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(From the perspective of someone currently living in America)
I consider myself a weird mix of socialist and libertarian veiws. When life felt more stable, and the economy in recovery, I was more socalist. In recent times, when everything feels unsure, I am more libertarian.
Especially now due to my growing distrust in the goverment. I have lost most if not all faith in the American goverments local and federal systems. While impending chaos and doom seems to be approaching, I notice, people are helpless.
People have no repair skills, cooking skills, theyre unaware of how to grow and raise food, unable to create handmade clothes, unaware of how to harvest materials and identify dangerous insects and infections. People dont know how to collect and process water, use a radio, build their own tech, build a shelter, etc.
Long list of skills i see people lack.
Self sufficiency does not need much space. I live in a suburban home, you could even grow food and keep miniature chickens in an apartment. Is it harder? Yes, but it can be done.
I think back to covid. It was hard to get many resources. But I always had eggs, I could always scavenge scrap and tech on the curb and simply reapir it. I always had lettuce, herbs, peppers, garlic, and potatos. Not once did i feel as if I would run out of anything as, well, I created and grew a good portion of my life and diet.
During covid many people felt fear over food and basic resources (toilet paper is a basic resource i guess... I just used this thing called soap and water but you do you...) Thats when I realized wow.
Not everyone knows how they can grow even a little food. Seeds, and growing setups are typically pretty accessible and cheap. You can build germination stations out of old takeout containers and use more random containers lying around to grow seedlings. Not to mention many towns have a free soil pile in spring if you can't afford it yourself.
Many herbs and vegtables like potatos and lettuce just love to be ignored. They're typically pretty easy to grow, hell potatoes will grow in the bin we store them in, in the basement if you forget about em.
I also beleive in the right to repair of course, and the right for people to learn how to repair. Manufactuers that provide free repair guides should be supported. I understand not wanting to rebuild and engine yourself on your car, but if you're able theres 100% some things you should learn to repair yourself. You're phone screen, laptop screen and other small parts, PCs ofc, and basic car repair like fuses, ground wires, batteries.
There are so so so many resources online to learn, investing a few hours a week to read and learn will prove useful when no one is helping anyone anymore.
Thats the direction i feel America going. I always assist some neighbors with yardwork as i am able bodied and they are elderly and will get fined if their grass is too tall (which is stupid imo). But people seem more and more individualistic every day (i notice this mostly in teems but they're teens so its normal but also in 30-40 yr old individuals) community in some areas are breaking down. Its disheartening especially in a world where the goverment CANNOT be trusted. In times like these we need community, it's the only glue to keep towns and programs that help others together. The goverment cannot provide that anymore (as if they ever did).
The US goverment collects and harvests, it works with big Corp to scrape any and all data to control you with. It surverys where you are, tracks your purchases and all messages you send. These companies give the goverment your most private thoughts. If you are deemed dangerous you are silenced. People need to CASTAWAY corperate internet, learn to modify and protect yourself in your own home, read fine print and opt out (Though do you trust them to RESPECT your opt out?) And PROTECT your speech, protect your ability to organize. No goverment organization cares about you.
Share your skills in your community, and create those bonds.
Become self sufficient and create community that will be there for you or you for them even when the goverment shuts down.
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L3fty
I agree here. It seems that the US is heading towards choosing between two different forces of authoritarianism, either authoritarian socialism or corporatocracy based on the two parties we have now. Learning to cooperate outside of government spheres-of-influence will slow that trend down.
Luckily there seems to be hope. Younger generations are seeing through the Neo-Conservative and Neo-Liberal veil we've been under for the past 40-50ish years and are beginning to lean towards more openly liberal ideologies. That's the one true force of progress that's uniting young left and right in the modern day: more freedom from overreaching government. The dissagreement is starting to just become a spectrum of how much things are communally handled under that liberty.
My opinion on the matter can be summarized as Libertarian-Distributism, which you may like, but it has religious connotations which I know scares a lot of people today. If you're willing, I'd like to know your opinion on it. Maybe we can have a good discussion?
I wish more than anything that people on both extreme sides can get along. Not sure that will ever happen as people ideals and thoughts on what is a right and what isnt tend to be different. I cannot associate with people who don't respect me as a Trans individual and a (almost) expat (working on that Serbian citizenship o7). I know im like leaving the country and denouncing my passport in 3 years but- I can still have a say while im living here.
I tend to disagree with all political/ideological identities that associate with religion as I just think its impossible to make every religion happy politically and instead politics should ignore and be separated from religion. I'm a Kemetic, but I never mix my religion with my politics. Religous discussions are fun, but i treat every religion as the "correct" one, i see no reason to put others down so as long the way they interpret and practice doesn't harm others. This ofc is a individual case by case basis, generalizations on a whole religion are unfair as every group will have bad apples.
My main concerns are over reliance on a goverment that does not care, the two party system, and the pessimism througout young people. Change cannot come through votes anymore, action is needed. I attend protests, town board meetings, and other local government affairs open to public. I find myself to be one of maybe 3 young ppl there, it's disheartening.
Same with community run classes, where are the young people? I recently went to a crotchet class so i could learn to make winter gear like hats and scarves, I was one of 2 young people. Nothing wrong with olded generations participating please do! But I want to see more activity from people my age and younger in the community. I also am my friend groups "repair guy" which is worrisome when some of these problems are so simple to fix. I do try to share my skills with them and some friends have picked up on it and no longer need help. But not everyone has time to repair thing themselves i suppose.
Im also just a touch mentally ill so all my technology is gutted and searched for bugs and spyware lol... I just always have this intense feeling of being surveyed and watched by someone.
It's not as intense as im on medication but I still feel fearful of new tech and will always opt for older devices or home built ones when possible..
by xX_Dyrk_Nyte_Xx; ; Report
Also thanks for the comment I rly enjoyed reading it :3
Love a good thought provoking comment
by xX_Dyrk_Nyte_Xx; ; Report
Extremism is, well, extremism.. so I think you're right in the assessment that extremists will never get along due to their right/wrongs being so different. A society that limits violent/discriminatory action will limit their destructive capability, so we should strive towards that.
On the religious bit, perhaps I should have worded my statement better. Distributism has its roots in religious beliefs but can indeed by implemented secularly. I advocate for the latter despite my religious beliefs because, like you, I think the best society we can establish is a liberal one that allows all religious ideas to have an equal platform. Separation of church and state and whatnot...
On the action, I agree. I find shame in the fact I haven't contributed as much to my local government and community as I ought to. I think young people (including me) are stuck on the rhetoric and not the action. You're doing better than most by actually participating.
I think the lack of community gatherings and skill-trading is a result of the modern internet. Everyone has instant access to information, so there is a perceived lack of usefulness of learning from locals by young people. You can just get the information online. The younger a person is, the more likely that's the mindset.
I can't comment on your illness, that wouldn't be right. But I can say I respect your actions against spying. It's better to be paranoid than completely trusting. I hope you'll be able to either minimize or overcome your illness, though, so you'll be able to draw the line on practical privacy implementation easier and not be so insanely stressed out. Better to be slightly at risk and mentally secure than vice versa.
by L3fty; ; Report
Also, yw on the discussion. :) I always enjoy talking with people that have different viewpoints.
by L3fty; ; Report
Yeah i was off all internet for about 5 years and came back only a month or two ago lol, so in person community interaction is my bread and butter. I prefer it over the internet.
I know I can't do much to help fix these issue but I hope people can feel more encouraged to get out and participate in the world. I'm pretty pessimistic myself but I'm the "get up and do something" type lol
grew up in girl scouts and competed horses, getting back up when you feel knocked down was my only choice, and man am I glad I learned how to do that.
by xX_Dyrk_Nyte_Xx; ; Report