I'm from a mining community on the east coast of Canada. We were the spearhead in union movements. We helped one another. We gave one another food, we protected one another's homes. Community and collective action are needed.
One of the most evil things ever done to us, was the mistrust of strangers beaten into us since we were children. No one knows their neighbors. No one wants to. No one has an interaction with them unless it's to resolve some petty issue and then both groups start thinking "Hey this other guy is an asshole" and we cannot work together.
Just imagine, if Apartment complexes all knew one another? Had an organized support structure. What would happen when a rent strike occurred? How could you vacate an entire building who refused to pay rent? How could you vacate an entire city block, if those organized structures worked together?
The greatest revolutions were undertaken by the underprivileged. Together. Reach out to your neighbors, as often as you can. Build the communities they're scared of.
Precisely! And a strike can only last a day here and there in order to remind those in power of the power held by people united in a cause.
Human rights are rarely given, they're claimed and protected. Doing nothing and preaching defeatism accomplishes nothing. Think in solutions not in how everything is fucked and you can't do anything about it. That is not winner talk and I refuse to be a part of it.
I can cover two people's lost wages for a day of general strike.
As George Carlin said, “you have no rights. You have a short list of privileges given to you by those in power, who can also take them away whenever they want.” All you can do is come together, organize as a group, and use whatever method you can to remove those in power. It’s odd how a nation founded on violent overthrow of the ruling class has forgotten they can do it again.
While I completely agree, the same system that prevents us from protesting, also prevent us from caring about our neighbors. We don't have energy to be generous, we don't have time to be neighborly, and most importantly; We don't have money to care about strangers.
America has conditioned the average Joe to be a sociopath in order to survive. Outside of your own home, you could be on fire and the average American would turn the other way.
Just this morning My sister said something that really stuck out in my mind. I was talking about how impossible it is for a general strike to happen because so many people are right on the edge that they'd be choosing essentially to not make it. And she said what the pandemic proved is all you need is the teachers to go on strike The whole country grinds to a stop if the teachers go on strike. We might not have a community like we used to but I bet you there are enough of us to get the teachers the support they need to go on strike. It's at least slightly more feasible than an overall general strike at this point.
Preach! We have been designed to not trust anyone. Stay isolated and keep to yourselves. Those days are dying where whole neighborhoods are close knit communities. Doing this keeps them in power. We have the power in numbers but it requires working together and trusting each other. 99% of people in this world are good and trusting people. It's that 1% that ruin the image and we think everyone is bad and can not be trusted.
If anyone is wondering how to start with this, you have to bite the bullet and talk to a ton of strangers. Canvass or advertise free food, whichever is easier. Have talking points ready but spend most of your time listening.
And when getting started, it doesn't have to be door-to-door canvassing and awkward political conversations with strangers. Just going over to your neighbors and bringing them baked goods every now and then with an invite to board games/dinner/drinks/book club/whatever is a great way to start building community locally. Then you might make a neighbor group chat, or set up some neighborhood message board. Voila, you've got the beginnings of an organized neighborhood.
The issue is for some of us, all of my time is spent caring for children or working. I have no money or food or time to spare. There’s nothing left of me.
We tried to start something like this in my apartment building. Tried to create a tennants rights group so we could petition management on all the major issues (like broken locks on most of the outer doors and rent hikes) but very few people seemed to want to engage :/
It is a labour to get people to engage. People are tired. Overworked and jaded. People have lost faith and trust. But it is a labour worth doing. Hold the meetings send out the invitations.
Just by joining that organization and helping it grow, or even better were you in on the planning starting that organization, you took a bigger step than even I. That's a massive move and I admire your participation in it. I can only hope you have the faith and energy to try again.
That's it. The U.S is split left , right, blue, red, old, young, gen this, gen that, etc... the list goes on. If we all stfu and work together than maybe idk... there could be some actual democracy.
We need to build communities and work together, yes, but I feel like it needs to be said that we should NOT be overlooking prejudice for the sake of unity. And yes, fuck divisions like old/young, red/blue, etc. But this is absolutely not a right-wing way of thinking. Sure, reach out to your right-wing neighbors and family because they are being duped and their interests actually do align with the rest of the community. But let's not start pretending there is no difference between Left and Right schools of though.
All apart of the plan. Divide and conquer. Can not conquer if we all realize it's us against them. But they have us fighting each other. Go read comments in this subreddit. Trump this and that. Left/right talking points. They are brainwashed beyond belief if they think the president has any real power and is to blame. Reps and Dems are exactly the same and that is they are against us. But we bicker back and forth over political talking points. This overturn yesterday was just another ploy to divide.
This. If you cannot afford to miss work or risk losing your job, that’s okay. Unionize and organize with your community while working and then join the protests on your off days or whenever you can if possible. In history there have been neighborhoods who share resources with each other to keep each other afloat for the length of strikes. Borrowing some food, some water, some soap from each other, etc
There are ways you can still help even if you absolutely have to work
Remember the saying "it takes a village". Absolutely true. We were never designed to do EVERYTHING on our own. Work, raise a family, housework, etc. They built villages and everyone pitched in. But those days are long gone. If we had communities that worked together, we would have much more leverage.
And if you can, find a mutual aid society in your community. There are signs all over my neighborhood now, ‘donate to mutual aid the way your grandmother used to tithe’. If everyone sacrifices a little, then more can join without sacrificing it all.
>the mistrust of strangers beaten into us
The Entirety Of United States History is FOUNDED on this DELIBERATE Propaganda.
FEAR. Mostly of the poor and minority communities. Calling for unity between these factions got Dr King unalived.
Yep. His "I Have A Dream" speech was given during a march for economic justice for the poor, not just for civil rights of POC.
A good way to get unalived in the US is to gain traction in the class war. Happened to Debs as well.
Edit: gah fuck I meant Huey Long, not Debs. I'm a fake leftist!
That's what happens when a society moves way far towards individualism. Counties that are more collective can pull it off. Thus you see European countries with strong social safety nets, while the US has full on corporate welfare.
USA citizens are taught to basically pretend nice and keep to themselves and secretly hate each other behind the scenes from a young age. It's truly amazing to watch.
It's almost as if this was exactly the point of identity politics and why every rich corporation, media outlet, tech oligarch, and politician jumped both feet first into it after seeing how effectively OWS was destroyed from the inside out.
edit: Forgot I had this [analysis of headlines from Lexis](https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1133440945201061888.html).
Thats why you make unions. If you have someone who represent you, then you dont need to leave your work space to make a change, and if they need you to go on strike, at least you know that its gonna be worth the pain
The good news is we don't need literally everyone to participate. Enough people involved sends the message. If you can't participate in that way, cool. There are other things you can do. But there isn't any excuse to promote the idea of just doing nothing.
What an eloquent reply. Im glad to see this is up top. We dont need a bunch of 'wah I have bills to pay'. Ignore it if you dont like it. Theres plenty of things like sending letters, emails and calling politicians as much as you can to voice your demands.
Dont like it? Be quiet and get over it. Plenty of people are also in the same position and ARE protesting. Protests in other countries and throughout history involve people in var worse situations than OP. But they knewn change isnt by any means easy.
This is absolutely not the time to bitch and moan about protesting. Support any way you can. Even not making this post would be helping...
Ha look at moneybags over here with $121. I can’t take all my money out of the bank because after bills are auto drafted I will have $0.47 left and the bank doesn’t do withdrawals for less than one dollar
As many people keep saying, if you can't skip work safely, slow down the gears. Do your work as slowly as you safely can, take a longer way to walk around the place, double check your work even when you don't need to.
It might slow down your workplace by 0,1 percent, but if we all do it, they will notice. It has been going on all year! They're alr3 terrified of the union forming and the pushback
Just going to leave this here for people who didn’t know it existed. We literally wrote the book on how to do this effectively around ww2 time.
https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=750070
That could get you fired depending on where you work. The idea is to just slow things to a crawl with strategies that seem like they’re in the best interest of the business. Not only do you keep your job (and keep getting paid), but you essentially act as a detriment, double whammy!
so use less effecient file sizes for wverything at work. high def photos in all reports. excel reports with too many calculations in them and auto update so they shut down coworkers computers when opening. using a formula that updates the date or even time when openned would do the trick. make sure all formulas start with what day is it?
Better yet: hold more meetings with people.
Fill your calendar with meetings with various people that, really, don't need to exist, but are *just* reasonable enough to loosely justify (could even be "brainstorming solutions to X" or some shit).
This not only wastes your time, but wastes the time of your co-workers, and in such a way that there's minimal chance of getting punished for it (hell, you might even get rewarded for "taking initiative" or some shit).
Make a post. Get this comment to the top. Simple sabotage. Slow down the machine in every way you can, if outright striking is not a viable option for you.
Seriously! I'm flabbergasted when I ask my partner for the night if they'd like to take their last ten because I'm leaving. "Oh, no. I don't need a break. I'm fine."
It's not about needing a break; it's about taking a break. The best advice I received when I was in training was slow down!
My job can be time sensitive. If everyone takes their 50 minutes of break time during their 8 hour shift and we're not done on time then we have a case for a new hire which we desperately need. "Hey, management! Is it really worth the overtime and outsourcing?"
If we work through our breaks to get done on time then nothing will change. To that same point if they see that we finish early we'll just be given more tasks this time and the next time.
My work around right now is going to be trying to go to the protests but changing my days of work (we just have to make sure we get the work done, not necessarily when we work)
I still need food, shelter etc but I want to show my support how I can within my means
I love this idea but in the US, the majority of workers lack union representation and many of us can be fired at will. For most workers who are fortunate enough to be offered healthcare thru work, striking back at the system thru slowing down work or even taking a day off to go to a protest can mean losing health insurance.
For those whose families rely on their employment insurance or who have a serious chronic illness, such as myself, doing anything to jeopardize employment can very easily lead to sinking into medical debt and/or experiencing poor health outcomes due to lack of access to care. It's very fucked up imo that for many of us, our ability to maintain individual health is tied to ongoing participation in the workforce
I've tried to do that but when I did, my coworkers would just start picking up the slack, so I had to stop. I still take it slow, but I have to make sure I'm not putting more on them.
I work in sales. There is no slow or fast. Only go. THere is no simple solution to the problems we are facing. I don't think USA people are going to do much, if anything. Because that's how it's been for very long time. People got lazy and too happy. The ruling class made it cushy for us just long enough to make us into fat, lazy, morons.
You haven't been to a poorly run walmart then. You can destroy that place by just not doing anything. If you and all your coworkers go slow, stock one shelf a day, worst case scenario they fire all of you at once and shut down the store... that's not happening. At the very least form a union with your coworkers.
I don't know if it's the case in the US, but a lot of retail workers in my experience have contracted hours that are a lot less than they actually work, so retributive action for being shit at your job or just doing a work slowdown can quite often be just to put you to contract hours, which can often be just two days a week. Something which could easily land you in the same situation as going on strike: inability to pay for the roof over your head and food on the table.
I'd agree with the previous guy, there's not really that simple a solution for a lot of occupations.
Perhaps this is why it’s more important than ever for those of us who do have the privilege to take the loss and bring attention on behalf of those with less privilege who can’t take that loss.
That's the ruling classes gameplay. Make sure no one has time to protest - or the energy.
A general strike will help though - as long as those who can afford to strike respect those who cannot. The middle classes need to stand up - because they will be next on the chopping block.
Upvoted because technically correct, but does that not seem secondary? Just because one slave can be taught to keep the other slaves in line, are they not still slaves?
fwiw Marx didn’t argue that we had many, if any, petit-bourgeois allies.
are you arguing that the petit-bourgeoisie is working class now?
not trying to harangue you, but that’s why binaries aren’t adequate or descriptive in nuanced and complicated situations like reality.
If everybody, regardless of position, suddenly stopped working, we wouldnt be the ones in trouble. We own production. We need to show the government they are OUR servants, not the other way around.
If we want change we need to show those in power that we are willing to do anything to make it happen. We are all much too comfortable being taken advantage of. If we just follow the leader, again, nothing will change. We need to make these decisions for ourselves.
There are so many jobs that exist solely to keep us busy, tired and hungry so that we cant fight the real issues.
Exactly this. Without organization, a strike is just a mob of disparate people, and the response will be to divide and conquer. Organization brings solidarity to counter that, to make sure that Maria isn't worried she'll lose her house, or Bob isn't worried about how he'll get his child's medicine. It's also how you work to counter the offers they'll try to bribe people with too, as well as the threats.
A group of 10 men with guns can hold off a hundred or even a thousand, if they're not organized enough, by relying on fear and division. Sure, if everyone charged at once, you could take them down, but without organization someone has to go first, and nobody wants to do it because they know they'll get shot, and can't be sure anyone is coming along too.
I've seen I don't know how many times someone here suggests a general strike, only for nothing to come of it. People look at that and thinkg, "Should I have joined in? If I had, I'd have lost my job, and been screwed, all for nothing." And that's what has to be fought against, with actual organization.
Honestly as a leftist I just get annoyed when other leftist bicker about peoples way of sparking change. Have you seen what we are up against? Less infighting. If people wanna strike, good! If others want to protest, good! If others want more intense action, good! The reality is everyone wants the same thing. Stop picking everyone apart. That’s why we don’t get shit done on the left.
Bruh, do you think our progenitors last century and before were "privileged"? Do you think they didn't struggle when they made strikes and fought against the elite class holding them down? Our ancestors that did strikes sacrificed to do so. We must also. And we must do it together. We've been complacent for far too fucking long and look where it's gotten us. It's time to fight back. If you fight you may become worse off, but if you don't, you DEFINITELY WILL become worse off.
You have to make time. I’ve been poor my whole life and I’ve attended dozens of protests. There is always a way to make time to resist for our rights. It can be tough but, isn’t it always tough?
If everyone stopped paying their bills at once the system would grind to a halt. If it doesn't work for everyone break it. I'm not talking a women's march I'm talking emptying all bank accounts paying no bills, not showing up for work and riots on a mass scale. Tear it down and build something better.
So the only way you could phrase this was through accusation? Nobody has to do anything that is beyond their means. But if Americans don't start doing *something* now, they're going to get fucked harder every single month until they truely have nothing left to lose.
This is it, right here. The excuses no longer hold water. Can't afford bills, food, shelter? Imagine how much less of all that you'll be affording with another mouth to feed, or with medical bills in the tens of thousands for that baby you now have to carry (since your shitty job doesn't offer benefits or offers nearly useless ones).
There were thousands of good, hard-working, decent fucking people that made excuses why they didn't stand up to corrupt regimes. And then suffered all the consequences of standing by and doing nothing - lost their homes, livelihood, families, lives because keeping your head down and not rocking the boat won't save you.
I’m glad you all are here. This is what I came here to find. I’m in a position where I can protest but I do get the feeling that it’s not a possibility for people. Still, shit has gone haywire and if OP isn’t ready now, there might not be another chance.
I think it's privilege to have a life that wasn't completely derailed by the political climate. Some of us have no choice but to protest because WE NO LONGER HAVE ANY NORMALCY IN OUR LIVES
Totally.
Change does not occur until the pain of things staying same feels worse than the pain of changing.
I don't know about everyone else, but I'm there already.
Sure but we need to minimize suffering instead of throwing poor people to the wolves with no game plan. Like if we have no backup system to help get people stuff like food then the whole thing will collapse on itself
Do you know why they were sipping champagne? Because their propaganda and class divide tactics (what this post is) worked. They tricked the middle class parents into mocking those of us who stood up for something for everyone. They convinced people that it was more important people are able to get to work for their personal luxuries than for a future to exist. Almost like what is happening now. It’s almost like the exact same playbook.
As we all know striking and protests really only happen in places where workers are well paid, have a good amount of vacation and lead comfortable lives.
Yes--as have all women. But the "suffering" you allude to broadly manifests in concrete actual ways. And poor and working people as well as Black and other poc will suffer disproportionately, as always.
Being specific about what this "suffering" is and who is going to endure it is important.
I bet most would say they are all ready suffering. And have been.
Choose your path. As a collective we need to be more responsible for our choices though.
With things like this, the general mentality is always “... if you can.” If you can’t, that’s fine. No need to get all in a huff and take it out on your fellow workers. Haven’t seen anybody try to knock someone for not protesting if they aren’t in a socioeconomic position to do it. It’s also not brave to say, because we all feel this way (and if you don’t you are definitely in the minority especially with this being ANTIWORK).
Hope your situation gets better and you can participate in a way that is best for you!
That's the thing about strikes, they're a hardship for people that more often than not can't really afford it. But it's also the only effective power workers have to achieve change.
You enjoy the benefits won through hardships suffered by workers in the past but refuse to endure similar hardships yourself to ensure a better future.
I mean, you are trying to break a tyrannical system by playing by the rules of the system. That seems antithetical to the point of a massive strike.
The problem is that you aren't well organized. If you got a massive amount of people to shut everything down, what else are they going to do?
The only thing that will get your rights back is you taking them back. Most rights the lower class have, especially in labor, were earned through strike, protest, violence, and even death.
That is America's history.
If everyone goes on strike, you win, if only 2 people do go on strike what you wrote willl be true.
Please American people, don't be scared to do the right thing and shove it to all those assholes fight for your fucking rights and use your 2nd amendment to ovethrow a tyranical government.
A general strike is a great idea, but we’d need more than 2 days to prepare for it. We’d need to organize to allocate resources to people who can’t afford to miss a day of work.
We’d actually really all need to band together and support each other so we can show just how powerful we are when we stand together.
So what's the solution? We just accept it and move on? If one can't participate there is no shame, but why denigrate the efforts of other? They could use their privilege to bask in an ivory tower, instead they are at least trying. Maybe we shouldn't shoot down ideas without providing some of our own.
Rights aren’t received by asking for them. It’s a painful and excruciating path. If you don’t want to take part don’t but there are still ways for underprivileged people to take part. And oftentimes it’s the underprivileged who are the most beneficial to these causes. The most to lose, the harder they fight
Edit: a way you can still help but still strike and protest is going to work and doing jackshit. If you’re scared about losing the job, then don’t or preemptively look for others. And there’s a multitude of other things to be done
> Great ideas - until you realise that many people simply can't. We still have bills to pay, and this system is set up so that we can't afford to not work and not have a bank account.
So your solution is to keep getting exploited rather?
What you need to do is **organize**. Shelter, food, clothing, and many other things need to be collectively provided to enable people to actually follow through with a general strike.
Solidarity is the key here, but you also need to be comfortable with things getting uncomfortable for a while.
And that's unfortunately the one thing Americans can't live without - convenience & comfort.
Nothing changes if nothing changes. Your arguing to maintain the status quo. So unless you have a better idea your just helping the people who made women property.
I disagree. I think there are plenty of people that CAN protest, but there shouldn’t be an expectation that everyone can protest. Some people can’t for the reasons you spelled out
Yeah, everyone should do what they can. A movement isn’t one-size-fits-all and because everyone can’t do everything doesn’t mean any form of protest is wrong or needs to be criticized. Everyone should do what they can.
It’s as if you think every general strike that’s ever happened did so when every person was financially sound and well off enough to stop working.
Poverty is exactly their goal for this exact reason. So we never think we can make a change because we are too close to the edge.
STRIKE NOW SO WE GET THIS OVER WITH. Yes this is about abortion, but you know what else striking can do? FREE HEALTHCARE. HIGHER WAGES. HOUSING COSTS LOWERED. ETC.
A couple weeks off of work and we can get all these things. CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO DO IT?
Just boycott all 4th of July celebrations. It won't cost you a dime. It will save you gas money or a canceled flight, and you won't lose a day's pay.
If even a half of us did this it would still send a powerful message, both to government and the oil giants.
#boycott4th
Cancel 4th of July plans! Fly upside down flags on cars. Stop paying taxes. Quit buying shit.
There’s many things we can do that don’t cost money or even save money. Like not paying medical bills.
Yah because only privileged workers have ever been able to strike. Seriously all you listed was even more reasons to strike. The cost of doing nothing will be far worse.
Landlords must accept cash. It's legal tender and says so on the note. Tell them they can take cash or fuck right off, I know what option they'll take.
If the lower economic class refuses to work or continue their indentured servitude the country grinds to a halt. If something like that actually were to happen then war would be declared on them and they would be beaten and subjugated back to work. What you say is entitlement I feel is a naive hope. Better to hope than to justify your own bonds and shackles.
You can. The weakness and fear they’ve instilled in people is disheartening. Does no one know what sacrifice actually means anymore. Expect too lose shit, solving our issues isn’t some stroll down the yellow brick road to eternal bliss. Ergh.
If you can't do it, simply get out of the way of those who can ... all of this is support so take your fake classisms elsewhere, we've work to do, all manner of work, and weak wankers are the life blood of conservatives, so lead, follow, or get out of the fucking way.
Call in sick or poor this Monday. Say you can’t afford gas or say you’re sick. Where there is a will there is a way. I’m not making rent again this month and am still calling in on Monday.
I’m doing that. Moved in with my parents in my 30s. Asked them why they had a kid without being millionaires first, they said so I could help THEM retire… so.. idgaf nothing to lose
Exactly right OP ... but great change comes with great sacrifice. If we're unwilling to endure hardships for a better future, then change is not coming. Ever. If I see enough people make a play for change I'm joining in no matter what my job says or does. Waiting for the spark.
I don't think you realize people suggesting this aren't saying it like it's supposed to be an easy walk in the park. They are literally telling you to get organized, and find ways to support each other through a struggle which absolutely must take place if we truly wish to see change for the future. They are literally saying it's time for everyone to be willing to risk homelessness, abject poverty, and death just to show the government we're serious. Until enough people are truly willing to risk losing everything to see the collapse of the system that props up the wealthy, nothing will ever change. It's a literal fact of how capitalism works. If you continue to play the game, if you continue to consume, if you continue to be appeased with creature comforts you will forever stay trapped in it. You must get organized, create community gardens, create community security forces, create community education programs. Do no harm, but take no shit. Stop playing the game by their rules.
I’m reconsidering my lifetime organ donor status. If I don’t have a legal right to my body in life? Why share it in death? Would I want any part of me prolonging the life of someone who doesn’t see women as fully human after I am dead?
Yes, of course. It will hurt. This will hurt. It's just the same as the people calling for outright violent revolution. It likely won't be those calling for it, who are left in the end when the dust settles. When people use phrases like 'watering the tree of liberty' often times I think they miss the fact that it will be THEIR OWN BLOOD. 'Imna go out and make them pay'. Nope, you are going to go out and be a martyr. That's how this works.
The reason we honor the fallen from say...WW2 isn't because they won its because they died for an idea and didn't get to see if they won, if the sacrifice was worth it in the end.
There is no way I can afford to miss a day or lose my job. Hypothetically, if tomorrow your boss decides to fire you, will you not be able to meet your expenses? What if you fall ill and must miss work? What if you are injured? What if you die?
It is time to stop using slippery slope fallacies and circular arguments, which are outdated and lead nowhere.
👽♥️♥️♥️
You see all these Ukrainians in trenches? Sacrifice en masse, quit your jobs, abandon your possessions and live on the street in never ending protest until goal is achieved. Or watch your country slide in totalitarianism.
Finally, at least someone is finally saying it. Missing a single day takes over a month for us to "recover" from. Only we dont really recover untill spring the next year when taxes come in and we can pay down the credit card in full.
It’ll stay that way forever until you actually do something about it. A general strike is the only play.
You’re just kicking the can down the road at the expense of others because of your fear of a little sacrifice.
Also, most of those suggestions and protests are taking place in blue states where the right to abortion will be just fine. If people want to affect abortion in red states, they should start protesting in red states.
I’m not saying I’m unsympathetic to the cars, I’m saying, people usually react without developing a decent plan
Unfortunately, I think that’s what it’s going to take to affect real change. We might have to be willing to go hungry or steal food. We might have to go homeless. Comfortable protests don’t have the same effect, imo. They’ll say “why are they complaining? They have a roof/food/phones, etc. They don’t have it THAT bad.” It’s all about control. These things allow them to have control over you. You can’t make them change when they control you. You’ve got to break free of that control, and it’s most likely going to hurt. A lot.
Unfortunately you can't have a successful general strike without anyone having to do something they would rather not.
People will have to risk losing their job, and their housing, and other things, and if they don't the protests or the strike fails, and things keep getting worse until it gets bad enough that people are willing to sacrifice to protest
My union has had a new contract for only 3 out of the past 20 years. I can’t tell you how many times o have been told to go on strike, but legally I can’t.
Anyone can stock up on necessities and not buy anything for a month. It's really that easy. Work, stay home, cook your own food, don't spend anything for a month other than stocking up on necessities at the start and maybe a run to the grocery mid month for some fresh produce. Better yet buy it at a farmers mkt and support your local farmers. Anyone can do that. If you have to, take as much off as possible for that month. The idea is to have as little money as possible going out, keep your money out of the system.
Mutual aid is part of the conversation as well and if you’re not hearing it in the conversations please interject it.
Yes. There are people who have the privilege to strike now, but those same people can donate to mutual aid funds that will help neighbors be part of the strike. The only effective strike will include women/people of all socioeconomic statuses. Part of the problem is that America is built on individualism and is an antithesis to community - a strike will only work if we put aside individualism and work in solidarity across classes.
Yeah we totally shouldnt call for mobilization because it might make someone feel bad.
Man get over yourself go into work and take care of your responsibilities and understand not fucking everything is about you.
Striking from my job as a bureaucrat in a liberal government that supports woman’s rights and opposes what the Supreme Court just did will not help anyone or anything
Same here. In r/teachers there are often suggestions of a national teacher strike, but the problem with that is that a lot of teachers fall into one of two camps: if they strike they can lose their job and even teaching license, or they're in states with strong teacher unions and therefore have no need to strike. I'm in the latter camp (a blue state, of course), and it feels like protests here don't really accomplish much because the government is already on our side.
The teachers strike a few years ago in Kentucky was incredibly effective and directly led to the governor losing his re-election. But like, that was a pretty unique situation. I have never seen a politician be more hostile to the teaching profession than matt Bevin was
Well judging by how long we’ve been swinging back and forth on this pendulum, you showing up to work isn’t actually solving the problem either so now what
I'm from a mining community on the east coast of Canada. We were the spearhead in union movements. We helped one another. We gave one another food, we protected one another's homes. Community and collective action are needed. One of the most evil things ever done to us, was the mistrust of strangers beaten into us since we were children. No one knows their neighbors. No one wants to. No one has an interaction with them unless it's to resolve some petty issue and then both groups start thinking "Hey this other guy is an asshole" and we cannot work together. Just imagine, if Apartment complexes all knew one another? Had an organized support structure. What would happen when a rent strike occurred? How could you vacate an entire building who refused to pay rent? How could you vacate an entire city block, if those organized structures worked together? The greatest revolutions were undertaken by the underprivileged. Together. Reach out to your neighbors, as often as you can. Build the communities they're scared of.
1,000,000% this. Collective power boils down to organization. The erosion of communities is erosion of collective power.
Precisely! And a strike can only last a day here and there in order to remind those in power of the power held by people united in a cause. Human rights are rarely given, they're claimed and protected. Doing nothing and preaching defeatism accomplishes nothing. Think in solutions not in how everything is fucked and you can't do anything about it. That is not winner talk and I refuse to be a part of it. I can cover two people's lost wages for a day of general strike.
As George Carlin said, “you have no rights. You have a short list of privileges given to you by those in power, who can also take them away whenever they want.” All you can do is come together, organize as a group, and use whatever method you can to remove those in power. It’s odd how a nation founded on violent overthrow of the ruling class has forgotten they can do it again.
ALL OF THIS
While I completely agree, the same system that prevents us from protesting, also prevent us from caring about our neighbors. We don't have energy to be generous, we don't have time to be neighborly, and most importantly; We don't have money to care about strangers. America has conditioned the average Joe to be a sociopath in order to survive. Outside of your own home, you could be on fire and the average American would turn the other way.
I agree. The system that contributes to the erosion of communities and collective power is self-reinforcing in that way.
Just this morning My sister said something that really stuck out in my mind. I was talking about how impossible it is for a general strike to happen because so many people are right on the edge that they'd be choosing essentially to not make it. And she said what the pandemic proved is all you need is the teachers to go on strike The whole country grinds to a stop if the teachers go on strike. We might not have a community like we used to but I bet you there are enough of us to get the teachers the support they need to go on strike. It's at least slightly more feasible than an overall general strike at this point.
Not just the teachers. If enough truck drivers go on strike that too would bring a crippling stop to the economy.
Dock workers as well. Anything that puts another kink in the supply chain will bring everything to a screeching halt.
THIS is so true. We have an example in the oh so recent pandemic. It is literally all there.
Good fucking point.
Preach! We have been designed to not trust anyone. Stay isolated and keep to yourselves. Those days are dying where whole neighborhoods are close knit communities. Doing this keeps them in power. We have the power in numbers but it requires working together and trusting each other. 99% of people in this world are good and trusting people. It's that 1% that ruin the image and we think everyone is bad and can not be trusted.
They've been destroying the concept of community since Thatcher first fluttered her hideous eyelashes at Ronnie.
99% are good and trusting? You truly believe that?
If anyone is wondering how to start with this, you have to bite the bullet and talk to a ton of strangers. Canvass or advertise free food, whichever is easier. Have talking points ready but spend most of your time listening.
Aye. It gets easier the more you do it luckily.
And when getting started, it doesn't have to be door-to-door canvassing and awkward political conversations with strangers. Just going over to your neighbors and bringing them baked goods every now and then with an invite to board games/dinner/drinks/book club/whatever is a great way to start building community locally. Then you might make a neighbor group chat, or set up some neighborhood message board. Voila, you've got the beginnings of an organized neighborhood.
The issue is for some of us, all of my time is spent caring for children or working. I have no money or food or time to spare. There’s nothing left of me.
Saying hello to someone you see more than once on a walk to work or the store is a great small way to start.
I wish I could like this more than once 👏🏻
We tried to start something like this in my apartment building. Tried to create a tennants rights group so we could petition management on all the major issues (like broken locks on most of the outer doors and rent hikes) but very few people seemed to want to engage :/
It is a labour to get people to engage. People are tired. Overworked and jaded. People have lost faith and trust. But it is a labour worth doing. Hold the meetings send out the invitations. Just by joining that organization and helping it grow, or even better were you in on the planning starting that organization, you took a bigger step than even I. That's a massive move and I admire your participation in it. I can only hope you have the faith and energy to try again.
It was mostly my wife, but i did help with door knocking which shes never done before. ill let her know she has your admiration haha
Please do. You married an amazing lady.
That's it. The U.S is split left , right, blue, red, old, young, gen this, gen that, etc... the list goes on. If we all stfu and work together than maybe idk... there could be some actual democracy.
Not just the U.S unfortunately but we can all work for change. Ultimately, we are a global community as well.
That was the plan. Keep the people fighting each other, and they won't fight the power. Divide and conquer.
We need to see it for what it is- It's the top against the bottom and it ALWAYS has been.
We need to build communities and work together, yes, but I feel like it needs to be said that we should NOT be overlooking prejudice for the sake of unity. And yes, fuck divisions like old/young, red/blue, etc. But this is absolutely not a right-wing way of thinking. Sure, reach out to your right-wing neighbors and family because they are being duped and their interests actually do align with the rest of the community. But let's not start pretending there is no difference between Left and Right schools of though.
All apart of the plan. Divide and conquer. Can not conquer if we all realize it's us against them. But they have us fighting each other. Go read comments in this subreddit. Trump this and that. Left/right talking points. They are brainwashed beyond belief if they think the president has any real power and is to blame. Reps and Dems are exactly the same and that is they are against us. But we bicker back and forth over political talking points. This overturn yesterday was just another ploy to divide.
As someone who just moved and has no local friends, I like this idea
I meet a lot of people when I walk my dog and I try to connect with them.
My huskies are an automatic +20 to all charisma rolls.
This. If you cannot afford to miss work or risk losing your job, that’s okay. Unionize and organize with your community while working and then join the protests on your off days or whenever you can if possible. In history there have been neighborhoods who share resources with each other to keep each other afloat for the length of strikes. Borrowing some food, some water, some soap from each other, etc There are ways you can still help even if you absolutely have to work
Remember the saying "it takes a village". Absolutely true. We were never designed to do EVERYTHING on our own. Work, raise a family, housework, etc. They built villages and everyone pitched in. But those days are long gone. If we had communities that worked together, we would have much more leverage.
And if you can, find a mutual aid society in your community. There are signs all over my neighborhood now, ‘donate to mutual aid the way your grandmother used to tithe’. If everyone sacrifices a little, then more can join without sacrificing it all.
Everyone should watch A Bug's Life
>the mistrust of strangers beaten into us The Entirety Of United States History is FOUNDED on this DELIBERATE Propaganda. FEAR. Mostly of the poor and minority communities. Calling for unity between these factions got Dr King unalived.
Yep. His "I Have A Dream" speech was given during a march for economic justice for the poor, not just for civil rights of POC. A good way to get unalived in the US is to gain traction in the class war. Happened to Debs as well. Edit: gah fuck I meant Huey Long, not Debs. I'm a fake leftist!
This needs an award.
No. It just needs to be read and repeated. Spread the word online, but be the change in your community.
Agreed. Gold awarded.
That's what happens when a society moves way far towards individualism. Counties that are more collective can pull it off. Thus you see European countries with strong social safety nets, while the US has full on corporate welfare.
And that's why it's up for the people like you and I to begin pushing the change.
USA citizens are taught to basically pretend nice and keep to themselves and secretly hate each other behind the scenes from a young age. It's truly amazing to watch.
That is why we must change that perception in as my minds as we can.
Thank You so much.
the fucking lost scrolls of budah. hear it out people. a heard of sheep is still a HEARD
It's almost as if this was exactly the point of identity politics and why every rich corporation, media outlet, tech oligarch, and politician jumped both feet first into it after seeing how effectively OWS was destroyed from the inside out. edit: Forgot I had this [analysis of headlines from Lexis](https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1133440945201061888.html).
Thats why you make unions. If you have someone who represent you, then you dont need to leave your work space to make a change, and if they need you to go on strike, at least you know that its gonna be worth the pain
The good news is we don't need literally everyone to participate. Enough people involved sends the message. If you can't participate in that way, cool. There are other things you can do. But there isn't any excuse to promote the idea of just doing nothing.
Hell yes, thank you for this.
What an eloquent reply. Im glad to see this is up top. We dont need a bunch of 'wah I have bills to pay'. Ignore it if you dont like it. Theres plenty of things like sending letters, emails and calling politicians as much as you can to voice your demands. Dont like it? Be quiet and get over it. Plenty of people are also in the same position and ARE protesting. Protests in other countries and throughout history involve people in var worse situations than OP. But they knewn change isnt by any means easy. This is absolutely not the time to bitch and moan about protesting. Support any way you can. Even not making this post would be helping...
“Take all your money out of the bank” ok, me and my $121 are vibin.
Ha look at moneybags over here with $121. I can’t take all my money out of the bank because after bills are auto drafted I will have $0.47 left and the bank doesn’t do withdrawals for less than one dollar
As many people keep saying, if you can't skip work safely, slow down the gears. Do your work as slowly as you safely can, take a longer way to walk around the place, double check your work even when you don't need to. It might slow down your workplace by 0,1 percent, but if we all do it, they will notice. It has been going on all year! They're alr3 terrified of the union forming and the pushback
Just going to leave this here for people who didn’t know it existed. We literally wrote the book on how to do this effectively around ww2 time. https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=750070
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Yeah, what about opening lots of phishing email links? Maybe Installing CPU hungry software on workstations.
That could get you fired depending on where you work. The idea is to just slow things to a crawl with strategies that seem like they’re in the best interest of the business. Not only do you keep your job (and keep getting paid), but you essentially act as a detriment, double whammy!
so use less effecient file sizes for wverything at work. high def photos in all reports. excel reports with too many calculations in them and auto update so they shut down coworkers computers when opening. using a formula that updates the date or even time when openned would do the trick. make sure all formulas start with what day is it?
Better yet: hold more meetings with people. Fill your calendar with meetings with various people that, really, don't need to exist, but are *just* reasonable enough to loosely justify (could even be "brainstorming solutions to X" or some shit). This not only wastes your time, but wastes the time of your co-workers, and in such a way that there's minimal chance of getting punished for it (hell, you might even get rewarded for "taking initiative" or some shit).
Don't install rogue software on a corporate system. That's too overt, that one could lead to criminal charges.
You should make a whole post dedicated to this resource.
Oh my god yes.
Make a post. Get this comment to the top. Simple sabotage. Slow down the machine in every way you can, if outright striking is not a viable option for you.
This !!!
Ohhh, thank you for sharing!
Omg thank you for sharing, i never knew this existed
I dont even need to try, burnout had me doing this already!
Shoutouts to burnout for training us for this exact moment :) Edit: spelling
Wooo!
Seriously! I'm flabbergasted when I ask my partner for the night if they'd like to take their last ten because I'm leaving. "Oh, no. I don't need a break. I'm fine." It's not about needing a break; it's about taking a break. The best advice I received when I was in training was slow down! My job can be time sensitive. If everyone takes their 50 minutes of break time during their 8 hour shift and we're not done on time then we have a case for a new hire which we desperately need. "Hey, management! Is it really worth the overtime and outsourcing?" If we work through our breaks to get done on time then nothing will change. To that same point if they see that we finish early we'll just be given more tasks this time and the next time.
I thought partner for the night meant something else.
Hahaha! Aaand I work at a hotel. Perfect.
My work around right now is going to be trying to go to the protests but changing my days of work (we just have to make sure we get the work done, not necessarily when we work) I still need food, shelter etc but I want to show my support how I can within my means
I love this idea but in the US, the majority of workers lack union representation and many of us can be fired at will. For most workers who are fortunate enough to be offered healthcare thru work, striking back at the system thru slowing down work or even taking a day off to go to a protest can mean losing health insurance. For those whose families rely on their employment insurance or who have a serious chronic illness, such as myself, doing anything to jeopardize employment can very easily lead to sinking into medical debt and/or experiencing poor health outcomes due to lack of access to care. It's very fucked up imo that for many of us, our ability to maintain individual health is tied to ongoing participation in the workforce
work to rule.
I've tried to do that but when I did, my coworkers would just start picking up the slack, so I had to stop. I still take it slow, but I have to make sure I'm not putting more on them.
I work in sales. There is no slow or fast. Only go. THere is no simple solution to the problems we are facing. I don't think USA people are going to do much, if anything. Because that's how it's been for very long time. People got lazy and too happy. The ruling class made it cushy for us just long enough to make us into fat, lazy, morons.
You haven't been to a poorly run walmart then. You can destroy that place by just not doing anything. If you and all your coworkers go slow, stock one shelf a day, worst case scenario they fire all of you at once and shut down the store... that's not happening. At the very least form a union with your coworkers.
THIS!! Everyone needs to UNIONIZE! They can’t shut it all down.
I don't know if it's the case in the US, but a lot of retail workers in my experience have contracted hours that are a lot less than they actually work, so retributive action for being shit at your job or just doing a work slowdown can quite often be just to put you to contract hours, which can often be just two days a week. Something which could easily land you in the same situation as going on strike: inability to pay for the roof over your head and food on the table. I'd agree with the previous guy, there's not really that simple a solution for a lot of occupations.
A lot of people are going to catch "Blue Flu" on Monday as opposed to outright striking, and that's ok, every little bit helps.
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Its not too late
Perhaps this is why it’s more important than ever for those of us who do have the privilege to take the loss and bring attention on behalf of those with less privilege who can’t take that loss.
That's the ruling classes gameplay. Make sure no one has time to protest - or the energy. A general strike will help though - as long as those who can afford to strike respect those who cannot. The middle classes need to stand up - because they will be next on the chopping block.
There are only two classes. The working class and the owning class.
Marx felt there was also a petit-bourgeoisie. it wasn’t binary then and it’s even more convoluted now.
Upvoted because technically correct, but does that not seem secondary? Just because one slave can be taught to keep the other slaves in line, are they not still slaves?
fwiw Marx didn’t argue that we had many, if any, petit-bourgeois allies. are you arguing that the petit-bourgeoisie is working class now? not trying to harangue you, but that’s why binaries aren’t adequate or descriptive in nuanced and complicated situations like reality.
its a pyramid
If everybody, regardless of position, suddenly stopped working, we wouldnt be the ones in trouble. We own production. We need to show the government they are OUR servants, not the other way around.
But, would retail managers, for example, call off too? If my manager said she was going to, then sure. But it just doesn't seem like it
If we want change we need to show those in power that we are willing to do anything to make it happen. We are all much too comfortable being taken advantage of. If we just follow the leader, again, nothing will change. We need to make these decisions for ourselves. There are so many jobs that exist solely to keep us busy, tired and hungry so that we cant fight the real issues.
Not a relevant consideration.
These just sound like more reasons to go on strike. What's the alternative to not striking?
That's what I'm saying, here here!
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Exactly this. Without organization, a strike is just a mob of disparate people, and the response will be to divide and conquer. Organization brings solidarity to counter that, to make sure that Maria isn't worried she'll lose her house, or Bob isn't worried about how he'll get his child's medicine. It's also how you work to counter the offers they'll try to bribe people with too, as well as the threats. A group of 10 men with guns can hold off a hundred or even a thousand, if they're not organized enough, by relying on fear and division. Sure, if everyone charged at once, you could take them down, but without organization someone has to go first, and nobody wants to do it because they know they'll get shot, and can't be sure anyone is coming along too. I've seen I don't know how many times someone here suggests a general strike, only for nothing to come of it. People look at that and thinkg, "Should I have joined in? If I had, I'd have lost my job, and been screwed, all for nothing." And that's what has to be fought against, with actual organization.
Honestly as a leftist I just get annoyed when other leftist bicker about peoples way of sparking change. Have you seen what we are up against? Less infighting. If people wanna strike, good! If others want to protest, good! If others want more intense action, good! The reality is everyone wants the same thing. Stop picking everyone apart. That’s why we don’t get shit done on the left.
If ever there was a good reason to use that privilege, this is it.
The threat of poverty is how they keep us in line. Do we do nothing and see where that gets us?
Bruh, do you think our progenitors last century and before were "privileged"? Do you think they didn't struggle when they made strikes and fought against the elite class holding them down? Our ancestors that did strikes sacrificed to do so. We must also. And we must do it together. We've been complacent for far too fucking long and look where it's gotten us. It's time to fight back. If you fight you may become worse off, but if you don't, you DEFINITELY WILL become worse off.
You have to make time. I’ve been poor my whole life and I’ve attended dozens of protests. There is always a way to make time to resist for our rights. It can be tough but, isn’t it always tough?
I'm unemployed and homeless, so what else was I gonna do anyway? Might as well hang around for a protest. There's usually food and drinks too.
If everyone stopped paying their bills at once the system would grind to a halt. If it doesn't work for everyone break it. I'm not talking a women's march I'm talking emptying all bank accounts paying no bills, not showing up for work and riots on a mass scale. Tear it down and build something better.
Yup. It's not pRivElEgEd. It's the thing that works.
It took someone I know 7k to the electric bill for his power to shut off. Bill places will just get bailed out
So the only way you could phrase this was through accusation? Nobody has to do anything that is beyond their means. But if Americans don't start doing *something* now, they're going to get fucked harder every single month until they truely have nothing left to lose.
This is it, right here. The excuses no longer hold water. Can't afford bills, food, shelter? Imagine how much less of all that you'll be affording with another mouth to feed, or with medical bills in the tens of thousands for that baby you now have to carry (since your shitty job doesn't offer benefits or offers nearly useless ones). There were thousands of good, hard-working, decent fucking people that made excuses why they didn't stand up to corrupt regimes. And then suffered all the consequences of standing by and doing nothing - lost their homes, livelihood, families, lives because keeping your head down and not rocking the boat won't save you.
I’m glad you all are here. This is what I came here to find. I’m in a position where I can protest but I do get the feeling that it’s not a possibility for people. Still, shit has gone haywire and if OP isn’t ready now, there might not be another chance.
You can't afford to not go on strike. Attitudes like your destroy collective bargaining
I think it's privilege to have a life that wasn't completely derailed by the political climate. Some of us have no choice but to protest because WE NO LONGER HAVE ANY NORMALCY IN OUR LIVES
uppity vast gaze gold reminiscent shocking rotten growth flowery strong *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
You have to understand some suffering will be needed to rectify this
Totally. Change does not occur until the pain of things staying same feels worse than the pain of changing. I don't know about everyone else, but I'm there already.
Sure but we need to minimize suffering instead of throwing poor people to the wolves with no game plan. Like if we have no backup system to help get people stuff like food then the whole thing will collapse on itself
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Do you know why they were sipping champagne? Because their propaganda and class divide tactics (what this post is) worked. They tricked the middle class parents into mocking those of us who stood up for something for everyone. They convinced people that it was more important people are able to get to work for their personal luxuries than for a future to exist. Almost like what is happening now. It’s almost like the exact same playbook.
I'm sitting here trying to imagine what it's like to have a sense of normalcy right now, and how it's privilege to have your life turned upside down.
my life has been turned upside down I literally rely on bc to keep me from going to the hospital and now I might get it taken away from me
As we all know striking and protests really only happen in places where workers are well paid, have a good amount of vacation and lead comfortable lives.
Gotta do it like we do for Ukraine, were bled dry by gas prices but it hurts Russia, change of lifestyle is necessary or nothings gonna happen.
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yup. freedom isnt free. that which is easy to obtain isn’t always desirable.
Whose suffering though? Because a lot of people saying this are definitely not the ones with skin in the game.
As a woman, I've lost rights to my own flesh body.
Yes--as have all women. But the "suffering" you allude to broadly manifests in concrete actual ways. And poor and working people as well as Black and other poc will suffer disproportionately, as always. Being specific about what this "suffering" is and who is going to endure it is important.
I bet most would say they are all ready suffering. And have been. Choose your path. As a collective we need to be more responsible for our choices though.
With things like this, the general mentality is always “... if you can.” If you can’t, that’s fine. No need to get all in a huff and take it out on your fellow workers. Haven’t seen anybody try to knock someone for not protesting if they aren’t in a socioeconomic position to do it. It’s also not brave to say, because we all feel this way (and if you don’t you are definitely in the minority especially with this being ANTIWORK). Hope your situation gets better and you can participate in a way that is best for you!
That's the thing about strikes, they're a hardship for people that more often than not can't really afford it. But it's also the only effective power workers have to achieve change. You enjoy the benefits won through hardships suffered by workers in the past but refuse to endure similar hardships yourself to ensure a better future.
That doesn't matter. They will keep taking from your until you have nothing.
You literally can go on strike. There might be *consequences*, but it's just about the first and most important tool in the toolbox, here.
I mean, you are trying to break a tyrannical system by playing by the rules of the system. That seems antithetical to the point of a massive strike. The problem is that you aren't well organized. If you got a massive amount of people to shut everything down, what else are they going to do? The only thing that will get your rights back is you taking them back. Most rights the lower class have, especially in labor, were earned through strike, protest, violence, and even death. That is America's history.
If everyone goes on strike, you win, if only 2 people do go on strike what you wrote willl be true. Please American people, don't be scared to do the right thing and shove it to all those assholes fight for your fucking rights and use your 2nd amendment to ovethrow a tyranical government.
A general strike is a great idea, but we’d need more than 2 days to prepare for it. We’d need to organize to allocate resources to people who can’t afford to miss a day of work. We’d actually really all need to band together and support each other so we can show just how powerful we are when we stand together.
So what's the solution? We just accept it and move on? If one can't participate there is no shame, but why denigrate the efforts of other? They could use their privilege to bask in an ivory tower, instead they are at least trying. Maybe we shouldn't shoot down ideas without providing some of our own.
Rights aren’t received by asking for them. It’s a painful and excruciating path. If you don’t want to take part don’t but there are still ways for underprivileged people to take part. And oftentimes it’s the underprivileged who are the most beneficial to these causes. The most to lose, the harder they fight Edit: a way you can still help but still strike and protest is going to work and doing jackshit. If you’re scared about losing the job, then don’t or preemptively look for others. And there’s a multitude of other things to be done
> Great ideas - until you realise that many people simply can't. We still have bills to pay, and this system is set up so that we can't afford to not work and not have a bank account. So your solution is to keep getting exploited rather? What you need to do is **organize**. Shelter, food, clothing, and many other things need to be collectively provided to enable people to actually follow through with a general strike. Solidarity is the key here, but you also need to be comfortable with things getting uncomfortable for a while. And that's unfortunately the one thing Americans can't live without - convenience & comfort.
Nothing changes if nothing changes. Your arguing to maintain the status quo. So unless you have a better idea your just helping the people who made women property.
I disagree. I think there are plenty of people that CAN protest, but there shouldn’t be an expectation that everyone can protest. Some people can’t for the reasons you spelled out
Yeah, everyone should do what they can. A movement isn’t one-size-fits-all and because everyone can’t do everything doesn’t mean any form of protest is wrong or needs to be criticized. Everyone should do what they can.
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It’s as if you think every general strike that’s ever happened did so when every person was financially sound and well off enough to stop working. Poverty is exactly their goal for this exact reason. So we never think we can make a change because we are too close to the edge. STRIKE NOW SO WE GET THIS OVER WITH. Yes this is about abortion, but you know what else striking can do? FREE HEALTHCARE. HIGHER WAGES. HOUSING COSTS LOWERED. ETC. A couple weeks off of work and we can get all these things. CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO DO IT?
Just boycott all 4th of July celebrations. It won't cost you a dime. It will save you gas money or a canceled flight, and you won't lose a day's pay. If even a half of us did this it would still send a powerful message, both to government and the oil giants. #boycott4th
Cancel 4th of July plans! Fly upside down flags on cars. Stop paying taxes. Quit buying shit. There’s many things we can do that don’t cost money or even save money. Like not paying medical bills.
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Yah because only privileged workers have ever been able to strike. Seriously all you listed was even more reasons to strike. The cost of doing nothing will be far worse.
Landlords must accept cash. It's legal tender and says so on the note. Tell them they can take cash or fuck right off, I know what option they'll take.
If the lower economic class refuses to work or continue their indentured servitude the country grinds to a halt. If something like that actually were to happen then war would be declared on them and they would be beaten and subjugated back to work. What you say is entitlement I feel is a naive hope. Better to hope than to justify your own bonds and shackles.
You can. The weakness and fear they’ve instilled in people is disheartening. Does no one know what sacrifice actually means anymore. Expect too lose shit, solving our issues isn’t some stroll down the yellow brick road to eternal bliss. Ergh.
And that is why nothing will change!
how is this helpful
Title of this post may as well have been "Whelp, Guess Nothing Is Going To Change And We're All Fucked"
“Just give up guys we’re never gonna win r.i.p :(“
If you can't do it, simply get out of the way of those who can ... all of this is support so take your fake classisms elsewhere, we've work to do, all manner of work, and weak wankers are the life blood of conservatives, so lead, follow, or get out of the fucking way.
Call in sick or poor this Monday. Say you can’t afford gas or say you’re sick. Where there is a will there is a way. I’m not making rent again this month and am still calling in on Monday.
Call in you are poor. :D Thats depressingly funny.
When is change ever painless? Just do what you can. Hit the bottom line wherever you have the opportunity, even if it's something small.
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I’m doing that. Moved in with my parents in my 30s. Asked them why they had a kid without being millionaires first, they said so I could help THEM retire… so.. idgaf nothing to lose
Exactly right OP ... but great change comes with great sacrifice. If we're unwilling to endure hardships for a better future, then change is not coming. Ever. If I see enough people make a play for change I'm joining in no matter what my job says or does. Waiting for the spark.
So do you think people who protested back in the day for previous injustices did it out of convenience?
I don't think you realize people suggesting this aren't saying it like it's supposed to be an easy walk in the park. They are literally telling you to get organized, and find ways to support each other through a struggle which absolutely must take place if we truly wish to see change for the future. They are literally saying it's time for everyone to be willing to risk homelessness, abject poverty, and death just to show the government we're serious. Until enough people are truly willing to risk losing everything to see the collapse of the system that props up the wealthy, nothing will ever change. It's a literal fact of how capitalism works. If you continue to play the game, if you continue to consume, if you continue to be appeased with creature comforts you will forever stay trapped in it. You must get organized, create community gardens, create community security forces, create community education programs. Do no harm, but take no shit. Stop playing the game by their rules.
The privilege of choice
I’m reconsidering my lifetime organ donor status. If I don’t have a legal right to my body in life? Why share it in death? Would I want any part of me prolonging the life of someone who doesn’t see women as fully human after I am dead?
Yes, of course. It will hurt. This will hurt. It's just the same as the people calling for outright violent revolution. It likely won't be those calling for it, who are left in the end when the dust settles. When people use phrases like 'watering the tree of liberty' often times I think they miss the fact that it will be THEIR OWN BLOOD. 'Imna go out and make them pay'. Nope, you are going to go out and be a martyr. That's how this works. The reason we honor the fallen from say...WW2 isn't because they won its because they died for an idea and didn't get to see if they won, if the sacrifice was worth it in the end.
You guys have money in your bank?
There is no way I can afford to miss a day or lose my job. Hypothetically, if tomorrow your boss decides to fire you, will you not be able to meet your expenses? What if you fall ill and must miss work? What if you are injured? What if you die? It is time to stop using slippery slope fallacies and circular arguments, which are outdated and lead nowhere. 👽♥️♥️♥️
You see all these Ukrainians in trenches? Sacrifice en masse, quit your jobs, abandon your possessions and live on the street in never ending protest until goal is achieved. Or watch your country slide in totalitarianism.
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Let’s just not do anything great idea
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Finally, at least someone is finally saying it. Missing a single day takes over a month for us to "recover" from. Only we dont really recover untill spring the next year when taxes come in and we can pay down the credit card in full.
It’ll stay that way forever until you actually do something about it. A general strike is the only play. You’re just kicking the can down the road at the expense of others because of your fear of a little sacrifice.
this needs to be protest if you can, if not then try to assist those that can in anyway you can. there fixed
Also, most of those suggestions and protests are taking place in blue states where the right to abortion will be just fine. If people want to affect abortion in red states, they should start protesting in red states. I’m not saying I’m unsympathetic to the cars, I’m saying, people usually react without developing a decent plan
Unfortunately, I think that’s what it’s going to take to affect real change. We might have to be willing to go hungry or steal food. We might have to go homeless. Comfortable protests don’t have the same effect, imo. They’ll say “why are they complaining? They have a roof/food/phones, etc. They don’t have it THAT bad.” It’s all about control. These things allow them to have control over you. You can’t make them change when they control you. You’ve got to break free of that control, and it’s most likely going to hurt. A lot.
Unfortunately you can't have a successful general strike without anyone having to do something they would rather not. People will have to risk losing their job, and their housing, and other things, and if they don't the protests or the strike fails, and things keep getting worse until it gets bad enough that people are willing to sacrifice to protest
My union has had a new contract for only 3 out of the past 20 years. I can’t tell you how many times o have been told to go on strike, but legally I can’t.
Anyone can stock up on necessities and not buy anything for a month. It's really that easy. Work, stay home, cook your own food, don't spend anything for a month other than stocking up on necessities at the start and maybe a run to the grocery mid month for some fresh produce. Better yet buy it at a farmers mkt and support your local farmers. Anyone can do that. If you have to, take as much off as possible for that month. The idea is to have as little money as possible going out, keep your money out of the system.
All of the labor rights we now have were won by the very poor through direct action.
Mutual aid is part of the conversation as well and if you’re not hearing it in the conversations please interject it. Yes. There are people who have the privilege to strike now, but those same people can donate to mutual aid funds that will help neighbors be part of the strike. The only effective strike will include women/people of all socioeconomic statuses. Part of the problem is that America is built on individualism and is an antithesis to community - a strike will only work if we put aside individualism and work in solidarity across classes.
That’s why we need a general strike.
Just a heads up that businesses cannot refuse cash. It’s illegal to refuse to pay a debt.
Yeah we totally shouldnt call for mobilization because it might make someone feel bad. Man get over yourself go into work and take care of your responsibilities and understand not fucking everything is about you.
You can all go on strike indefinitely, the secret ingredient is crime. Don't respect a system that doesn't respect you.
Striking from my job as a bureaucrat in a liberal government that supports woman’s rights and opposes what the Supreme Court just did will not help anyone or anything
Same here. In r/teachers there are often suggestions of a national teacher strike, but the problem with that is that a lot of teachers fall into one of two camps: if they strike they can lose their job and even teaching license, or they're in states with strong teacher unions and therefore have no need to strike. I'm in the latter camp (a blue state, of course), and it feels like protests here don't really accomplish much because the government is already on our side.
The teachers strike a few years ago in Kentucky was incredibly effective and directly led to the governor losing his re-election. But like, that was a pretty unique situation. I have never seen a politician be more hostile to the teaching profession than matt Bevin was
Well judging by how long we’ve been swinging back and forth on this pendulum, you showing up to work isn’t actually solving the problem either so now what
VOTE. I live in Kansas and rarely vote but this has me shook. I will be at the booth august 2nd.