I think I’d like to read one of those popsci histories in 20 years from now, of what happened with social software. Like I used to read about the early days of the Internet. Heck, this time I might even know some of the people in the book.
So December was busy. I moved properly into Lancaster. I moved out of London in September and was staying with family for a few months nearby. I am really liking being in Lancaster so far. I am renting a small terraced house for a fraction of the price of a cupboard in London. I feel solvent again. I can see the Lake District from the park. I work from home.
There’s a real alternative culture here in Lancaster I’m finding. I’m joining the makerspace around the corner from me, and I went to an electronic music open mic night that was absolutely banging. There’s like 3 vegan/vegetarian cafes.
There’s a workers co-op in town selling all the hippie produce I tend to buy. There’s a music co-op. There’s an eco co-housing place not too far away. The next town along is Preston, with all its Preston Model shenanigans going on.
The North-West is a wild place if you’re interested in the history of labour and capitalism. And now it’s a bit of a lightning rod of fucked-up late-stage class politics. At least Lancaster is one brick that has stayed red as the Red Wall is falling down.
I feel back to my roots, but I am far from being a Workington Man. Let’s see how things transpire. I want to be close to my family for a while. And while I’m here, let’s make the most of it. To paraphrase the saw – if you can’t change your town, then change your town.
With the monumental fuckup of the recent election, I feel like a local, community focus is the best place to focus and make a difference for the short-term.
Pleased to read you’re in a good place now.
Definitely can relate to “I feel like a local, community focus is the best place to focus and make a difference”. I’ve come to think of it as a balance, because having connections to the outside is key too. With local just being local you are cut off of the rich tapestry of ideas, people, tools etc from elsewhere that can be of such value strengthening community when expressed and applied locally. With being out there, surfing the inspiration around the world so to speak, without local roots, it lacks substance and expression. Lots of ideas that have nowhere to go. All human life in the end is local, as where you are, where your interaction with others is, is local. But one can bring the outside to the table and enrich the local that way. Since we moved into our current town just under three years ago, having lived for decades in another town, I haven’t succeeded yet in putting down community roots I find. It requires purposeful effort. Your posting is a good reminder to me of that. Thank you.
Really true – it’s important not to become closed off. There is a wealth of ideas and values to be gathered from around the world, and that’s the beauty of the Internet, allowing us to connect to those. The mix is important. Politically speaking at present in the UK, with a national government that doesn’t represent me at all, taking us out of a federation of countries that I love, the local feels like the most hopeful site of action for now – but local actions infused with ideas from around the world.