Comment on You wouldn't even need to stop going to work!

• beliquititious@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  The government is a tool of the billionaire class. Weakening it weakens their power. Also any buying nothing movement would harm the billionaires much more than the government.

  You know that “defeating” the billionaires would screw over everyone on earth more than toppling the government of Florida or Texas? They have so much power removing their wealth, especially suddenly would destroy the global economy…

  Any solution to the larger problem of oligarchy is going to hurt everyday americans. Buying nothing would at least give them extra money in their pocket to adapt to the changes.

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  • Juice@midwest.social ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    You wont weaken the government by not paying biills. We don’t want a weaker state we want to smash the state and create a new one for and by workers not billionaires. How does weakening the government weaken their power? Right now the government is weaker than its been in 70 years and the billionaires are more powerful than ever.

    I agree that a united, militant workers movement will weaken various structures that the rich use to reinforce their rule, including parts of the government but I think you need to develop your view of the state under capitalism because you still subscribe yo many false illusions. Its like people saying Luigi is going to tip the balance in class relations for the workers. Its just a kind of reformism or false.co sciousness that hopes that there is a step before what is necessary that would be good enough.

    Like organize bill ass payment strikes, I think strategically, like in healthcare, a mass movement could shake some things up, but likely it would just result in increased violence against the movement. Individuals not paying bills will literally not do shit. Individual action is basically worthless. In order for it to reach a critical tipping point, where a quantity of individual action transforms into change in political or economic quality, will take a lot of organization. And more power to you! Organize it and I’ll likely join. I’ll throw you a bone, but you have to provide the meat. Personally it’s not what I think is going to lead to greater worker consciousness and emancipation, but I’m just some guy. Organize it and prove me wrong.

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    • beliquititious@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      I think we’re misaligned because my unstated goal is to reduce the risk to migrants and trans people from a tyrannical government. Reducing state power would greatly reduce their ability to round up immigrants and dick over the queer community. It would mean less money to pay police to be assholes at the very least.

      It’s also a safe in-point for people wanting to take direct action but afraid of the legal consequences of more glamorous activities.

      Buying nothing, buying less, buying used, buying local (in that order) is easy-ish for most people, saves them money, and breaks no laws or contracts. Not paying your bills is a dumb idea, but not buying shit you don’t need is a win win for individuals. It would take several years to build a critical mass and if people change their relationship to consumption it would be easier to sustain that pressure.

      No temporary strike, protest, or other action will save us. We need long term personal change that will slowly starve out the billionaire class and their lackies.

      I am trying to organize a national buy nothing campaign, but the only resources I have are grass roots tools, like rambling in internet comments and writing weird zines. I’d suggest trying to reduce your personal spending by 20% and encourage people you know personally to do the same, if everyone did that the powers that be will take notice and in 18 months we’d see change.

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      • Juice@midwest.social ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        You had me till your last sentence which I think is reformist, but since you stated your position so well im sure we could (hypothetically) work together in coalition.

        I think its clear that there is a great deal of consumerism that exists in excess of peoples needs, but without a means to replace it with anything, since the consumerism is an expression of people’s social alienation, then there’s no material incentive for people to make these changes. It seems like the thrust of your ideas would work well along side certain anarchist and social libertarian ideas of dual power, which I think is also worth of criticisms but also is a step closer theoretically to a correct formula for change.

        Confusion about the government’s role in class oppression, unawareness of what money is and how it operates, these are big questions that took me a long time to find sufficient and satisfying answers for them. If your like to share your zones or writings I’d at least give them a look! I read and contribute political and economic articles to some zines too, and frankly I’m just a fan of the form. I’m a bit older and diy zines were the first polisci I ever encountered, and now I’m a smelly commie, on watchlists and everything

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