State of Our World: Open_Notes 29

the slave history of black America is being felt by the working poor of white America today; the "property" of production, freedom lost; capitalism wearing down everyone; our rights as Americans defend us if we exercise them; consider going cold-turkey, abstinence vs. the media-entertainment complex; consider ourselves, our lives, THINK, understand who we are, what we are, and what we need; psychic pain is tough, the place where we all are going that will redefine us; we have more in common than we have separately; we have to stop our specialization, ie. far right, far left, etc., critique capitalism; the dictatorship of the few, the -ism's; democracy is not defined by capitalism, it is define by us getting together to decide what is right for us [a call to consensus]; it is impossible to not be capitalistic today [to exist in this society], we are not fools, but we have to learn from each other; there is a lot of possibility to grow in America, our rights make it possible.

consumerism is not a measure of a society, not an indicator of "are we any richer?" - the margin of profit determinant, instilled needs - we have to tell the truth, not remain silent, not tell the lie; we have to move away from society's "when we are overlooked we sue"; man made definitions, ie., ownership vs. the commons; everyone is hopeless in capitalism, all-or- nothing mentality -- people cannot imagine a concept of a world without capitalism, ownership; personal decisions are needed to withdraw from the definitions, from the practise of capitalism ** we have to reinvent ourselves vs. the feeling of helplessness -- how do we get out of the system ?? - we have to realize what part of our lives are not true, recognize our own power, we have to begin to realized we are not separate, we have to work together; our problems are the same, we have to work on our actions and not against each other -- voting is an exercise in futility, but we must get more involved, we have to belong; politics is a continual process, we have to consider this; we need more choice, we have to define what we want; we have to force the country, the corporations to give us what we want [we have to create our own, we must belong to ourselves, our community, the right *place* to be, direct democracy; NOT maintaining a place within the system seeking redress, new opportunity, the harsh reality will remain harsh if we do so]. -- [based on NPR, Talk of the Nation, author Walter Mosely, "Working On The Chain Gang", Library of Contemporary Thought, Jan.18.00, with additions]

State of Our World: Open_Notes 29