Existing is enough
you don't have to do anything to deserve living
I was one of those kids who used to cry if I didn’t make an A on everything. Please don’t like me any less.
It wasn’t entirely all my fault. My parents made it very clear that I was the smart one in the family and anything less than an A was completely unacceptable. Which was totally unfair because as you all have experienced, I’m also pretty funny!
I don’t blame my parents. They just wanted what was “best” for me. What they knew is that if I made good grades, I would go to a good school, get a well paying job blah blah blah capitalist bullshit. I say it’s bullshit because it’s capitalist propaganda.
However, there are real material consequences of not achieving in our society. Capitalism tells us every day that our worth is not based on our humanity but our ability to achieve.
In order for us to be worthy of living, i.e., access basic human needs like food, shelter and clothing, we must achieve. I say achieve because working is not enough to have your needs met. You have to have certain jobs to be worthy of living in a home.
The sad thing is that the people who do the most important work get paid the least while the people who do the least important work get paid the most. I’m looking at you, finance human, with your patagonia vest.
So fuck work. Fuck achievement. Fuck being told that you are only your labor.
You are a beautiful soul on a beautiful planet who deserves to get high when you want, grow food where you want, and live where you want (as long as you aren’t colonizing).
I’ve been struggling with accepting that I’m more than my achievements because that’s how I’ve gotten love in this society.
This week’s delight has been inspired by me trying to convince myself that existence is enough.
That there is nothing wrong with being absolutely happy about telling jokes in the back of bars in Brooklyn and getting paid in drink tickets.
Onto the delights…
The Poem
This poem is called my purpose is not achievement because duh.
My purpose is not achievement
My purpose is not achievement
My purpose is not consumption
I do not exist to buy things
I do not exist to labor for things that do not serve community
I do not exist to be a billboard for Nike
My body isn’t a canvas for capitalist advertising
I exist to exist
I exist to love
I exist to be part of a community that depends on each other for survival
Depending on people is the only way we can survive
We do it now
We are just lied to that we do it through money
But money is just a tool to get what we can get through community
It’s a tool to control us
The art
This art was inspired by a surge of hypomania. I was running around the place making noises and my partner said what if you tried coloring. I did and this is what happened.
The video
I made this video a long time ago about how most jobs are bullshit jobs.
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The Book Recommendation
Read David Graeber’s Bullshit Jobs to learn more about why most jobs are bullshit. You can find a free copy here.
That’s it for the delights!
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Your favorite anarchist comedian,
Just wanna say how grateful I am that my TikTok fyp showed me you randomly one day. Your newsletter is something I look forward to every time I open my email. Thank you for being you. You’re incredible.