"The Holiday Edition: Thoughts on a Human Future!"

Sorry about the first edition, this is what happens when I don’t send it to my editor first…

This article challenges some accepted cultural standards and might upset some people, I urge that you read all the way through before you judge it.

Happy Holidays, however, you celebrate them!

The change is upon us, and we need to reevaluate what the “holidays” mean to us as a human community. There is a war being fought, not against Christmas, but against humanity and our evolving to become even more human as we step into an uncertain future. At this time of year, we see this play out in many ways, how "Merry Christmas", we are told, is the only acceptable greeting for this season and the "Happy Holidays" is somehow a cop out or "Woke", there are many other religious holidays associated with this time of year including several that predate or coincide with Christianity.

i.e.: Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday, Hanukkah is a Jewish festival, Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African American culture, Karthika Deepam is a Hindu festival of lights, Yalda 21 December – The turning point, Winter Solstice, Salgirah Khushiali: 13 December – celebration of Shia celebration of Shia, Yule winter festival that was celebrating the return of the light.

Happy Holidays is just a respectful and accepting way of wishing everyone a happy holiday season, and it prevents you from being an arrogant prick, defined by aggressively pushing your belief onto others as the one and only way to believe. It is not a war, just respect for other human beings and their beliefs. In fact, not behaving in a respectful manner is the most unamerican thing you can do according to the Constitution of these United States!

So why is this a thing? War on Christmas is a thing because an affluent minority of people have a great deal to gain by preventing the human cultural change that is happening. Combine this influence with the ongoing crisis in education, critical thinking, the focus on competition over cooperation, all the ways we divide around politics, religion, skin color, gender, status, and the job of stopping us from growing more human is easy.

The war on Humanity, or making money on a failed mythology

Christmas time is so confusing for everyone, is it about Christ, or Santa, or shopping, giving... what is it about... pressure? What it is not about, except as lip service, is family and community, it is not about people. Remember the critical thinking crisis I mentioned in the previous article, oh you did not read that one... We have a crisis in our ability to think critically, because if we could think critically, we would bust this wide open with just a few questions... About making war on Christianity? If Christianity were practiced as Christ taught, then the "Old Testament" would never be discussed other that for historical context. Christ’s teachings are all in the "New Testament" where love thy neighbor as thy self is, enough said on that...

The Christmas holidays as we practice them are not even a myth, but a conglomeration of ideas compiled into a form of chaotic consumerism and frenzy that further heightens our cultural depression from the darkness. The myth of the loving family has been broken for decades, there is, almost, not a functional family unit any longer, family has become less about blood relations, and more about metaphoric (emotional) blood spilled. The family unit of today is made up of people who have bonded and formed tribes, which we humans are wired to do. This is the darkest time of the year, and it holds an almost epidemic level of depression for everyone, which is part of the reason we are wired to seek a family, a tribe and/or community of some sort.

Make no mistake, our current "Christmas" traditions are a war on humanity, which is about wealth creation, control, and preventing the human change we are experiencing.

A Human Approach to the Season

A history lesson to provide context about how this all began: Back before the beginning of Christianity, back before the Roman and Greek pantheons, people celebrated this time of year because it was part of an understood agrarian calendar with eight points of celebration: Using the Christian calendar for reference

1. October, New Year, the beginning of the dark times, Halloween, All Saints Day, Day of the Dead

2. December, Winter Solstice (Yule), later Christmas, the shortest day of the year was a community/tribal event to celebrate the return of the light, food was shared, stories told, singing, dancing and celebration, work shared to prepare for the time ahead.

3. February, Imbolc (Celtic name), Starting of the seeds

4. March, Spring Equinox, light and dark are equal, planning for the planting season

5. May, Beltane, planting season, celebration of life, jumping the fire, later Christian Holiday Easter

6. June, Summer Solstice, longest day of the year, celebrating the turn of the season and the time pf harvest, storage and preparation

7. August, Harvest, grain and bread making, honor the abundance of life, breaking bread

8. September, Autumn Equinox, second harvest, slaughter of the meat to thin the herds for winter feeding, meat is dried for winter storage, fruit is dried, packed and stored in root cellars

Everything was based on the cycle of growing and life, why is this important now?

Food is about to become (becoming) a substantial issue, prices will be going up, availability will be going down, and people will be hungry a lot more. Is it political, partly, the coming immigrant focus will reduce the availability of migrant farm workers that help grow and pick food, and the pending tariffs which will significantly impact food coming in from Mexico (about 40%) and around the world. The largest single, immediate issue will be the effects of climate change. Climate change is already affecting crops as weather patterns change and storms become more intense, growth will be impacted by drought, flooding, timing of weather cycles, diseases that develop or expand, migratory patterns of insects and birds changing, accelerating soil erosion. Other mid-term issues are the industrial farming practices eroding soil health and over-use of chemical additives instead of biological systems support. Scientists estimate we have sixty years of growing cycles before we fail completely, with each cycle prior to that failing more.

It is past time we need to look at this and reset our humanity and live more in concert with this planet, the only one we have. This is a more human approach to what we are currently doing to ourselves. Garden, build relationships with neighbors, build community, make better decisions based on reality and not media messaging, BE MORE HUMAN! We do not need to return to the caves, we do not need to go backwards. In fact, we need to innovate and grow in new ways while relearning human ways and agricultural ways that work.

The Death of Capitalism or the Death of us?

First, Capitalism is an economic engine, not a form of government. Second, capitalism is not an equitable economic engine, it works for a few and millions starve and become homeless. Third, while capitalism started out to expand barter as we grew and expanded humanity, it has become something other that has little or no attachment to need, quality, or usefulness any longer, it has become about wealth generation at the cost of our climate, our natural resources, and our humanity.

Democracy is a good system of government, and our Constitution is a great document which we have allowed capitalism to corrupt, as we have allowed capitalism to control our education and dumb us down. Of course we cannot just abandon capitalism, abandon it for what? A revolutionary approach will not work anymore than it ever has, and we have a lot of practice revolting... It always revolves back to the same system again and again. To survive we need to begin laying the foundation for another form of resource management and delivery system that is more equitable and humancentric. For that to occur...

Moving Towards Inclusivity and Understanding

Inclusivity plays a crucial role in meaningful discussions about class and privilege. To foster an environment where diverse voices are heard and valued, it is essential that individuals actively engage in dialogues that go beyond surface-level understandings. One actionable step individuals can take is to create platforms that encourage conversations among people from varied backgrounds. This can be done through community workshops, forums, or even online discussions that facilitate sharing personal experiences related to privilege and class. By intentionally bringing together diverse perspectives, we enrich the conversation and promote a deeper comprehension of these complex issues.

Another important measure is to amplify marginalized voices. Elevating the experiences of those who are often overlooked is key to challenging established narratives around privilege and class. This can be achieved through mentorship programs or collaborative projects where marginalized individuals are given the space to share their stories and insights. In doing so, we can counteract prevailing biases and broaden our understanding of what it means to navigate class structures. Ensuring that these voices are not just present but also integral to the conversation is vital for fostering inclusivity.

Additionally, promoting education that moves beyond the mere concept of privilege as a buzzword is essential for sculpting a more informed society. Educational institutions, workplaces, and community organizations should implement curricula and training that explore the nuances of class and privilege comprehensively. Such initiatives should encompass historical contexts and intersectional analysis, allowing individuals to grasp how privilege operates in diverse environments. When knowledge is prioritized, individuals are empowered to engage with the subject matter critically.

In conclusion, fostering inclusivity in discussions about class and privilege is not merely a responsibility but an opportunity for collective growth and understanding. By prioritizing diverse voices, facilitating open dialogue, and promoting comprehensive education, individuals can contribute to a more equitable society. Engaging with these actions mindfully creates pathways for deeper comprehension, ultimately enriching our communities.

To simplify, we need to come together in human commonality and bring out puzzle pieces together to see a different picture of the future, we need to work together to find the human path forwards, and we need to continue to do so into the future we create with continuity, and continued humanity. We cannot go back to the caves, we cannot go back to some golden age that never existed, we can only go forward together...

Happy Holidays and Merry F**king Christmas!

Thoughts on our human existence... ~The Resilient Communities Movement