I often say to people that organizing the rich is not at all sufficient. But it sure would be helpful if not necessary. The fact of the matter is that change requires resources and thus far the people who control the resources haven't been showing up for a better world for ALL OF US in the ways they can and should. Many fellow rich people who wake up to how the world works start to withdraw from people of their own class. But I think we need to lean into bringing our peers along in addition to spending time in proximity to the working class.
yes! this x1000. Absolutely. Necessary and not sufficient. That's my motto.
And this "Many fellow rich people who wake up to how the world works start to withdraw from people of their own class. But I think we need to lean into bringing our peers along in addition to spending time in proximity to the working class." Absolutely. So important that we go towards our people, not away. I was taught that we need to have one foot in the owning class and one foot in the working class. it's our job to bridge and move $ and resources from one to the other.
Sharon, if you ever want to write a piece sharing your story and some version of this lesson (go towards your people, not away!), id love it and love to support however i can.
Appreciate the materialist analysis here! Might not be a popular opinion among your followers but such an important one. Thanks for putting it out there! I often see donor organizing projects (or donor organizers themselves) getting siloed from organizations that are truly building power with a multiracial working class. For sure we want to organize EVERYONE - across race, class, age, language. And for those of us who have access to people with wealth getting them on board is an important project. AND we all need to be clear eyed on the end goal: building a mass movement of working class people. Solidarity forever.
Thanks Paul! yes to being clear eyed on the end goal and naming it early and often. i love your articulation of this here. im all in, and think we have so much to learn about doing the both/and of it all, bridging the world of organizing the rich and having it deeply aligned with and braided into mass movements of the working class. real glad to be in this larger project with you.
...and i don't really know how unpopular this idea is within the largely liberal to left folks that i imagine as the readers of this. my guess is it's less disagreement on this and more just a lack of clarity...would love to get some honest disagreement and haven't heard any yet.
100%
I often say to people that organizing the rich is not at all sufficient. But it sure would be helpful if not necessary. The fact of the matter is that change requires resources and thus far the people who control the resources haven't been showing up for a better world for ALL OF US in the ways they can and should. Many fellow rich people who wake up to how the world works start to withdraw from people of their own class. But I think we need to lean into bringing our peers along in addition to spending time in proximity to the working class.
yes! this x1000. Absolutely. Necessary and not sufficient. That's my motto.
And this "Many fellow rich people who wake up to how the world works start to withdraw from people of their own class. But I think we need to lean into bringing our peers along in addition to spending time in proximity to the working class." Absolutely. So important that we go towards our people, not away. I was taught that we need to have one foot in the owning class and one foot in the working class. it's our job to bridge and move $ and resources from one to the other.
Sharon, if you ever want to write a piece sharing your story and some version of this lesson (go towards your people, not away!), id love it and love to support however i can.
Michael - I'd love to connect. As owner of this substack are you able to see my personal email etc? Contact me?
ooh. just seeing this now. i think i have your email from an old email chain we were on. will dig it up and reach out. id love to talk sometime soon.
Appreciate the materialist analysis here! Might not be a popular opinion among your followers but such an important one. Thanks for putting it out there! I often see donor organizing projects (or donor organizers themselves) getting siloed from organizations that are truly building power with a multiracial working class. For sure we want to organize EVERYONE - across race, class, age, language. And for those of us who have access to people with wealth getting them on board is an important project. AND we all need to be clear eyed on the end goal: building a mass movement of working class people. Solidarity forever.
Thanks Paul! yes to being clear eyed on the end goal and naming it early and often. i love your articulation of this here. im all in, and think we have so much to learn about doing the both/and of it all, bridging the world of organizing the rich and having it deeply aligned with and braided into mass movements of the working class. real glad to be in this larger project with you.
...and i don't really know how unpopular this idea is within the largely liberal to left folks that i imagine as the readers of this. my guess is it's less disagreement on this and more just a lack of clarity...would love to get some honest disagreement and haven't heard any yet.
Interesting, nuanced, and thoughtful comments as always. Thanks, Mike!
Thanks Barbara. Really appreciate your support.
I wish you can come to one of our Solidarity Philanthropy Praxis retreats, Michael.
send me an invite anytime Saulo! I'd love to learn more.
ooh. What is the Solidarity Philanthropy Praxis retreat? Can you email me at paul@forthemany.org about it?