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Breaking Acceptance

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"Power concedes nothing without demand. It never did and it never will."
–Frederick Douglass

but further,

"True compassion is more than flinging a coin at a beggar; it comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring."
–Martin Luther King Jr.

Our task is to change the culture we live in. We must demand and create dramatic change now so future generations may be raised in a world where contribution is the norm and accumulation the aberration. We are not beggars, we are equal participants.

We are socialized to accept competition and individual wealth as natural elements, but this is ultimately a matter of choice. Those that benefit the most from our current economic system will typically be advocates and the loudest voice by proxy. But is the current system maximizing quality of life and opportunity or diminishing it?

Does the person raised by a single alcoholic parent in a poor neighborhood have the same opportunity as the person raised in a wealthy 'connected' family?

Is the CEO of a cola company actually contributing more to our society than a fifth grade school teacher?

Are we gaining or losing the benefit of useful talents through a system of ownership?

Can we expect a livable planet if we view nature as a commodity?

To change the cultural norm we must first ask questions. We must then have the courage to take action. A new world is always possible. We must never stop asking questions.

I realize that if you have joined IOPS at this point, I am likely preaching to the choir. So I think perhaps I offer the handful of questions above as typical questions I have at some past point asked myself and might ask someone who has never considered a different social model. I find that many people recognize we have some problems but assume the current structure in their exploration. But I believe the major problems we face have no solutions under the current model and it is the model itself that is the root problem. Asking simple questions can challenge that mentality and help break that automated acceptance, leading to more creative and constructive thought processes. And I find it better to challenge the thought process than to dictate.

Comments? Perhaps you have had similar conversations and would like to share some of the questions you ask or methods you use to communicate to those who have never considered the possibility of an alternative to capitalism.

Discussion 6 Comments

  • Will Henry Lapinel 21st Apr 2012

    Alexander, I agree that this is where the rubber meets the road - starting from the ground up and raising awareness at a very basic level that the current economic system is the root of our problems. I wonder if there is a pamphlet available that is approachable and readable (non-academic, and addressed to the unprivileged) that hits at the heart of what is wrong with capitalism and what the alternative is.

    • Alex Lewis 24th Apr 2012

      William, thanks for the comment. to your rumination, i'm guessing many that at least hit the heart with many variations on solutions. your question resonates with my thought process, that is, that it would be very useful to have some tangible material for those just exploring these ideas (newbies?).

      i'm personally not a newbie to questioning capitalism but i'm also not a phd with six books on the shelf and a decade of activism. i'm working class but i study, educate myself and have conversations. so i am always looking for better ways to communicate what i've learned or what i question to those looking for answers.

      i tend to have pretty good results one-on-one but also have found myself wanting to just hand someone a noam chomsky book, tell them to watch democracynow for a month, and we can talk then with a little foundation. saying that sounds snobbish but there is no replacement for taking the time to really explore the realm of other possibilities with care. really, it would be snobbish to tell someone what to think so what i really want is to offer a new direction to explore, an ice-breaker. and everyone has a different process and skill set to offer.

      so i'm thinking there's a useful concept here for IOPS and am taking a few notes toward creating a project. there has already been a few blogs and projects concerning membership outreach. when i hear things like "email blasts and social media messages" i am a little bit wary as the words that come to mind are 'spam' and generally 'quality vs quantity'. i think that's been addressed somewhat by the recent interim post http://www.iopsociety.org/blog/priority-problem-solution in their call for each member to solicit one member. that would generally be a personal contact that has some resonance already.

      but, i am also thinking about the creation of 'resources' as tools for training us to talk to people and tools for newbies to explore some questions and directions in condensed formats that open new thought processes. ice-breakers.

      as i am about to post this i see a blog post by you today that i feel resonates again. similar line of thought. i'll respond tomorrow. looking for multiple perspectives by anyone on styles of communication and outreach.

      this to go hand in hand with another project idea to identify elements of parecon in existing institutions as a way to gain experience in that sort of evaluation from a newbie perspective. sort of a phase two of first questioning capitalism and looking for an alternative, then taking that to the street to see what we have out there that is positive, what we can learn from that, and what can be improved on a ground level. that is, if i'm inviting someone to join IOPS, why? what tangible things can we start doing in what is directly around us. then, how can we take that experience back to the whole so others can apply it as well.

      will be working some basic outlines. input from you and all desired.

      quick notes on original question/project:
      - Questioning capitalism
      - Methods to challenge thought process
      - Other forms of outreach
      - Condensed forms of parecon ideas
      - IOPS Resources

  • Will Henry Lapinel 24th Apr 2012

    Alexander,

    I totally agree about social media and email blasts. This is the kind of thing where we really have to engage somebody on a human level and show them how important this is to you, show them that you do not want their money, and you are not trying to bring them to Jesus. Sort of a "will you walk with me for a little?" approach is what I have in mind, (vaguely). But tools and resources is a most definite must-have; and QUALITY tools. And I know many of them are out there somewhere ready to be dusted off and perhaps customized for our purposes. We just need to consolidate them. I think we are on the same wavelength; look forward to hearing more from you!