#OpMoneyMouth

Good day, World.

Recently, I've been watching the American people, observing how we've been dealing (or not dealing) with several social, environmental, and economic issues. After years of studying, reading, and writing about these things, I've come to the conclusion that the majority of Americans are somewhat aware of the issues that are plaguing our society. Even those who only view mainstream news and media at least have some knowledge of one side of many of these stories, and now that grassroots movements have shown that they can influence larger media outlets, more problems are being brought to the forefront that otherwise wouldn't even be on the radar. Independent news companies like The Young Turks, The Daily KOS, and Info Wars are also gaining momentum every day, using their more varied stories and viewpoints to build a viewer base from people who may be getting bored with all the usual rhetoric. Twitter, Facebook, and other social media forums are also being used to get messages from the underground out, with pictures, videos, tweets, and such now being a main mode of judging popular opinion on a daily basis by both individuals and news companies big and small. The knowledge of these issues is out there, and slowly, but surely, people are listening.

However, the reason why people do not act upon their knowledge of these things is that we feel helpless to change these situations. We know that the Walton family is making money hand over fist and somehow is barely paying its workers, buying cheaply made foreign goods and flooding our homes with them. We know that the minimum wage is too low, and that bureaucrats who have been making a fortune on our tax dollars are fighting to keep it that way. We know that the US government is spending far too much money on war and not enough on social issues, and that we've been fighting wars all over the world that seemingly have nothing to do with us as a people. We know those things and more, and yet the story remains the same. Why? Because we feel like the problems are too big for us as individuals to address.

Well, what if I told you that every little change counts, that we can start shifting the outlook of the future, and that it only takes a little bit of effort? Would you believe me?

We can.

See, the reason these companies, politicians, and figureheads are in the positions that they are in is because we have allowed ourselves to become blinded to the terrible things that they do in order to maintain that power. Therefore, in our ignorance, we give our money, the most basic and effective form of power that we have, to people that may not care a single iota about us. If we start paying more attention to the companies, products, and services that we choose to give our money to, we can redirect the flow of power to these people who are destroying us by inches.

For example, I am a big fan of Dr. Bronner's Soaps. They're all natural, free of animal testing, smell great, safe for the environment, and clean just as well as any conventional soap. And so, knowing that other companies put things into their soaps and body washes that pollute, are not safe, and could kill you if accidentally consumed, I choose to give my money to this small company that makes a quality product which doesn't have much of a negative impact on the environment.  ( http://www.drbronner.com/ )

The same goes for Marcal tissue, a company whose CEO actually got mad at Greenpeace for not fighting harder to make sure that Kimberly-Clark used more recycled material for their paper products. Of the Kimberly-Clark/Greenpeace "truce," he actually said, "Using any percentage of virgin tree fiber to make household paper products is still destroying the planet." ( http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/marcal-paper-ceo-comments-on-greenpeace-and-kimberly-clark-truce-62184077.html ) After hearing that, I switched to Marcal's Small Steps 100% recycled tissue and paper towels, seeing that the head of the company was actually trying to do something about the issue rather than just talk a good game.

Another company I support and have personal experience with is TerraCycle, a company that's been gaining momentum over the past few years using purely recycled goods to create practical products for everyday use. They started with an all-natural fertilizer based on worm compost and have been growing ever since. Now, they offer building materials, home and office goods, electronics, and other useful items that anyone could use on a daily basis, all made out of majority post-consumer waste material. ( http://www.terracycle.com/en-US/products.html?page=1 )

These are just a few of the companies that I know of that can be used as alternatives to working with other more nefarious and greedy corporations that are out there. There are so many more that are there, though the few that I have provided you with is a good launch point to start with. A little knowledge goes a long way, and examining the methods and motives behind the companies that you choose to give your money to is the most effective way to reroute power from those who care nothing for you. Yes, Reader, you are only one person, but by nature of being a human in America, you are a part of a network. If one person sees your behavior and decides to change one thing about what they buy or support, it's a start, and even if no one else follows you, you're still doing the best you can to improve the world around you.

Be the change. Use yours.

Put your money where your mouth is.

#OpMoneyMouth

Good day.

Find me: @xXxAnarchosxXx

"The Way Things Are"

Recently, I've been hearing a bit of resistance to my writing. The complaint is usually something along the lines of this: "Your ideas are good, but it seems like you're trying to convince people to change human nature." I suppose they're right, in a way, given how the majority of humans act towards each other in this day and age.

I have a qualm with this concept of "human nature," though.

You see, one of the supposedly unique qualities of humanity is their ability to make informed decisions without using just instinct. We're supposed to be the most intelligent beings on this planet, our decidedly lacking physical prowess counter-balanced by our hyper-advanced minds. We've developed language independently in our respective civilizations, made technology that makes impossible things into everyday occurrences, and even began understanding the individual components of the known universe.

How is it, then, that we are not evolved enough to make collective advancement possible?

We have enough technology, resources, ability to network, and population density to make the entire world a better place all at once. This generation can end world hunger, war, mass deaths, and most of the evils that the world has seen throughout history.

Except...we won't.

Why?

We've all been taught that it can't happen.

All of the generations before us have taught us not to try to make a difference in the collective consciousness. They squashed dissenting ideas for prevailing ones, delaying or outright obliterating ideas from coming into fruition. Every generation before ours has told us that humans kill, destroy, subjugate, and otherwise ruin each other's lives and their surroundings because that's "Human Nature." We are told from the beginning that humanity is beyond redemption, and that we should not bother trying to affect humanity. Paradoxically, we are also shown examples of individuals who changed history by being either extremely persistent or too intelligent and outspoken to ignore. They are simultaneously paraded around as heroes by our schools and other institutions while mainstream culture constantly convinces us to remain a part of the herd.

In spite of the culture's best efforts, a brave few have broken this mold. It takes an extreme amount of intestinal fortitude to fly in the face of violent, cruel convention, but some have done so successfully. Some of these people are controversial, while others have become worldwide symbols of positive progress. However, in a constantly warring world where "different" has the connotation of "dangerous," it has become rebellion to retain all of your individuality, and it has become treason to defy immoral practices by the ruling class. The people are unhappy, but they are afraid of being ostracized for pointing it out. Therefore, more and more people use the excuse of human nature to justify refusing to act in defiance against the vileness they see around them every day.

You're all either afraid or too lazy to try. You can admit it. You see the evil I see, but you wave it away dismissively under the banner of "human nature." No, you cannot change anyone other than yourself, but if more people decided to change themselves for the better, the world would be a better place. Cruelty, famine due to greedy food distribution, war, domestic violence, police brutality, ethnic tensions between races...these are all taught behaviors. If we can teach a child to hate someone for being different, we should be able to teach them to view people as individuals. If we can teach that one color of skin is better than another, we can teach that all colors are equal.

But we can't teach those things with any sense of gravity if the elders don't truly believe the precepts. Sure, we teach kids in school how to share, that we're all equal and should be treated like that, and all of the rest of the lessons we get from Kindergarten to 6th grade. However, American culture doesn't support the lessons, making the nobler concepts of equality and fairness ring hollow once the kids get a glimpse of the outside world. Of course, everyone is different, but the differences between us should be appreciated, not viewed as a detriment because we don't understand them.

In the end, the reason why things are the way they are is because humanity does not want to change. We have been taught we should not, and so we do not. However, we are completely capable of doing so, and once we realize that, we can make progress together. 

Thought for the Day

Disposable America

These days, everything is considered replaceable. We have plastic cutlery, disposable razors, fast food, biodegradable chip bags and milk bottles, and $.50 lighters that we toss when they run out. New cars have a shelf life of 5 years, electronics are only considered worth using until the next one comes out, and fashion fads are...well, fads.

Is it any wonder, then, that America's infrastructure is going down the tubes?

Think about that for a moment. Instead of being willing to buy something that is sturdy and will last, we have immersed ourselves in this culture of disposability.We have given value to cheap, fast, and new, while discarding the concepts of reliability, permanence, and generational sustainability. We have allowed consumer culture to infiltrate and destroy us from the inside, brainwashing us and making us into slaves of whim and corporate influence.

Even now, we destroy things that can be used once again without even being reprocessed. Why do you toss your glass bottles and containers only to buy plastic jugs and containers later on? Is washing something that does not stain, keeps food and drinks fresher, and will not erode over time that difficult? Why must you buy bottled water when there are easily accessible and inexpensive filtration systems for your existing water lines? Why toss out that computer two years after you got it? Are you so inept at system maintenance that you can't keep the thing clean? Why do you need that new car, that new phone, or that new sound system?

Getting new things on the basis of them being new is not a justification for a way of life.

Young Western World, you have been brainwashed into creating more waste than necessary. You have been force-fed the lie of needing new everything, of discarding perfectly good things in order to buy new ones. You have let the bourgeoisie fool you into thinking the hole in your spirit should be filled with things, robbing you of your money, which is an integral part of your power, and leaving you ever in want of more. Instead of learning to be at peace with yourselves, you have been taught to consume, waste, and destroy, affecting everything in your life from relationships and finances to the environment and the world economy.

Disengage. Turn off the "consume" button, if only for a little while.

Find me. @xXxAnarchosxXx

Land of Opportunism

Yesterday, I bought a book that was worth $250 at a cost of $2. I then sold it to a family member for $30, who will then sell it to someone online for roughly $65.

I'm currently smoking a hard to find, expensive tobacco that I managed to get roughly 7 ounces of for no cost directly from the manufacturer.

The car I own currently was a Christmas gift from a friend that I met while slumming it in an artist's collective a few years ago. 

I'm not paying rent right now, but I'm living on my own in an apartment and taking care of my sick roommate.

All of this, and I only have $5 in my wallet right now.

My life is a constant balancing act, and yet somehow, I'm surviving and doing better than a majority of the world. Sure, I don't live in the best area, but my housemates and I get along pretty well, and that's what matters most. However, how did all of these miracles come to be? How did someone who is so anti-establishment manage to make it in this world of cold calculations, computerized existence, and ones and zeroes?

The answer, quite simply, is to be a chameleon.

You see, I do hate the majority of the government. I scoff at how inefficient it is and how it seems to care less about its population and more about its wallet on a regular basis. I don't like money and how it centralizes power to the top of the socioeconomic grid. I truly wish that we could completely disband the concept and focus upon agriculture, the environment, and our children. 

However, I am not an optimist. I am, in fact, an opportunist. 

People have long maligned that term, equating it with things like vultures, snakes, and hyenas. One definition of an opportunist is "a person who practices the policy of adapting actions, decisions, etc., to effectiveness regardless of the sacrifice of ethical principles." Most imply the latter half heavily, classifying people like bank robbers, purse snatchers, rapists, and other forms of criminals in this category. In a way, they are right about that assumption, as well, seeing as most of these use subversive means to achieve their malicious, self-serving ends.

However, the definition I use here is from another source, meaning "a person who adapts his actions, responses, etc, to take advantage of opportunities, circumstances, etc." You see, I do not see an opportunist as a purely negative person as a matter of course. It is not mandatory that an opportunist be an evil entity in my mind, and I would invite you to consider this in the future. 

As it stands, it is not wrong to take advantage of any positive advantage you have in America. It is not wrong to say "yes" if someone offers you something, nor is it wrong to take something if it has been truly abandoned, passed on, or left out for the taking. Taking a risk does not equate to doing wrong, and just because you don't know if you have permission or not doesn't mean you should not attempt what you want to try. The American government has tried to stamp out the spirit of independence as of late, but I cannot allow them to succeed in this. Therefore, I bring you this message:

One cannot succeed in life or make a major difference in the world by following "The Rules" all the time. This amalgamation of "socially acceptable behavior," oppressive legislation, and religious servitude are manufactured to keep the system functioning as it is now. The heads like being on top, and they will do everything they have to in order to maintain their seat of power. Is it not fair for a person to do the same in response to get what they want and need? 

The cardinal rule of Wicca is "Harm none; do what thou wilt." While I am not strictly Wiccan, I subscribe to this belief with all steadfastness. As long as you're not purposely damaging others with your behavior, do whatever you need and want to do at any given moment. 

The Rules say I shouldn't have bought a $2 book and sold it for $30 because it's only worth what I paid for it. The Rules say I should have paid that major corporation for that tobacco instead of them giving it to me for free. The Rules say I should be paying rent, I should not have gotten a free car, and that I should feed the capitalist machine with every ounce of effort I have.

Well, my rules say "Fuck those rules." 

It's all a giant game, folks. America is a big chess board, and once a piece realizes it, they can become a player. Whereas other places may not have as many options or opportunities to be successful, America's architecture of crony bureaucracy, near unlimited markets to tap into, and malfunctioning government controls, anyone can worm their way into a position of power. Pretend to care about this rule, do right by this person, ignore one responsibility, pursue another one relentlessly, maintain a certain image....in short, America is about manipulating your environment until you get what you want. If your objective is to change the game, you must outplay your opponent until you are powerful enough to crush him outright.

This is why my name is Anarchos. I choose which rules I follow in order to get where I need to be. I'll wear a mask in public long enough to get to what I want, but not a minute longer. Silently maneuvering in the background, waiting for the right time to assert and act, changing masks to manipulate things toward an increasingly advantageous outcome...sounds like a certain role model we may share in common, eh?

Now pardon me while I go shave my beard. Orientation is on Monday, and I must look the part. 

Find me. @xXxAnarchosxXx

Guns

This whole national gun control debate on whether or not we should have more laws, less regulations, more controls and such is something that I find....well, hilarious.

Let me explain myself.

I am a 24 year old black male living in a horrible slum in the Northeast. The de facto protocol on guns here is very simple: minorities aren't allowed to have them. Period. The cops can, with ease, stop you, frisk you, tase you, mace you, and take your weapons from you, even if you have licensing and such. Why? They feel "threatened" by your possession of something you supposedly have a right to have. If they appear at your door and you ask them for a warrant, they use force to get past you, threaten to arrest you, or even use violence against you under the guise of you being "uncooperative." It doesn't matter what caliber, how large or small your magazine is, or if it has effective safety mechanisms on it. The cops will take your guns from you. That's just daily life for me and the people who live around me.

But threaten to do the same to suburban and rural people? Oh, THAT'S unconstitutional. THAT's an outrage.

"You can do that to those people, but don't take my guns away!"

You people disgust me.

On the other hand, we see the people trying to take the guns away rambling on about safety. Sure, some whack job shot up a school or a theater, made headline news, and brought the issue into the public eye. However, I've had to pull children away from gunfire on my block, and within a week two people got shot and killed on said block. Now, where were all of these concerned citizens then? Where were all of those well-meaning, safety conscious people who think that guns are the most evil device known to man and must be destroyed at all costs?

Probably too busy rallying and siphoning money out of the pockets of the rest of the country.

Furthermore, if you really want to murder a lot of people, guns are the least effective way to do it. Ask the US military about it. You know, dirty bombs, knives, Agent Orange, napalm, grenades, IEDs, mustard gas, stuff like that? All more effective, easier to access, and with a larger kill/maim potential than a gun with 8-30 bullets in it. Hell, mix a gallon of bleach and a gallon of ammonia and you can kill a whole house full of people in minutes. If a killer wants to kill, they will find a way with or without your stupid regulations.

Just ask the two guys that died on my block two weeks ago.

In the end, if you think guns themselves are the problem, you're a fucking moron. You are a product of a society that's been trained to treat symptoms, not core causes. People with problems kill others indiscriminately. Teach people not to hate each other enough to murder each other, maybe? Identify the sick and feeble-minded before something dumb happens? How about paying enough attention to those around you to be able to recognize a sickness and get help for them?

And for all of you whining about tighter regulations: just be happy that you can have a weapon at all. Yeah, it sucks that the government wants to take shit, but if you really want to keep something, you'll find a way. You know they just want to be able to stop a rebellion easier if it comes to it, so they put these rules out under the guise of doing something right for the country. Either fight it legally or do what we do: only have it visible when you need it.

Find me. @xXxAnarchosxXx

Blame

Alright. I've had enough. I'm sick and tired of people blaming one person for America's problems. Yes, the cost of everything is going up. Yes, it's really hard to find a job these days. No, we don't produce as many things in America as we should.

But you know what?

OBAMA ISN'T THE ONLY ONE TO BLAME.

Neither was Bush Jr., nor Clinton, nor Bush Sr.

First off, let's look at the facts. An American president, while being the highest authority in the country, is ELECTED by the people. Yes, we know that the options were flimsy at the time, and we also know that the electoral colleges are a giant bunch of bullshit. However, ultimately the American people are the reason why these people get into office. We had a perfectly viable candidate that seemed to care about the American people, was against the war, and wanted to strengthen the economy (Rand Paul, by the way), but the general public dismissed him outright. Why? Do we want to get to shore, or do we want to sit around and complain about how much salt water is on the ship?

Secondly, did everyone just forget about Congress and the Senate when accusing Obama of "ruining the country?" We have entire buildings full of people who sit there, suck up funds, and write laws that people hate. These people have all sorts of corporate interests, lobbyists, and other things that influence their decisions, many of which are to line their own pockets. If you want to look at a pit of improperly spent money and bad decisions, there's a good starting point.

Speaking of improperly spent money and bad decisions...big businesses all over the world have become our ruination. The advent of outsourcing labor, importing cheap goods from foreign countries, and paying much lower than reasonable rates for hard work has made the majority of us have to live hand to mouth. Those of us who want to start businesses ourselves and escape the wage slavery that keeps us all in bondage are assaulted with fees, permits, fines, taxes, and regulations that are nigh impossible for the average person to pay. And so, we painstakingly watch our pennies, usually being forced to give them away before we can have more in order to survive in this artificially inflated economy we are subject to.

However, the ultimate fault for the demise of the country falls upon a very uncomfortable source. To quote a very famous actor, "truth be told...if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror."

You see, no one man can be responsible for destroying the infrastructure of an entire country. Many blamed Caesar for the downfall of the Roman Empire, but historical analysis reveals that there were a whole lot of small errors, bad decisions, and cultural conflicts that eventually caused it to crumble. The same can be said regarding America. We have become docile, preferring to grumble, complain, and blame instead of fixing these problems ourselves. We have decided to take the easy way out, letting other people run our country for us instead of taking charge. Whatever happened to the classic American vision of independence, intelligence, indomitable fortitude, and freedom?

The answer is simple. To quote another famous person, "You know the thing about chaos? It's fear." After 9/11, the government used the media to make you feel the need to rely on them more and more in a world that didn't fit our conception of a normal sphere of events. Images of horrifying things were implanted into the collective consciousness over and over again, the thought of the possibility of everyday life being shattered by some tragic event being hammered into our minds. Now, everyone with a beard and a turban was a potential enemy, and some boogeyman hiding in caves halfway across the world was magically able to attack every suburban and rural domicile. Suddenly, diseases of all types were being talked about and overblown (H1N1, Swine Flu, etc.) while the ones that really need to be addressed were left by the wayside.

In short, those of you who were old enough to do anything at the time decided to give the control we had away to a bunch of people with ulterior motives.

I was twelve. This was not my fault, yet I am suffering as an adult because of it.

"I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn't be? War. Terror. Disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense."

However, now that they're not doing what you want them to do, you blame one man. Now that they have taken what they have been freely given and done with it what they wanted, you want to blame one person for the faults of an entire system.

How dare you? How dare you grumble and complain while you sit on your ass and don't do a damn thing to fix anything? This was your doing! How dare you leave the detritus of your idiocy to my generation and the ones that come after me? How irresponsible can you be? You have all ruined the country for us, and we may see its downfall because of your laziness and stupidity! Now, the youth have to work harder and harder just to survive, and many will not make it at all. You have doomed us, you sleeping, self-entitled Gen X'ers, Baby Boomers, and elders who have let the country fall apart at the seams.

STOP. BLAMING. OTHER. PEOPLE.

FIX. THE. PROBLEM.