Last night we hosted a political potluck dinner that we’d advertised on several local encrypted message groups. Our home – oh, it’s bloody good to be back – filled with new faces and old friends, with those of us in this growing tribe of folk who have become increasingly politically awake to what gaming the pandemic has enabled. We shared food and conversation about the forthcoming federal election.
We spoke to the story of how the pandemic has been used to erode democracy, silence dissent and generally pave a way for (unelected) neofeudal lords and ladies to fuck around with we common folk. ‘We’ being the burgeoning global neoserfdom, all supposedly fighting against each others’ algorithms and other data-mined manipulations while unwittingly being shaped into passive receptors of synthetic-biology food and medicine – UBI serfs with digital identities, controlled by centralised digital currency enforcing we only buy from big Energy, big Ag and big Pharma and get all our basic needs from companies owned by the global elites who are going to save us. Well, that’s at least how we’re reading the current situation.
What follows is our off the cuff, rather naive (open) take on the gathering last.
You can listen to the audio only version here:
We welcome your comments and your shares. We’d love to hear about how you’re feeling about the upcoming election, and how you’re feeling about the political landscape in general.
Sending all the very best from Tree Elbow,
Patrick, Meg, Blackwood and Zero
Here’s a list of related reading/links/topics that we referred to in this video.
Left critique of the ‘Lockdown Left’
How the ‘Lockdown Left’ have supported Right policies
Bill Gates’ Global Development Site at The Guardian
Bill Gates consumes the BBC into his web of ideology
Left critique on how Bill Gates shapes the media
Bill Gates ‘buys’ liberal-Left media (BBC, NPR, The Guardian etc)
Whistleblower warns of ‘architecture of oppression’ being formed on the back of COVID-19
A dip into the origins of the now techno-cultish (neofeudal AI) Green transhuman politics
Right take on UK Health Security Agency Covid stats and the newly boostered
The co-opting of the Greens into The Machine
Australian Federation Party website
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
So lovely to see you settling into homespace. Thank you as always for your offering. A bright ray of conscious consideration amongst the sedated sleepwalking.
I have no idea over technical challenges but is there anyway you could offer audio only versions easily? Your long form conversations would make wonderful listening while I’m in the garden working.
Blessings and hope
Oak
Hey, thanks Oak! You’ve given us the g’up with the audio-only and have now embedded it in the post. We’ll aim to do the same with each video.
Now we need to address the lack of captions on the videos… we’re on to this too…
Wonderful. Many thanks.
Intersting thoughts, although theses elections do not directly apply to me living in the U.K we face similar problems. Our political parties all have problems and the corruption here is at an all time high.
Thanks for the inspiration, I often go back and watch your older videos. We now have a community veg plot which is going well and there is a garden share scheme in the pipeline this summer.
Thanks Stuart, and thanks for returning to our previous work. In this age of aggregating enclosure it is always great to hear of fellow acts of re-commoning such as community veg plots. All power to you.
I’d like to share this –
Thanks Spring, please do
Thanks Meg and Patrick for another fantastic video and such a timely discussion. As ex Green voters that feel powerless in fighting the tyranny “due to our choices” over the past 2 years, we too have been researching how we make our votes count.
We have been following you for a number of years and are so very thankful for all that you bring and share. This has been especially true in times when its hard to find (through the algorithms) connected hearts and minds.
Glad to hear settling back in well at tree elbow too,
All the very best
Ben
That’s very kind, Ben. Thanks for saying. We have heard an Indigenous friend from this area is standing for the Greens. We respect her a lot, so if she is we’d feel torn. We have asked her if we can do an interview. So many questions to ask her.
Thanks neopeasants, sage council as always. I am getting the drift that advancing social and environmental causes is going on the backburner as all we are attempting to do politically is stop them killing us or ostracising us ftom society. That is how far we have fallen.
UAP and One Nation are Nationalist parties that aim to maintain the status quo we have known for a bit longer. They feel like bandaid solutions but hey any port in a storm. We get to vote again in another three years. No doubt Clive is in it for Clive, but maybe he can bail us out ? Yes things are dire. But you know, a neopeasant society is essentially a conservative society anyway. I see the Australian Federation party are quite conservative too, but Dr Judy Wilyman is with them – awesome. The system fears Rod Culleton too, they referred him to the AFP again the other day over his financial status. They dont like the way he rips the scab off their legal fictions. The Teal mob including Helen Haines are total WEF stooges, whether they choose to see it or not.
https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/former-one-nation-senator-rod-culleton-referred-to-afp-over-false-nomination/news-story/1bc7f7287c22108b19120b04e09edd27?amp
So appreciate these links and refs.
Some other interesting facts about One Nation from a Quarterly Essay a couple of years back. They are not US Trumpites, who are mostly rural poor and religious.
Rather, One Nation in 2016 are predominantly middle class tradespeople (80%) who are secular. 60% never attend church. One third are under 45. 44% of them are women, they are mostly in favor of gay marriage.
50% live in cities. 68% wanted marijuana decriminalised. 50% support parental corporal punishment. 88% support capital punishment. They support trade unions and are nostalgic for white Australia.
Not ideal but not as bad as you would think. Basically they are the 1970’s labor party. They have an Indian guy running as no 2 senate candidate in Qld , so it seems like they might be trying to be less racist.
Reference
Marr, David. 2016. The White Queen; One Nation & the Politics of Race. Quarterly Essay.
Thanks CC for this reference.
Nice recap and thanks for putting it on!
AusFeds seem to have their finger on the pulse. I support them to get more candidates.
However as Iain Davis puts it, I am seeing ‘representative democracy [as] really just the public relations department for an establishment power structure which voters can never influence.’ I am cautious that my participation doesn’t reinforce a sham.
I won’t let the disillusionment stop me from action – in all the diverse ways that can and do feel authentic to me, including informed voting and voting as prayer – but I am moving away from any prescribed view of how ‘change’ is enacted in our world.
There seems to be too much noise for traditional protest to be heard, and too much power centralisation for it to sway the deeper currents. But those mired in the glamour will always be aware of those who are content by being co-creative with Earth and each other, instead of co-dependent.
I’m listening to the emergence of spiritual governance, an organic orientation towards those whose consciousness and loving actions are self-evident and undeniable.
Researching these issues can definitely be heartbreaking and disabling and my commiserations are with everyone doing so. It seems we must all learn to become aware and learn how to let it all go as well
Sending both of you so much love
This is such a wonderful comment Seb, thank you! Paul Kingsnorth has been sending out goodly missives in this general direction. The base behaviour of our political system can only be overhauled by spiritual reculturing. So, yes, this is the real work. Sending much love xx
Thank you so much for all your excellent work and sharing, Patrick, Meg, Blackwood and Zero!
Thanks Con! Thanks for saying…
🙏
Folks here is some interesting snippets about the Lib Dems, who have often been very close to neoliberalism through the Institute of Public Affairs think tank.
Sent to me last night by a mate
“Apparently former Libdems leader David Leyonjhelm promised to bring in a no jab- no public school policy.
David Limbrick in VIC although he seems to have been good overall, supported a jab mandate for healthcare workers in 2020.“
Thanks so much, do you have links/articles to share? Cheers.
Here is Leyonheljm spruiking no vax no play in 2015
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2015/11/23/leyonhjelm-supports-jab-pay-legislation/amp/
Pauline Hanson appears to have been consistently circumspect on vax issues
https://www.ama.com.au/media/dr-michael-gannon-sky-news-vaccination
Haven’t been able to find media about Limbricks support for health care worker mandates but it’s plausible in the context of the early days of the pandemic I guess. He is certainly on our side now. Will keep looking though. Maybe Hansard.
Also, take a look at GAP Culletons party. They are running candidates in Victoria including Dr Mark Hobart in the seat of Maribyrnong.
Tony Nikolic associate Matthew Hopkins is running for GAP in NSW and disbarred lawyer Nathan Buckley running for One Nation in thd Qld Wide Bay seat.
Dr Hobart is a lovely bloke I would support him. There could be a bit of main-chancing going on with all these lawyers though.
We have to tip over the card table, folks. Hold your nose and do it !
Thank you again CC. You’re really digging deep into the deplorables. Indeed, the card table metaphor – the flimsy-chanciness of it all.
Thanks Meg and Patrick. This has helped me in my desperation and confusion. I think I will organise a similar potluck here. I really am at a loss as to how to use my vote. I will, from now on, refer to myself as a frustrated radical green lefty. Had a look at Ausfeds and they look pretty good, except for a few things, but they all have pros and cons as you say. Times are very scary, but it helps me so much to hear from you both with your sensitive and thoughtful take on things. Glad you’re happy back at home – can’t wait to see/hear what you’ll be up to next. Cheers, Jo xx
Thanks Jo, hope you are well and recovering from the floods. Protest voting is our intention, as flawed as that is in an ideal world, which of course it is not. We highly recommend getting together and listening to others, and of course tuning out of big media. Sending much love in this time of rupture and necessary chaos.
Really a great video thanks… yes fuck the system… save seeds build up your preps build community look after yours xxx
Thanks for you podcast. I have been watching to Paul Kingsnorth videos lately and I really feeling that the world has go really mad, more than before. So It good to hear trying to strategic about voting. Cos frankly I have no idea for the seat of Monash.
Love Kathryn.
Hey thanks Kathryn! Good luck with the form in Monash, hopefully there’s a guide and you can pop some Qs to them who are standing for office.
Thankyou once again.
I have been anti major parties for a while, mostly voting Green. I have been disappointed by their local fighting amongst themselves.
I am giving serious thought to the local “Teal” candidate. Still to get my head around the backer – “Climate 200”
Hey thanks John, we’ll take a look at Teal.
I’d like to come to the next potluck! If I may.
I see myself voting for AAF in the future, just sayin. Love your old fan, JM XX
Thanks Julie! The potluck gatherings are specifically for Ballarat and Bendigo electorates so may not be that relevant for you.
Oh of course thank you for clarifying. I’ll be watching your videos, learning and loving anyway. XXX
Thanks Julie!
Hi Meg and Pat
Thank you for your honest and refreshing chat around the current political status of our beautiful country. We are feeling very despondent about where our leaders are taking us, you are the people who lift us again and give us confidence that Australia is still great.
The website you mentioned is majorslast.com if you have not yet broken through the sensor ship.
All the very best to you and yours xo
Thanks so much Michelle, we’ll check that out.
https://majorslast.com/
Got it. Thanks Natasha
I don’t know where I sit. Everything is… a little too much at the moment. I’ve recently reawakened to my connection with the Earth around me. A lot of time being in nature, sitting by fires… it is actually quite painful at the moment, being kind of torn apart by the world we are expected to participate in, and the one that I desire to be in. The one that I feel at home in. This is probably not a particularly productive comment… but I felt compelled to share. Being locked down, and then re-emerging has opened my eyes to seeing the world how I did when I was a kid. Beautiful, full of adventure. And almost in no way tied to the way in which society and “civilisation” would have it. Thanks for doing what you do.
Thanks for your gentle and meandering comment, Ash. It is so appreciated and asks your readers to be reflective and open. How do we hold both stories? The story of civilisation and the story of the living of the world, which is much more expansive but often discarded or impossible to see because of the noise of the former?
Thanks so much for your reply, yes I suppose it’s a question that has been building in us for a long time as a species, since we took our first steps toward what we find ourselves in now. I’ve recently been left frustrated in the efforts of modern medicine to help me with anxiety, and several other ailments, and after listening to a brilliant podcast with Diarmuid Lyng, I have had something of an awakening, and decided to go out into nature, sit by a fire, smell the flowers, and sort of listen to my body and see what it needed. See how it might like to repair itself, and what in the world around me would respond to that desire. I’ve found that the results are speaking for themselves. And yet, I’m left to ponder the pull back into modernity, in front of screens and phones, with much of my work revolving around the use of technology… it’s an interesting spot to be. I’ll keep listening to the Outside, and see what responds Inside. And vice versa.
Thanks Ash, we relate and for us it’s a question of balance. Medicine days – barefoot, silent, fasting and in environments with few people and much birdsong – are essential for recharge. Glad you have found this too. If only we didn’t have to fight off the state for the right to choose our own medicines. This sick enclosure of urbane capital has well and truly begun.
The Federation Party; pro “individual freedom, choice, and bodily autonomy” except when it comes to a woman’s right over her own body… their number one policy is an anti-abortion position. You don’t think the Fed Party have an agenda that represents a “big powerful source”? Their roots are the Christian Church, in my opinion, that’s a pretty powerful source that doesn’t have much to do with democracy.