What I have come to understand is that transience – that is, the state of being transient – is a problem. For the past decade or so, I have been transient to one degree or another. You wouldn’t know it to look at me, performing as I do a certain middle-class identity in my dress, speech, and profession, but that is what I am. This is what it means to be part of the so-called “precariat”.
Read MoreI call this “the social zamboni.” It is something that smooths out the rough edges and fields of intensity. I do not think that this particular social formation is one that was designed – such thinking would be conspiracism – but one that has gradually emerged to make the environment in which it occurs more stable.
Read MoreLook, I didn’t think I had been gearing up to write about the Tim Burton movie Beetlejuice, but I’m really seeing that a lot of what I’ve been talking about fit into this movie, and I really must admit that it’s a fun movie. I recommend rewatching it if you get the chance. It’s only an hour and a half long. However, I stand by what I said about the movie previously: it is part of that genre I mentioned and labeled American Cringe. (cover image from “Dead Ink Apparel” https://deadinkapparel.storenvy.com/products/24311235-dont-tread-on-me-chuck)
Read MoreThe people currently in power see this as an opportunity to give a blank check to people who think you deserve nothing. For them, a crisis is nothing but a way to make the system function worse for the average person. It’s the disordered thinking of an addict. The worst thing you can do in the depths of an addiction is feed that addiction. Feeding that addiction is also the easiest decision to make when in that state. So what happens if we go cold turkey on capitalism? Chain ourselves to a metaphorical radiator and try to sweat it out?
Read MoreThe system, which supposedly generates prosperity for everyone to an unprecedented degree, doesn’t. We’re told that it works, we’re told that doing all of these things should help, and we internalize this narrative. It becomes a subconscious mantra, the way that an Orthodox monk is encouraged to say the Jesus Prayer in time with his heartbeat. You see: we’ve been sold a fantasy that does not map on to reality. Human beings are smart enough that you don’t have to actually give us the reward. You just have to convince us that the reward is there.
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