Equality, Climate, and Income

Quiet quitting. We all have a job to do

There is a quiet quitting movement. People are taking the radical, unheard-of step, of not doing more than their job description at work.

Prior to this, in view of a pandemic, and realizing their worth, there was “a great resignation.”

All over the world, climate movement calls, or simply demands from people to not burn down, or flood out, are raising voices.

Capitalism is being called out for its most egregious sins, most notably running the world economy on toxic, rather than clean, renewable fuels. Many centuries were spent conquering, and colonizing, rather than sharing.

Domination of nature was even seen as “natural.”

Today, there is also notably, a war over such resources in Ukraine, and most of the world — even while regrettably dependent upon such fuels — is against all aggressive tyranny of it.

Food costs supply chains, failing crops, and the lack of water (or too much of it) is being lamented in places we never heard from before.

All of this is taking place in a world where there appears to be rising authoritarianism in some places while a struggle for democracy, equality, and a demand to have a voice is sounding loud and clear.

It gets complicated quick

All of these things affect one another, and they always have. But, today the world is facing a uniquely crowded set of interdependent needs and co-dependent needs at the same time as never before.

The climate crisis and the threat of biodiversity loss are finally foremost in many minds.

We have eight billion people who need water, food, fuel, and shelter. We have billions who depend upon the very toxic systems that got us here in the first place.

People are waking up to the climate emergency. They suddenly connect the dots that were always there when it comes to environmental injustice, pollution, and poor nutrition for the impoverished, while the privileged have access.

This is a worldwide phenomenon.

There is also a backlash and denial

When people make any social progress there is a backlash.

We still have many people invested in the old system. There are many who are soothed by their leaders telling them that the climate crisis, for example, is a hoax. Or, they say more often now, it’s not a hoax, but it’s not so bad.

Or that those wanting reforms are all of one ideology — an evil one.

They will point out the good “energy” that fossil fuels and exploitative industries, jobs, economy, and products provide the world. It’s not the end of the world. Or, if it is the “end” then it’s all part of God’s plan.

For so long as people live, there will be some who need to feel these reassurances are true.

Unite against invasive species

Let’s look at the common problem of invasive species, often introduced unwittingly by colonizing conquerors.

We have to recognize that there is not a murder hornet’s nest of separate problems, but a giant tangled, and sticky hive of the same problems, layered over and over one another for centuries.

The spit that holds the hive together is exploitation. Oppression. Injustice. It goes by many names, but it is easy to see if we look at those who want control of all resources — and workers — as an invasive species that moved in and took over the lives of other places and people.

Divide and conquer is their most effective tactic. When they see the people they use uniting, or protecting their resources in solidarity, the tyrannical grip on power eases up just a bit.

The first century of recognition

Well into the last century, the idea of supremacy, was accepted as the norm. Extreme racism, sexism, and nationalism were routine. Whole nations were invaded and raided.

This is the first century wherein people around the world are questioning this assumption as never before. Not the first revolution, but the biggest so far.

Many one-time heroes are falling like their statues.

This new awareness is in the air. Maybe it took fires and floods, pollutants, and the clamoring noise of what we once called “progress” to sense it. Maybe it took self-recognition. Maybe it took our realization we are one tribe.

With the internet, AI, and algorithms, you might say “technology giveth, and technology taketh away.”

It’s true we are divided, but it’s also true we are united in common needs.

Whatever the case, we have to heed the winds of change. Bend, but not break.

The answer, or so says the old song, is blowing in the wind. There are signs of hope that the answer is that it is WE who can change everything.

Everything changes. And change is in the air.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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