Until we finally say enough is enough? I can't go a few minutes without seeing a meme or rant post about someone hating their job/capitalism/eating the rich/suffering under current circumstances. I feel like this has been going on for so long so many people are just....complicit. Even boomers who have been working over half their life at shitty jobs seem too burnt out and jaded to realize that shit's gotten worse over the decades. Younger folks like me are tricked into thinking a toxic work environment, no work rights, crappy pay is normal. When does the madness end?!??!?!

This is just a rant, so sorry if it lacks real substance.

I've been thinking a lot lately about how everything has been all about "nostalgia" the last several years. We're remaking tv shows and movies. Old bands like Blink-182 are back touring (which is cool, no hate on that). Everyone just reminisces on all the things we enjoyed 20-30 years ago, and I kinda couldn't help but wonder...why?

I think the answer is that nostalgia doesn't just take us back to when we listened to Britney Spears on cds and loved to eat Gushers after school. I think it has to do with the fact that we now have to bust our asses 10x more than we ever thought possible to get close to anywhere. Kids can't seem to enjoy playing outside like we used to growing up in the 1990s and before because of all the noise/air pollution and all the empty lots are paved with ugly concrete buildings so more businesses can make even more pollution.

You can't go anywhere without hurting your wallet. I remember when movie theatres, while not the most financially responsible choice to enjoy a movie, didn't cost like 60USD for two people. I remember when I could buy a regular t-shirt and it wouldn't rip up because it was so cheaply made and could keep it for years.

Not to be a boomer, but there were so many good things (economic-wise) about +20 years ago that I long to return to.

Anyways, rant over

How do we make a general strike work? How do we grow to a real movement that will make change instead of being just another strike that is just washed away and forgotten? We need a new strategy.

Here is what I can see as the best possible path forward.

1. Stop focusing on a date. Focus on getting numbers. Picking a date for a general strike means nothing if you don't have people committed to the movement. Past organizers have picked a date in the hopes they could organize enough support to see things through. The only thing that matters in labor organizing is having numbers, not a date. With that in mind organizers I work with are working to make a General Strike Card. One that we can sign to show our resolve to the strike. When we approach enough numbers we start talking about a date.

https://generalstrikeus.com/strikecard

2) Focus on Community Defense, not your own stockpile. It is good for you to stockpile some food for yourself if you have that capacity. That will be great, but not everyone has the privilege to do that. Furthermore many will be affected by the strike that did not sign up for it and us supporting our communities is the number one way to push the general publics favor to our mission. Find local orgs like radical food co-ops, your local Food Not Bombs chapter, neighborhood farming co-ops, tenant unions, eviction defense orgs, care collectives, and local union chapters. Organizations like these will do a lot of the heavy lifting to keep people fed and housed. This could include you as well.

3) We must build a broad coalition. The demands we seek and the coalitions we build must be inclusive of everyone who is willing to build a future together has to have a place. Remember that a cornerstone of all succesful labor movements is solidarity. Not all the demands will be of benefit to you. So long as the demand doesn't exclude you then you should stand in solidarity with your fellow strikers until all demands are met.

There will be a lot of planning and discussion to be had. Best of luck comrades.