disposable culture by Ming

Ming says disposable culture can be ok for disabled people who need special things considering our energy and functionality.  But the problem is everyone uses it, because everyone lives in crisis mode, doing more than they can do, because of capitalism.

Ming says it’s easy to be judgey.  “In the previous sentence, I feel very judgey when I said that other people are not disabled, and are using resources,” he said.

“Ok, what of it?  Is being judgey wrong?” I asked.

“I dunno.  Yeah.  Extreme reasons should be what disposable culture is reserved for.  But everyone wants to have that entitlement of feeling like they’re in extremes,” Ming said.

“Or they don’t really care,” I said.

“Under the pressure of capitalism.  The pressure of industrialism,” Ming said.

irresponsible

When I said, “Or they really don’t care,” I was thinking of some irresponsible bachelor who likes beer, microwave meals, pizza delivery, and doesn’t worry about the large, oily cardboard boxes that pile up.

“I guess I wanna live in a world where people are less judgey, and there’s more access for disabled people, but there’s less stripping of resources making it harder for everyone,” Ming said.

“Ok, that makes sense,” I said.

talking about Laura-Marie

“It makes societal resources harder for everyone.  If they’re utilizing you, Laura-Marie, to maintain their lifestyle, but they’re exhausting you.  And they’re feeling entitled to use the resources because they’re working for it and paying it,” Ming said.  He was partly talking about the radical mental health collective.

“But they’re not paying me!” I said.  I live below the poverty line, helping other people who live below the poverty line, but also helping people who work full time, have cars, live in houses they own, have retirement plans…

“Right, they’re not paying you, but they think they are.  They think you’re getting compensated in some way, because no one does anything for free.  They don’t believe it, that they’re taking from you.  In their minds, they are good persons.  They don’t want to admit they’re stripping you of your resources, so they make up that they’re not doing that,” Ming explained.

“Wow,” I said.  It was so true; it hurts to hear that.  Ming had been with me for ten years and has seen this happen for a decade.

“They have to make it like they’re the victim, to make it so they’re not the oppressor,” he said.

“I see that all the time,” I said.  “Cis-men who think they’re oppressed for being white guys: I’m just a white guy; no one cares what I say.  Then they don’t need to acknowledge they rule the world, they can walk into almost any space and be considered the regular person, and find respect all these places no one else does.”

“Yeah,” Ming said.

“They keep their heads so far up their asses that they don’t see what the rest of the world goes through, so they can keep enjoying their privilege by pretending they don’t have it,” I said.

disposable culture by Ming

“People assume we’re being compensated by some huge peace group.  They don’t recognize we’re unpaid for what we do.  They don’t believe it–they make up that we are being compensated,” Ming said.

“Yeah, so they don’t have to feel bad for using us,” I said.

“Right–they pretend we’re being compensated, so they can take and take from us,” he said.  “That’s part of disposable culture.”

Yes, we experience this with all we do.  An elder who lives here made up that Ming is being paid for taking care of the property here.  When Ming told him he’s not being paid and isn’t the designated responsible person, the elder said he didn’t believe Ming.

“You must be paid–no one would do this for free,” the elder said.

Sometimes it seems like the truth doesn’t matter–most people will believe whatever they believe.

different

Being different is hard.  Ming and I resist capitalism, and it’s so strange that we become illegible.  That on top of our disabilities and other differences means good luck being comprehended at all.

It’s frustrating to be so misunderstood that even when we explain our lives, we’re not believed.  It’s enough to make me want to give up and chase money.  If there is no safety because there is no tight community, am I just wasting my time?

If people are too busy to love because they’re working more than they can work, to pay for more than they can afford, where does that leave me and Ming?  We give a lot and do not get refilled.  True–the people who take the most have it worked out in their heads that they’re not taking.

Thank you to Ming for pointing this out very clearly and helping me write about it.  Your brilliance shines.