We Are Just Animals

I was dwelling last night on our society's unnatural drive. Hustle culture, working two or three jobs to survive, school and work at the same time, feeling guilt if you take a day off or rest when you are sick. None of this is how our ancestors lived for most of human history, and none of it is natural. Society puts moral judgement on how "productive" you are, and if you're not productive enough, you get labeled as "lazy" at best; undeserving of your basic human needs at worst.

Does anyone look at animals resting in the wild and call them lazy? Does anyone yell at their cat if they are sick to pick themselves up by their toebeans and go hunt mice? Does anyone not feed their dog if the dog doesn't want to go for a walk because it didn't "earn" its food that day? No, you probably laugh and take a video to share on social media about how funny your dog is who laid down like a passively resisting protester because they didn't want to walk that day. Everyone says how cute your dog is and laughs. No one tries to shame the dog.

But if a human doesn't want to go to work every day, or school, they are scolded like they are commiting a grave sin. If they are tired and would like to take a rest day where they just relax, people tut-tut and talk bad about them. If someone moves at a slower pace than most, they are shamed and told they're not good enough.

We don't expect all dogs to be those hyper breeds, who could probably run a marathon pulling a cinderblock and still have energy to play. But we expect all humans to be tireless robots, constantly churning out work and never resting or playing.

Rest is necessary

But you too, are an animal, as am I. Our bodies need rest. Our spirits need play. Our minds need stimulation. We deserve to relax and do what makes us happy, spend time with our loved ones, and just be. There's a reason so many of us are burned out, chronically sick, and depressed.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society."
-Jiddu Krishnamurti

The notion that humans are somehow different from all other life on the Earth has profound consequences. Ecological destruction and animal cruelty are among them, but also this. We are no different from every other living thing that has a body and needs rest, healthy food, clean water and air. We get sick, we feel pain. We are social creatures in a society that tears us apart.

We could very well provide for everyone's needs in our world, no matter how "productive" that person is (and let's face it, most people are more productive than capitalism gives them credit for; caring for your children, gardening, cleaning house, volunteering, sewing, knitting, weaving, etc. are all productive things to do, but they are seen as "less than" since you don't get paid for them). We could easily feed everyone, provide them shelter, electricity, running water, and all the rest if we just removed the profit motive and instead replaced it with the decent compassionate human motive. We could automate as much work as possible and celebrate it without fear of "oh no but those drudgery jobs will be lost." We could eliminate most crime and most war if people weren't desperate for money, and if nations weren't fighting over natural resources, but instead we shared them. The only people who don't benefit from making this change are those at the very top, with the most money and power.

People would still work, but that work would shift. There would be a lot less pointless, unfulfilling jobs that do nothing but generate profits for rich people, and a lot more work that is actually needed. Housing could be built because it is needed, not left undone because it "cost too much" or wasn't profitable to build regular affordable homes instead of luxury homes for the rich. Infrastructure could be repaired simply because it needed to be done for the benefit of all, not left undone because it wasn't in the city budget. Polluting industries could be halted, regulated, mitigated, cleaned up, whatever needed to be done instead of allowed to run rampant because it's lucrative. Children could go to school because they want to, not left without because they can't afford it.

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In our world, rest is revolutionary. And people wonder why governments are pretending like covid is over while hundreds of people are still dying from it every day in the US alone? Most people staying home and not commuting, eating out, getting haircuts, buying office clothes, working unnecessary jobs, etc. meant profits were down, and those that skim off the top couldn't have that. No no, throw everyone in the germ line of fire and get that economy churning again! The plebs are baking bread and starting gardens! How can we milk more profit from them if they have the time to do for themselves? Wait, they're protesting when the state murders innocent black people? We can't give them the time to protest! Things might actually change around here! They're making music on their balconies and sharing it online? They're only supposed to like our heavily processed, approved by the rich owners of music labels who decide what gets heard! Anarchy!!!

Rest when you can, friends. Take care of yourselves, and your loved ones. Play. Spend some of your "productive" energy on things that bring you joy, like bread baking or home projects. Be revolutionary.