Exploring New Models
(Buy Nothing) Friday Bricolage
Greetings!
Happy Friday. Some people call this “Black Friday”. Some people shop on this day, take advantage of “deals” where they “save” money by buying things they didn’t even know they needed or wanted.
Capitalism is such a circus.
For me, it’s Buy Nothing Friday.
Please don’t assume that I think everything should be or is free. I know that the bananas with brown spots in the bowl on the table where I’m sitting were decidedly not free. They cost money. There are labor costs. Someone’s hands picked the bananas. Someone built the truck and plane in which they were transported. Someone mined the minerals made to create the metal for all of those machine parts. Someone engineered all of that.
They are paid.
Women gave birth to all of the people who were involved in these bananas making their way to this table. There are labor costs.
They are not paid.
Worms and microorganisms made the soil capable of growing life.
They are not paid.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving in the US. When my children were young, we used to bless our food and give thanks for all the entities that brought it to our plate. Then we would hold hand and say, “What are we? A family!”
Why did we stop doing that?
New Models
Someone recently told me that, “It’s better to have money than not have money.” While I agree with that, I will always ask, “To what end?”
One of the ways through the mess we find ourselves in on this planet is through acknowledging how we got here and not taking it for granted. Not any of it.
There are other economic models besides extractive Capitalism.
I find inspiration in the story of Victoria Kisyombe, a woman from Tanzania who, after being denied credit after her husband died, found her way to economic prosperity through using what she had on hand, a cow, to generate extra income. Shortly after doing this, she founded SELFINA which is focused on empowering women economically through lease finance.
I believe in the possibility of us finding our way together. That’s one of the things that keeps me going on the hard days. I’m glad to be doing that here on Substack because I think that
and , Substack’s Chief Executive and Co-Founder, respectively, are doing their part in turning this ship around by not selling out and creating an ad-free space for self-expression and a way to create an income for creatives.My best teachers have all taught me to look for the helpers. I believe these men are among the people who understand that the system is broken and are trying to change it. I commented on one of Hamish’s posts recently that this space feels like the safest place to create and engage with others. It’s a rare feeling.
Join me here if you like, if you’re not already. (Monthly Bricolage is always free.)
I’m going to stop writing now and go make some banana bread and read the book that was on the free shelf at the public library. Then I’ll take a walk and breathe in the cold, Chicago air. I’ll definitely be making some art.
I hope your day brings you goodness, however you choose to spend it, dear reader.
All my love,
Kymberlee
PS, Think someone might dig this newsletter and want to share it? There’s a button for that! Thanks in advance. :)
PPS, Here’s some almost-winter beauty from currently 26 (but feels like 5) degree Chicago:
