Believe in opportunity.
Believe in creativity.
Believe in variety.
Believe in beauty.
Believe in weeds.
I passionately believe there should be equality of opportunity for the endless variety of people that populate our world. There isn’t. People who are like weeds don’t let inequality stop them. They find the tiniest crack of opportunity in the pavement of oppressive systems and they grow and they create more cracks which open more opportunities for others. Of course they are untidy and out of line and dangerous to the status quo. They are also creative. And beautiful, if you take the time to see. And they keep making those cracks.
When you see a weed, cheer it on.
Weeds are the forerunners to forests.
Please join me in an alternate reality where all of life is an 80s TV drama.
In case you were wondering where The National got their sound (Spotify).
Grow slowly
Jeff
YES! My instagram handle when I lived in IL was @themidwesterndandelion. Seeing the way the midwest treats dandelions is an interesting thing to watch. They LOVE their lawns there and will very happily dump loads of toxic chemicals all over their grass to kill the dandelions. If you've ever tried to kill a dandelion though, you know they just won't really die. They will find every crack in the sidewalk, every piece of rocky, difficult ground and they will still flourish. Dandelions have major health benefits. Every part of them is edible and they are plants that promote healing. They're also beautiful, cheerful looking plants. I've always felt like that dandelion. I don't fit the quarter inch lawn mold but I'm beneficial and resilient. I'm a dandelion. I piss people off just by my existence and the audacity to bloom, and I very much hope to make this world better. Our world's mold of toxic patriarchy, racism, misogyny, homophobia, negativity, us vs them-ism, etc. is like that non-native, resource guzzling, round-up covered lawn. But the dandelions keep growing and we're here to change things. #thanksforcomingtomytedtalk