It was good of you, Alyssa, to take the time to preview the video on “Witchcraft Under Capitalism” and post it on your newsletter for the rest of us to enjoy and be enlightened by. I know that if a video from the “Activist Witch” channel ever popped up in my YouTube feed, I would have instantly assumed it was along the same lines as some of the videos I used to receive from pagan folklore channels; the kind where presenters would frantically sound the alarm bells—“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DEALING WITH!”—about the cute little Fairy Doors people were buying from craft & hobby stores.
I had never heard about the Cottagecore aesthetic until it came up for discussion at last month’s book talk meeting at my local library. Obviously, there’s more to it than just putting up red gingham curtains in your kitchen window, and it probably doesn’t include not waiting for the hottest day of the summer to have your septic tank pumped out.
I was also very interested in what the Activist Witch had to say about society’s “Beggars can’t be choosers” attitude towards poor people. During my years working with Children’s Aid, myself and other staff would often dig into our own pockets to supplement kids’ clothing allowances so that they could go to school in clothes that were as stylish and well-fitting as most of their peers. I also learned how proud less well-off parents could be, such as the mom who worked long hours at a call-centre rather than apply for a disability pension she was fully entitled to receive on the grounds that, “I don’t want my kids to think they can live off the government.”
Or families who you knew were hard-up but whose parents refused to accept any help at Christmas time: “No thanks, Tom, give it to somebody who really needs it.” The only way to persuade such moms and dads to agree to a frozen turkey, a food hamper, and some presents for their children was to tell a dingy-white lie and explain that they had to take the stuff off my hands because we didn’t have enough storage room at the agency to keep it all, which was sort of true.
The one thing that troubles me a little about thrift stores is seeing people there who appear affluent enough to buy their clothes at regular clothing stores, but who go bargain hunting for the stylish $30 leather jacket or other prized items that you think less-advantaged people should have first dibs on.
I was very surprised to learn many years ago that not only was the eugenics movement in america a social philosophy but some of its worst ideas were codified into law with disastrous results. I was further shocked on finding one of my heroes margarget sanger endorsed it as a way of suppressing racial minorities and worst of all hitler used it a model for nazi germany.
Thank you for the kind words, Alyssa! So glad you're joining our read-along of Mrs Dalloway.
Thank you for hosting!
It was good of you, Alyssa, to take the time to preview the video on “Witchcraft Under Capitalism” and post it on your newsletter for the rest of us to enjoy and be enlightened by. I know that if a video from the “Activist Witch” channel ever popped up in my YouTube feed, I would have instantly assumed it was along the same lines as some of the videos I used to receive from pagan folklore channels; the kind where presenters would frantically sound the alarm bells—“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DEALING WITH!”—about the cute little Fairy Doors people were buying from craft & hobby stores.
I had never heard about the Cottagecore aesthetic until it came up for discussion at last month’s book talk meeting at my local library. Obviously, there’s more to it than just putting up red gingham curtains in your kitchen window, and it probably doesn’t include not waiting for the hottest day of the summer to have your septic tank pumped out.
I was also very interested in what the Activist Witch had to say about society’s “Beggars can’t be choosers” attitude towards poor people. During my years working with Children’s Aid, myself and other staff would often dig into our own pockets to supplement kids’ clothing allowances so that they could go to school in clothes that were as stylish and well-fitting as most of their peers. I also learned how proud less well-off parents could be, such as the mom who worked long hours at a call-centre rather than apply for a disability pension she was fully entitled to receive on the grounds that, “I don’t want my kids to think they can live off the government.”
Or families who you knew were hard-up but whose parents refused to accept any help at Christmas time: “No thanks, Tom, give it to somebody who really needs it.” The only way to persuade such moms and dads to agree to a frozen turkey, a food hamper, and some presents for their children was to tell a dingy-white lie and explain that they had to take the stuff off my hands because we didn’t have enough storage room at the agency to keep it all, which was sort of true.
The one thing that troubles me a little about thrift stores is seeing people there who appear affluent enough to buy their clothes at regular clothing stores, but who go bargain hunting for the stylish $30 leather jacket or other prized items that you think less-advantaged people should have first dibs on.
I was very surprised to learn many years ago that not only was the eugenics movement in america a social philosophy but some of its worst ideas were codified into law with disastrous results. I was further shocked on finding one of my heroes margarget sanger endorsed it as a way of suppressing racial minorities and worst of all hitler used it a model for nazi germany.
It's truly upsetting to see how many people we're supporters of eugenics in its heyday. What a despicable piece of human history.