When we say that almost all excess wealth is extracted from the working class under #Capitalism, we are also referring to some of the labor, the time, the material safety that is required to enjoy autonomy as a free person, and to exert autonomous power in various political and material spheres.

So, the process of organizing isn't just about occupying streets, or standing in solidarity in strikes, but also the network of mutual aid that makes striking possible in the first place.

I understand that it's remarkably unsexy and also kind of draining to set up meals programs and develop housing opportunities for not just comrades, but everyone.

However, as a means of creating actual political change, consider the vast sum of wealth recently poured into the Georgia 6th special election. Democrats across the country dumped 27 million on Ossoff's campaign.

Now imagine instead that sum was used on a housing trust for union members, who could now strike without fear for months.

That's the thing about investing your time and money in autonomous power over representational politics: you and your community retain strength to create the immediate changes you need, rather than being steadily exhausted and drained as each new battle drawn.

And as a cool bonus, maybe you meet some cool people along the way, rather than just watching your bank account slowly empty as you get emails from your party about some new electoral crisis.

As an additional aside, the politicians, cops and business owners all understand this and work to undermine our collective strength all the time.

The fact that folx from Food Not Bombs and others get fucking -arrested- for making homelessness and unemployment less harrowing should demonstrate as much.

The fundamental coercion and fear that makes our current political ordering possible requires that cops and others intervene when we try to solve our own problems.

The world is broken on purpose

@Ratttz I use http://political compass.org to analyze this. Basically the other three squares (Nazis, tankies and "get off my lawn") conspire to prevent any effective humanity (my square) from carrying out any effective action, politically or socially, as well as obtain useful information (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_People's_History_of_the_United_States). https://social.coop/media/5TDYIzQWuwVf6fx0CE4

@Ratttz i say dual power, you say autonomous power, let's pursue differing paths toward confronting the ruling class?

i'm not sure how you capture Os soff-level resources toward smth like an apartment building with a rooftop community garden but i'd like to see it and would chip in...

@Ratttz I want to say some things about this, but have to go out... flagging for later.

@Ratttz So, this is the kind of thinking I've been trying to encourage. I'm not much of a people-organizer nor do I have funds, so I can't get these things started myself; best I can do is vocally support initiatives that seem to be doing this kind of thing.

One recent development: @MCSF https://social.wxcafe.net/users/MCSF/updates/29842

I figure it'll need more structure eventually, but simple is a good way to start.

@woozle Yeah, it looks good. My revolutionary expectations are kind of on the low end for an opt-in fundraising system on an obscure social media service that obviously requires an internet connection.

Nevertheless, it's a nice project, and I hope more like it with better scaling and accessibility will start cropping up in meatspace.

@Ratttz I see it expanding beyond Masto eventually (not that I'm in control of it, or anything; I just think if it's at all successful, it will eventually either want to reach more people or similar projects operating outside of Masto will copy the model).

Masto has the great advantage of offering a user-base that is relatively very high quality and trustable, so this is a good place for the seedling to sprout.

I also have longer-term funding ideas.

@woozle Yeah, some other funds or trusts would do us well, collectively. They were more common in the past (see: friendly societies) but grew rarer with the institution of the welfare state.

@Ratttz And if that network is on most if not all social media, Homeland Security will be at the strike scene waiting for us. Network face to face when possible, yes?

@risabee I think some non-violent demonstrations do benefit from a social media presence, but those symbolic demos probably should make up a very small portion of our activities.

The insistence of some groups focused on direct action to operate as visibly and non-violently as they can has likely cost them a lot of opportunities and resources better spent elsewhere.