Can you feel it? That moment after Coyote runs off a cliff, his legs stop spinning, only his uncomprehension that the road ran out is keeping him the air. He looks down, looks to camera and....
And yet it seems as if life continues as normal. What else is there to do? Western populations are mostly in debt, they have been robbed blind by corporations and governments but they refuse to believe it. We know about the 'long descent' of peak oil theory; we know that the climate change outpaces all predictions. But what can we do? we're in debt, we have children, we have dreams, neuroses, and not even voting works? And with the Americans going round the world murdering foreigners in order to steal their oil and squander it on private car ownership and more pillage - why would I even fly less?
Well here's what you can do.
Radical Giving.
All of the invasive psychological machinations of modern capitalist societies, all of sifting out of rich and poor, all of the debt, and most of the poverty, and all of the invasive psychological machinations of modern capitalist societies, all the power of the dollar, of the corporations, the economic growth imperative which is plunders natural capital and drives wages down, all of it depends on our use of money. Every euro that we hold (and most other currencies) is earning a profit for a bank somewhere, since it was created as interest bearing debt. It is our very use of money which is driving human society into a very dark chasm.
There is a line of 'magical' thinking which predicts, (or hopes) for a global shift in consciousness which will get us out of this mess. I agree that such a shift is our best chance now, but whether it will happen is up to us.
But here's how we can take control of our own lives, restore the fabric of our communities, cleanse our consciences from all the consumption and hoarding, (and heed the words of the Christ).
Giving is a subversive activity. The economic models which got us in this mess assumed that you were a self centred, money-grubbing egomaniac who can be pimped out to work and paid off with bits of paper. It might be a good moment to prove them wrong.
The scale of personal losses we face if we continue down this road are incalculable. In some scenarios like in the US, law and order no longer applies at the top and the banks are stealing everything. Elsewhere crops are failing and leaving regions destitute. With public service cuts, and perpetual warfare and economic mayhem, we are all exposed to more risks of one form or another. Building a culture of gifting is the only way we can collectively ensure the well being of each of the selves. This is the revolution in consciousness which has to occur
Giving is the mortar of community, while money dissolves it. It is the money itself which has poisoned us and made us selfish. It's time to learn how to give joyfully, and fully. We need to have relationships instead of transactions. We need to live for others because living for ourselves, we are doomed.
Our desperate situation demands that the giving be radical, extreme. The more we work on what needs to be done, instead of what there is money to do, the more we take control of our lives and embody our own values. This is the only way to mitigate climate change and to reign in the psychopathic elements which currently rule us.
Radical Giving this Christmas
Radical Giving is THE quickest way for ordinary people to collectively look after themselves. Radical giving is what we should be doing this Christmas. Here's my challenge for you. This Christmas, I pledge to buy nothing. Anything I give I will not pay money for, because my use of that money is driving humanity to its grave.
Make your Radical giving pledge below!
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