Where has the happiness gone that goes with our comforting day to day routines? With no democratic responsibility or accountability from the uncaring powers that now run our lives the bills keep going up while the quality of life goes down, distracted only by the mirage of digital feeds. We our having the humanity rinsed from us.
Our jobs are more than just workflows in a global time and motion rationalisation project, horrendously forming the basis of an AI first economy. This we are being told will lead to an age of abundance, for if we retrain, it won’t be AI that will take our jobs but the person with AI. Well Sam Altman oh anointed Silicon Valley Cult high priest (or Rabbi) many of us can do the math there without your unerringly upbeat and annoying Silicon Valley come Mid-Western hyping hallucinating ChatGPT trojan horse. Oh and Uncle Sam, we can’t eat data so stick your strange veiled arrogant threat, you know the one ‘you can laugh all you want, enjoy’ where the sun don’t shine!
Don’t even get me onto Mark Zuckerberg’s latest data harvesting surveillance capitalism device, namely The Ray Bans glasses at £299 that you can’t turn off so Meta can keep on spying. I have been willing to buy what is an overpriced shades brand for decades until the news broke this week. Waste of money maybe but I actually trod on and threw away my Aviators, Wayfarers and old school Trad Combies yesterday because they are guilty by association.
So thanks to the tech cartel creating an increasingly absurd and distracting digital world, it’s naturally easy for us beings to feel a growing disconnect. The constant hum of digital feeds, the battle for our attention, and the anxieties surrounding AI and the future of work is making all but the influencers and collaborateurs feel adrift. We are yearning for something more tangible and real. Despite algorithmic suppression, we hear more and more voices expressing this unease at being pulled away from the natural world that is so deeply a part of who we are. Wall Street got bigger than Main Street and it’s greed needs the other dominoes to follow.
The apparent advancements in technology, in reality the triumph of hype over substance, pitches ‘incredible possibilities’, masking the challenges and opportunity cost. These vanity projects get the tens and hundreds of billions which could power and feed third world nations. This and the policy of the World Bank and the IMF, is why the Chinese Belt and Road aka BRICS is winning in Africa, South America and Asia.
This ever-present gaze of surveillance capitalism and the potential for job displacement is the real trickle down. It is setting up the Problem, Reaction, Solution scenarios that will usher in a reset on the Oligarchs terms. Musk is describing US institutions as weeds that must be killed off. Forget US two party politics these are revered as the bastions of freedom. It is all being done to create uncertainty and worry for individuals and families alike. Even seemingly innocuous innovations, like glasses that blur the lines between reality and the digital realm, contribute to a feeling of being constantly “on” and unable to fully disconnect and think critically for ourselves.
Time for those Sunny Uplands folks – SSS not SOS.
Despite another kick in the stones from a district council Ashley and I dig into our pockets and soldier on. You, we, indeed all us prols can do the same. So amidst these inevitabilities and concerns, there is a powerful and hopeful response: resilience through strength in numbers as communities, reconnecting with our natural bodyclocks. The cycles, circles of nature building community through initiatives that Sow Study Sustain. Turn off, turn on your being, retune to embracing the principles of a circular economy to cut out the rent seekers that want to take make break and waste. Retune and connect to the 9Rs
Growing our own food, as communities, offers a vital anchor in a rapidly changing world. It’s a chance to step away from the screens and sense real scenes. Breathe, immerse ourselves in the tangible reality of soil, seeds and growth the organic community way. This simple act of nurturing life brings us back to our roots, reminding us of our inherent connection to the natural world.
Furthermore, by adopting a circular approach, we can weave in practices of reusing, recycling, and repurposing into our community endeavors. This might involve composting food waste to enrich our gardens, creatively repurposing materials for tools or structures, and finding ways to give new life to items that might otherwise be discarded. This not only reduces our environmental impact but also fosters ingenuity and a deeper understanding of resourcefulness.
More than just producing food, these communal gardens and learning spaces become hubs of connection. They bring people together, fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose. Here, traditional cultural values and skills are not just remembered, but actively practiced and passed on, alongside new skills in sustainable living. We learn from each other, we care for the land and our resources together, and we share the bounty of our efforts.
In a world that often feels isolating, these initiatives cultivate a sense of togetherness and responsibility. They remind us of the power of human connection, the satisfaction of working with our hands, and the simple joy of nurturing life and making the most of what we have. They offer a space where we can feel grounded, capable, and hopeful for a future where both nature and mindful resource use are valued.
So, if you’re feeling the pull of the digital and the anxieties of our time, consider reaching out to your local community gardens or us at Sow Study Sustain. Explore how the principles of the circular economy can be integrated into these efforts. Come and get your hands in the soil, and discover the power of mindful creation and connection. Let’s cultivate hope and a sustainable future, together, one seed and one repurposed item at a time.
Sow Study Sustain Folks!