Freeconomy Blog
Tue
05 Jan
What are you going to say?
| 13 comments |
Last night's New Year's Party 2027, was the best one I can remember in years. We all needed it to be honest, the news throughout 2026 was something else. The predictions I heard from scientists back in my late twenties hadn't just come true, they were completely surpassed. So we went out on a big one at the Bar69, a corporate chain bar who now owned 80% of the bars in town. I left my 11 year old child with the babysitter, and drank to forget.
But I woke up this morning to a real hangover, and even more bleak news on the TV. The Maldives, the reporter said, is now 60% under water, with 400,000 people at high risk of displacement not just from their homes, but from their entire homelands; worse still, they haven't as yet found alternative places of residence, as all countries around them have been shutting their borders to anyone on a Maldivian passport, in order to protect their own labour markets and economy. Understandable I guess, given the state of the economy, if you could call it that.
Earlier in the year, 11 of the world's largest 15 cities (all coastal) were also put on red alert, with experts suggesting that with sea levels this high, a force 12 hurricane could make the humanitarian crisis that wiped out a fifth of New York in 2019 look like a day at the beach.
So I prompted the TV to change channel by saying "Channel 4032", as Ecology TV is one of my favourite stations. It seemed even it wasn't as upbeat as it usually is. James Lovelock is on, talking about Sellafieldgate, and how in hindsight he may have got it wrong about nuclear energy. "Told you, Lovelock, told you, idiot!", I roar at him, as I open my tin of spaghetti hoops with my electric tin opener.
Next up after Lovelock is a programme on GM, and whether or not it could yet fulfil it's potential of saving the world from starvation. One scandal after the next had come out regarding it over the last 10 years; everything from stories involving British Prime Minister Nick Griffin and President Schwarzenegger accepting bribes from Bayer et al. to the loss of 63% of bee populations, 68% of skylark populations and a reduction of a staggering 74% of Monarch butterflies. Robert Shapiro, former head of Monsanto, comes on to say "I don't care what anyone says, nobody 15 years ago could have predicted these consequences, and any environmentalist who says they could is a liar. There was no scientific proof this could happen. This was completely unpredicted, but our top scientists are now working around the clock to see if a solution is possible."
Just as I was about to fling my new Nintendo Geex at the screen, my son walks in, just back from the babysitters, so I flicked onto 'The Money Show' instead, a station fully dedicated to stories about a means of exchange. "Shares in Monsanto, GlaxoSmithKline and Bayer all up 10% today after the announcement by PM Griffin to continue to allow animal testing in the UK", even after new evidence came to light in 2021 which showed that testing drugs in a controlled experiment on a beagle dog, that are intended for a human who already has a cocktail of synthetic chemicals in him, isn't as smart as it first seemed. "Griffin knows best", I reassured myself.
Marie, our 36 year old French babysitter (jobs aren't as abundant these days since Nature Crunch), is a bit of an environmentalist, and though we like her we have been worried that she may be filling my son Josie's head with alternative stuff. And it seems this time she finally has. Josie asks me if I he can turn off the Bigscreen, ask me some questions and if I won't be angry with him.
I reluctantly agree, not quite sure my hangover needs this though, it sounds a bit too deep for the 1st Jan. He starts -
"Daddy, Marie said that years ago Gloucester Rd used to be full of boutiques and independent traders, and that she used to know all the people in the shops there", he said, "so why do we only have Tesco now?".
"That's simple son", I said in the least patronising voice I could muster,"the beans were 10p cheaper in Tesco, so why go somewhere that they are more expensive?", I asked.
"I didn't know that Dad, I guess that makes sense, Mummy says we don't have much money any more. Marie also said that my jeans were made by someone my age in Burma, and that the boss hires big soldiers with big guns to keep them from the loo", Josie investigated further.
"Well your father isn't in control of the whole world son, I can't concern myself with the laws of other countries, they can look after their own", replied I to the ungrateful little bastard, should be happy to have a pair.
"I was talking to Marie last night", Josie says before I interrupt with "I can tell, you know what we told you about Marie though, don't you?". "Yes, but I am just asking you as I trust you Dad more than anyone else in the world", my little darling retorts. "Marie says she is a vegan, and that in order for me to get my milk on my Coco Pops, they rape a cow, take her child away at birth, work her hard and then do the same straight away once her milk levels drop, for every year of her life, until they kill her when she can't produce a profitable amount any more. Is Marie a feminist Daddy, she says feminists care about women? Is a cow a woman Daddy?", the little fucker asks.
"Jeez, you're a bit inquisitive for a 11 year old", I say, "do you want to go play football with daddy". "Yes daddy yes, but after you answer my questions, I am a bit worried about the cows and things and want to know that you'll do the best for them". "Life isn't that simple little Josie, the cows depend on us, the wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for us, and if the animals weren't treated like that there is no way you could have milk on your pops every day, we just couldn't afford it. You do like milk on your pops, every day, don't you now?". "I do, but...", "See, that's a good boy, football Josie, lets see how long you can keep it up?"
"Just a few more questions, my head is so full of questions". "Today of all days, I think, after all the news and the fifteen pints."
"Pa, she also said you used to live without money for a while - that sounds killer, why do we use money Pa?". "Son", I said, wondering if killer was the new rude, "if I stayed without money, you wouldn't have been born - your mum would never have gone out with me, let alone marry me, and what kind of world would I have brought you into, it would have been too hard on you. And it was a bit tough at times, I couldn't watch the telly or nothing like that".
"Why would mum not marry you if you didn't have money Pa, I thought she loved you?", he asks. "She does, son, she does, but you know, she needs some security, some comforts in life, and your ma didn't really like bathing in the river". "And your father got a bit lonely doing it himself."
"One last question Dad, is that OK? Marie said you and people fifteen years ago knew that if we didn't stop buying crap - that was her word, not mine, I promise, I promise Dad - then the people in the Maldives and the other islands would eventually lose their homes, but you wouldn't stop shopping, you just kept on doing it. Why didn't you stop shopping Dad?", he asks.
I looked into his eyes. "I don't know, son, I, I... I don't know son." And as he looks back into mine, a tear trickles down my cheek.
THE FREECONOMY BLOG is written by Mark Boyle, founder of The Freeconomy Community, who lives without money, isn't sure what to do and doesn't know what to tell his unborn child. He adds, "No, I am not about to be a Dad, this is a fictional story". That he hopes doesn't some true.
Comment on this Post:
Sarah L comments ...
Hilarious! Actually, it would have been more funny if it probably wasn't going to be true. Food for thought at this time of year.
Dee comments ...
hmmm, quite thought provoking. Until real anxiety about these issues evokes us all to respond we will not have reached a tipping point for change. Let's hope we will. Surely humans are still able to be good and reflect on our natural worth on this planet.
You are always welcome for tea at my place.
caro comments ...
I just read JG Ballard's The Drowned World - it takes this scenario a wee bit further - and he wrote it in 1962!
Caraline comments ...
I love that you dont let up, Mark. What was problematic yesterday and sunday still is, it doesnt become less real. it can be easy to fall back into the stupor, stupors of numbness and disempowerment- which i think might be the same thing. keep shaking me awake til i stay awake! it gets a little easier everytime.
Mark Boyle comments ...
@ Sarah - thanks for that.
@ Mike and Ann - yeah I think we need to be proactive about not letting them gain any ground. Problem is, there is no good alternative.
@ Dee - thank you, what a lovely offer. Where are you based? Always welcome in mine too if ever near Bristol or Bath.
@ Caro - never read it heard of it I am sure - must check it out.
@ Caraline - I am sure you are doing just fine :-)
Sandie comments ...
I love your use of irony, but this post is definately not funny or hilarious.
I wonder, too, what I will say to my three sons in seventeen years time?
And what would I say, TODAY, to the children that live on our Planet with little food, water, education, healthcare or future....?
Something is going to have to give..............
Dr Steve Bell comments ...
You're on the money with that, if you will forgive the pun.
Shame we don't have any solutions isn't it?
now for some good news! x comments ...
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Brian comments ...
I am feeling what your saying. Especially the part about mummy not wanting to go out with a drop out who can provide security. I ran a small cleaning business until Dec 08. Things got pretty bad in the economy and I needed to leave it all behind (business did survive but my former partner now has IVA and im in the hole 20K)
At Christmas 2008 I watched the Zeitgeist films and was pushed over the edge. I splitt with my partner, move back home with my mum (bless her) and signed on. I've since moved to Reading in a flat with a friend. I even got a job temping but am now unemployed.
I hate the monetary system. I cannot stand it. I know we dont need all the crap. I hated running a cleaning business (customer ringing up to complain about a fingerprint left on a window). I want to live in a world without money but I fear that to do so would mean accepting that I must be lonely.
To go against the main stream of society is a lonely and terrifying prospect. Most people will eventually sucumb to the flow of the raging current.
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