Thank you so much for your words Rachel! And for being a subscriber ♥︎ We really are born in the wrong time sadly. I hear you, totally. I have been through the same, and in some ways still am. I wish to see the end of capitalism because it is so deeply inhuman and unnatural. I am glad you have found a way to exist that feels peaceful to you ♥︎
Every single one of us who rejects the capitalist machine is a small act of revolution. The more this spreads the faster it will fall. Thank you for these words.
I love capitalism, it has done wonders for my family and millions of others in Africa. I understand some don't seem to appreciate the value of ending the poverty and starvation of Africans or even Indians. However, billions in those vast continents do. 🙏🏾❤️
Capitalism is actually what ruined Africa and other “third world” countries. It doesn’t end poverty and starvation it exacerbates and ensures it. Capitalism is the heart of colonialism which promotes oppression, greed and the hand that stifles quality life for most. There are some benefits but it definitely does more harm than good.
Thank you for sharing. Yet here we are on a SM platform which is the result of capitalism, the luxury of sharing our ideas also a side effect of capitalism. And the digital devices we use to do so also rely on the free labour of children and women in Africa.
Slavery and the slave trade is an essential aspect of capitalism and it existed in Africa long before those first migrants out of Africa who colonised the Northern hemisphere knew they were Caucasian. The idea that slavery is a product of colonisation is correct but not in the way you present here. Human existance did not start a few centuries ago.
Colonisation is a feature of biology and of life. Most living things colonise to destruction and move on. And not one single human is exempt from this. Those who think they are, have allowed themselves to be fooled by a lack of knowledge, and understanding.
Many minds have been colonised, and as a result believe they are the perpetual victims of history because it suits them and the life of dependency they want to live.
There is nothing wrong with that. However, it is disconnected from reality, science, nature and common sense.
Let us be clear we can tolerate slavery in Africa today because we enjoy the luxury of our phones, computers, electric cars, net zero and ‘saving the planet’. This is capitalism with a side of green washing that we virtue signal our support and hypocrisy.
In short. Capitalism is neither bad nor good. It exists. It takes on whatever image we form in our mind.
For those of us who have gratitude for the gift that is our life, capitalism is an integral part of the many things that make our lives and our existence possible today.
I’d also add onto this that “capitalism” or “socialism” have become such loaded, catch all terms that render many conversations moot.
Whenever someone says one of these two terms I typically ask them what their definition of either is. Oddly enough, I’ve received dozens of different definitions, or in many cases, the individual can’t even provide a definition.
Words and definitions matter. And due to the nature of modern politics, these words have been twisted so much to essentially be used as attacks, rather than being the amoral economic terms that they actually are.
Thank you for expressing all the words I have never been able to. Growing up South Asian, it wasn't actually a big deal in my family when I said I wasn't ambitious. But modern-day feminism thought differently. I always felt like I was lacking in some way. Like maybe I just haven't found "that thing" yet which I will become ambitious about. The truth is, the only thing I've ever been ambitious about is being loving. Not sure that can be called ambition though; for me, it's just a state of being. Very few people have understood this and articulated it as well as you have. Thank you!
Yes this is so true. People keep judging you about successes or achievements in life. All I want to say at the end was that I felt love and being in peace. Ambition is something I do. Gives me purpose to keep going. Substack really keeps me going with all the beautiful writing and healing stories.
I feel this so so deeply! I recently told someone that I don’t believe in working hard, I believe in working intentionally and in harmony with my body and how I feel that day. I can’t wait to share this with her with a text, “This is what I meant!” Thank you for sharing.
Beautifully said. Wish I'd had this advice in my early 20s. I also thought that once I'd gained all the accolades and approvals of capitalist society, I could then turn around and start being helpful to others. Dead wrong, because in becoming part of capitalist culture, it turned me into someone I didn't recognize. And once I'd conformed to its demands, I couldn't really remember goodness much less access it for the benefit of others. I gradually became a twisted, miserable, selfish shithead in order to maintain my place (or so I thought) above others. Because that is essentially at its core what capitalism rewards, even as it pretends that its final goal is altruism. It's been a really, really long road back to the notions you are writing about here. Thanks for the reminder and may you be blessed.
"Ambition requires you to sacrifice the things that matter most in life - people, love, peace - to achieve something that matters in the eyes of capitalism, so that at the very end of that achievement you can circle back to: people, love and peace. Exhausted and burned out."
I don't subscribe to the grind but you captured it so perfectly with these words that I had to take a beat after reading this and I understand myself a little bit better now too, thank you.
“We as humans are deeply cyclical in nature”, yes! I’ll get a wave of industriousness but to expect that from myself every day/week of the year? Who and what am I doing that for? Ambition leads to competition, which is a race to the top of a mountain that doesn’t have a top. It’s a striving after the wind…. Reaching our personal potential is a great feeling and does feel fulfilling. I just don’t think it looks like the endless optimization of one’s self in search of finally being content with one’s self.
Thank you Robert!
I could not have said it better!!!
Haha that is a Bibleverse actually :D
Thank you for reading and being here and sharing your thoughts with me Angela!
Thank you so much for your words Rachel! And for being a subscriber ♥︎ We really are born in the wrong time sadly. I hear you, totally. I have been through the same, and in some ways still am. I wish to see the end of capitalism because it is so deeply inhuman and unnatural. I am glad you have found a way to exist that feels peaceful to you ♥︎
Every single one of us who rejects the capitalist machine is a small act of revolution. The more this spreads the faster it will fall. Thank you for these words.
Thank you for doing this with me!
I love capitalism, it has done wonders for my family and millions of others in Africa. I understand some don't seem to appreciate the value of ending the poverty and starvation of Africans or even Indians. However, billions in those vast continents do. 🙏🏾❤️
Capitalism is actually what ruined Africa and other “third world” countries. It doesn’t end poverty and starvation it exacerbates and ensures it. Capitalism is the heart of colonialism which promotes oppression, greed and the hand that stifles quality life for most. There are some benefits but it definitely does more harm than good.
Thank you for sharing. Yet here we are on a SM platform which is the result of capitalism, the luxury of sharing our ideas also a side effect of capitalism. And the digital devices we use to do so also rely on the free labour of children and women in Africa.
Slavery and the slave trade is an essential aspect of capitalism and it existed in Africa long before those first migrants out of Africa who colonised the Northern hemisphere knew they were Caucasian. The idea that slavery is a product of colonisation is correct but not in the way you present here. Human existance did not start a few centuries ago.
Colonisation is a feature of biology and of life. Most living things colonise to destruction and move on. And not one single human is exempt from this. Those who think they are, have allowed themselves to be fooled by a lack of knowledge, and understanding.
Many minds have been colonised, and as a result believe they are the perpetual victims of history because it suits them and the life of dependency they want to live.
There is nothing wrong with that. However, it is disconnected from reality, science, nature and common sense.
Let us be clear we can tolerate slavery in Africa today because we enjoy the luxury of our phones, computers, electric cars, net zero and ‘saving the planet’. This is capitalism with a side of green washing that we virtue signal our support and hypocrisy.
In short. Capitalism is neither bad nor good. It exists. It takes on whatever image we form in our mind.
For those of us who have gratitude for the gift that is our life, capitalism is an integral part of the many things that make our lives and our existence possible today.
I’d also add onto this that “capitalism” or “socialism” have become such loaded, catch all terms that render many conversations moot.
Whenever someone says one of these two terms I typically ask them what their definition of either is. Oddly enough, I’ve received dozens of different definitions, or in many cases, the individual can’t even provide a definition.
Words and definitions matter. And due to the nature of modern politics, these words have been twisted so much to essentially be used as attacks, rather than being the amoral economic terms that they actually are.
This is has absolutely been true for me too. Thanks for articulating it all so well. I think this is my favourite thing you've written. Thank you.
This means the world! Thank you Nathalie!
Wow, this resonates so much, thank you for sharing and putting into words what I wasn't quite able to formulate yet!
I am so glad it resonates with you Paula!
this was beautiful and very relatable. it makes me happy that more of us are rejecting the respectability politics
It makes me happy too :)
Thank you for expressing all the words I have never been able to. Growing up South Asian, it wasn't actually a big deal in my family when I said I wasn't ambitious. But modern-day feminism thought differently. I always felt like I was lacking in some way. Like maybe I just haven't found "that thing" yet which I will become ambitious about. The truth is, the only thing I've ever been ambitious about is being loving. Not sure that can be called ambition though; for me, it's just a state of being. Very few people have understood this and articulated it as well as you have. Thank you!
Hmmm I love that...the ambition to be loving :) How beautiful. Honestly the only thing worth being ambitious over in my opinion!
Thank you for being here Nida! Sending you much love!
Being loving…the highest stateof being. You’re ‘doing’ more than can be quantified. Bless you, yore changing the world…
Yes this is so true. People keep judging you about successes or achievements in life. All I want to say at the end was that I felt love and being in peace. Ambition is something I do. Gives me purpose to keep going. Substack really keeps me going with all the beautiful writing and healing stories.
I feel this so so deeply! I recently told someone that I don’t believe in working hard, I believe in working intentionally and in harmony with my body and how I feel that day. I can’t wait to share this with her with a text, “This is what I meant!” Thank you for sharing.
Yes yes yes! I love this! And I am glad the words found you at the the right time! Thank you for sharing this with your world as well!
Beautifully said. Wish I'd had this advice in my early 20s. I also thought that once I'd gained all the accolades and approvals of capitalist society, I could then turn around and start being helpful to others. Dead wrong, because in becoming part of capitalist culture, it turned me into someone I didn't recognize. And once I'd conformed to its demands, I couldn't really remember goodness much less access it for the benefit of others. I gradually became a twisted, miserable, selfish shithead in order to maintain my place (or so I thought) above others. Because that is essentially at its core what capitalism rewards, even as it pretends that its final goal is altruism. It's been a really, really long road back to the notions you are writing about here. Thanks for the reminder and may you be blessed.
We all wish we knew this earlier don't we! Sending love x
This is beautiful! I think we could all use a little more audacity. I'm going to carry that word with me more.
Me too! ❤️
"Ambition requires you to sacrifice the things that matter most in life - people, love, peace - to achieve something that matters in the eyes of capitalism, so that at the very end of that achievement you can circle back to: people, love and peace. Exhausted and burned out."
I don't subscribe to the grind but you captured it so perfectly with these words that I had to take a beat after reading this and I understand myself a little bit better now too, thank you.
This makes me so happy! Thank you for letting me know how this impacted you Leisha!!! Sending you love!
Wow, Relatedable!!! Thank you for sharing! <3
Thank you for reading and leaving love on the page ♥︎
Hell yes!
Yaaaaas 🔥
“We as humans are deeply cyclical in nature”, yes! I’ll get a wave of industriousness but to expect that from myself every day/week of the year? Who and what am I doing that for? Ambition leads to competition, which is a race to the top of a mountain that doesn’t have a top. It’s a striving after the wind…. Reaching our personal potential is a great feeling and does feel fulfilling. I just don’t think it looks like the endless optimization of one’s self in search of finally being content with one’s self.
Whole heartedly agree!