Previously Published in The Socialist online www.thesocialist.us
In America there is a strong undercurrent of protestant work ethic.
Americans value hard work. I would even argue there is an obsession with
it. People are told that if they don’t work hard that they are
worthless. From the image of the “slacker” and “loser” to the stereotype
of the “welfare queen,” Americans view people who don’t work hard as
undeserving “leaches” and “moochers.” The stigma is thick for those who
refuse or reject the idea of hard work, or for reasons out of their own
control, are not able to obtain work.
There is also an American myth that hard work equals success and will
earn anyone a ticket to the “American Dream.” I call it a myth because
most of us know in our hearts that hard work does always not pay off.
People work their asses off and what do they have to show for it? The
vast majority of our labor value, which we produce through our hard
work, gets taken away from us and exploited by our bosses (who, let’s
face it, do not work nearly as hard as we do, yet gain nearly all the
benefits of our hard work).
The owners, as I call them, pay us a pittance and then reap most of
the profits we produce. They own the means of production, which they
often purchased with money they accumulated from inheritance, tax
shelters/breaks/havens, owning property, or exploiting other people.
Essentially they get the money through unethical means.
Since they own the means of production and most property, they own
us. And if we don’t work hard for them, they will find someone else who
will (we are replaceable and expendable). They have tricked us into
believing that hard work is good only so they can keep us working hard
for them in the hopes that we make headway someday. But that someday
never comes. The lower your wages and benefits the more they can extract
from you, and the richer they become.
In fact, Americans are working harder than ever. Productivity today
is through the roof. This is occurring as wages are mostly stagnant and
remain flat while the cost of living rises exponentially. I would argue
that hard work does not pay off and that we actually are being harmed by
working so damn hard. Working long hours at a job does not bring about
happiness as human beings. Spending our lives at work does not increase
our sense of wellbeing. It actually increases our stress and leaves us
little time to take care of ourselves or each other. What it actually
does is make someone else rich at our expense.
I advocate that we have a right to be lazy! We have the human need to
rest our minds, bodies, and spirits. We have the right to play, laugh,
sleep, eat, read, write, create, share, dream etc. and be in nature and
with each other. Of all human needs, something we spend most of our
lives killing ourselves over, money, does not bring us more satisfaction
in the end.
In addition, I, for one, am sick of seeing those memes going around
on the internet that say something to the effect of, “hold tight, the
weekend is almost here.” It has become apparent that people hate work
and we really need to ask ourselves if this is how we want to spend our
lives given that we have other choices. Furthermore, there are plenty of
low social, health, and economic indicators that prove Americans’
happiness and overall wellbeing are suffering due to our backward
economic, social, and political structures.
Look no further than this recent study of Denmark for a good example
of what is making others happy, and for what we desperately need here in
America:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/22/denmark-happiest-country_n_4070761.html
Recently, the government in Switzerland decided to hold a vote on
whether to give each citizen $2,800 a month as a guaranteed income per
month. Just imagine if Americans had that! We could be a lot freer to be
human beings, and not human doings.
A socialist transformation could bring us this sort of life. It’s
totally doable, too, if we shift our priorities and defund things like
war and prisons; tax the rich and corporations fairly; and socialize
healthcare and other industries to make them more cost-effective by
removing the profit motive. Collectively, we have the resources to
support everyone to live the best lives they can possibly live, despite
the lies being perpetuated that we are broke as a country.
We deserve a liberated life truly of our own where hard work is not
forced on us just to survive. One where we would own our own means of
production, form co-ops, and self-manage our workplaces collectively
with fellow workers, if we choose to work. Where life doesn’t come as
hard but is actually more purposeful and enjoyable and we can all reach
our fullest potential together. We could stop working so hard and start
working smart so that we can use our precious time more wisely. Now
that’s a future worth working hard for!
Previously Published in The Socialist online www.thesocialist.us
You know what sucks? Competing for jobs.
I am looking for a job right now and I was already passed up for one
because someone else was “more experienced.” In this tight job market
where there are a lot of qualified job applicants and not a lot of jobs,
it means that employers get the pick of the litter, but it also means
many people will go without jobs.
Without jobs we can’t afford to pay for things. And that means fewer
people to buy products, services, etc. It doesn’t help the economy when a
lot of people are unemployed. And it sure doesn’t help people, who are
struggling. More and more these days, people are slipping below the
poverty line as income inequality grows exponentially.
Why do we have to compete for jobs? Well, because capitalism says so.
Capitalism says that we should compete for jobs, for housing, and for
just about everything in life. Capitalism dictates that competition is
good. But last time I checked, it’s not.
In fact, I wish we were a cooperation-based society. That way
everyone would get a job doing meaningful work. We’re all hired! And
those with more experience would mentor those with less. And everyone
would collaborate on a team and would have an equal say in our work and
share equally what our labor produced.
You know what else sucks? That capitalism forces us to take jobs we
don’t like or don’t want to do. Capitalism says “take whatever job is
offered to you and be grateful you have a job!” Even if it’s a job that
overworks you and is soul-crushing, physically painful, mind-numbing and
unfulfilling.
Capitalism doesn’t care what you are passionate about, what makes you
happy, or ignites your inner spirit. Capitalism says if you don’t do
this job then you can starve. That’s the bitter taste of force.
Of course capitalism will try to trick you into thinking you have a
choice. A choice to work for corporation A or B. A choice to work a job
that exploits you in this town or the one next to it. But what kind of
choice is that?
Capitalism doesn’t care about your feelings, your talents, skills, or
contributions. Capitalism only cares about making money off of you. And
if you can’t make someone else money, well capitalism sees you as
worthless.
I don’t want to compete for jobs I don’t want. I want to get hired to
do a job that I want to do and be paid what I am worth— a living wage. I
want to be treated like a human being, not a commodity. If anyone
should gain from my labor it should be the people I serve in my
community, not a master called a boss.
Forget this! I am ready to trade in this crappy system for one that
makes me come alive. And competition and force just ain’t getting it for
me. Sign me up for socialism!
Previously Published in The Socialist online www.thesocialist.us
Recently a young African-American mother named Miriam Carey (34) was
driving erratically close to the Washington DC capitol and police were
trying to stop her. Imagining the worst case scenario — that she
possibly had a bomb inside her car — they feared she may be a threat.
However, the real threat was the police, who shot Miriam dead (even
after she exited her car without a weapon), with her one-year-old
daughter in the back seat.
It turns out Miriam had a mental illness and had active delusions
about President Obama. Many people lack a fundamental understanding of
mental illness and how it can operate. As someone who has a major mental
illness (bipolar I disorder), and is a social worker, I understand it
first-hand.
When someone is psychotic and/or delusional, they often do not have
much or any control over their thoughts and actions. It is hard to
imagine a person losing touch with reality to that degree, but our
brains are very powerful. When a person is in that state of mind, they
are very vulnerable. In fact, contrary to popular belief, people with
severe mental illness are more likely to harm themselves or be harmed by
others, than to be dangerous to other people.
The danger from others is often because of the lack of understanding
people about mental illness. Lack of information coupled with the stigma
of mental illness keeps people from knowing accurate and important
information that could save lives.
It’s important that people know that mental illness is very common.
It is estimated that half of all people will develop a mental illness in
their lifetime. Currently, 50 million people (1 in 5) have a diagnosed
mental illness in America (not to mention all those who are
undiagnosed).
So for something seen as so taboo and “weird,” mental illness is
actually fairly normal and part of many people’s everyday lives. People
tend to not talk about it due to shame, but it’s time we started talking
about it. As fellow social worker and shame and resiliency researcher,
Brene’ Brown, says, “Shame needs three things to grow exponentially in
our lives: secrecy, silence, and judgment.”
People with mental illnesses do not deserve mistreatment.
The Miriam Carey’s of the world are deserving of respect and should
be viewed as having worth and value. I often imagine if I were in the
middle of a manic episode and out on the street if any one of these
people could be me, and, if so, how I would want people to interact with
me. Would I want someone to draw a gun on me and start screaming at me?
Would I want someone to threaten me or try to subdue me with force? I
imagine those things being very scary and threatening. I imagine, with
great dread, being killed, through no fault of my own, simply because I
have a mental illness.
I think the police’s approach to people with mental illness needs a
lot of work. Their “shoot first, ask questions later” policy leads to
excessive force. I understand in emergency situations that police
sometimes become panicked due to stress, but that is why proper and
extensive training is needed, as well as clear and structured protocols
to intervene and diffuse situations properly. Police should protect
those with mental illnesses, not view them as suspect and dangerous.
Although mental illness is biological, genetic, environmental, and
social-cultural, we know capitalism creates social alienation and
enormous amounts of interpersonal, relational, and social stress on
individuals and families.
Under socialism we would have a universal single-payer socialized
healthcare system, where everyone could get proper mental health care.
Under socialism, we would structure society differently so people would
no longer work a 40+ hour week, and would have more time to devote to
self-care. Under socialism we would provide for each other so no one
would live in poverty, violence, be homeless or hungry, and would be
less likely to experience trauma or stress, which contribute greatly to
mental illness.
I believe if we lived in a democratic socialist society we could see a
drastic reduction in mental illness and could even prevent a lot of it.
Socialism would treat people with mental illness as human beings, not
as a threat to be managed.
Previously published in The Socialist online. www.thesocialist.us
I remember a college Republican advisory of mine once said that he
didn’t believe there were starving kids in America because, at a school
where he worked, he saw children throwing away food. Our individual
experiences don’t always paint the complete reality. There may not be
children “starving” in America like they are starving in third-world
countries. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t go hungry.
Many are getting less food than they need — often being forced to
skip meals. And even more often, most people are eating “food” that is
processed (filled with added sugar, salt and fat and/or stripped of
nutrients); laced with pesticides; genetically modified; filled with
hormones and chemicals; and/or factory farmed. Most Americans have
little clue how unhealthy their food is.
Poor people often struggle to find healthy food, such as fresh fruits
and vegetables, as they live in food deserts —where it’s more common to
find a corner liquor store than a grocery store. Most poor people can’t
afford organic food, even if they can find it. In addition, many food
pantries offer boxed and canned food, which is highly processed. This
leads to many disproportionate health consequences for poor people.
Meanwhile, every day in America grocery stores throw away food,
simply because it perishes from people not buying it. What kind of
society lets people go hungry and throws away food simply because people
can’t afford to pay for it?
Some people who struggle to afford food are on food stamps. However,
recently the American congress has cut the food stamps program. This
makes little sense. Look at this video to see just how important food
stamps are:
http://www.upworthy.com/what-a-beach-bumming-couch-surfing-dudebro-can-teach-us-about-food-stamps
A socialist America would ensure that all people were fed with
healthy organic foods regardless of their income. A socialist America
would ensure access to healthy food for everyone. A socialist America
would do away with factory farms, harmful pesticides, injecting hormones
and chemicals into our food, stripping our food of nutrients, and
pumping them with added ingredients that threaten our health. A
socialist America would help every American grow locally sourced food.
We must ask ourselves why do we continue to invest in capitalist
America’s failing food system, when we can savor a sustainable socialist
food system instead? Food shouldn’t be about making money for the few,
at the expense of the whole.
As a feminist, I have always thought my relationships should be 50-50 — meaning each person should do 50% of the work in the relationship and pitch in to make things work. That has always been my ideal, but it never seems to work out that way in reality.
Lately, I have taken on a lot of the chores in my home. My partner has been working a lot, and, right now, I am unemployed. But she also has health issues and it’s hard for her to do chores. (Not like chores are easy for anyone; I don’t know many people who like doing them.)
Chores are often physically demanding, repetitive, and boring. Chores are hard work! If it were up to me, it would be paid work. I always say it’s paid in a different way — in clean clothes, clean dishes, clean litter boxes, and happy people and animals.
One of my political science professors once told our class that the majority of toilets are cleaned by women. My partner is a woman, but I still clean the toilet. It kind of bothers me that she doesn’t do more chores. It has always been a sticking point in our relationship. It is true that more women do housework then men in relationships. Often, women are expected to work and take on a “second shift”— cooking, cleaning, and tending to children, their partners, and maybe even their elderly parents, too. It’s too much to expect from anyone. And it’s not right that our society puts that burden on women, alone.
Part of me wants to straight rebel against that notion. But being in a same-sex relationship didn’t suddenly free me from chores. Unfortunately, chores don’t get done by themselves. I have had to shift my perspective on chores dramatically in order to accept my situation.
Instead of resenting my partner for not doing many chores, I had to see that she just isn’t physically capable. And for now, although I loathe them, I am capable. Furthermore, the satisfaction I get is from having a functional home is immense. I contribute by using my labor to keep my home running well. I value my family and doing chores is a way to take care of them.
Unpaid work is very important and should be valued more by our society. Think what would happen if no one did chores! We need to recognize how important our unpaid labor is and be proud of the work we accomplish inside our homes. Reframing chores from a degrading role to one of purpose has been key for me. Once I started realizing this, it became easier for me to do chores, and I let go of much of the resistance I had. Chores have to get done, and I am proud to be the one doing them.
My partner appreciates my efforts, too. She also helps make meals — and she’s a great cook. Together we are making it work. It may not be 50-50 in every way, but it’s working well enough for us.
*Previously published in The Socialist online on August 26, 2013
Recently, my partner, Rachel, and I have been trying to add to our
garden in our backyard. We really lucked out when we moved into our
current home, an above-ground basement unit of a duplex house. Our
backyard currently includes many fruit trees (apples, lemons, oranges,
and persimmons), grape vines, and a blackberry patch. We have enjoyed
and appreciated what those plants have brought to our lives. So we
decided to add to it by starting a veggie and herb garden. We purchased
our non-genetically modified seeds from Seeds of Change (www.seedsofchange.com). We planted tomato, carrots, cabbage, cucumber, beats, cilantro, basil, and flat leaf parsley.
The main reason we started a garden is to have relatively inexpensive
healthy food grown in our very own backyard. These veggies and herbs
are as local as it gets — right outside our door. So far, it has been a
very positive experience to plant our little seedlings, water them, and
watch them grow. I feel like a proud mama. It takes a little work to
make a garden grow, but it’s also good to get out in the sun and dig in
the dirt. Gardening has actually been shown to have positive benefits
such as providing relaxation, stress-relief, nutrition, and physical and
mental health. Besides these benefits, I feel that a garden is
socialist. And as a Socialist it feels like a good fit for me and
something I want to be part of my life.
A garden is socialist because it’s local, organic, small-scale,
sustainable, and community-based. The food we grow will not require a
carbon footprint, as it won’t travel in a truck to a supermarket or in a
car to our home. The garden we grow will be totally under our own
control, we have the means of production at our finger tips, and our own
hands and efforts will make it happen. We will also have more than we
can eat ourselves, so we plan to share our bounty with others. We are
also doing this as partners, working together and cooperating to feed
ourselves and others. I feel the time we are spending doing this
together has been very worthwhile and gratifying. There is nothing like
the pride you feel in growing your own food, gathering it, eating it,
and giving it to others to enjoy. It is satisfying and fulfilling, and
it has brought us closer together as a family.
I believe if everyone started a garden it would be revolutionary. If
we want a different society we need to start in our own backyards,
literally from the ground up. We could also start more community gardens
and gardens at schools. Gardens are a renewable source of energy to
fuel our bodies and souls. Let’s remake America one garden at a time.
*Originally published in The Socialist on August 3, 2013
As a recently unemployed person, I am feeling the stress of income
insecurity. The thoughts of how I will pay for my rent, bills, or for
food come to mind. I am lucky, for now, to have unemployment insurance,
but it’s not much. Being let go from my job was shock enough, but trying
to get another job with that on my record is daunting. How do you
convince people to give you a chance when they think you’re a liability?
On top of that, the job market sucks. There aren’t a lot of good
jobs, and the ones that exist are very competitive — which means the
employers can afford to be picky. Although I have a Master’s degree, I
often feel insecure, as if I am not qualified or as experienced as other
candidates. I don’t want to take a job that’s not a good fit for me,
but as long as I don’t have a job, I struggle.
I don’t have health insurance without a job. I don’t have money to
fix my broken down car. I am over 40K in debt from student loans, which I
was forced to defer, adding $70 of interest every month. Our only
saving grace is my parents, who live on a fixed income; a meager amount
of social security. They can sometimes help us make it from one month to
the next, if we are short. But what about people who have no one they
can turn to?
I know it could be worse for us; but couldn’t it also be better?
Shouldn’t it be better for most of us? Social programs are being cut
back, including food stamps. Whatever happened to that supposed social
safety net the vast majority of us feel is a moral imperative? If people
cannot get good jobs, they will need help if they are going to survive.
I believe we need both: good jobs and support. That is what a community
should provide to each other.
Socialists believe we are mutually dependent on each other and that
our society must reflect that. That means our jobs should be co-ops
where workers own their own means of production and share in the fruits
of their labor equally, as well as have an equal say in their work. That
means social programs that support people, from public health care to
fully funded tax-paid college education. It means the hungry get fed,
the homeless get housed, everyone gets a good job who wants to work, and
no one struggles to survive.
Check out this article below that paints the bleak picture of where we are right now:
http://www.alternet.org/economy/10-reasons-us-economy-stuck
Right now, people are suffering more and more every day, instead of
living the lives of our dreams. As a community we owe it to ourselves
and each other to make those dreams a reality, together. Admittedly,
there is a lot standing in our way. The rich are, no doubt, a very
powerful adversary. However, the challenge they represent is nothing
compared to our collective will to start truly living, instead of barely
surviving.
*Originally published in The Socialist on August 2, 2013
