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I found the books, the teachers and the historians because I knew deep down, that what I was taught in school, and what was published in the mainstream media was corrupt, and often fraudulent, to keep people from asking questions, to keep people from thinking there may be a better or different way of living.

We stand now, as earth dwellers, on a precipe, about to destroy this amazing planet, and all its life, and all humankind, in the midst of the #ClimateEmergency

2/n

But still, we are given #misinformation and opportunities for change are hidden from us, and the blame is set to the “other”.

We are told that change is too expensive unless it benefits the wealthy and the powerful.

We are not told we are trapped, or suffering.

We are only told to blame the other, the immigrant, the disabled, or human rights.

We are told that we are racist when we ask to stop a #genocide is happening.

3/n

I still believe in hope, that there are enough good people, if we can stand together, and make the massive changes that are needed to not only save the planet, but must also change our society, there is no longer room for capitalism, for wars, for hatred.

It will be a great struggle, and we can each only give what we have, but together we are the many, together we are strong.

4/n

I wanted to share these two speeches made by Shevek, the main character of Ursula K. Le Guin’s 1974 fictional work, The Dispossessed.

These speeches resonated so deeply with me, and the book, and many before it, have taught me we can change, we can still have hope in the human spirit.

5/n

Shevek’s drunken speech to the wealthy partygoers at Vea Oiie’s private celebration:

“No. [Anarres] is not wonderful. It is an ugly world. Not like this one. Anarres is all dust and dry hills. All meagre, all dry. And the people aren’t beautiful. They have big hands and feet, like me and the waiter there. But not big bellies. They get very dirty, and take baths together, nobody here does that. The towns are very small and dull, they are dreary. No palaces. Life is dull, and hard work.

6/n

"You can’t always have what you want, or even what you need, because there isn’t enough. You Urrasti have enough. Enough air, enough rain, grass, oceans, food, music, buildings, factories, machines, books, clothes, history. You are rich, you own. We are poor, we lack. You have, we do not have. Everything is beautiful, here. Only not the faces. On Anarres nothing is beautiful, nothing but the faces. The other faces, the men and women. We have nothing but that, nothing but each other.

7/n

"Here you see the jewels, there you see the eyes. And in the eyes you see the splendor, the splendor of the human spirit. Because our men and women are free, possessing nothing they are free. And you the possessors are possessed. You are all in jail. Each alone, solitary, with a heap of what he owns. You live in prison, die in prison. It is all I can see in your eyes—the wall, the wall!”

8/n

Shevek’s well-rehearsed speech to the crowd of striking workers in Nio Esseia:

“It is our suffering that brings us together. It is not love. Love does not obey the mind, and turns to hate when forced. The bond that binds us is beyond choice. We are brothers. We are brothers in what we share. In pain, which each of us must suffer alone, in hunger, in poverty, in hope, we know our brotherhood. We know it, because we have had to learn it.

9/n

"We know that there is no help for us but from one another, that no hand will save us if we do not reach out our hand. And the hand that you reach out must be empty, as mine is. You have nothing. You possess nothing. You own nothing. You are free. All you have is what you are, and what you give.

“I am here because you see in me the promise, the promise that we made two hundred years ago in this city—the promise kept. We have kept it, on Anarres. We have nothing but our freedom.

10/n

"We have nothing to give you but your own freedom. We have no law but the single principle of mutual aid between individuals. We have no government but the single principle of free association. We have no states, no nations, no presidents, no premiers, no chiefs, no generals, no bosses, no bankers, no landlords, no wages, no charity, no police, no soldiers, no wars. Nor do we have much else. We are sharers, not owners. We are not prosperous. None of us is rich. None of us is powerful.

11/n

"If it Anarres you want, if it is the future you seek, then I tell you that you must come to it with empty hands. You must come to it alone, and naked, as the child comes into the world, into his future, without any past, without any property, wholly dependent on other people for his life. You cannot take what you have not given, and you must give yourself. You cannot buy the Revolution. You cannot make the Revolution. You can only be the Revolution. It is in your spirit, or it is nowhere.”
12/n

A massive thanks to the many who have taught me, and the many still to teach me. In particular, my family & friends who give me great love; @mekkaokereke for their bravery; @fkamiah17 for their hard work; @ShaulaEvans for sharing the love; @ChrisMayLA6 for their frequent knowledgeable reports and summaries; @DoomsdaysCW for bringing fresh perspectives; @MxVerda for their insights; @hollie gifting humour; @emilyenco for getting to the point on the important things;

13/n

@PabloMartini for sharing the good news; @klauspforr great European work; @beecycling for helping us stay safe…
…and many many more of the you, making the fediverse a great place, and building a new way of living in our world together

14/14 end

@StingrayBadger @PabloMartini @klauspforr @beecycling

Thank you for posting these powerful and moving words.
#scifi #ursulakleguin

Also grateful for giving me a whole bunch of interesting new folks to follow !

@Stephenleader
Thank you, much appreciated

@ChrisMayLA6 I learn from you most days, you deserve great thanks

@DoomsdaysCW

You're most welcome. Sharing the love to help us to survive suffering is vital right now

@ellestad

I'll definitely read some more Le Guin, thanks for sharing