Toward a constructive praxis based on a positive vision

Oppressions, injustices, exploitations, inequalities, contentions . . .

If the idea is that the social change movement can address and ameliorate them all (or your particular prioritized one) we’ll just churn and protest and be angry, like, forever.

In our work there is a necessary place for protest, challenge, struggle, critique, etc. But I think we should focus more on the kind of positive initiatives that can lead constructively toward the greening of society — with a realistic perspective of what can be done in any period, in any lifetime.

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Taking a broad overview, our movement re: “A Better World Is Possible” dates back hundreds of years and has accomplished some notable achievements regarding democracy, equality, and the raising of social and ecological consciousness. But the protest/challenge/struggle/critique orientation has, for the most part, left us still braying from the margins.

The nineteenth century visions of revolution were romantic and hyper-idealistic and they failed. Worse, after a socialist revolution seemed to succeed in 1917, the outcome was so disappointing as to result in disorientation and recrimination, with the left flailing around directionless:

https://www.fifthestate.org/archive/409-summer-2021/only-change-is-permanent/

For years, Marxists, anarchists, critical theorists, have been clueless. Reformists have been subdued. Notice how Bernie Sanders could not stick with the old misguided ultimatism of Eugene Debs and now can only articulate a program of tepid reforms. But one could say that his efforts are at least more positive than the dreary post-post-leftism of sensitivities, grudges, and cancellations that characterize so many of the marginal groups currently.

Meanwhile, the social terrain in general has become dispirited. Jimmy Carter called it “malaise” . . . almost fifty years ago! The seventies were a mess. The power elites tried a go-back Great Again re-set during the eighties. They tried a boomer-generation new way (the Clinton/Blair “Third Way”) during the nineties. They tried to implement an American Century of Global Supervision during the aughts. Nothing worked, and they tried to buoy it all up with a flood of dollars during the teens.

Decade after decade, as production and consumption have expanded (“progress”), depletion and exhaustion have increased.

Has depression increased? The statistics don’t give a clearcut answer. Is the quality of life improving or not? Here’s something to consider in that regard:

What if modern peoples are no happier than were the indigenous peoples who, five hundred years ago, lived right here?

Lenape lived here in “New Jersey.” Imagine them. Their production and consumption were much lower. But it was fully adequate for them to thrive; for them to have full cultural enrichment.

They traveled less. They wasted less. They exploited less. They had more in the way of social cohesion. They focused locally. They knew their neighbors better than we do. They knew the land better.

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Re: “A Better World Is Possible” . . .

The direction things have been going in doesn’t seem to be getting us there.

So consider 1491. Just before. Across the continent the tribes were diverse and I’m sure the quality of life varied. I believe that, on average, it was no worse than our own. Perhaps it was actually better than our own.

In which case . . .

What have we done?

What are we doing?

If we’ve engendered ecological imbalances and have gained little or nothing in the way of a better quality of life . . .

What have we accomplished?

Or: What have we wrought?

Our movement needs to answer these deeper kinds questions.

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Our movement has failed to resonate widely because it’s been identified with a lot of complaining.

Greens could lead a re-orientation toward a constructive praxis based on a positive vision of the greening of society. Greens should become identified with human and biotic liberation.