Great Moments in ResetEra History

[benji]

The Dignified Life We Deserve

Well again, one of the problems I have with socialism is like you said- it's basically capitalism without capitalists. Most people are beholden to growthism and the idea that we need to produce just to produce, so I don't think you're going to get a lot of socialist fantasy that is significantly different from stories of a capitalistic status quo. I also did agree that leftist needs to get better at storytelling and plain language, and allow ourselves to be imaginative rather than sticking within circles that espouse theory as jargon. I actually did start briefly making a personal kind of world-building document for myself about what I would imagine a "post capitalist" society to be, both to have some sort of idea to pitch to people and work towards tangibly in the real world, and as a vehicle to read and learn more about alternative ways and philosophies of living. In many ways, it is like a lot of children's cartoons for the 80s in that it is primarily communal. My basic ideas were as follows:

You don't have a menial job to go to at a certain time anymore, working for a boss, although you are expected to reasonably pitch in towards the maintenance of the utilities and resources you want to access within your community. Ex. You take from a public garden then you better make sure you're putting back what you took for the next person who comes along somehow, either through time spent cultivating it or providing resources for its maintenance. Libraries of the commons would also be a more fundamental public service where you can have access to the tools and items you may need without having to necessarily go and buy them; people donate usable but unwanted "things" (cookware, furniture, lawn equipment, clothing, etc.) and you rent this like you would a book at a library, and bring it back when you're done. Art and culture would still be valuable pursuits too, and indeed, freer expressions of self and culture would be encouraged: city and park demonstrations, more volunteer upkeep of buildings, more public paintings and graffiti, street music, etc. People should be encouraged to be creative and have fun with others. Housing would be more mixed; closer quarters where most amenities (bars and restaurants, clubs, pharmacies, grocery stores, etc.) are within walking or biking distance. And so long as a spot or joint is free and fits your living needs, you can claim it as your home so long as you promise to abide by whatever community and/or local ordinances exist there. Political organization would be expressed through a consensus based form of representation. Everyone is encouraged to participate in local meetings to address grievances, and goals and demands are reached through discussion and consensus and delivered to a higher presiding body by a representative who is voted on by the chosen body. This representative would ideally not always be the same person to temper the inclination of power-tripping. Also, we're fucking off of fossil fuels permanently and our public transporation is robust and strong. Solarpunk reality baby.

I didn't write much more than that, but that was my starting idea for a little fantasy world. You wake up, get yourself together, and essentially go about your day however you choose without the threat of coercive labor forcing you to do shit you don't really want to do. You wanna hang at the local bar with your friends, take a trip into the wilderness, etc. then go for it. Be merry. If you wish to use a public service in society, get groceries and supplies, or anything else, it is simply mandated that you maintain and use it responsibly and return it back for the rest of the community to use too. It's not too horrible, is it?

My ideal society imagines a world that pushes true self-actualization of the individual and participation within a community to take care of a sustainable world.

You're not toiling in retail, in a warehouse, or a cubicle for 35-40 years to enrich some fucking asshole who makes thousands of times what you do for far less work. You do the minimum that you need to do under the understanding that you are contributing meaningful work to society, and then you are not only free but encouraged to pursue your interests and talents through free and cheap access to education, workshops, and grassroots organizations and groups, knowing that the more human beings we allow to pursue and develop their strengths, the likelier we increase our discovery of new breakthroughs in our lives, whether socially or technologically.

Your amenities and shops are not miles and miles away necessitating an expensive-ass car that needs expensive-ass gas or for you to stop every so often to charge it up again. If you're far out or taking a long trip, then you've got robust public options to get to where you need to go.

You've got family, friends, and neighbors who actually give a damn about you for you, who see about you, and who make sure you're alright. Indeed, your first option before going to buy something should be asking if your friend or neighbor can help you out, and they likely will knowing you'll return the favor. "Cup of sugar politics" as I call it.

The streets and parks are actually alive with art (real fucking art, not this AI trash), music, dancing, food and other cultural footnotes. Kids are drawing with chalk. Folks are skating up and down the road. Some musicians have met up to jam. People are hanging out talking about their lives and dating healthily.

You don't worry about crime really all that much. Not only are people's needs largely being met, but we have communal ways and deterrents to prevent assholes from taking advantage without having to sic jack-booted racists on them.

I want to live in a country whose politics focus less on property and consumption and more on people and socializing. I want a country where I can easily find friends, or someone to talk to, or a cool boyfriend. I want to be able to walk down to the park and see a festival going on and be obliged to join in. I want to sit on the porch during the evening and chat it up with my neighbors.

I want to have a fucking life on a planet whose ecosystems aren't dying to fill the holes in our hearts and spirits with video games and phones.