Solarpunk�Societies
#01 Leaving the Matrix
What does ‘the Matrix’ mean to you?
…in real life
The ‘Matrix’ could be…
A set of institutions and beliefs to make people dependent to authority and engage in transactional consumer based relationships.
Manufacturing Desire
‘The television shows we watch, the movies we see, the radio programs we listen to, and all the comics strips we read influence social behavior. They give us ideas about what is good and evil, about how to solve problems, and about how we should relate to others.
If we understand this… then the way we think about our media-influenced culture will be far different than if we see popular culture as mindless entertainment…’ – Manufacturing Desire, Arthur Asa Berger
Bullshit Jobs
‘over half of societal work is pointless, and becomes psychologically destructive when paired with a work ethic that associates work with self-worth’ — Bullshit Jobs, David Graeber
A bullshit job or pseudowork is meaningless or unnecessary wage labour which the worker is obliged to pretend to have a purpose. Polling in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands indicates that around 40% of workers consider their job to fit this description.
Social Networks to be Re-defined
Social networks has been extrapolated from intimate interpersonal relationships to interactions via social media platforms.
Our relationships have become dependent to social framework we exist within.
Discussion: How can you outrun the ‘Matrix’ ?
Industrialization & Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism was a counter culture movement led by philosophers such as Thoreau and Emerson in the 1820s, during the heat of the American industrial revolution. As opposed to rising industrialization in city centers, transcendentalism advocated self-reliance, a pro-nature, pro-sovereignty way of living.
“Every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature herself.”
The ‘Utopian’ Movement
Starting from the mid 19th century till now, eco communes have always been at the ‘fringe’ of society, establishing an alternative for individuals who want to ‘opt out’ from default worlds and live as separate communities. It can be captured as an ‘communal Utopian movement’ in the US and many parts of the world, from the Shakers to the Amish, from Woodstock communes to modern day eco villages.
There are few communes still operating today for various reasons. Communes face incredible challenges such as segregation from society, rejection to participate in the financial system, facing great challenge of providing sustainable means of living, infiltration with drug culture, connecting anti-capitalism with anti-productivity, etc…
Cooperativism -vs- Capitalism
the direct democracy in decision-making processes related to management of society itself, which must be collective and include all associates through protagonism and participation;
the own effort, understood as the strength of will and the motivation of the members, always with an eye on the achievement of the planned objectives;
the equity in the distribution of Benefits. Surpluses must be distributed fairly and equally among the members of the association;
the responsibility, a level of performance that allows the fulfillment of the proposed activities to achieve common goals, driven by an unwavering moral commitment to the rest of the members;
the equality among the associates, who have the same rights and the same obligations and are free to join and withdraw from the association whenever they wish;
the solidarity It can also be mentioned as a pillar of cooperativism. These associations should serve to solve problems for their members and their families, but also for the community in which they are inserted.
https://soetrust.org/misc/definition-of-cooperativism-what-it-is-meaning-and-concept/
‘Exit the Matrix’ with Style
01 - Owning the means of Productions
02 - Communal > Individual
03 - Critical Thinking + Liberation of the Minds
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Physiological
Safety
Love & Belonging
Esteem
Self Actualization
Physiological Needs
Emotional Needs
Moral / Spiritual Pursuit
Food
Water
Shelter
Energy
Transportation
Waste Management
Love
Companionship
Fun! & Entertainment
Exploration
Experimentation
Before we end!
We have to make some important disclaimers!
Integration > Destruction
It is easy for ‘Matrix-Exit’ talk to be connected with anarchism and extreme libertarianism. The extremes of each lead to an over emphasis on the “Freedom From” the capitalist mainstream as it is ‘manipulative’ and inherently exploitative, but they fail to imagine a “Freedom To” living a good life, to create a collaborative vision of protopias and make steps toward a better future.
Thinking critically about every narrative they are given, and being bold enough to question authorities also doesn’t imply becoming an enemy of the ‘state’ in order to make an impact.
Revolutions without solutions most likely create new problems after solving the last.
Exit-Matrix != Enemy of the State
Anti-Capitalism != Anti-Productivity
Purpose-driven productivity > ‘bullshit jobs’
Opting-out capitalism by being self reliant would only work if the individuals are highly resilient in problem solving and adaptive in new skills. 🛠
It means learning and understanding intricacies of infrastructural and social ecosystems that we take for granted — growing food, plumbing, recycling, fixing toilets, cars, washing machines… as well as coordination protocols and communication techniques. All the knowledge is readily available to us on the open internet, the superpower we need is an adaptive mindset and a can-do attitude ✊.
Self Reliance != Radical Individualism
‘Exiting the Matrix’ by owning our means of productions are communal tasks by nature. If anything, we should work with each others closer than ever instead of being further apart.
Being compassionate, communicate clearly, respecting differences, recognizing the importance of ethics are all part of the practice.
It takes a gang to build a village, and it takes a village to build a new world! ☄️
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