It’s hard to be positive when…

It’s clear there are multi-tier justice systems based on who you are, your race and how much money you have.

One of the world’s richest men, a fragile egotist with far-right conspiracy theory beliefs, claims to be a free-speech absolutist but shuts down accounts that don’t like him and sues a non-profit for trying to hold him to account. Even the judge realising this was ‘vapid’ and dismissing it doesn’t excuse the damage already done.

Saudi Arabia uses its money and tries to rehabilitate its global reputation, partly threatened by the murder of Jamal Khasshoggi by throwing billions into ‘sportswashing’.

The Aotearoa Consumer organisation needs support to identify greenwashing, where massive companies use “sneaky marketing that makes you think something is ‘green’ or more environmentally friendly than it really is. And some businesses are cashing in on these loose environmental claims.”

Where we’ve been taught that it’s up to us to individuals to do something about most of the issues in the world, instead of global collective action to stop organisations, governments and more abusing their position, as well as the planet. (Dark PR: How corporate disinformation harms our health and our environment by Grant Ennis is well worth a read.)

The new Government in Aotearoa has repealed fair pay agreements, ditched smoke free laws, given landlords billions in tax benefits, made it easier for employers to sack workers for no reason, cancelled needed infrastructure needed for travel between the North and South Islands. And so much more. It’s clear this is one of the most destructive Governments in recent history.

Corporations making billions of dollars in profits find ways to minimise or avoid billions of dollars in taxes that should go to the public purse for the good of everyone.

According to UNICEF, over 13,000 children have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza. Thirteen fucking thousand. It’s an outrage.

I could continue but, frankly, I’m depressed as fuck by what’s happening, so I’m spending my spare time with lumps of mud and a wheel in the hope this therapy allows me to continue to function.