The call for entries for the project allowed me to meet many new and interesting people. Among them were Martina and Michael BIG. The shoot with the two of them was the first one for this project. Of course, I told my friends about the shoot and my two guests. I was completely surprised by the reactions of my friends—both female and male, and with different political views. I hadn't expected Martina's appearance to have such a strong polarizing effect. Everyone had an opinion, which was vehemently and emotionally defended in the discussion that quickly ensued. I found it astonishing what conclusions were drawn about a person's inner character from their outward appearance, even though no one had met Martina personally.
I realized how unfree we are in our thoughts and emotions when we cannot treat a person—regardless of their gender, race, skin color, or, in Martina's case, their chosen appearance—without reservation. Yet cosmetic surgery and body modifications are no longer a rarity (Pamela Anderson, Jane Fonda, Michael Jackson, Cher, Tina Turner, Grace Neutral, and Anthony Loffredo).
I think it's appropriate at this point to let Martina speak for herself instead of writing about her. Feel free to share your personal opinion as a comment on this post. As you can see from the headline, there will be a second part to this post.
What is your personal motivation for participating in this project, and what is your connection to anarchism?
We decided to participate in this project because human freedom and equality are our top priorities. Every person should be free to make their own decisions about their life.
We find it very sad that the greed for money and power is becoming increasingly important and that the hierarchy is becoming more and more pronounced as a result. A small circle of privileged people is becoming increasingly powerful and wealthy. In contrast, the general population is becoming increasingly impoverished. These individuals are increasingly losing their self-determination and freedom of public expression. The mainstream media presents people with a pre-formed opinion or worldview. Recently, there has been a decline in tolerance for individuals who hold different opinions.
I myself stand for self-determination. In recent years, I have fulfilled my lifelong dream and changed my appearance from head to toe. Many mainstream media outlets try to portray my actions as crazy and dangerous. However, I believe that every person has the right to make their own decisions about their body. And to do whatever makes them happy, as long as it doesn't harm other people. Many people share this opinion. I have a large fan base that is constantly growing.
Why did you choose this particular anarchist?
Michael chose Peter Kropotkin because his life story is very impressive. He was born the son of a wealthy prince. He could have taken over the family's large estates and lived a life of luxury. But he chose his own path and became one of the most important pioneers of anarchism. We find his work "Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution" particularly impressive; it shows how important mutual aid and solidarity are.
I chose Lucy Parsons because she is a strong personality. In addition to her many other commitments, such as freedom of speech and assembly, Lucy Parsons also fought against poverty and racism, which I find particularly honorable. Unfortunately, black people are still disadvantaged today, especially in the US. For example, it is much more difficult for them to find a job, and when they do find one, they often receive lower pay than most of their white colleagues who do the same work.
By participating in this art project, we want to try to draw people's attention to injustices and encourage them to remember. Because that is the first step toward a better future.
What is your personal wish for a better future?
Even though citizens today are allowed to democratically elect their leaders, in most cases the promises made before the elections have very little to do with what the leaders actually implement after the elections. And when citizens realize after the elections that those in power are not fulfilling their promises, they have no way of influencing events for four years and are helplessly at the mercy of their decisions. I don't think this should be the case in a progressive society.
Basically, I have nothing against people who represent the people, but they should be normal people from the population (not lobbyists and multimillionaires) who really have the welfare of the people at heart and are not striving for even more money and power. As soon as more than 50% of the population is dissatisfied with the work of their representatives, new elections must be held. Furthermore, all important decisions should be made by referendum. Today, almost everyone has an internet connection. People could identify themselves with their ID card and cast their vote online. For those who do not have an internet connection, voting terminals could be made available in public buildings.
Furthermore, everyone should have the opportunity to submit proposals for solutions and improvements, which are then discussed publicly and, if necessary, put to a referendum.
The mainstream media should no longer be used to inform the population one-sidedly about the opinions of those in power, but rather to convey an objective worldview to people. Furthermore, people need to be taught that the meaning of life is not the pursuit of money and power and the resulting competition, but rather cooperating with one another, learning from one another, having fun, and developing oneself further. A very good example of this is the ISS space station, where researchers from a wide variety of nations have come together to conduct research and broaden their horizons. If this could be applied to the entire population, money and power would lose their significance and a society would develop in which people are free and equal. Ideally, money would disappear altogether. If we didn't waste so many resources on wars and other useless things, or destroy them ourselves, there would be enough resources in the world for everyone to live a good life. And if we could convey to people that everyone has to contribute to society, they would also be willing to work for it. Without financial pressure, people would work together instead of competing with each other.
I realize that such a perfect society, in which all people are free and equal, cannot be achieved in one step, but many small steps also lead to the goal, and where there is a will, there is also a way.
Lucy Eldine Gonzalez Parsons, also known as Lucia Gonzalez (born in Virginia in 1851, died on March 7, 1942), was a leading figure in the US labor movement, a radical socialist, and an anarchist communist. She was known as a powerful speaker. Parsons joined the radical movement after marrying newspaper editor Albert Parsons and moved with him from Texas to Chicago. There she became involved with the newspaper The Alarm, for which Albert became editor. After her husband's execution in 1887 in connection with the Haymarket Massacre, Parsons remained a leading radical activist as the founder of the Industrial Workers of the World and a member of other political organizations.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_Parsons
