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With the rise of alternative media, seeing the flaws in mainstream media is quite easy if one knows where to look. It’s also particularly easy these days, thanks to the dawn of the Internet, to dig deep into history and discover that it has been completely misrepresented, along with the many forces behind it. As an alternative community, it seems the focus has been solely put on pointing out everything that is wrong in society. But what about solutions? It would seem that everyone is in this journey to change the world together. If that is the case, then it’s important to start focusing mass amounts of energy on the solutions to these problems rather than just simply pointing out the flaws. Finding holes is easy; putting sustainable solutions in place is much more difficult. This article aims to provide a brief introduction to real life solutions already in place.

It is the opinion of The Last American Vagabond that the poor social structure of society is due to the over centralization of power that resides in the hands of a very small group of the ultra élite who’s reach stretches into virtually all aspects of society. This is discussed in a previous article called “The Coming Revolution: A New Vibrational Reality.” When one finds themselves in a system that is beyond repair, there is no other choice but to start anew. Therefore, the solution is that of creating a new system through mass decentralized movements rather than trying to fix an old broken system. It is a system in which people take control over their own lives and communities though a bottom up approach. The solution will not happen through a top down approach because the system was created by the élite to benefit the élite. All levers that can bring about change have been systemically rooted out. The system was intentionally built-in this manner to maintain the control of power over time. So what can Americans do at an individual and local level to start to bring about a new system of real decentralized change?

1) Embrace Localized Organic Food and Renewable Resources

This can be done in many ways, all of which include: community gardens, farmers markets, home gardens, urban rooftop gardens, permaculture farms, localized energy grids, along with forms of renewable energy like wind farms and solar panels. The more that communities begin to localize production of food and resources, the more power local communities will begin to accumulate as more capital stays within the community, and problems from the external environment are easier to recover from. The large power of agribusiness begins to decline as the monopolies diminish and profits suffer from low demand. This will also make people healthier in the process as non-chemical laced food is replaced with fresh organic substitutes. As they say, pay the farmer or pay the doctor. People might as well help the local economy by facilitating a self-sustainable community in the process. Permaculture is an excellent place to start as it is directly in tune with nature.

2) Take Part in the Collaborative Economy

This is a decentralized economy that is made efficiently functional through a collaborative economy, a sharing economy, an on-demand economy, and collaborative consumption. A collaborative economy is an economic system of decentralized networks and marketplaces that unlocks the value of underused assets by matching “needs” and “haves,” in ways that bypass traditional middlemen. Examples include Kickstarter, Taskrabbit, and Transferwise. The sharing economy is when underused assets are shared directly by individuals. Examples include AirBnB, Landshare, and Cohealo. The on-demand economy is made up of platforms that match customer needs directly with providers to immediately deliver goods and services. Examples include Uber, Instacar, and Shuttlecook. Finally collaborative consumption is when traditional marketplace activities like renting, lending or swapping are done through technology not possible before the Internet. Examples include eBay, Zipcar, and Zopa. This whole new economy allows for individuals to directly connect without unnecessary middlemen while also sharing goods and services that are then recycled through society.

3) Boycott and Buycott Ethical Practices

The traditional voting system has proven to produce more of the same with each passing election. Empty promises are made to get a candidate in position, and then it’s politics as usual. People must begin to vote for the change they want to see in the world. Not with traditional voting, but by voting with action, by boycotting companies that have ethical practices not in alignment with their world vision, and “buycotting” places they are aligned with, or that do align with their ethical standards. This corrupt hierarchical system can only continue to function if people continue to take part in it. If even 20% of the population was to withdraw energy from the system, it could very well collapse like a deck of cards. This also includes boycotting taxes on the grounds that the tax money is not only illegitimately taken, but used for purposes in which are in total disagreement with what the people want. There is hardly anything the powers that be can do if this type of boycott mass movement is done on a large-scale. New systems can then arise to take the place of old ones.

4) Branch Out into Alternative Currencies

One of major problems in today’s society stems from a central control over the national currency. Since the currency is so widely used, problems to one of the major pillars in society like banks that are considered “too big to fail,” can cause the whole system to crash. Also, through central banks, the money supply has been increased at a ridiculous pace, while devaluing the currency in return. This has widened the wealth gap in the process as the rich have much more access to this newly printed money. Breaking off into alternative currencies such as Bitcoin, gold and silver, as well as local based currencies derived from local services and goods, and labor hours, will truly allow communities to stand on their own legs instead of solely dependent on a central force. These local based currencies have all already been implemented successfully in places like Ithaca, NY through Ithaca Hours and countries like Greece through the use of the TEM.

5) Don’t Vote

Obviously if this country was functioning under a legitimate democracy, voting would be of the utmost importance in society. However, many feel today that it doesn’t make a difference at all, especially at the federal level, and to a lesser degree at the state level. This is a subject that will undoubtedly upset some who feel that voting is the one true way to enact change; which all can agree on when assuming the system is not corrupt and each voter has a voice. In America’s current political system, that could not be further from the truth. Americans have seen overwhelming evidence that voting machines have been tampered with.

They have seen politicians getting caught in lies, flip-flopping on important issues based on party pressures, and watched as candidates accept massive legalized bribes to carry out future legislation, otherwise known as campaign contributions. Voting in a system in which the vote itself makes no difference to the outcome, is showing compliance to the system and therefore giving it legitimacy. The establishment wants people to vote in high numbers, so when a leader is elected, they are legitimized. If hardly anyone votes, then the leader has far more shaky ground to stand on. In today’s corrupt two-party system, the best course of action would be to not vote and focus one’s energy at the individual and local levels. At the local level voting can still work, but that also comes with increased participation and understanding in how the local community operates and functions. Local communities must be restored before national change comes.

It is no longer a question of what the solutions are, but instead a matter of putting them into practice and building from them. Pointing out all the problems in society is all for nothing if solutions are not implemented. The new society is deeply rooted in the people taking back their sovereign right to self-govern and self-sustain themselves rather than be reliant on a large central state for all the answers. It WILL NEVER come from the top. They built the system in such as way that they will always remain in control. Therefore, it’s time for a radical shift inside us, the people. A fundamental shift in one’s own consciousness has to occur first. Once this happens, the next logical step is to branch out into the local communities in which one lives. It’s a bottom-up approach in which the seed is planted inside the soul first, then leading to seeds being spread and harvested within local communities. We can’t relay on some external force to bring about change. It’s up to each and every one of us to be the change we want to see in the world. We must literally manifest the new world we want to see by embracing that energy in our own collective actions. This is real change through real action.

Help Us Be The Change We Wish To See In The World.