The Most Radical Vision and the Most Reasonable Means

Photo by Nik on Unsplash

Let’s get the idea out there: end senseless work, free billions of human beings, and do it by simply refusing to cooperate with exploitation.

I say we should call our position simply sanity. We seek sanity, which is a rational response to the crises we face, and our daily experience as human beings.

We are all part of the inescapable human condition. We are also victims - often passive victims - of a terrible unnecessary system of abuse. We must accept the former and end the latter.

Thinking Beyond Boundaries

We have intertwined challenges, two terrible situations that require immediate attention. As it turns out, fixing one goes a long way to fixing the other.

The problems are:

1. Humans, with limited lifespans, waste most of their short precious lives in servitude, and
2. Modern civilization is destroying itself and the biosphere with fossil fuels and other planetary abuse.

When we examine the problem as a real physical challenge in the world (what people do and what Nature requires of them) instead of abstract concepts based on human decisions (the economy, profits), we can see things differently and new options appear.

There is no objective reason whatsoever for people everywhere to work their entire lives producing things nobody needs — or producing nothing at all. And, as it turns out this massive worldwide overproduction is destroying the climate of the planet.

This isn’t just capitalism - often identified as the culprit. It’s all systems of extreme hierarchy. It doesn’t matter if the exploiter is a communist, a dictator, a plutocrat, or a pharaoh. All over the planet, tiny elites exploit huge numbers of people. This is not only morally wrong. It’s now a literal dead end.

The solution is as obvious as it is unthinkable—end all senseless work. This leaves people with time and energy to live fully as human beings, and severely and quickly reduces the damage we are doing to our planet. This gives us a chance at survival.

By way of contrast, pretending to slowly replace fossil fuels with alternative energy in 10 to 30 years is completely ridiculous. It’s very likely too little, too late. And we see no sign that this is actually happening, because after all the lauded efforts, CO2 emissions remain at record levels and continue to increase.

The unrealistic path is the one we are on. The sensible one is a path that is rarely even discussed.

We need to change this. We need to change the focus, the conversation. Just as Occupy got the entire world aware-nearly overnight-that 1% is exploiting the 99%, the Saners need to get the message out: senseless work is wasting lives and dooming everyone’s children.

But, but, but…!

Of course, the objections to recognizing the nature of the crisis, and especially to the solution, are unending.

Some people have a stake (or think they do) in the status quo. Others simply lack the imagination to see the necessary change as even possible.

Difficult things are always impossible—until we do them.

Furthermore, there is a proven path for dramatic change, one that astounds people every time it happens. The path is strategic nonviolent noncooperation. People power movements from Indian independence to the ousting of dictators to the ending of empires…these kinds of things happen time and again.

We need to make that happen now. It’s essential. Nothing is more important.

Powerful institutions, powerful people, powerful governments and corporations exercise power only through the active support of large numbers of people. WE—the people who do all of the actual work, who take the orders—have the power to end exploitation and abuse. WE have the power to prevent climate collapse, and to create a better future for our children and generations to come.

When we continue working for, accepting, and actively supporting the cruel and unworkable schemes currently in place, we are being foolish. We are running in the wrong direction, at full speed, on inertia.

The solution is to stop. Now, we can’t do this openly, unless we could do it together, worldwide, in huge numbers. It’s barely possible—but not impossible—that we could do this.

But we can absolutely set the ball in motion-today-by promoting and spreading quiet quitting. We can do less at work. We can be less and less productive. We can “make mistakes.” We can follow the rules so strictly that nothing gets done. There are a million ways to slow work, to slow production.

And as this happens, and the thinking behind it gets around…the movement gains momentum. Then we can openly say “no.” We can go on strike and demand the changes we need.

We can focus on producing ONLY necessities—food, shelter, medicine, etc.—and share these necessities like civilized human beings, instead of hoarding as greedy and stupid homo economicus.

For homo sapiens to survive, homo economicus must die.

Yes, Complications. They Shouldn’t Stop Us.

The American Revolution took place to end the monarchy in the New World. The revolutionaries hadn’t worked out what would happen afterwards. They had some vague ideas but no Constitution. They had no workable government to replace the monarchy.

That didn’t stop them. And we can’t demand that every complication and challenge to come be fully solved before we act. Indeed, we are starting so late-climate collapse is thisclose-that we must act now and go full-tilt at the immediate crisis right now.

All the theoretical work being done on reforming economics and politics are useful. But they cannot be the focus today. They must not be used as barriers.

We simply don’t have time. In any case, we probably can’t solve all these future problems until we see what they actually look like in the real world. We will do what’s required when the time comes.

What YOU Can Do This Minute

The Saners is the movement dealing with the twin catastrophe. As far as I know, this group is unique.

We are probably on the right track, but we need help. We need more people. You can (and should) sign up now and get on the email list. The sign up form (requiring only your email address) is at WeAreSaners.org/join.

We also need people who are experienced activists, and people who have studied the strategy of movements. We need a leadership team who can guide the movement, who understand the nuts and bolts of what works.

The Saners are doing what they can today, but as a group we need to increase our capabilities and ramp up our activities. Please help however you can. Our world depends on it.

Our vision is radical. Radically beautiful. Our method—nonviolent noncooperation—is reasonable. Let’s go.