“The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers & cities; but to know someone who thinks & feels with us, & who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden.”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The politics and philosophies of neoliberalism and individualism has and is still reaping havoc on our natural human and social collectivist ways, as human beings living in societies we naturally come together through mutuality of needs. For the last 3 decades our communities and our practices of doing things together for the common of collective good have dwindled. This makes the job of building communities for a future based on well being and resilience a very difficult task, because people have bought into the idea of the self enmass.

When communities broke

During the Thatcher era of the UK’s early descent into the barbarism of Neoliberalism, whole communities were tore apart by the destruction of trade unions that had served as a thread in the fabric of local communities. The closing down of Britain’s manufacturing base also had a dramatic effect on communities and how they worked. Economically, families who had relied on each working member chipping in to pay towards the running of the households became individual consumers with their own credit and in store cards. Combined with this was marketing psychologists designing advertising campaigns to promote the idea of lifestyle consumption that linked people with products, and products with products. 

The effect of broken communities

Neoliberal politics and the philosophy of individualism thrives on broken dysfunctional communities. Indeed the very nature of capitalism itself is a force of separation within a community context. Its competitive nature turns one person against another. So we end up with one huge predatory race towards higher salaries and the greater consumption of resources, and in this race people stamp and cheat on people to get to the top, this is not a state of nature, this is organized for the benefit of those at the top to maintain their power and wealth, it’s the oldest trick in the book.

Where do we go from here?

If we are to have a world that is based on equality, well being and respect for nature then we need to have communities. This means not just communities, but strong resilient and vibrant communities who work together for the needs of each other. In many ways the Bankers austerity measures that are being imposed on us via technocratic neoliberal politicians by a greedy and dying banking sector provide us with a unique opportunity to put something more people and planet orientated into place, and we should seize this opportunity right now and begin thinking and living the future that we know we need.

What makes communities tick

A community is democratic only when the humblest and weakest person can enjoy the highest civil, economic, and social rights that the biggest and most powerful possess.

Philip Randolp

Communities have ethics, principles and common goals that provide the gel that keeps them together. This informs their collective efforts and actions. Communities can be informed by theology, science, philosophy, and practically anything where there is a common interest. At its heart that people identify and resonate with. In this age of out of control unbridled greed and social fragmentation our communities need to develop organically in the places were we live and work. They will develop organically in part as a reaction to the anti-human ideology of Neoliberalism that has now spread across the surface of the globe, as corporate powers flex the democratic muscles that we once owned as voters in modern democracies. I believe that necessity will give us a helping hand in our efforts to bring about strong and resilient communities.

What is our common ground on which to build?

At present there is a multitude of ills being inflicted on people and planet. Most of these ills are a result of people being greedy and taking far too much from the earth than is needed. I am mainly talking about industrial manufacturing and in particular the manufacture of goods with a built in obsolescence.  So the main issues where we can immediately relate to is a need to build communities that are based on sharing. As opposed to ones built on hoarding and profiteering. Other common ground that we share is the concern our health and the health of those whom we know. Here industrial agriculture, and pharmaceutical conglomerates  plays a prominent role. Once again these areas are controlled and manipulated for the benefit of the few to the detriment of the many. In short we need to develop communities that share, create and produce what we need to live a life of well being on this planet. Where we are not forced and coerced into exploiting others for material gain as to harm another is to harm ourselves!

Steve