Frank Podmore ⧖ @frankpodmore@social.coop

If you'd like to read a blog about why Ocarina of Time was the first videogame that aspired to be a work of art, boy do I suspiciously have exactly that blog for you: https://frankpodmore.wordpress.com/2018/11/22/20-years-of-ocarina-of-time/

I really don't think anyone has a good answer to the questions posed by any of the above, which is largely why I'm at an impasse as far as political activism goes. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be glad to hear them!

3. Not a read, but a play: https://direkris.itch.io/you-are-jeff-bezos: You Are Jeff Bezos, a text-based choose-your-own-adventure game, where you wake up and find that you are Jeff Bezos (gross, right?) and have to give away all his/your money. It takes a long fucking time, because the existence of billionaires is fucking obscene. #BoycottAmazon ✊

(Between the two of these, I'm just completely WTFing every ten minutes since I read them. Nothing about modern capitalism seems to work (a) as intended, (b) on its own terms, (c) at all.)

2. https://subscribe.adbusters.org/collections/back-issues/products/ab-144-the-age-of-total-disruption, the latest AdBusters, which has an essay explaining how the original concept of a corporation (a way of raising money for risky but beneficial tasks such as, e.g., building a big bridge) has mutated beyond all recognition into the beasts we live with today.

Here's some shit I've been reading lately which has made me more anticapitalist than ever:

1. https://slatestarcodex.com/2017/02/09/considerations-on-cost-disease/ An ironic one, as Alexander is famously not an anticapitalist and has some seriously shitty followers - but seriously, read this, it's mindblowing. Everything costs than it used to, for no reason, and even Alexander concedes it's possible that this is because markets JUST DON'T WORK.

I just looked up what RMS said and read up on his history of similar comments - which I was ignorant of - and I entirely agree he had to go. FSF is better and stronger without him.

Just remembered this classic from birdsite: https://twitter.com/dickgirIdiaries/status/1154087474525642754

10. Pour public investment into the development and diffusion of the most efficient and sustainable renewable energy technologies, as well as technologies for carbon dioxide removal.

He doesn't say where this investment comes from - tax? Loans? Both require growth - are we still committed to that model?

9. Dismantle the meat industry and move human protein requirements towards vegetable sources.

Another one that's non-controversial for committed greens, but a hard sell for the wider population.

8. Refurbish old buildings with insulation and require all new ones to generate their own zero-carbon power.

Does anyone know what kind of power generation he has in mind, here?

This also shows a notable temperate-climate bias - insulation's not a lot of help in a tropical climate. (How) can buildings in hot places be refurbished so as not to rely on air con?

7. End the burning of tropical forests and initiate massive programmes for reforestation.

I mean, duh.

6. Limit the shipping and flying of food and systematically promote local supplies.

This again is very tricky. Try telling people in North-western Europe they can only eat locally... in December. I hope you like cabbage!

5. Expand mass transit systems on all scales, from subways to intercontinental high-speed trains.

The key to this one is that items 1-3 would have to be done first, otherwise there'd be massive upfront and ongoing carbon costs. But would this happen before or after 4? Train lines take a long time to build!

4. Terminate the expansion of air, sea and road travel; convert road and sea travel to electricity and wind; ration remaining air travel to ensure a fair distribution until it can be completely replaced with other means of transport.

This would be a hard sell for any electorate in the developed world, but, again, it's the right thing to do. I love the suggestion that, essentially, we should bring back pirate ships! ☠️