On Unity And Power
When we are unified, when we stand together, the vast horde that is The People, there would be no way of stopping us. The state knows this, and thus the only way to stop it is to distract us with infighting, brainwashing, and financial manipulation, to not let it happen in the first place.
In my last essay, I spoke of recognising the tools that divide us, which you can find here.
Since then, and as is often the case, some of the comments got me thinking about unity and affinity and how these concepts can be applied to the good fight.
Affinity with anything is great. When you find someone or a group of someones with whom you just click, who are like soul brothers and sisters, then that is awesome. It's natural to stick by, stand with and fight with and for those people.
It is more difficult to stand with others with whom you may not know, or whose suffering and oppression does not affect you, when their rights and lives are under attack.
When another's suffering doesn't affect us, when it is seen as a snippet on the evening news, when people are so tired from the hours of graft, when family time is squeezed in between those short few precious hours between getting home, doing chores and bed before the cycle begins again, it is no wonder it is easier to turn over. To watch some mindless reality TV. To enjoy the short-lived thrill of spending money we don't have on shit we don't need. To switch off.
Sometimes we feel helpless. What can we do as individuals against the tidal wave of shit that this world faces, nearly all of it man-made?
When I talk about unity, I do so with the meaning that it is standing with others, even when they are not in our family, friendship, or any other group. It's about standing with strangers when they're under oppression, even though their oppression has no effect at all upon our lives. It's about standing up against the corruption of state and of capitalism, even when survival is not a struggle for you.
It's about not being divided by petty shit.
How many times do we get involved in online debates and arguments that really do not mean anything? What I mean by this is that there are so many of these discussions, where people are listening, not with an ear to really understand the other perspective (which would be a good thing), but instead to come back with a witty or clever sounding comment that refutes what the other has said, and with various links to back it up.
To and fro these discussions go, and people get so hot-headed, because they are sure in their very soul that they are correct, and therefore, the other must be wrong. It's an argument that goes round and round with nothing ever coming from it only more dislike, sometimes even hatred. Division.
They are pointless because they achieve nothing. Absolutely nothing. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that all online debates go this way, but many do. And often times, the viewpoints or opinions and beliefs of those arguing aren't really all that far removed from one another.
What is often lacking is genuine, intelligent discourse. The free and open exchange of ideas and opinions between people and groups can only be a good thing, can only lead to genuine understanding, but what often happens is that people argue over side issues, or try to gloss over them.
An example of this can be seen when I, or others often speak out or write against the capitalist state, or the oppression of Peoples, or the devastation we cause the planet.
Some think, that because I call for an end to unfair systems that crush the many for the benefit of the few, that I must mean that I want to put another system in charge of us. That we must all be equally poor, or that the state becomes a workers state where we are all equally oppressed.
I would no more have those systems than the one we are currently under.
It's not about handing power over us to one group or another, but seizing it for ourselves. It's not about voting left or right, here in Britain, Conservatives or Labour. They are both different sides of the same coin. Those politicians are not like us, indeed, I often think what it is that makes someone want power over others. It takes a special kind of arsehole. Most of them have never had real jobs, outside of the bubble of government. They 'streamline' the education system, cutting the budgets, but you can guarantee their kids don't attend the local comprehensive high school. They are forever cutting the NHS, again always spinning the lie they are delivering better value for money, but you can bet they have private healthcare. Their lies and duplicity are evident.
Oh yes, I am sure there are those that enter politics because they want to help others, but those individuals are few and far between. The big guns, the cabinet members. Those who make decisions about how others should live are not like us. They think they are untouchable, that they are above the laws that apply to the rest of us. And yet they abuse their power. In the last few weeks, Parliament has been rocked by sex scandals, stories of sexual abuse and harassment covered up or totally ignored.
No, it's not about handing power to others who would use it against us, who would abuse it. It's not about replacing the ones at the bottom now with others. It's about taking power back for ourselves.
I believe this starts with unity.
When we can stand together, and look out for those who are different, in whatever way, to ourselves, then we can begin to take back power.
If we're not busy arguing amongst ourselves about which political party has done the most damage, and instead recognise the ploy for what it is, we can focus our attentions on the things that do matter, that do make a difference.
So what system should be in place then?
One where people are put first. One where people can go to work and not have to struggle to live, to survive. One where the laws are for protection of the people, and not for big business and corporations. One where people are put before profit and property. One where people are not discriminated against, where equality means equality for all people. One where nature is given the respect she deserves. That'll do for starters.
I don't know how we get there today, but I believe it starts with unity.
When we are unified, when we stand together, the vast horde that is The People, there would be no way of stopping us. The state knows this, and thus the only way to stop it is to distract us with infighting, brainwashing, and financial manipulation, to not let it happen in the first place.
How many of us work full-time hours, or as many as we can get, how many parents both work and still can't afford to cover the basics of living, too tired to do anything else other than scroll through social media or watch mindless TV once the kids are in bed? How many of us worry about work, how many of us are on zero hours contracts or cannot get enough hours at work because the business wants to cut costs, doesn't want to pay the extra tax? All of these things are distractions, all keep us separate, and harden us against the suffering of others because it is difficult to see past our own suffering, the unfairness faced by others because we too are treated unfairly.
Unity is the key to any true revolutions, to any meaningful change. Surely it has to be. If we are not unified, then how will change come, if the vast majority are silent. It only takes silence for evil and wrong doing to flourish. How many choose to ignore the abuse of others, even though they find it abhorrent, because it doesn't affect them. It's 'none of their business'.
We must find unity if we are to effect any real change in this world.
Emma Kathryn
My name is Emma Kathryn, an eclectic witch, my path is a mixture of traditional European witchcraft, voodoo and obeah, a mixture representing my heritage. I live in the middle of England in a little town in Nottinghamshire, with my partner, two teenage sons and two crazy dogs, Boo and Dexter. When not working in a bookshop full time, I like to spend time with my family outdoors, with the dogs. And weaving magick, of course!
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