Will do! Any subjects that you're particularly interested? If it's important, Graeber had something to say about it (with a few notable exceptions - there were some things he steered clear of).
Yes, I've dropped the CO2 thing... That strikes a discordant note for me now too, but I remain convinced there is a global ecological crisis that will catch up with us in the near future. We've made ourselves dependent on a global system that is vulnerable to all kinds of disruptions.
Actually I'm proud to say that pretty much all of my environmental writing (pre-Nevermore) holds up, despite occasional references to climate change.
As I understand it from several different sources ‘human’ CO2 emissions account for around 3% of the entire CO2 output of our Earth. The percentages Graebner speaks of early on in his essay are, therefore, percentages of this 3%.
Curious: where do you live? People in the U.K. don't seem to see any evidence for global warming, but in Canada there is ample evidence of melting glaciers and sea ice... see: Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change documentary.
But apparently ice sheets are actually growing in Antarctica, so maybe the global warming isn't so global...
I live in Colombia but from the uk. I don’t think “evidence” is relevant coz our human lives are so short and we are left quite ignorant of historical climate changes that have effected humanity over the years. I definitely see evidence of the climate changing everywhere I’ve lived but I don’t think it’s happening for the reasons they say and stopping it by building shit loads of wind turbines and covering swathes of land in solar panels will not do anything bit make shit worse.
"It’s our puritanism, our feeling that we have to suffer in order to deserve those pleasures."
Our puritanism makes us work those useless jobs? It's not the fact that we're subjugated by a system that will condemn us to poverty and death without an income, without a job? I despise every minute I waste at work but I tried to survive without it and couldn't. And I'm relatively handy. Jobs are hateful, sure. No argument. Useless toil. And yes, we produce mountains of utterly worthless shit. Dump the extraneous but tougher mobile phones are essential to our wellbeing? Workers will be making them. Doing jobs. Work. Nobody is going to volunteer for that (enormous, global) production line. And those phones too will be rendered obsolete by the world changing around them.
He seems to not want to see that we are subjects of a system that will live in its entirety, expanding all the while and forcing us to bend to its will, or die in its entirety, taking all that trash, including mobile phones of any kind, with it. I find his outlook very confusing, especially since he's supposed to be opposed to coercion. He seems to be talking in favour of economic contraction, efficiency gains and progressive technophiliac fantasy. A nicer, groovier, industrialism. He has a fair bit in common with the global financial/technocrat class.
"It’s our puritanism, our feeling that we have to suffer in order to deserve those pleasures."
I will give him the benefit of the doubt, and say he was still in the pre-plandemic naivety when he wrote that. However, even in the pre-plandemic days, many were waking up to the fact that most of the working class are compelled to accept a bad deal because the employers have the most massive police state complex at their disposal.
I also cringe a bit whenever I see the use of "our" in "we" contained in a statement that I never agreed with.
Hey Crow, we are fans of your work, your trickster bluntness, your taboo smashing typing fingers, though sometimes you generalise a tad. We are prone to it too, so by all means call us out. Today it is the absence of a G, that is G for general that is the nuance we feel is required here. Yes, AI is a tool as you describe and we look forward to taking in homeless lawyers looking to learn neopeasant subsistence, but AGI is probably a real threat, and may need some better distinction.
Hear, hear! I especially loved the bit about planned obsolescence. Even our roads are obsolete before the asphalt dries. The Romans built bridges that lasted thousands of years. Our bridges can collapse after a month.
I work to earn money, which I spend on housing, food, and clothes for my family. I enjoy what I do, but I would love to spend more time with my family.
Yes, people want to work. I like to put in a good day's work and feel useful too... In fact I feel lousy if I go too long without working. But I should have more control over the conditions of our labour... and we need to value certain kinds of work more... like music for example. I think there are fewer professional musicians now than ever before. Why? This is a problem that needs solving.
Keep the bite-sized Graeber coming!
Will do! Any subjects that you're particularly interested? If it's important, Graeber had something to say about it (with a few notable exceptions - there were some things he steered clear of).
Don’t think the co2 stuff is an issue though. That’s agenda driven self gate promoting de pop excuse.
Yes, I've dropped the CO2 thing... That strikes a discordant note for me now too, but I remain convinced there is a global ecological crisis that will catch up with us in the near future. We've made ourselves dependent on a global system that is vulnerable to all kinds of disruptions.
Actually I'm proud to say that pretty much all of my environmental writing (pre-Nevermore) holds up, despite occasional references to climate change.
Agreed the co2 is just a red herring
As I understand it from several different sources ‘human’ CO2 emissions account for around 3% of the entire CO2 output of our Earth. The percentages Graebner speaks of early on in his essay are, therefore, percentages of this 3%.
I think it’s less than that
Curious: where do you live? People in the U.K. don't seem to see any evidence for global warming, but in Canada there is ample evidence of melting glaciers and sea ice... see: Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change documentary.
But apparently ice sheets are actually growing in Antarctica, so maybe the global warming isn't so global...
That's easily explained. It's altered jet streams called meridional flow caused by solar minimums, which we've been in since 2007.
Good article. The more of us that leave the current system of misery and create a better one, the sooner we can experience joy and abundance.
I live in Colombia but from the uk. I don’t think “evidence” is relevant coz our human lives are so short and we are left quite ignorant of historical climate changes that have effected humanity over the years. I definitely see evidence of the climate changing everywhere I’ve lived but I don’t think it’s happening for the reasons they say and stopping it by building shit loads of wind turbines and covering swathes of land in solar panels will not do anything bit make shit worse.
"It’s our puritanism, our feeling that we have to suffer in order to deserve those pleasures."
Our puritanism makes us work those useless jobs? It's not the fact that we're subjugated by a system that will condemn us to poverty and death without an income, without a job? I despise every minute I waste at work but I tried to survive without it and couldn't. And I'm relatively handy. Jobs are hateful, sure. No argument. Useless toil. And yes, we produce mountains of utterly worthless shit. Dump the extraneous but tougher mobile phones are essential to our wellbeing? Workers will be making them. Doing jobs. Work. Nobody is going to volunteer for that (enormous, global) production line. And those phones too will be rendered obsolete by the world changing around them.
He seems to not want to see that we are subjects of a system that will live in its entirety, expanding all the while and forcing us to bend to its will, or die in its entirety, taking all that trash, including mobile phones of any kind, with it. I find his outlook very confusing, especially since he's supposed to be opposed to coercion. He seems to be talking in favour of economic contraction, efficiency gains and progressive technophiliac fantasy. A nicer, groovier, industrialism. He has a fair bit in common with the global financial/technocrat class.
"It’s our puritanism, our feeling that we have to suffer in order to deserve those pleasures."
I will give him the benefit of the doubt, and say he was still in the pre-plandemic naivety when he wrote that. However, even in the pre-plandemic days, many were waking up to the fact that most of the working class are compelled to accept a bad deal because the employers have the most massive police state complex at their disposal.
I also cringe a bit whenever I see the use of "our" in "we" contained in a statement that I never agreed with.
NEVERMORE FELICES
FELICES Y GRACIAS
You’ve perfectly worded what I’ve been thinking for a long time! This was fucking brilliant
Hey Crow, we are fans of your work, your trickster bluntness, your taboo smashing typing fingers, though sometimes you generalise a tad. We are prone to it too, so by all means call us out. Today it is the absence of a G, that is G for general that is the nuance we feel is required here. Yes, AI is a tool as you describe and we look forward to taking in homeless lawyers looking to learn neopeasant subsistence, but AGI is probably a real threat, and may need some better distinction.
Sending with love and solidarity,
Artist as Family
Hear, hear! I especially loved the bit about planned obsolescence. Even our roads are obsolete before the asphalt dries. The Romans built bridges that lasted thousands of years. Our bridges can collapse after a month.
Glad you liked it! People seem to be liking the "bite-sized Graeber", so I'll keep it coming. Lots more tasty morsels where this one came from!
Maybe I’m a typical American—work + family + home maintenance = not enough time to read very many long screeds or to watch long videos.
I’m one of those people more likely to read a shorter piece. It’s frustrating sometimes, but there’s not much I can do about it at the moment.
Thanks for the feedback! This is valuable to me.
I work to earn money, which I spend on housing, food, and clothes for my family. I enjoy what I do, but I would love to spend more time with my family.
Sadly, nothing is free.
Yes, people want to work. I like to put in a good day's work and feel useful too... In fact I feel lousy if I go too long without working. But I should have more control over the conditions of our labour... and we need to value certain kinds of work more... like music for example. I think there are fewer professional musicians now than ever before. Why? This is a problem that needs solving.
The CO2 doesn't matter. The bullshit jobs do. Xj
I’m interested to know how David’s passing is seen as strange?
Can o' worms, that. Look here if you like them:
https://nevermoremedia.substack.com/p/how-did-david-graeber-die
i couldnt agree more
I.Loved.This