Sitting on my couch trying to figure out how I will pay for the wood floors I just ordered, (finally after 3 years of plywood in my kitchen.) I have to get the wood floors, have to refinance, have to pay my taxes. All of these strings of interwoven projects that I don’t know how to afford. And on goes my stream of consciousness. I am listening to people discussing the new tax bill. I am sad and scared. Not for me. For my parents who live social security check to social security check. I am worried for minorities who will be more cut off. I fear we have lost our safety nets.
The pundits for White House say we are rich now! We will have more money and more power!! I say, let’s celebrate that power, by not spending for one day, during the biggest week of the year? Could we make a tiny blip??
We need to do something. This is the time of year to do it!! Couldn’t we all agree to not spend any holiday money on a particular day. Couldn’t we experiment with our collective Power just to see if we can’t put a bump in the road?? As an experiment, could the American people band together to roar back at the corporate interests by sacrificing, just an inconvenience, and not buying anything for the holidays?...not one thing, on this one day? Not as vengeance but as knowledge. Do we have power collectively, if we band together??
If we approach it, not as punishment or even a boycott but instead a show of true strength, could we get enough people to band together? Could it go viral, international? Could we do it in the name of peace. We, the people count? Could we create a message that inspires us to stand up and be heard. To behave not as victims but as people having a collective and shared power. Shouldn’t we be heard now while we still impact corporations even if only slightly. Can’t we bring humanity together with one big message: We Matter!! We the people matter, not just corporations are powerful. We have power?
One day: no sales. Together. For peace. For people. This message brings all religions, all human beings together against the corporate, against the robots who would replace us.
Every moment that we the people continue to sink to the bottom of human rights as priority, we lose our ability to change it. We are struggling right now with acceptance. The facts are before our eyes. We know we just lost even more collective power. The authoritarian will divide and conquer.
Recognize authoritarian behavior wherever you see it. Accept it as a disease. It is here. We must accept this and push against the desire to divide. We must put truth before Power. Truth, not power as our highest priority. Can’t we all agree that if we treat truth as God, we may not ever truly know everything, but we as a race will thrive!! Can’t we all agree that if we make truth a priority even if we disagree about what it is, we as humans are better off?
Authoritarianisms distorts truth. It’s a paradigm shift that literally puts power above truth. It is a true dialectic, true polarity. Power subverts truth. Power says “my will”, over truth. It puts will above and outside the realm of truth.
The behaviors of the authoritarian:
Intimidation: using fear by show of power.
Mind games: Using shame to control people though put downs, criticism and public shaming.
Isolation: Seperating people from people. Prisons, gates, borders and walls.
Minimize, deny and blame: uses shame to blame you for their behavior. A form of deflection. “It was no bid deal, I didn’t do it, if I did it, you deserved it, you made me do it.”
Objectification: the more we behave as if some humans are not human, not deserving of protection, not important, the more dangerous it gets for all of it. It’s the belief that some humans are better, different, more valuable than others. If true we can be in the valid or the invalid group simply as a matter of rhetoric, because this belief is not linked to truth.
Hypocrisy: I am king, I can do what I want. Uses shame to say, that “my power gives me special privileges that are fine for me but wrong for you. My power is bigger than truth or morals. I can do whatever I want regardless of truth. This is a hugely shaming behavior. It says that Power creates the morals instead of the idea that morals, wisdom and truth create true power.
Using money: as it says, taking resources away from people simply because they do not have money. Giving continuous unfair advantage to those with money. Those with money using money to maintain their power over money. The maintenance of Income inequality.
Coercion and threats: threats to kill, imprison, sue, harm others to cause fear and prevent uprisings. Violence escalates as needed to maintain control.
Time is is of the essence. How can we speak truth to Power legally, within our rights, without fear, proudly?? We could all agree not to buy anything on one day. Not to cause pain but to create a buzz, to create awareness, to band together, to experiment with our collective power!!
If we don’t use our collective power we lose it?? If you don’t like my idea, add one. And in the interest of the news skills needed to band together, think Jesus. He, whether fiction or truth gave a helpful example of how it works. Let’s copy his behaviors, add your favorite non power and control role model. Substitute your own. Martin Luther King Jr works!! Henry David Thoreau works! Bell Hooks!! Works! (Add any religious leader that walked the peaceful walk). Find someone who tries to put truth before Power. Someone who more interested in truth than Power. Linus Pauling, Einstein. No they are not God but they can teach us. We can be the change and we can act collectively!! Instead of criticize, add ideas here. Let’s find something that most of us can agree on in a factual way and let’s speak collectively. Consider it as practice for the future!