We Really Are..
"we can complain all day but what are we doing about it?" - this always puts things into perspective for me.. 😄
and i know it's tempting to say it's about 'good governance' and all we have to do is 'pick the right person', but unfortunately, even if there is a 'right' person, they will be working within systems that are flawed by design - they are literally built to fail..
and so the question is: if the current systems are built to fail, should we continue expecting them to help us in any way? because if i know a car has no brakes, why would i trust that when i press down on the brake pedal that the car would slow down and stop..
all we ever keep doing is changing the pedal, but there are still no breaks and the whole system, that makes up the car, largely remains the same as was with the other previous pedals. and then we keep ping-ponging between the rate of descent every 5 years but at the end of the day, we are still barrelling down the cliff and the vehicle we are in remains flawed by design, because all we are allowed to do is change the pedal..
now yes, i admit 😅..
it is not the best of examples but i hope it has given some idea as to what the problem is and why it cannot be reformed..
so what now then?
exactly, that's where we need to be at, asking ourselves what is it that is possible beyond voting, beyond the 'right' person binary 'choices', away from extractive, exploitative, controlling and destructive systems and towards that which is people and community centred - towards something that benefits all people and is also in relationship with the land and environment around us..
and there is no "you build yours and we'll build ours" approach here, we need everyone in this, it really doesn't work if we aren't together in all of this, and most importantly it doesn't work if we, The People - every single one of us - don't see ourselves as enablers of change, of better systems and of a better world altogether..
organising before, during and after the vote is what is needed to begin the work. there is a lot happening in our individual everyday lives, and therefore we need to talk and engage with our community and see what can be done and built to support and sustain us, whilst we are working towards designing and building better systems that work and apply to us, as we need them to, and ultimately replace the failing institutions and systems that are currently forced upon us..
there is nothing 'natural' about the unimaginable suffering that has been and is present in the world, it is humans who have made it so, but a better future is possible, because our current present is by design, so then, why not design and build a better one?
imagine the possibilities
and even though being realistic with our approach and plans towards organising is important and necessary. we must never stop imagining beyond our current reality, because at some point in the past, our present reality was but a dream for many, and we cannot build a future without imagining it in the first place..
i know it's wild out here but reach-out, be kind and imagine what is possible: write it down, tell someone about it, sing, dance - or just be in the moment with it..
... we are more capable than it may seem 😊
~ 🐨
come along with me and the butterflies and bees - Ashley Eriksson