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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 14h

David Graeber on the police.

From an interview he gave a few years ago with the Scottish publication called Bella Caledonia. davidgraeber.org/interviews/t...

"The police don’t actually end up spending their time
fighting violent criminals. Instead, they enforce
administrative regulations and endless rules. So
rather than protecting us against violence, police
actually bring the threat of violence into situations
where it would have never occurred otherwise.
Most incidents of violence —domestic violence,
a drunken brawl, or gang fights— the police don’t
get involved. On the other hand, try driving down
the street with no license plates: how long will it
be before you are surrounded by people with weapons."

- David Graeber

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 15h

If you want to read the full piece, you can here at our website:

davidgraeber.org/articles/a-p...

A practical utopians guide to the coming collapse

What is a revolution? We used to think we knew. Revolutions were seizures of power by pop- ular forces aiming to transform the very nature of the political, social, and economic system in the country ...

davidgraeber.org

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Reposted by David Graeber Institute

David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 1d

One of David Graeber's most interesting pieces was from 2013 called - 'A practical utopians guide to the coming collapse.'

Here is an extract.

"What would happen if we stopped acting as if the primordial
form of work is laboring at a production line, or wheat field,
or iron foundry, or even in an office cubicle, and instead
started from a mother, a teacher, or a caregiver?
.
We might be forced to conclude that the real business of
human life is not contributing toward something called the
economy but the fact that we are all, and have always been,
projects of mutual creation."
.
- David Graeber

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 1d

One of David Graeber's most interesting pieces was from 2013 called - 'A practical utopians guide to the coming collapse.'

Here is an extract.

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 1d

Always worth stopping to think about what Noam Chomsky has to say.

“Capitalism has always
been a system of class war,
one in which the rich and
powerful fight an unending
battle to control society
and its institutions.”
.
- Noam Chomsky

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Reposted by David Graeber Institute

David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 2d

Yes

"Say what you like about nurses, garbage collectors, or mechanics, it’s obvious that were they to vanish in a puff of smoke, the results would be immediate & catastrophic.

A world without teachers or dock-workers would soon be in trouble, and even one without science fiction writers or ska musicians would clearly be a lesser place.

It’s not entirely clear how humanity would suffer were all private equity CEOs, lobbyists, PR researchers, actuaries, telemarketers, bailiffs or legal consultants to similarly vanish - many suspect it might markedly improve."

- David Graeber

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 2d

"Cancel all student loan debt? But that
would be unfair to all those people who
struggled for years to pay back their
student loans! Let me assure the reader
that, as someone who struggled for years
to pay back his student loans and
finally did so, this argument makes
about as much sense as saying it
would be unfair to a mugging victim
not to mug their neighbors too."

- David Graeber

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 2d

Thanks always for your contributions on here and on Twitter.

They are interesting and give a nice addition to the debate.

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Reposted by David Graeber Institute

#bullshitjobs @bullshitjobs.bsky.social · 2d

Most people (especially "economists") fail to understand that #basicincome does not cost us anything.

It allows us to ditch billions of economically unnecessary #bullshitjobs that are wasting most of our wealth.

#basicincome makes us wealthier. By freeing-up a ton of wealth.

David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 5d

A pitch for Universal Basic Income from the book Bullshit Jobs.

Have a read.

A full Basic Income would eliminate the compulsion to work, by offering a
reasonable standard of living to all, and then either leaving it up to each
individual to decide whether they wished to pursue further wealth, by
doing a paying job, or selling something, or whether they wished to do
something else with their time. Alternately, it might open the way to
developing better ways of distributing goods entirely. (Money is after all a
rationing ticket, and in an ideal world, one would presumably wish to do
as little rationing as possible.

Obviously, all this depends on the assumption that human beings don't have
to be compelled to work, or at least, to do something that they feel is useful
or beneficial to others. As we've seen, this is a reasonable assumption.
Most people would prefer not to spend their days sitting around watching TV
and the handful who really are inclined to be total parasites are not going
to be a significant burden on society, since the total amount of work required
to maintain people in comfort and security is not that formidable. The
compulsive workaholics who insist on doing far more than they really have
to would more than compensate for the occasional slackers.
.
- David Graeber

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 2d

Yes

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 3d

17th October.

Talk with Michael Hudson, Steve Keen and Ann Pettifor about Debt, Empire and the Future.

It will be streamed on our Youtube channel.

More info here: davidgraeber.institute/debt-empire-...

Debt, Empire, and the Future: Dialogue with Michael Hudson, Steve Keen and Ann Pettifor

David Graeber Institute On October 17th, 2025 Michael Hudson will be joined by Steve Keen and Ann Pettifor as part of our ongoing dialogues on Debt, Empire and the

davidgraeber.institute

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Reposted by David Graeber Institute

Channeldraw ★ @channeldraw.bsky.social · 4d

“We remain trapped in a maze of myths, unable to imagine a different future” the conference on David Graeber (Oct 6‑8, Italy) explores the meeting of anthropology and philosophy as a way to rethink alternatives @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social @nikadubrovsky.bsky.social

Read More ⬇️

David Graeber: Between Anthropology and Philosophy - ChannelDraw

Rethinking the Future: Exploring Human Nature, Self-Governance, and Values Through Graeber’s Legacy

www.channeldraw.org

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Reposted by David Graeber Institute

David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 4d

In 2011. David Graeber wrote the book: Revolutions In Reverse.

A lesser known book than his other books, but still a good source to teach us about how the system works.

"The media will always talk about how, say, a
transport strike is likely to inconvenience
the public, in their capacity of
commuters, but it will never
occur to them that those
striking are themselves part
of the public, or that whether
if they succeed in raising
wage levels this will be a
benefit to the same
public."
.
- David Graeber

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Reposted by David Graeber Institute

David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 5d

A pitch for Universal Basic Income from the book Bullshit Jobs.

Have a read.

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 4d

In 2011. David Graeber wrote the book: Revolutions In Reverse.

A lesser known book than his other books, but still a good source to teach us about how the system works.

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Reposted by David Graeber Institute

Museum of Care @museumofcare.bsky.social · 5d

Next Visual Assembly tomorrow!

Saturday October 4
10:00 - 12:00
Vienna, Austria
Link to regiter: uttaisop.at/anmelden/
More information about the event and Visual Assemblies as a project ⬇

David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 5d

Participants will start out with maps for two cities: one utopian, one dystopian. Because utopia and dystopia never exist separately, right? They’re always intertwined, and when building one, you have to keep the other in mind.

Find out more about Visual Assemblies: museum.care/room/visual-...

Visual Assembly

The Visual Assembly is a democratic form of creative collaboration that aims to imagine new ways to run and organize our social systems. Every human

museum.care

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 5d

Participants will start out with maps for two cities: one utopian, one dystopian. Because utopia and dystopia never exist separately, right? They’re always intertwined, and when building one, you have to keep the other in mind.

Find out more about Visual Assemblies: museum.care/room/visual-...

Visual Assembly

The Visual Assembly is a democratic form of creative collaboration that aims to imagine new ways to run and organize our social systems. Every human

museum.care

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 5d

For the "Transition to a (more) socially and environmentally just future" conference (uttaisop.at/tagung-trans...) in Vienna, in line with the theme of constructing the paths to transition, we will try to see how the making of our (future) cities can go right and pretty wrong.

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 5d

Join our next Visual Assembly to collectively imagine, plan and draw cities of the future.

Saturday October 4
10:00 - 12:00
Vienna, Austria
About the event: davidgraeber.institute/imagining-a-...
Link to regiter: uttaisop.at/anmelden/

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 5d

A pitch for Universal Basic Income from the book Bullshit Jobs.

Have a read.

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 5d

In David Graeber's book, The Democracy Project, he mentioned ]Liberal-Centrists were not the most reliable allies in political movements.

This history is worth taking into account for those active in any political movement.

"Liberals tend to be touchy and
unpredictable because they
claim to share the ideas of radical
movements, democracy, egalitarianism,
freedom, but they’ve also managed to
convince themselves that these ideals
are ultimately unattainable. For that
reason, they see anyone determined
to bring about a world based on those
principles as a kind of moral threat."
.
- David Graeber

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Reposted by David Graeber Institute

Tania Hershman 🏳️‍🌈 @taniahershman.bsky.social · 7d

"What if, instead of telling a story about how our species fell from some idyllic state of equality, we ask how we came to be trapped in such tight conceptual shackles that we can no longer even imagine the possibility of reinventing ourselves?"
The Dawn of Everything, @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social

This is a quote from The Dawn of Everything by David Graber and David Wengrow: "We are projects of collective self-creation. What if we approached human history that way? What if we treat people, from the beginning, as imaginative, intelligent, playful creatures who deserve to be understood as such? What if, instead of telling a story about how our species fell from some idyllic state of equality, we ask how we came to be trapped in such tight conceptual shackles that we can no longer even imagine the possibility of reinventing ourselves?"

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 7d

David Graeber wrote the book, Pirate Enlightenment, giving an interesting history of Pirates.

The Socialist politician John Mcdonnell is a fan. Here is his review.

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 7d

This Saturday, we will be doing a Visual Assembly in Vienna, Austria.

We will imagine, discuss and draw cities of the future and it is free to join.

For more info and to register, click here: museum.care/events/imagi...

Imagining a Future City: Visual Assembly in Vienna

The Visual Assemblies are coming to Austria! On Saturday October 4, 10:00 - 12:00, Barış Eser will facilitate a Visual Asesmbly. We will imagine, discuss

museum.care

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 7d

Next Visual Assembly:

October 4, Saturday
Vienna, Austria
Topic: imagining a city of the future
Join us! ⬇️

Museum of Care @museumofcare.bsky.social · 7d

We are coming to Vienna for the "Transition to a (more) socially and environmentally just future" conference. Join us!

DGI will be organizing a Visual Assembly on Saturday October 4, 10:00 - 12:00, on imagining and speculatively planning future cities.

Register here: uttaisop.at/anmelden/

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