I think I read Jim Hightower and Susan DeMarco’s book Swim against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow at the right time. The primary season is leaving me deflated and cynical, especially since the importance of campaigning against the actual bad guys has been all but forgotten. The 5th anniversary of the war, crossing the 4,000 number of the dead from it, and the sinister could-give-a-fuck attitude of the administration about it hasn’t helped matters. And then I read this book, and it’s a collection of uplifting stories of people who actually made a difference, and I was mightily cheered. They’re having a storytelling contest to promote the book, so if you have a good story to tell about making a positive difference in your community, be it your local, state, or national community, check it out.
What made the book really perfect for my mindset was that out of the dozens of stories in it, only one was about a pointless, ego-stroking, ineffectual war protest by a bunch of people more interested in creating a circus in a city where most people already support them than actually changing minds. And even then, no Mumia people were involved, so I could take that story in my cynicism. The rest were about effective protests that were focused and effective, and I learned a lot about the group ACORN, who really has a good way of matching protest to policy idea and getting things done. I was also really impressed on the chapter on Camp Wellstone, which is exactly the sort of infrastructure progressives need if we want to get politically dominant the way the right has become. It’s basically a bootcamp on how to run a campaign, and they are getting people elected. Knowing how to fit into the system is half the battle, as the right has learned, since they put so many resources into training people to be career politicians or bureaucrats.
But what I really liked was the front section that’s all about various successful businesses that put community and justice first and still turn a profit. Hightower and DeMarco make what’s become almost blasphemous to say—that there is such thing as enough money—sound like common sense. The “growth at all costs” mindset that is the central danger of our increasingly unstable capitalist system is pretty ridiculous, if you really think about it. Shouldn’t the economy be in the service of people and our well-being? And wouldn’t be do better if things like happiness, community, and sustainability were considered important things to cultivate, along with profits? Americans are really stuck in a mindless hamster wheel. Look at how the number of vacation days keeps slipping every year. And let’s not get started on our health care system, where growing profits are put above human life and health, even though health insurance companies are supposed to be there to insure health. Life in America is depressing and stressful for many people, and it doesn’t have to be.
What this section of the book shows is that it’s not a stark choice between people or profits. The community-friendly, worker-friendly businesses he profiles are profitable. They just aren’t scorched earth profitable. But you know, most people stuck in the scorched earth economy probably would envy someone working in a business where you do well financially and also can sleep easily at night. Doubly so, because our scorched earth economy is also one where the workers get squat and all money funnels upwards to people who have so much money, they couldn’t spend it all if they had 10 lifetimes to live.
The last section interestingly focuses on the role of evangelicals in the environmental movement. I’m usually hostile to the “let’s join hands with the Bible-thumpers” stuff, because most of it is very Amy Sullivan-esque, asking readers to compromise on important issues like women’s and gay rights in order to suck up to the thumpers. Hightower and DeMarco have a much more upbeat and convincing argument, which is that the best way to herd cats is to whip out the can opener. In other words, evangelicals who are willing to create an environmentalist movement can be appealed to on straightforward environmentalist terms. Highlighting what we have in common—we all want to save the environment, because duh, wrecking it is stupid and deadly—instead of pandering on what we don’t have in common is the way to create coalitions.
Highly recommended for a pick-me-up when you’re feeling cynical, or as a source of good ideas. Plus, you know, the writers are fellow Austinites. And now I’m going to read some Matt Taibbi and get back to my “fuck people, they suck” standard issue cynicism.
20 Responses to “More than the warm glow of your own self-righteousness”
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Cheer up, Amanda. At least one candidate is reminding her supporters who really needs to be defeated in November.
Umm, Blue Jean, are you suggesting that Obama has been telling his supporters something different? I don’t remember any “cross the commander-in-chief” threshold stuff coming from his camp, after all.
Sister, I feel ya. I had a little break-down moment the other day too - 5 years, 4000 dead, torture, habeas, wiretapping, the fear that the nastiness of this primary is going to fatally hurt the dems this cycle - I just felt beat down and heartbroken. I want so much for our country to be better than this. I’m trying to pull myself out of my funk, but it’s tough. I’ll have to look out for this book.
The primary season is leaving me deflated and cynical,
No kidding.
I’d be cynical (ha) of the environmental evangelical movement. If you like, I can send you a paper by one of the founders of the movement on the importance of keeping god in science. Remember that the “environmental” modifies the “evangelical,” and that is what they really are at heart. I was not impressed with the way he tried to reframe taking care of the earth as a conclusion that can only make sense if you are a believer.
For what it’s worth, I think that even the ego-stroking circus protests have a valuable function in bringing together disparate political groups for networking and recruiting. I doubt that anyone really expected the 2004 GOP protest in New York City to change any minds at the convention, or even to get much positive press; but it did serve as a rally point for all manner of folks who oppose various portions of the conservative platform to meet and trade ideas.
Of course, just meeting other people is also insufficient on its own, but if your group has other, non-protest functions, then it’s not necessarily (though it certainly could be) a waste of time to show up and wave your cleverly worded sign around.
Is this the same ACORN who has been indicted in six separate states for voter fraud? Not only is propping up ACORN terrible public relations, but it’s supporting, you know, actual voter fraud. They are not a good role model.
More nastiness from ACORN. Almost enough to make one cynical.
ACORN has been calling for “living wages,” which would raise wages for low-skilled workers and boost union membership by wiping out the price advantage non-union jobs have over union jobs.
While advocating living wages, though, ACORN has opposed paying even minimum wages to its own workers.
This was made apparent back in 1995, when ACORN sued the state of California to be exempted from paying its own workers the minimum wage. According to the December 21, 1995 ruling of the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District:
“ACORN contends that California’s minimum wage laws … are unconstitutional as applied to ACORN because they restrict ACORN’s ability to engage in political advocacy. According to ACORN, this adverse impact will be manifested in two ways: first, ACORN will be forced to hire fewer workers; second, its workers, if paid the minimum wage, will be less empathetic with ACORN’s low and moderate income constituency and will therefore be less effective advocates.
“Leaving aside the latter argument’s absurdity (minimum wage workers are ipso facto low-income workers) as well as irony (an advocate for the poor seeking to justify starvation wages), we find ACORN to be laboring under a fundamental misconception of the constitutional law.”
A 2003 study of ACORN by the Employment Policies Institute noted, “ACORN pays a wage of $5.67 per hour, less than half the level demanded by many proposed ‘living wage’ ordinances that ACORN supports.”
Despite ACORN’s demands that all workers be allowed to organize, ACORN has tried to prevent its own workers from joining unions. In March 2003, after firing workers who had tried to organize, ACORN lost its final appeal of a National Labor Relations Board ruling, which found ACORN had violated the rights of its employees to unionize.
Fixed that for you.
Blue Jean, are you suggesting that Obama has been telling his supporters something different? I don’t remember any “cross the commander-in-chief” threshold stuff coming from his camp, after all.
You’re right, Brian. We get the “Her voters will vote for me, but mine won’t vote for her.” and Michelle’s “I’d have to think about voting for her.” Not to mention the million daily “bitch”, “sore loser”, “evil”, “monster”, “racist”, “queen” that his camp so generously doles out to her in the name of party unity.
But no “commander in chief” comments, yes, that’s true.
Of course, this is probably just another evil plot to disguise her evilness. McCain probably told her “Hey, if you tell Dems not to vote for me, then the conservative Republicans will think I’m cool, and Dem voters might be confused about your all encompassing evilness.”
Triangulating shrew.
Amanda, a pretty dark, but central truth, is that in a natural, balanced, economic system, there would be very little in the way of profits–from super simplified cases like perfect capitalism–to more vastly regulated and socially intricate systems that aren’t seen as businesses, but as functions, because there is no way to extract profit from it without destabilizing something else that does generate profit. Things like favor (or honor) systems in social networks.
Inherently, those companies who do good and are profitable–in the corporate sense, no neighborhood grocer, barber shop of good business citizenship–have benefited from financial extraction from agencies further up the chain. It probably wouldn’t be voluntary, much like white privilege isn’t voluntary for most white people. It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t appreciate such entities, there are too few of them, but it does mean that they do not lead towards any kind of salvation, by example or results.
Capitalism, given human nature, will *always* be about extracting value from labor without paying for it. For it to be otherwise, a whole society would have to change its awareness of what money *is* and what assets *are*.
/me cuts off before full fledge rant…
Can you please criticize things you don’t like about Clinton without using sexist slurs?
Wait, it’s really early and now I see the snark/sarcasm. So sorry! This is what I get for reading blogs before my third cup of coffee. Now I’m embarassed.
Here, hon- have more coffee… I’ve been up since 4:45 and am on my 5th cup. (Really)
Unrelated, but gonna share- Amanda has a very good point that the negativity and cynicism is getting debilitating. Heard this yesterday from one of my kid’s teachers:
Last week, our spec ed elementary kids participated in the statewide Special Olympics Bowling Tournament (my daughter’s 2nd year). But because of overcrowded conditions, all 4th graders, who are considered elementary students, are taught at the middle/ jr high school. 2 of those 4th graders are in the spec ed classes, so they were picked up at the school and brought to the tournament on the same bus as their younger classmates.
But here’s where it gets really good: as the boys were walking from their classroom at the far end of the school to the bus, ALL of their older schoolmates, grades 4-8, lined the entire set of hallways and gymnasium/cafeteria to cheer the 2 boys on! One boy was so amazed by the response that he started hugging his classmates and high-fiving as he went.
After the bullying posts and dirty politics the past few days, I really needed to share something good in the world.
louise, that is the best thing I have heard in a long while. Thank you so much for sharing it.
an aside:
When is the Dem. Convention? I’m kinda wishing I could pull a Rip Van Winkle until the day after.
lol, thanks.
That’s a great story. We all do need some uplifting and encouraging news to help us deal with the bad. (As perhaps my reactionary post illustrates!)
http://www.denverconvention2008.com/
Late August in Denver. I plan to spend alot of time gardening and hitting the beach with my kids as soon as weather allows until then!
Gardening sounds delightful. As does the beach. This land locked black-thumber will probably be knitting. Socks, I think. Maybe a nice lace shawl… the latest Interweave has a Bleeding Heart stole I thought would match my political outlook;)
The last section interestingly focuses on the role of evangelicals in the environmental movement. I’m usually hostile to the “let’s join hands with the Bible-thumpers” stuff, because most of it is very Amy Sullivan-esque, asking readers to compromise on important issues like women’s and gay rights in order to suck up to the thumpers.
It’s not a matter of “compromise on this to get that.” In just about every gay rights group and action I’ve attended, I’ve been outnumbered by people of faith. And I’m not just talking about the usual suspects of pagans, liberation theologists and Friends, I’m talking about Baptists, Methodists, and even some Fundamentalists. If we frame every political issue as secular vs. religious, we risk splitting some valuable and much needed coalitions.
Currently it is illegal for publicly traded corporations to prioritize anything at all above the profits of their shareholders. We would have to devise an alternative economic system that allows for the primacy of other values. Great, and I’m on board, but let’s be clear about one thing: that’s not capitalism.
Funny you should mention that:
a recent Gallup poll, in which 28 percent of Clinton’s Democratic supporters said they would vote for McCain if Obama is the party’s nominee. Nineteen percent of Obama’s supporters said they would vote for McCain if Clinton gets the nod.