Peaceman,
The only folks who can afford to not work until things change for the better are not the masses... they are the very wealthy and they are probably not into revolution anyway.
But try it... and I suppose it will be up to you to tell those who can afford this plan when things are changed enough... Can you see yourself telling folks "no things aren't changed enough yet...Don't work, ya gotta hang in there!

But you got one thing in your favor ..."who was the jerk who invented work anyway?"

I guess everything must be tried... good Luck!

I have come to the conclusion that democracies are short lived. Athens, the historical prototype, only lasted about a century and a half at best.

It seems that success contains the seeds for its own failure. It is success that makes us lackadaisical, lazy, lethargic in protecting what we accomplished.

Jim Glover; Throughout history, at least in th US, everything worthwhile, things we take for granted, were gained only because of the struggle by those who came before us.The ruling class parts with nothing without a fight. Just think for a moment Jim, the soldiers in the American Revolutionary War at Valley Forge, ill-supplied and clothed, freezing their butts off against the well-armed and supplied British and Hessian armies. What if they said, "this is too much to endure, we're going back home."

Slavery, women's rights, the right to have union representation, voting rights, civil rights, etc.
None of these came without an inconvience of sorts, from cold-blooded murder, to beatings, incarceration, and employment retaliation, and I think you know what I'm talking about.

It is not for me (nor would anyone listen) to tell folks what to do. If the collective struggle of We The People worked, the public would respond without any one voice calling the shots.

"But you got one thing in your favor...who was the jerk who invented work anyway?"

Laugh at me and ridicule my method. I can deal with that, but don't quote me on things I haven't said. That is an irresponsible statement.

I like Pete Seeger and if you and he or anybody else has a better plan...I'm willing to listen.

Last year my partner and I left the United States and moved to a remote cabin in northern British Columbia where we provide our own micro-hydro power, grow our own food, and live quite well without television and cell phones. But through a satellite internet connection we continued to keep up on what was happening in the United States and the World. What we read and saw was very discouraging. So early in September of this year, my partner and I set out on a 15,000-mile road trip across Canada and the northern tier of the United States, looking for signs of hope. We chronicled our journey on a blog called "Looking for Hope" on www.riverofmist.com. After two and a half months, we are back in our northern British Columbia cabin, reflecting upon what we have seen. My partner Bob sees hope in the efforts of small groups and individuals – the kind of thing Paul Hawken writes about in his book "Blessed Unrest." My viewpoint more closely resembles that of Beth Quinn. This is what I wrote on our blog yesterday, before I stumbled upon her article on this website.

"As we were driving the last leg of our "Looking for Hope" road trip, Bob turned to me and said, "You haven't found much to hope for on this journey, have you?" What could I say? I desperately wanted to find hope for the future. And there have been moments when I said to myself, "This is a reason for hope." There have been unique places and individuals that inspired me, and I wrote about them. But if I am to be honest with myself, I have seen more to be discouraged about than encouraged. I do not belittle the efforts that I have seen to change the direction our country and the world is headed. These are the candles in the night. They shine oh so brightly. But do we have time for those candles to ignite the wildfire needed for change?

Too often I see passive acceptance of what I consider unacceptable. A failure to connect the dots, to see the forest for the trees. Well-meaning people who do not think. It is not only the leaders who have failed us – we, the people have failed – and we have been given the government and conditions that we deserve. As long as we continue to believe that our security is worth any price (loss of constitutional rights, moral high ground, world respect, and the lives of millions), that future technology will solve our energy needs and climate change, that being anti-war is aiding our enemies and that protest and dissent is unpatriotic. As long as we believe that we must continue our excessive consumption in order to keep America's economy strong, that it is our place in the world to spread freedom and democracy (actually capitalism) and Christianity, and the public gives more importance to entertainment than to hard news and education. As long as Americans believe that maintaining the American life-style is more important than saving the world from war and environmental degradation. As long as those beliefs are held, and the American culture continues to be self-absorbed and self-important, I have no hope that there is enough courage or outrage to change the direction of the stampede that is now headed over the cliff's edge. My only hope is that after the Empire falls (whether it be economic, anarchy, world war, pandemic, or climate change disasters), that there will be enough candles left in the night to pick up the pieces and rebuild a saner world. I'm afraid this one is too far gone.

Does that mean I have given up? Raised the white flag of surrender? Say, "Oh well, there is nothing I can do about it?" Absolutely not! I will continue to be a grouchy old woman protesting loudly, a thorn in the side of apathy and blind denial. And I will continue to look for all those candles in the night, support them, and add my own. The future of our planet is worth fighting for, and I will do so to the end of my days.

"My thoughts: We must move to a new plane of existence defined by necessity a new enligtenment."

I'm with you, bother/sister. I think it's time for me to search for that plane in other venues.

I'll start with my own back yard...

Peaceman,

I did not mean to ridicule you with the line "The Jerk who invented work" and was not quoting you at all.

It was a line I heard from Pete and I always liked it as a kind of a rebellion of the worship of work.

You offered the idea of "How about if nobody worked until things changed for the better".

I just don't believe it would change things for the better since most Folks have to work to survive.

I agree with you about the importance of struggle in our lives to make a better world.

Valley Forge was a lot of Work yet I don't think War is the answer today, that was a time that is gone and lots of American Indians were wiped out and it led to more conquest of the West and our own curse of Empire... We don't have that option today nor would it be humane to repeat.

But keep thinking of ideas, You will come up with better ones as I am sure you have done good things in your life. I don't want to discourage you and I am sorry if I offended you.
I get a little too much sometimes for sure.

Pete was my big inspiration to get involved in the first place and I am 65 now and will get Social Security and medicare.

I am lucky and wish you all the best.
jimglover@verizon.net

Here is a cool one from Pete if you haven't seen it yet and please pass it on. I always find hope in the work of Pete Seeger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAXfJKh-NnY

Jim Glover; Maybe I'm getting a little wacky. I've been told by relatives and friends about being obsessed with politics. "I need to get a hobby or something else".

Most people need to work, Jim, but look back on all the labor strikes in the thirties ,forties, and fifties that gave working-class people a chance to move ahead in life instead of an indentured servant existence. Those folks staked all they had but stuck together (for the most part) and achieved things which would never be given to them by the bosses of industry.

The reason I bring up Valley Forge is illustrative of a 'David' defeating 'Golith' or a smaller force overcoming a larger force, against the odds, as they say. What was done to the American Indians was a crime against humanity as well as buying Africans and bringing them to the Americas, working them for room and board. That is capitalism at its worse. ALWAYS THE BOTTOM DOLLAR!

I have been sick to my stomach since we invaded Afghanistan and then Iraq and unleashed bloodthirsty thrill-seekers on the folks over there. The sado-masochistic torture received a few yawns in Congress a few years ago, and with the exception of a very small minority of us, most of our fellow citizens cared less. Sure, we have demonstrations, rallies, sit-ins and lectures and debates about all of this, but it still continues, only less publizied Out of sight, out of mind. And that is only the 'legalized murder' aspect of the big picture.

The dismantling of the infrastructure of the United States, the privatization of more and more things that served the citizens well for so long and was admired by people around the world are being given to the highest bidder who then charge us additional fees for everything. You and I are in the same age group Jim. Everytime and every transaction you make there is a fee for this, a fee for that, surcharges for this, surcharges for that. You can't dial 411 and get a phone number anymore without paying for the information. Banks are the same way too. Other industries as well.

I'm like a wilted piece of celery, Jimbo. I haven't anymore ideas. Except, maybe Getting rid of the computer and reading books more often and watch television. Why should I ruin my health for people who don't care about anybody but themselves.

Anyway, take care of yourself and get on a vegetarian diet, Jimmy. We want to be healthy in our 'golden years'. Peace and Harmony.

I will have to agree americans are dumb. People should be outraged that they are only seen as consumers for the world and not buy at Christmas.
The corporations are not making it better for the world.

Sebouhian,
I loved your comments. It is encouraging to read the OUTRAGE. Many of us here in Israel and Palestine are outraged at the relationship between the US and Israel. We need people to oust the Neo-con, Zoinist movement in your country as much as we need to do the same here. Shalom.

I am stunned that anyone actually believed that America was the land of the free and the home of the brave! LOLLLL

I am stunned that anyone STILL expects Americans to act bravely or freely! LOL :(

Peaceman, if you're still lurking out there somewhere, thank you. Interesting, too, that you should bring up not working as a protest or a strike. I stopped working not for anything so grand but because I could no longer see the point. I really like just barely getting by. I wish I were up in that British Columbia cabin with the two hope seekers, discovering what one does when one doesn't. Best back atcha, friend.
Wendy

Lambsie Divy; Concentrate on your desire and you just might wind up in that area in British Columbia, Wendy. There is power in those few words..."discovering what one does when one doesn't"...my dear, you are on the 'Path' which we must all travel. My best to you. Keep in touch.

Lambsie Divy; I was on the way to work this morning and didn't finish my reply to you. I have met many people over the years who sort of dropped out, as they used to say, and most of them had persuasive reasons for doing so. The difficulty in doing so is $$$ problems, sooner or later. Medical and dental bills, and other essentials just to exist. They all take money, or at least a bartering system where like-minded folks help each other exchanging skills and/or products within the community. To my knowledge, very few of these communal systems lasted, and most eventually ended in 'every man for himself'. I'd love to know if there are any still around for my own curiosity and to research for something I am working on.
Whatever you do Wendy, I wish the best for you.

Franklin

Franklin, wendywbusk@yahoo.com