3. Stay healthy.

Another sector that is largely guided by the profit-based motifs of our economic system is the medical sector. To avoid contributing to the overproduction  of drugs and medicines, focus on prevention, by keeping yourself healthy through good food and physical exercise. The healthier you are, the longer and better you will also be able to be active in your society, inspiring others to fight Capitalism with your relevant ideas and opinions about the world.

4. Educate yourself.

Our world, our economic system and all the elements that are part of it are no simple story. Wanting to make a change requires understanding what you are dealing with at a certain depth. What exactly needs to be changed, and how? What other alternative system could replace Capitalism? How are the challenges of the 21st century interconnected, and how can we tackle them best? Embrace these and similar questions, and chase every opportunity to learn about the topics you are passionate about.

5. Get to know your neighbours.

Our last tip for finding Capitalism through individual actions will serve as a sort of bridge towards the next section, regarding collective actions. Getting to know your neighbours, your co-workers or the strangers next to you is quite a simple, individual act, that will mostly affect your quality of life and make you feel more integrated in your surroundings. However simple, this act does challenge the mainstream culture promoted by Capitalism – a culture based on extreme individualism and competition.

Collective actions to fight Capitalism

6. Speak up for what you believe in.

… And allow others to get inspired by your opinions. Don’t settle for the status quo or to the direction that society seems to be taking – you and your community have the right and the duty to make your voice heard, demand the change you want to see, and speak up for all of those who are less able to do so. Making your opinions public might be frightening and uncomfortable, as you expose your stands and become vulnerable to conflicts and disagreements. Promoting an active dialogue about the things you care about, though, is a very good way of introducing others to a struggle that regards them, too, and it sets the stage for a type of change that goes beyond yourself.

7. Nurture democracy and dialogue.

Wherever you might come from in the world, chances are that you are familiar with the concept of Democracy – a governmental system in which citizens are part of their country’s decision-making process, mainly through elections. Democracy, however, is not only about voting but also about being included in the public and intellectual life of a country. Democracy is about open and active dialogue among citizens of different social groups, about trying to reach compromises that satisfy all, about making sure that everyone’s needs are covered and ideas are represented. It is through democracy that individuals and groups have the space for their opinions to be heard, and for their initiatives to take off. Nurturing a certain democratic culture and attitude would make it easier to increase the dialogue on our economic system, to hear each other’s opinions and to bring forward alternatives and solutions. 

8. Contribute to a pre-existing movement or collective creating change.

Quite simply, the impact that you can have by yourself is very small. The impact that you can have by starting up a collective movement is much bigger, but slow and difficult. The impact that a pre-existing like-minded collective might already have is probably much bigger, and would grow even further thanks to your contribution. There are already many good, well-intentioned initiatives craving to create change in the world and to fight Capitalism. Consider uniting with those who have goals similar to yours, or contributing however you can.

9. Start-up some collective initiatives.

… If joining pre-existing ones was not an option for you or if you see a particular need. These could be a one-time event, such as an informative course, a cleaning-up action at the beach or a workshop for repairing items that would otherwise go wasted. Every little opportunity to involve others counts, when it comes to fighting Capitalism. Otherwise, you could try to organise some longer-term actions, such as debate forums or clothes exchange meetings. Another idea is to talk with restaurants and supermarkets in your area about how to reduce food waste – could that food be used for weekly free dinners in your neighbourhood, perhaps?

10. Actively protest for changes you would like to see.

Summing up some of the previous tips, protests, if well organised, are events in which you can unite with many like-minded people and show your collective strength to the rest of the world. Protests can leave a certain impression of being together about something, and can remind that change can and must be achieved. As long as the protest is well informed, peaceful and clear in its goals, masses of people occupying the streets and showing their dissatisfaction towards the status quo certainly have an impact on fighting Capitalism – or even just on the participants’ awareness of not being alone in their own struggles. 

To conclude

As you might have felt while reading these tips, fighting Capitalism is not exactly the easiest of goals you could set for yourself. Due to its complexity and to the number of consequences it has on the world, even deciding where to start might feel overwhelming. Don’t despair – the responsibility doesn’t fall on you alone, and every of your little actions has the power to inspire someone else. Keep in mind the long-term perspective, too: you will not change the system from day to night, and you probably won’t ever be able to see the direct impact of your actions on the big scale. Don’t let these difficulties discourage you – your intention to create a better world, certainly, is more important than any worry or challenge you might meet on the way.

DNS student. 2021.