Break The Shackles

“The few own the many because they possess the means of livelihood of all … The country is governed for the richest, for the corporations, the bankers, the land speculators, and for the exploiters of labour. The majority of mankind are working people. So long as their fair demands - the ownership and control of their livelihoods - are set at naught, we can have neither men’s rights nor women’s rights. The majority of mankind is ground down by industrial oppression in order that the small remnant may live in ease.” — Helen Keller, 1911

I read this earlier after a friend posted it. While I don’t normally respond to these types of things I thought I’d put down some of my thoughts…

You cannot own another person, they may have a means to control, but it comes down to whether that person is willing to be controlled. It isn’t too complex to come up with other options that mitigate much of the control they have over you.

They may control the supply chain, the monetary system and the government, but if you reduce the amount of influence these have on your life then much of their control disappears. Grow your own food and reduce/recycle/repair items you throw away , move over to a barter or gift economy with other like-minded people and live in a way that reduces government influence over you.

These may seem like an impossibility to you, but if these were really important to you, if it was important to you to regain control over your own life, you would do something about them rather than just moan and groan as you are squeezed further.

– originally posted Apr 10 2011