DJP, you state:The best
DJP, you state:The best projects are those that are worthwhile for their own sake while simultaneously containing an implicit challenge to some fundamental aspect of the system; projects that enable people to participate in significant issues according to their own degree of interest, while tending to open the way to more radical possibilities. Originally, I set out my idea as a different way of introducing different people to socialism through practical demonstration.”The best projects are those that are worthwhile for their own sake”I think I shall risk it and say that growing your own food on whatever level is intrinsically a good thing for multiple reasons.”…while simultaneously containing an implicit challenge to some fundamental aspect of the system…”I originally stated that one of the guiding principles would be to challenge the local monopoly of businesses selling people to buy food: eventually, if succesfull enough severely impacting the profitability of such a business. The people doing so would be challenging the fundamental assumption within capitalism that so many people still labour under that, “you have to work, to earn money to pay for food”.”…projects that enable people to participate in significant issues according to their own degree of interest…”I originally stated that the idea would look to bring as much people as possible to the “group” in many different areas, so as to foster the working understanding that people can take from the free store due to their input of effort on whatever scale (ultimately) and in whichever way: logistics, growing, tidying, cleaning, technology, teaching etc: enabling people to “participate in the significant issue”of food production in the hands of people, “according to their own degree of interedst”.”…while tending to open the way to more radical possibilities.”I originally stated that one of the idea’s principles would be to produce a practical demonstration of socialism; to show to people that are not familiar or historically comfortable with associating with the language and body of socialism as a result of adopted political/social mistruths. Some people may just enjoy the company and the outdoors, others may find it a valuable tool in experimenting with ideas, others still may find it an excellent alternative to buying their food, others still may benefit from being homeless and being able to eat for free, others again that are perfectly rich may come to some kind of “wonderful” assertion that socialism offers when they see some practical demonstration of the values, mechanics and organisation that socialism could hold after capitalism. However, others may not.Some people learn, think and foster understandings better through reading, others through listening and others again through practical experience.What I have posed is not some kind of mini-socialism-some kind of modern-middle class escapism but a different method of encouraging people to engage with socialism; in discussion; engaging with varied people; putting their otherwise bought and paid for labour to the task of something better than just “volunteering”. I am fully aware that such an initiative could not bring down capitalism and I have never said that. What I have said is that it may act as a catalyst for further “radical possibilities” in people that perhaps otherwise may have been wholely turned off from the idea of “socialism”.