We are constantly reminded about the dishonesty of the Russian government with regard to the fallout from Chernobyl. But there is relatively little coverage of how the French have disingenuously handled the toxicity from the Notre Dame fire, and even less of a spotlight on how the Japanese are misleading the world public with regard to the horror of Fukushima. And, as we know, the U.S. authorities are rarely, if ever, called on the carpet in any (sufficiently) significant sense respecting their abominations related to public health issues. Atrocities.
The key to dealing with these phenomena — plaguing the world, pushing us over the precipice with other collective crises in gear — is to (first) dispense with the false notion that such deceptive, unconscionable behavior is locked into what’s called human nature. I’m with Noam Chomsky on that complex concept, not at all being as cocksure as others seem to be respecting a hard-and-fast definition which limits authentic activism immeasurably, feeding our fashionable nihilistic nonsense. Which, it seems to me, simply guarantees our collective demise.
We are obligated to act positively. And Gramsci, I believe, captures the thrust of that outlook with his:
“I’m a pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will.“
One’s will can easily become slack and sorry midst the privileged society we’ve inherited in the U.S. And one could say that’s as good reason as any to become anti-American. Anti-USer I should say, perhaps.
The bottom line for writing the above is that I want to encourage readers to embrace the idea that concerned proactive citizens need to now — more than ever — believe that it is possible to find trustworthy souls. And that, having done that, to put one (or more) into a gubernatorial office legally and non-violently (perhaps along the lines of my old TOSCA proposal).
Whether or not one wants to use this or that approach is neither here nor there. What is important is that ALL approaches not be dismissed out-of-hand because one has been disappointed in the people who have crossed paths with them in their lifetime, not reject all hope or potential for institutional change (which might nurture the best in people, not the worst) because of one’s reading of history. One’s take on “human nature.”
And speaking of “human nature”… one of the dynamics currently in gear that’s been designed to change it irrevocably is what Silicon Valley’s momentum is pushing these days. That is, the embrace of the much heralded 5G Technology. And the complicity of ALL operations worldwide on this score must be stopped. For if we fail on that count, you can count us all out regardless of whether or not we get a handle on our many other collective crises, including Climate Catastrophe. No hyperbole.
See what Frank Clegg, former President of Microsoft Canada has to say about what I’m ranting and raving about here. The video footage is under 11 minutes, but I think it stands to change everyone’s life. It certainly should for at least select activists, or we can just forget about the positive side of Gramsci.
Readers need not battle this bad business alone. I invite one and all to call me, to discuss what our viable options are for new kinds of movement in solidarity. First, though, so that I don’t post my land line prematurely, write to me at 12Citizens@gmail.com.
To bolster your resolve, you can tune into the true old words of Jiimmy Cliff.
