first large urban center to reach this milestone but none are above 2 percent of the population. And in the last 3 years we have seen more than 50 percent decreases and it is expected that this percentage will be 0 across the country within 5 years.
New York City has reached 0 percent of unhoused people. It is the first large urban center to reach this milestone but none are above 2 percent of the population. And in the last 3 years we have seen more than 50 percent decreases and it is expected that this percentage will be 0 across the country within 5 years.
Faith based organizations are finding massive influxes of participants and those who are using these avenues to express their service. There has been rapid increase in interfaith dialogue and collaboration. The most recent was the purchase of 200 thousand acres in Alaska by an interfaith coalition that included the Catholic, Christian, Buddhist, Islamic, and Hindu organizations in conjunction with the Athabascan Native Cooperative that wanted to set aside land that was dedicated to remaining natural, for the practice of solitary and small group retreats for contemplative practices for all people. The land was ceded in totality to the Athabascan Native Cooperative to be both stewards of the agreed upon promise and in understanding that it was, as far as property can be owned, theirs.
