environmental racism

[illuvium]

anyway, this isn't really anything new. racism, particularly anti-blackness, have been ingrained in society for forever, and matters aren't made any better by the current state of politics. environmental racism is, i think, one of those things that a great deal of people would scoff at nonetheless. i think lots of people where i'm from (i know for a fact my mother does, anyway) have this idea of racism in their head as simply just being hate crimes (and i guess if they're particularly open minded, microaggressions too) but it's really a lot worse than that. lots of the talking points regarding environmental racism have already been talked about (as with the flint water supply & other places across america with high poverty rates and high % of poc living there, though it's misleading to say that it's dealt with per se), but since i am who i am, i've been thinking a lot more about the impact ai exerts on this. rather recently, it's been made clear that elon musk's data center for xai have been disproportionately impacting black americans living in south memphis. it's just so repulsive to me, but under the capitalistic pursuit for endless profit and shareholder value, nobody really cares. people that would care, like literally anyone interested in anti-racism or the environment as a whole, aren't in places to speak up about it thanks to the current system. lack of funding and going against the preferred version of the model citizen seeking disgusting amounts of money have done real wonders for society. it's just really lovely all around that everyone's been overworked to death to try and stay afloat while the rich can indulge themselves to their rotten hearts' content at the expense of poor, black americans. tangentially, which deserves a post of its own, i really hate myths like that of the model minority. i really just don't know. i'm a single person at the end of the day and there's no feasible way for me to make any sort of real impact on ghoulish billonaires and the american value of "hard work". i just wished people cared more or had more empathy or whatever, but perhaps that's also something i'm crying about without doing much about.

Comments

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>it's been made clear that elon musk's data center for xai have been disproportionately impacting black americans living in south memphis.<<

That's why we need more diverse people in computer science. Black programmers are unlikely to make AI that identifies black people as monkeys.

>>it's just so repulsive to me, but under the capitalistic pursuit for endless profit and shareholder value, nobody really cares. <<

I posted about ways to undermine capitalism. For your context, also consider shopping at black-owned businesses. The more money you can keep in your local community, the better. For me it's a bit different since I live out in the country, but I consider "my local community" to be the set of towns I visit regularly such that it benefits me when they do well. So we've got a couple African restaurants, several African grocery stores, multiple African-American restaurants, a bunch of Mexican both, one Indian grocery and several restaurants, several Asian groceries and restaurants, and so on scattered around.

>>people that would care, like literally anyone interested in anti-racism or the environment as a whole, aren't in places to speak up about it thanks to the current system.<<

Anyone who is Hispanic, or looks Hispanic, is at risk of being thrown in a third-country jail even if they are citizens. Can't say as I blame them for hiding. About all I can do is stuff a little extra money in the tip jar at the panaderia.

>>i'm a single person at the end of the day and there's no feasible way for me to make any sort of real impact on ghoulish billonaires and the american value of "hard work". i just wished people cared more or had more empathy or whatever, but perhaps that's also something i'm crying about without doing much about.<<

One person can challenge the assumptions that working yourself to death is a good idea or that billionaires are good role models. One person can teach empathy, compassion, and especially community building skills. You might like Strong Towns for its ideas on incremental improvements. A lot of that is relevant to poor and black people, like lobbying for the right to add an extra unit to your property such as a garage business or alley cottage, which makes housing and entrepreneurship much more accessible.