The Anarchestra
Aug. 24th, 2016 02:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithHere is a video about a man who has invented hundreds of musical instruments. Each is a one-of-a-kind creation. Some mimic standard instruments, while others are completely unique. He presents the Anarchestra as a public, interactive art show. People can go in and just jam on the instruments. Because the instruments are unique, that discourages the tendency to say, "Oh, I don't know how to play that."
In Terramagne, there are lots of gizmologists like this. Most towns have at least one tinker who just loves to make stuff. It could be anything -- musical instruments, tools, baby toys, buttons, circus trees, cycles -- done as a hobby or a profession. Because most people make enough money to live on, there are many more folks who have hobbies, and people who want more than one job are much more likely to make the second one a passion job. Towns take pride in their creative folks, like the Real Live Writers in Bluehill. They get a kick out of telling out-of-town guests about the cool dude who makes one-off playground equipment or whatever.
When people here try to imagine what it would look like if people didn't have to work themselves to the bone just to survive, well, it looks a lot like this. You have these guys everywhere doing cool shit you would never have thought of, and they're happy to share it with other folks.
In Terramagne, there are lots of gizmologists like this. Most towns have at least one tinker who just loves to make stuff. It could be anything -- musical instruments, tools, baby toys, buttons, circus trees, cycles -- done as a hobby or a profession. Because most people make enough money to live on, there are many more folks who have hobbies, and people who want more than one job are much more likely to make the second one a passion job. Towns take pride in their creative folks, like the Real Live Writers in Bluehill. They get a kick out of telling out-of-town guests about the cool dude who makes one-off playground equipment or whatever.
When people here try to imagine what it would look like if people didn't have to work themselves to the bone just to survive, well, it looks a lot like this. You have these guys everywhere doing cool shit you would never have thought of, and they're happy to share it with other folks.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-24 08:57 pm (UTC)Yes...
Date: 2016-08-24 09:31 pm (UTC)I've actually seen a few buskers who routinely perform with part or all of their gear being salvage. Bucket drums are popular, for instance. This guy is actually a blue-plate special. His superpower? Quadridexterity. Most humans cannot use their lower limbs to manipulate things, only to walk on. This one has a more diverse junk kit.
Feel free to prompt for this during any relevant prompt call.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-25 02:06 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-08-24 08:26 pm (UTC)I figure, if they actually do introduce a universal basic income, it will go a Loooong way towards improving society because so many people will be free to do this.
Thank you!
Date: 2016-08-24 09:24 pm (UTC)Aww. <3
>> I am sick of being resource poor and time rich or vice versa... or most days, scarce on everything! I want to have just enough to do what I want, and a couple of hours a day to do it. <<
Sooth. I wish that everyone had time for that. I like the old Labor Movement slogan: "8 hours for work, 8 hours for rest, 8 hours for what we will." That is fair, effective, and sustainable.
>> I figure, if they actually do introduce a universal basic income, it will go a Loooong way towards improving society because so many people will be free to do this. <<
Agreed. I think it's a great idea. My ideal society would have socialized needs and privatized luxuries. All the basics are provided. If you want more than that, you can work harder and earn what perks you find pleasing. You don't have to scrabble to survive ... and working yourself to the bone will not make you deliriously rich either.
America has no shortage of people who need work or work that needs doing. What we have is a severe breakdown of connecting those two pool. So we have a lot of people sitting idle, or underemployed, and miserable; along with a lot of stuff not getting done. People hate being idle; it makes them feel useless and depressed and then they get sick. You don't need to force people to do stuff. You just need to list stuff that needs done and help people find things they want to do.
Most community centers in T-America have big bulletin boards of job openings, volunteer opportunities, and skill-building classes. So if you feel useless, you can become more useful by doing stuff. (If your feelings don't catch up, they have community counseling for that too; it's one of the leading requests.) It's not all physical work either. Companionship is a popular volunteer option, from mentoring youth to keeping company with elders. Phone jobs, whether paid or volunteer, are really popular among disabled people. Almost every town has services that check in with homebound people regularly, call folks before and after a big storm, chat on holidays/birthdays, etc. It's also a great way to make friends when you are new in town.
Re: Thank you!
Date: 2016-08-24 09:58 pm (UTC)Well, until I become Global Benevolent Dictator, or figure out how to build a Tesseract... I guess we'll just have to add our voices to those demanding a UBI and hope.. although I doubt it'll happen. The elites have nothing to gain from it, and a lot of power to loose. [because it benefits them to have a pool of desperate workers.]
That said, one of the things I like about Jeremy Corbyn, he's old school labour and as well as believing in the old slogan, he is in favour of UBI. He would break the strangle-hold Big Money has on politics...which is why the rump of Tory-lite Blairites 'New Labour' in his party are trying to get rid of him.