Machine-generated humans standing on the barricades

1. SABOTAGE

We never called it sabotage. It was more a matter of liberation. We didn't really put up that much resistance either. A few cables. A couple of tracks. A little salt in the machine's tank. We dug up a dam and released the water. We disarmed a few forestry machines. We poured a few buckets of water crystals into the tank. We threw some paint on the ancient stones. We glued ourselves to the highway. We painted new patterns on old paintings. We stood in the way when the dictator came on an official city visit. That was enough. The movement grew. The old men and women in the cottages understood that we were doing the right thing, even though they lost a lot of money. All over the earth, the machines began to break down. We never belonged to Les Soulèvements de la Terre. We were never any ELFs. We just did what we had to do. We disarmed their ideas. We destroyed their images. We broke apart their notions. We never had time to read 'How to Blow Up a Pipeline' by Andreas Malm, because we had already started sawing. We couldn't stand it any longer. We saw how they destroyed what belonged to all of us. Therefore, we also simply started digging where we stood. The rest is history. It started with those who were already on our side. But then the others also realized that there was no longer any economic sense in investing in what would break anyway. Then they built no more factories. The oil was left in the ground. The forest was left standing. The water was allowed to flow freely. Sure, they sent police and military after us. They beat us. They imprisoned us. But we were like mushrooms. We popped up everywhere. It could not be stopped. We could not be silenced. We spread underground. We popped up everywhere. A single individual can cause big problems. Their systems are weak, cowardly, and fragile. They invest quite a bit in security. That is true. But we had nothing to lose. Besides, we had many adults on our side. They supported us quietly. Paid our fines. Bought new pliers. Gave us rides to the trains. Occasionally someone tagged along. They rarely came back. But they understood that what we did was important. We were probably partly inspired by all those organizations that stood up for the environment and the climate, Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion, Sunrise Movement, Earth Liberation Front, Scientists Rebellion, Last Generation, Greenpeace, 350dotorg, Friends of the Earth International, Rainforest Action Network, Sierra Club, Climate Justice Alliance, Ocean Conservancy, Just Stop Oil, Deep Green Resistance, Earth First!, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Amazon Watch, African Climate Alliance, A Seed Japan, Asia Pacific Adaptation Network, Act for Goa, Alternatiba, Aliança da Terra, Indigenous Environmental Network, WWF Climate Program, and Global Witness. But we had neither the time nor the desire to organize ourselves. Instead, we packed what we had into our backpacks and left.

2. DO NOT RUN

You cannot change the system from within. But you can change systems. It wasn't as difficult as we thought. It wasn't as complicated as they said. We just stopped. And in an instant, everything was changed. But in a completely different way than we expected. Sure, we moved away from a political system that was corrupt and racist. Sure, we left a system based on the power of the rich and governed by bought politicians. But what was established after that was something entirely different from what we imagined. We got a new and better society where the political process is based on consensus, dialogue, and mutual understanding. And the whole process was much simpler than we had imagined. It was just a matter of thinking a new thought. You cannot change the system from within. You cannot gain power within a system without becoming corrupted. You cannot overcome those who represent the system. You cannot persuade them without becoming like them. You cannot adapt to the system you are trying to change without being changed yourself. You have to do something new. The step was simple. Really. But on the surface, perhaps also difficult. We became refugees. We lost our position. We no longer had any nation, any place, any home. But the system we lived in wasn't ours anyway. It was not our state, not our country, not our laws. We held on to our principles. We ignored their rules and laws. We ignored their illusory borders, their petty structures, their misguided laws. We didn't care about their system. In the end, they were forgotten. Now we make all political decisions together. We need no borders. The earth is our country. Everyone is free to join us. We run like wild horses. Our political system is based on consensus and endless conversation. We talk until everyone agrees, even if it takes two generations. It has now worked for over ten, and it gets faster and faster to reach an agreement the longer we keep going. The problems become more and more numerous. Or at least more nuanced. The criticism becomes clearer. The problems become distinct. But we listen to each other, and therefore we can also understand each other. It's not about compromising. It's about leaving the fight. It's about taking the step we always wanted to take, but didn't dare to.

3. LISTEN TO THE FLOWERS

We believe in communication between species. We believe that all animals and all plants can communicate and that we, if we try, can understand what they have to say. So far, we have only been lazy. We long for the day when we can understand the lullabies of dolphins and the stories of elephants. We know that our role in these stories will not be particularly pretty. But we also understand that the only way to learn is to learn from our mistakes. We lie down in the grass and listen to the trees. They speak of the future. They speak of possibilities beyond our imagination. We see the images they paint. We listen and grow.

4. THE STONE ARCHES

We built them by hand. The first stones were the heaviest. Everyone needed to help. The stone arches became a symbol of our ability to help one another. Now they rise proudly above spruce forests and forest roads and mountains. They are symbols of leadership without leaders. The work was very well organized. But there were no bosses and no leaders. Still, the system worked perfectly. We sing the songs that gave us courage: Don't be professional. Be kind. Don't be a boss. Be a friend. Follow no leaders. Don't become a leader. It leads nowhere. I believe in the kinship with my surroundings and with the physical world. I remember when they raised the stone arches, or just the arches as we call them. Or at least I remember my parents telling me that we were there. Now they stand there, towering. Made of natural stone, lime, and our collective power. They must be over 200 meters high. They are symbols of the self-organization of work. They are symbols of our refusal to obey orders. They are symbols of our ability to listen to the person standing next to us. It's really not that hard. All packs do it, all herds, all swarms, all shoals, all gangs, all flocks, all crowds, all colonies, all clusters, all packs, all gangs, all states, all phalanxes, all cliques.

5. THE ORCA BATTLE

We swam together. We swam with each other and with the whales. Then the hostile boats came, with nets and harpoons. We knew of course that they would come. That was why we were there. We defended the ocean with our lives. The battles became more numerous than we had anticipated. Their nets were fierce and tough. We didn't have time to organize ourselves. We never became part of those who call themselves Sea Shepherds. They were our heroes. But we didn't have time to make contact. We couldn't afford tanks and hoses. We had no wetsuits or protection. The currents were too strong. Our breaths were too shallow. We managed to put on our diving masks. We dove. We saw their weak point. We destroyed their boats. We cut apart their trawlers and nets. We released the catch back into the ocean. The fish and all the other animals swam around in fear and joy. It was romantic and beautiful. But reckless and deadly. The endless depths. The blue weight of the sea. Foam and mouths. The promises of the pillared halls. The song of the Nereids. The sun glistening on the surface. But in the heat of the moment, it was more about blood and the future. We stood eye to eye. We had long ago chosen a side. They didn't stand a chance. They were only after money. It wasn't even about prestige. They weren't hunting the white whale. They weren't out for revenge. They just had to stand there on their well-equipped ships to survive. Our bare skin resisted. The songs of the whales drowned out their engines. The rain fell. The storm subsided. They finally understood that we were on the same side. The boats sank. We rode the dolphins. Poseidon rose in all his might. We saw how all the sea's creatures directed their power in the same direction. A myriad of life entered our souls. All the memories. All the experiences. Our dormant DNA awoke. We laughed at the aquatic ape myth. The octopuses understood. The waves crashed against the cliffs. It was not a matter of political decisions. It was a matter of life or death.

6. THE COMPETITION

We cooperate. We do everything together. Not at the same time. Not the same way. Not synchronized. Not well-timed or neat. But well. It is enough. I don't compete anymore. But I remember. I remember all the competitions. School, work, politics. Most people thought there were no alternatives. But there are alternatives. We don't have to compete. You don't have to be afraid of me. I don't want you to lose. I don't want to use my assets to deprive you of yours. I don't want to exploit your weaknesses. I want us to share fairly. We can of course disagree, but I will never be your enemy. The thing is that when you lose, I lose too. We belong together. We have the same origin and we have the same goal. Everyone. The humans, the animals, the plants, the minerals, the rivers, the mountains, the oceans, the clouds, the currents, and the vast weather systems.

7. THE ENDLESS CONVERSATION

We talked all night. There were many of us. Groups within groups. Thousands upon thousands of voices. Yet it was simple. Everyone wanted it to work. We managed to look each other in the eye. The mood was calm. There was plenty of time. The atmosphere was charged. Everyone listened. Everyone spoke. We gave our consent. It took many nights. The conversations were not easy. We cried and laughed. But we never pretended. In the beginning, it was stiff and felt hopeless. But we slowly learned to listen. Now we agree. We don't believe in public elections. We don't believe in the competition between political parties. We don't trust them to stick to the truth. We believe in the endless conversation.

8. TAKEN INTO THE MOUNTAIN

We took the bad leaders into the mountain. No one would miss them anyway. We kidnapped them at night. They got to dress. Most had expensive suits and exclusive ties. We only had our usual worn clothes. The point was not to steal their souls. Even if that might have been what the trolls did. We were only after their power. Inside the mountain, they no longer have any power. The power they had no longer corrupts them. Inside the mountain, they are free. They are free from their duties and their responsibilities. They no longer represent anyone. They no longer defend anything. They are just themselves. The principles that made us consider these actions legitimate were crystal clear. We have precedence of interpretation. It is our world at stake. It's not about influence. It's about self-defense. We cannot allow them to occupy our public institutions. We cannot allow them to misuse our public funds. That's why we do as the trolls do. We take them into the mountain. It has worked every time. When we then let them go, they have been transformed. The magic has done its work. They no longer snatch things for themselves. They see the geometry and the justice. They no longer enrich themselves at the expense of others. They work for the common good. There is something about the minerals and crystals that works. It is a strange approach. It must be admitted. But it works and it is incomparably effective.

9. NEO-HIPPIES

Now we can finally dance and play. The sun shines on our bodies. We run under the sheltering branches of the trees. We play in the babbling brooks. We laugh and talk in the grass. Everything is colorful and alive. Now that the fight is over, we finally have time to listen and sing. Now that the wars are over and the earth is no longer threatened, we can breathe easy. We still wear the clothes and symbols developed in protest. They remind us of why we did what we had to do. But we have played with them and refined their properties. Our clothes are no longer just symbols now. They are alive and have a will of their own. We wear fringes of recycled, self-healing bio-suede. When we walk, the fringes vibrate gently against our thighs. Our vests and pants have raw edges of lab-grown leather. We wear necklaces of glass beads made from melted-down war waste. The beads are strung on hemp cords and hang around ankles and wrists. The hems of our long, sweeping trousers touch the ground without wearing out because the nanotreads in the fabric repel dirt. We have heavy rings of biomimetic brass with encapsulated living algae shifting in neon green. We smell of sun-warmed pine needles and incense. Water vapor evaporates from our heavy cloaks of crushed fiber velvet. We have microscopic solar cells, in geometric patterns, on the back of our old protective jackets. We have thin blouses of cellulose and spider silk that are so sheer they blend with our skin. We have braided headbands of algae and metal with integrated biosensors. They blink and play at night when we dance. We have bracelets of bioluminescent seashells that pulse slowly as we breathe. Pieces of chromatic fiber optics are tied around our thighs. They shift color depending on how we feel. We have medallions of compressed river silt engraved with coordinates to the restored coral reefs. The light green splashes of paint on our knees are living moss that we planted there to remind us of the city cracks. We crocheted our own sweaters from mushroom mycelium that grows and adapts to the shapes of our bodies. We have feathers of synthetic and air-purifying keratin tucked into our braids. Some have long coats of regenerated wool with linings that purify the water they are dragged through. Others have rings of braided titanium that remember the shape of the fingers wearing them. Some have necklaces of polished meteorites mixed with seeds that sprout when we drop them on the ground. Many have wide wedges of color-shifting light-fabric sewn into their trouser legs. A few have sensors and transmitters at their ankles that can communicate with the small creatures in the grass. We wear white tunics with embroideries of phosphorescent mushroom thread and large soft bags of cellulose leather containing seed bombs and filters. Our shirt collars are made of living lichens. They absorb carbon dioxide from our breath. We make rings that pulse in harmony with the earth's geomagnetic field. We weave coarse shawls from collected ocean fishing nets. They still smell of salt water and kelp. We give each other buttons of recycled space debris. They sparkle in the sun on our flowing caftans. Now that the struggle is won, we can sing and dance.

10. THERIANTHROPES

We call ourselves Therians. Scientifically, we are called therianthropes. We have masks, paws, and tails. We make the masks ourselves, slowly, carefully, whisker by whisker, hair by hair, eyelash by eyelash, claw by claw. We are born as two-legged humans. We are children playing. But sometimes we go down on all fours. It depends on what fits. We shift, as it's called. Then the animal takes over. It can happen at any time, at school, in the playground, at the public pool, at the grocery store, in gym class, on the bus, everywhere. We are not adults. Many of us are in primary and middle school. Being a Therian is not a choice. It is an insight. It comes from within. It is self-understanding. It is an awakening. When they clear-cut our forests, when they pollute our oceans and tear apart our mountains, then we feel it. We cannot be the same as them. We must be something else. We are red panda cubs, ferret kits, fennec fox kits, raccoon kits, stoat kits, mouse pups, owlets, wolf pups, dog puppies, kittens, fox kits, lynx cubs, bear cubs, otter pups, foals, baby rabbits, squirrel kits, leverets, badger cubs, seal pups, eaglets, falcon chicks, roe deer fawns, moose calves, deer calves, prairie wolf pups, coyote pups, beavers, hedgehog hoglets, guinea pig pups, hamster pups, dolphin calves, and all other kinds that walk and crawl on the ground or swim in the oceans or fly in the air. We don't always get along. Some of us are natural enemies. But we all have one thing in common. Our experiences are no longer merely human. The gaze is no longer that of a human. The hearing is no longer that of a human. We feel more than human emotions. We smell scents and taste flavors that no human has ever tasted. We see the world from other perspectives. And we understand what the old rich white men will never, ever understand. They think we are resisting. We aren't. It's just that we no longer care about their stupid old delusions. We play and run in the woods. We explore, discover, and investigate. Our eyes meet in the playground. We see a future that they cannot see. We see our future. It is bright and beautiful. We see the forest and the rivers and the mountains. We see reality. We are already there.

11. SPIRITUAL RESISTANCE

We have the rainbow in our eyes. We are uninterested in profit. We take from the rich and give to the poor. We spend our time thinking. We want everyone to think. No one should have to work. Yet we know that work is the goal. It is just that work must be a choice, not a compulsion. It may sound utopian. But we are almost there. It is about establishing a Star Trek economy. Then there is no longer any need to try to deceive and exploit one another. Everyone's basic needs are met. The choice we face is instead about choosing how best to use the abilities we have to reach deeper into reality. We want to understand the white fields of cells. We want to see dark matter. We want to grasp the mechanisms that make the night's dreams become reality. We want to see past the fog. Then reality will finally be what it is and nothing else.