Strategic Resistance During Collapse
The current landscape, ideas for action, and a song for the resistance
Hi Peaceful Return subscribers. There is so much going on right now, it’s hard to catch one’s breath or know where to begin.
Soon, fuel and food prices are going to skyrocket from the Iran crisis, at the same time the super El Niño climate event hits and the OBBBA cuts to Medicaid the SNAP take effect—with the most intense election of our lifetimes dropping smack dab in the middle of it all.
Then there’s the mass deregulation of the federal policies that protect human life, which is happening across most of the agencies at once under the supervision of DOGE and the Office of Management and Budget, led by Russell Vought of the Heritage Foundation.
This is enough to elevate the nervous system of any sane person paying attention into DEFCON 5. But it doesn’t stop there. We also have the recent SCOTUS rulings gutting the Voting Rights Act, allowing Trump to fire agency heads without cause, and striking down limits on political party spending on elections.1 And then there’s the new attempt to pass the SAVE Act by merging it into the National Defense Authorization Act and horrific version of an online child safety bill introduced by the house requiring ID to access the internet.2
Setting aside, for a moment, the sheer horror—not just at these actions (we already know the depravity that people controlled by corporate interests sink to) but at the inaction of the American people—the question becomes:
What do we, who are paying attention and poised to act, DO?
It’s hard to know where to focus. It’s hard to know which actions have the most leverage.
It is clear that the whack-a-mole approach, where our energy is diffuse trying to put out every fire they throw at us, doesn’t work. It’s not just reactive. It’s playing right into their hand. Their strategy is to throw things at us so fast, we either freeze or react so frantically nothing sticks.
I have a number of pieces that address this topic of strategic action. Most recently I shared abbreviated versions of what still seems to be our greatest leverage point (Big Tech Exodus) here and here (they are a bit rough, but there’s no time to be perfect now). A longer essay on the specific digital exodus tactic to combat techno-authoritarianism is here.
There is no silver bullet solution. But there ARE things we can do to slow this down, buy us time, create long-term resilience and buffer against harm—if we focus and act together.
In the meantime, I want to share with you the piece I was actually intending to publish this week before I stumbled on today’s Citizens United 2.0 and KIDS Act news, which threw me into urgent activism mode.
Equally important as strategic collective action, is collective enjoyment, collaboration, and purpose. Below is a special inspirational and resources-sharing newsletter for the resistance.
Voices Unchained
Last week, on my way to run an errand, I opened iTunes and noticed a new song had been purchased and I promptly played it. For a moment I was filled with inspiration and hope, and felt able to step outside the rush of advocacy, analysis and activism, and remember an important part of revolution that tends to get overlooked: joy.
Joy, celebration, communion, dance are often cited as essential for a movement’s sustainability. They allow the nervous system to rest, recharge, and build trust and community and should be taken seriously.
I was reminded of many of the writers, artists and social justice I’ve met here and other places online and I got really excited to share it, but not before setting it to a slide show. This time I used a combination of news images alongside some old drawings and novice explorations into animation. Don’t get too lost on the visuals, it’s the song that’s really the thing I want to share. I also transcribed the lyrics for those that would like to read it like a poem.
Voiced Unchained We are the artists voices of day and night expressing thoughts and feelings ready to ignite words in our hearts melodies in the air together we'll share no truth left bare We are artists creating our art crafting our lyrics where emotions start writing our book to let the world see thoughts on paper setting the spirit free We're here to connect to reach out and sing our words are the message unity's the thing with dignity for all we respect and uphold freedom's a treasure that never gets old. (chorus) Thoughts are free they can't be taken against the tide of silence we're not forsaken artificial minds won't seal our fate books burned in the past can't silence our state In this age of chaos our voice remains true resisting oppression we stand strong for you They can't erase what we've begun in shadows of history our battle is one (won) against our worst nightmare we raise our song high creating a future where spirits can fly Those who suppress music bring no one delight join us in the groove let's dance through the night solidarity's the bond that we foster and find for the fans who lift us we're forever aligned. chorus Listen to the music it talks without words it transcends barriers reaches the herds a language of deepness a rhythm divine uniting our souls through every line We don't mimic others our essence is bold what we sing is our truth and it never gets old give us the space to express and create in the groove laden sound lets' celebrate We communicate freely No fear in our hearts finding our spirits as the music imparts against the confines that try to confine we're living our passion forever we'll shine So rise up with us let the rhythm unfold voices unchained let our stories be told
“The sky was the world, the world was the sea. The sea was the ocean, the ocean was me.”
A Revolution Sound Track - for Morale
One of the hardest parts of this moment of mass awakening is witnessing what’s happening in the world clear-eyed, yet alone. The people with whom we share the most in common regarding collapse-awareness are often those we find online, thousands of miles away. These are invaluable relationships, and connecting on Zoom, phone, or even in text, email or DMs can create a solidarity that translates to real connection and action. And yet, when we return to our day-to-day lives, it’s easy to fall back into feelings of isolation, even when we know there are so many like-minded, like-hearted people out there.
In-person interactions carry a weight, psychologically and physically, that is hard to replicate online. Digital interactions can’t grow into spontaneous conversations and afternoon adventures the way live ones can.
I remember hearing people say they missed the days of cable and network television, when everyone had to wait until the same time to watch a show, because it was an opportunity to bond over a simple shared experience. I feel that way about music.
One idea that came up was to create a playlist we can share, with the specific intention of helping us get through difficult times of the revolution—to remind us we are not alone and combat the isolation that’s become normalized over the past decades with the advent of streaming, social media, and post-Covid norms.
Then I discovered someone had already come up with an even better version of a shared playlist: a radio show for the resistance.
Radish Radio
Operated out Europe, Radish Radio was founded by a long-time climate activist and plays international music for the resistance.
An online community radio station for the movement, from the movement. Musicians, artists and DJs, this is your invitation to be radical. Activists, organisers and agitators, this is your invitation to prioritise creativity and joy. The revolution is happening everywhere, and you’re invited. Radish Radio is run by a small team of dedicated artists and activists curating transformative music and stories from the front lines of the fight for system change. A stranger on the dancefloor is a comrade in the struggle.
As I am writing this, they just played “Seed Justice” by Neil Young. Then they played “Water” by Innna MODJA, and now it’s “One Love One Life One Planet” by the Undercover Hippy.
Creating a streaming playlist could still be fun, too. I created a People’s Exodus Soundtrack on YouTube as a placeholder to store revolutionary songs I come across. It needs more input and to be on a non-BigTech platform where people can add or at least submit requests to add songs. (If you want to help, send me a DM.)
Part of Something Bigger
Beyond a desire for shared music and media experiences, artist collectives are also springing up as more of us realize the mainstream path is not only narrowing (see private equity buying up the Hollywood studios), but it may never have been a good option for many of us in the first place.
Yet we still need income and we still long for the joyous collaboration, the feeling of being in a band, a TV writers' room, or on the set of a production. For many of us, that sense of creating something meaningful together is what drew us to these fields in the first place. I’ve been working on a variety show collective to help kids build a kind of cognitive immunity to propaganda, but it’s not ready to share it quite yet. In the meantime, here are a couple collaborations by fellow Substackers that are promising.
Art Publication Collective/Cooperative (Teva)
Jeremy Prince is building the scaffolding for a writer and artist publication collective where creators co-own the platform. You can learn more here.
There are many more communal projects at various stages of development. These are the simple that have caught my attention. Of course, in-person of course is ideal, but we have to start somewhere. Progress, not perfection.
Activist Union
Your Weirdo Friend has been offering to help create a Substack Activist Union, a space where people can gather to do phone banking, letter writing and other grinding organizing work, including work to migrate out of Big Tech. It can feel overwhelming when done in isolation but is much more manageable, even enjoyable, when done together. Check out their latest post on it here.
This is something we can start doing now with simply a declared date, time, and Zoom link. I’ve both led and participated in co-working and accountability groups and find them immensely helpful for getting hard work done while connecting with others.
More Reading
An evolving list of resources for taking people-powered action:
~ About ~
Peaceful Return is a newsletter born out of the urgency to resist the fascist descent of the United States. Drawing from history, psychology, myth, and religion, it seeks to understand the roots of what we are facing—late-stage empire, collective trauma, moral inversion, and the corrupting force of concentrated power—and identify pathways to a better future.
The “Return” in Peaceful Return points to the need to return to our true nature—before imperial, violent narratives severed us from our basic mammalian birthright: the felt sense of worthiness to be alive. The journey is one of casting off the shame imposed on us from above—by those obsessed with power, domination and hierarchy—and reclaiming this birthright.
The “Peaceful” part indicates the intention of avoiding harm to others in the process. However, the journey is not easy. It requires a relentless resistance to every morally inverted system or thought structure that places power, property and profit above life, love and people.
~ Alternative Way to Support ~
For those that are overwhelmed with too many subscriptions, you can make a one time contribution at my “Buy me a Coffee” link. As an independent artist with minimal “day job” support, every little bit helps me keep going.
Louisiana v. Callais ruling gutted the Voting Rights Act; Trump v. Slaughter ruling allowed the president to fire agency heads without cause, and today’s chilling “Citizens United 2.0” decision on National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, struck down “federal limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with their candidates.”
Luckily, Senate leaders have their own version that does not include the ID requirements