I often daydream about how society would be if we were not forced by society to pigeon hole ourselves into a specialized career for maximizing the profits of capitalists, and sell most of our time for it.

The idea of creating an entire identity for you around your “career” and only specializing in one thing would be ridiculous in another universe. Humans have so much natural potential for breadth, but that is just not compatible with capitalism.

This is evident with how most people develop “hobbies” outside of work, like wood working, gardening, electronics, music, etc. This idea of separating “hobbies” and the thing we do most of our lives (work) is ridiculous.

Here’s how my world could be different if I owned my time and dedicated it to the benefit of my own and my community instead of capitalists:

  • more reading, learning and excusing knowledge with others.
  • learn more handy work, like plumbing and wood working. I love customizing my own home!
  • more gardening
  • participate in the transportation system (picking up shifts to drive a bus for example)
  • become a tour guide for my city
  • cook and bake for my neighbors
  • academic research
  • open source software (and non-software) contributions
  • pick up shifts at a café and make coffee, tea and smoothies for people
  • pick up shifts to clean up public spaces, such as parks or my own neighborhood
  • participate in more than one “professions”. I studied one type of engineering but work in a completely different engineering. This already proves I can do both, so why not do both and others?

Humans do not like the same thing over and over every day. It’s unnatural. But somehow we revolve our whole livelihood around if.

  • Nobsi@feddit.de
    0·
    1 year ago

    In a society like you described money would be created. First as bartering and then eventually a form of money will start to exist.

    • matcha_addict@lemy.lolOP
      0·
      1 year ago

      The anthropology on the origins of money have shown that this is false. Money was introduced by force, and barter only occured in societies that previously had money then lost it (so, money-oriented societies). It is a myth that money creates itself. I’d love to refer you to resources if you’re interested on reading further (I have to dig them up from my notes).

      There would not even be a need to create money. If your needs are already met, why would you still engage in exchanging already-abundant resources? Why would I give up my carrots to get your apples, when I can just go and pick some apples from the apple storage or a grocery store?

      • Nobsi@feddit.de
        0·
        1 year ago

        Because i would take all the apples. And the carrots. And if you wanted some you would have to barter with me. If you didn’t, then you would not have all your needs met.
        Because people are not intrinsic good.
        If you fail to take that into account then your idea is flawed.

        • matcha_addict@lemy.lolOP
          0·
          1 year ago

          You really think an entire society revolved around bettering the human condition wouldn’t have guard rails against some random self destructive idiot going rogue?

          In general though, no one has the motive to do that (except a self destructive idiot, who we’d just put in rehab and hope they get better).

          Also you probably lack the means to take all the apples. The world already produces more than double the amount we consume. I guarantee you have no capacity to take them all.

          I’m sorry, I know you thought that was really smart of you, but it’s not a good look.

          • Nobsi@feddit.de
            0·
            1 year ago

            my neighborhood has multiples of me. we are now a group.
            Yeah sure. We cannot take all the apples out of cincinatti. But i can take all the apples from my town. Especially if i convice other people that are powerhungry like me. Narcisism and sociopathy exist, never forget that.
            And on what grounds would you put me in rehab? Because i did what makes me feel good?
            I take care of all the stuff nobody wants to do.
            I clean the drains, i upkeep all the things you use for leisure.
            People are lazy and would rather barter with me than to overthrow me. If they did, someone would have to wade through the shit all day.

            Kings and Queens did not have a real reason why they should be in power. They created their own reasons and used all their ressources to keep everyone down.

            • matcha_addict@lemy.lolOP
              0·
              1 year ago

              You surely have the Hollywood infested brain lmao

              And on what grounds would you put me in rehab?

              What about having terroristic aspirations? LOL. Trust me, no society will ever depend on you. You’ll always remain disposable

              • Nobsi@feddit.de
                0·
                1 year ago

                Yah, totally infested. So unresonable to think that history repeats itself and your imaginary utopia has flaws.

                • matcha_addict@lemy.lolOP
                  01·
                  1 year ago

                  I don’t think you understand that no member of society will take it kindly to see someone trying to destroy their society. It is terrorism and they will stop you no matter what. No one looks at a random hauling a grocery stores worth of apples and thinks that’s okay.

                  They want barter you for it. They’ll take it by force if necessary.

                  • Nobsi@feddit.de
                    0·
                    1 year ago

                    member of society will take it kindly to see someone trying to destroy their society

                    Uhuh… When are we going to see these riots? The US has the 2nd amendment and no guns are being raised against tyrants…

                    How do you explain republicans? People who write loveletters to mass murderers?