Unfortunately For Me, My Parents Buy Into It. Just Today My Mom Was Quoting Some Indian Billionaire Who

Unfortunately for me, my parents buy into it. Just today my mom was quoting some Indian billionaire who said 'Indians should work 90 hours a week' and I was horrified.

I know I don't shut up about this but frankly not enough people are angry about the 5-day/40 hour workweek (and I am AWARE a lot of people work even more than that). I feel like a lot more people should be absolutely furious that we only really have two days a week and some occasional hours in the evening to socialise, run errands, do chores, or relax.

It's no wonder so many people are profoundly lonely and disconnected from their communities when maintaining a social life in what little free time we have is incredibly difficult. If you have kids, a second job, a very long commute, or other responsibilities, it's nearly impossible.

We literally aren't meant to live like this and I'll never stop being shocked how many people just take it as the natural state of things and don't want to throw a brick through a billionaire's window every time they think of it.

damn ok lake superior

A Twitter Thread from David Bowles:

[Text transcript at the end of the screenshots]

I'll let you in on a secret. I have a doctorate in education, but the field’s basically just a 100 years old. We don’t really know what we’re doing. Our scholarly understanding of how learning happens is like astronomy 2000 years ago.

Most classroom practice is astrology.

Before the late 19th century, no human society had ever attempted to formally educate the entire populace. It was either aristocracy, meritocracy, or a blend. And always male.

We’re still smack-dab in the middle of the largest experiment on children ever done.

Most teachers perpetuate the “banking” model (Freire) used on them by their teachers, who likewise inherited it from theirs, etc.

Thus the elite “Lyceum” style of instruction continues even though it’s ineffectual with most kids.

What’s worse, the key strategies we’ve discovered, driven by cognitive science & child psychology, are quite regularly dismissed by pencil-pushing, test-driven administrators. Much like Trump ignores science, the majority of principals & superintendents I’ve known flout research.

Some definitions:

Banking model --> kids are like piggy banks: empty till you fill them with knowledge that you're the expert in.

Lyceum --> originally Aristotle's school, where the sons of land-owning citizens learned through lectures and research.

Things we (scholars) DO know:

-Homework doesn't really help, especially younger kids.

-Students don't learn a thing from testing. Most teachers don't either (it's supposed to help them tweak instruction, but that rarely happens).

-Spending too much time on weak subjects HURTS.

Do you want kids to learn? Here's something we've discovered: kids learn things that matter to them, either because the knowledge and skills are "cool," or because .... they give the kids tools to liberate themselves and their communities.

Maintaining the status quo? Nope.

Kids are acutely aware of injustice and by nature rebellious against the systems of authority that keep autonomy away from them.

If you're perpetuating those systems, teachers, you've already freaking lost.

They won't be learning much from you. Except what not to become. Sure, you can wear them down. That's what happened to most of you, isn't it? You saw the hideous flaw in the world and wanted to heal it. But year after numbing year, they made you learn their dogma by rote.

And now many of you are breaking the souls of children, too.

For what?

It's all smoke and mirrors. All the carefully crafted objectives, units and exams.

WE. DON'T. KNOW. HOW. PEOPLE. LEARN.

We barely understand the physical mechanisms behind MEMORY. But we DO know kids aren't empty piggy banks. They are BRIMMING with thought.

The last and most disgusting reality? The thing I hear in classroom after freaking classroom?

Education is all about capitalism.

"You need to learn these skills to get a good job." To be a good laborer. To help the wealthy generate more wealth, while you get scraps.

THAT is why modern education is a failure.

Its basic premise is monstrous.

"Why should I learn to read, Dr. Bowles?"

Because reading is magical. It makes life worth living. And being able to read, you can decode the strategies of your oppressors & stop them w/ their own words.

Ugh I'm feeling like giving up on the entire IB diploma entirely recently, I have a business management ia to finish, ess ia, math ia, the EE, the TOK essay, Economics ia check, and so many tests at the same time.

I feel like I don't even care if I just pass the diploma anymore. I'm just so, so tired. I always feel like I'm not deserving of any rest or sleep if I have not done anything that is related to school. I'm so tired of hearing these thoughts go over and over in my brain. I just want to rot somewhere more often now.

I sometimes even wonder if I actually even like my school anymore. I feel constantly lightheaded in school, like everything is a fever dream, especially in certain classrooms. I have to stim a lot and I have to leave the classroom often just to go somewhere and breathe in natural air instead of AC. I also get hungry in school often, I usually eat lunch at 1 or 1:30 pm but when it's school I come back at 3:30 pm so I'm very hungry and tired by the time I come back.

It sets the energy for the whole day, I don't even feel like taking my laptop out of my bag when I get home. And what would be the point in doing something anyway? It's going to take hours and if I can't even finish it off by that time then there's no point to it for me. I literally took a day off today just so that I could start my business management IA.

And I don't even have close friends or a friend group to belong to at school. My closest friend at school battles mental health problems and I rarely see him there. And I KNOW that it's okay to be alone or enjoy things by yourself, but when you've always sucked at making friends in school it kinda gets to you later on. I feel envy when I see groups of friends and I always wonder if I will actually belong to a group like that someday. Sometimes when some classmates talk to me I always get the feeling it's for a joke which I'm the butt of. Maybe it's bc I have a monotonous way of speaking irl most of the time??

I wish that some of this stuff and all the IAs we do now was actually in DP year 1 BC it would save a lot of stress for a lot of people. Like the business ia could be done in January when I was in year 1 or something. The ess ia too. Instead of it all being crammed later on in 12th grade.

Ok but today, I'm going to make myself the cup of herbal tea I've been avoiding for weeks because in the end, I know I deserve sleep.

Types of Dream Work

Dream Journaling: Keeping a dream journal is the foundation of dream work in witchcraft. It involves writing down your dreams as soon as you wake up, even if you can only remember a few details. This practice helps you remember your dreams more vividly, identify patterns or recurring themes, and develop a deeper understanding of your subconscious mind.

Lucid Dreaming: Lucid dreaming is the ability to become aware that you are dreaming and to control the dream. It can be used for manifestation, healing, and exploring your inner world. To practice lucid dreaming, you can use reality checks, set intentions before you go to sleep, and practice visualization techniques.

Astral Projection: Astral projection is the practice of leaving your physical body and traveling to different realms or dimensions. It can be used for spiritual exploration, connecting with spirit guides, or receiving messages from the universe. To practice astral projection, you can use meditation, visualization, among other journeying techniques. It's important to practice caution and preparation, and work with an experienced practitioner or teacher if possible.

Dream Incubation: Dream incubation is the practice of setting an intention before you go to sleep to dream about a specific topic or question. It can be used for divination, problem-solving, or spiritual exploration. To practice dream incubation, you can use visualization, affirmations, or ritual to set your intention.

Dream Interpretation: Dream interpretation is the process of analyzing the symbols and messages in your dreams to gain insight into your subconscious mind. It can be used for spiritual growth, self-awareness, and problem-solving. To practice dream interpretation, you can use books, online resources, or work with a dream interpreter or witch.

Dream Protection: Dream protection is the practice of protecting yourself from negative energies or entities that may enter your dreams. It can be used for spiritual protection, emotional healing, or to prevent nightmares. To practice dream protection, you can use visualization, affirmations, or protection spells or talismans.

My Ko-Fi

I'm building a little "Anarchist Starter Kit" with pdfs on tactics, community & organizing, theory, and zines that are easy to print and distribute. If people are interested, I can post the G//gle Drive with the folder. (Do not lecture me about hosting the folder on Google, it makes things for more accessible for the average person. If you want a more secure link, I can provide that upon request)