#Reliance Capital

[news-global]

Reliance Capital to infuse Rs 200 crore in Reliance General Insurance

Reliance Capital, the lenders of Reliance General Insurance, have given the green light to infuse Rs 200 crore into its general insurance arm, Reliance General Insurance. This strategic move is aimed at bolstering the solvency margin of the company, which has faced financial difficulties in recent years. Improving Solvency Margin for Stability Reliance General Insurance currently holds the…

[balkanradfem]

Anti capitalistic methods of self reliance!

Everyday items:

Plastic bags can be replaced by cloth bags you can sew, without any prior knowledge of sewing, from any old shirt you were going to throw away

Toilet paper can partly or completely be replaced by 'Family cloth', which is a series of cloth napkins cut to the size you like, which are then washed after each use! There's no risk of disease if only used for number one, for number two they need to be submerged into peroxide liquid in order to be safely cleaned. Even if you only use them for number one to stay safe, being reusable and costing nothing they will save you a lot in not having to buy toilet paper

Paper towels can be replaced by little cut-out cloths you can easily wash after use, or a simple kitchen and bathroom cloth for cleaning

Paper tissues have originally been handkerchiefs, washable and reusable, zero waste option (and they can be very pretty too!)

Laundry detergent can be replaced by horse chestnuts, or conkers! If cut open and submerged in water, they will produce soapy water, which is equally good at cleaning as your laundry detergent, completely environmentally friendly and free if you foraged the chestnuts. They can be collected and dried to use for the entire year, and you can tie them up in a sock to put in your washing machine.

Cleaning products can be replaced by vinegar, and if you hate the smell you can change it by infusing citrus peels in it! It will smell like oranges and lemons after you leave them in there for a few weeks

Cleaning products can also be self-made, by fermenting food scraps, it's called 'enzyme cleaner' and it can clean most of things in a completely environmentally friendly way!

Shampoo can be self-made, or replaced with options like herbal teas, which will also ensure that your hair no longer gets greasy, as grease is the result of using shampoo

Menstrual pads can be sown from any discarded pieces of cloth, they only need to be submerged in cold water after use in order for blood to wash out. Additionally you can make washable menstrual panties, which make sure your pads don't move in there!

Simple medicine for aches like stomach cramps, headaches, anxiety, sore throat can be found in the basic knowledge of herbalism, and simply making teas from herbs that soothe these issues. They will not be able to cure a heavy disease, but are able to provide momentary relief from annoying aches!

Immunity booster syrup can be made out of elderberries, if you're careful about not getting any seeds or stems in!

if you're growing food, you can grow your own dish sponges, and washing sponges, the plant is called 'Loofah' and you can grow a whole lot in one season then use them for years

Reuse plastic items for as long as you can, to lessen the amount being thrown into landfills, and if you need new items, aim to get a not-plastic one

If you have lots of paper trash or newspapers, you can learn to make baskets from it.

Instead of throwing away food scraps, you can try setting up a simple composting bin and also get some valuable free soil, that is great for growing little plants and herbs in it

If you're composting on a big scale, the heat compost produces can be used to heat a room

getting into hobbies like soap making, pottery, woodcarving, sewing, knitting  or weaving can also save you a lot of purchasing because you realize you can simply make that thing yourself, and in better quality than it would be available at the store

Saving water and energy:

Accumulating water in a big pot while you're washing dishes, then using that water to water your houseplants is safe, especially if you're not using a lot of detergent, and it saves a lot of water

To save energy when cooking in a pot in the stove, wait until your pot starts boiling, then take it off the stove, and wrap it in a cloth, then a towel, then a blanket, and leave it wrapped up. The layers of cloth are making it difficult for the heat to escape the pot, ensuring it will keep very high temperature for half an hour, cooking as if it was on the stove. If it needs to cook longer, you can just put in on the stove for a minute to get it back to boil. You can cook pasta, rice, beans, potatoes, soups, stews, risotto, pretty much anything with long cooking time like this.

If your water boiler is big, you don't need to leave it on at all times, I've reduced my electricity bills by a lot by turning it on only when I intend to use the hot water. In the summer, if you have access to a natural body of water, use that for washing!

If you own a property, watch where the water is naturally going and accumulating; you can collec t this water and set up a system to use it for gardening/any outdoor use

if you're building a structure, making sure that the sun hits the windows in the winter, and that the place is protected from the wind by growing trees as a wind shield, will save loads of energy in heating and cooling it, as well as making sure the structure is well insulated

Heat/cool only the parts of the structure/house that you're using, making it both environmentally friendly and ensuring you don't have a too big temperature difference when you go outside, making you healthier

Try an experiment were you go a day without electricity and see what you can use as alternative in this situation; it's okay if you fail, it will provide you with knowledge of how dependant you are on the energy, and the ideas of what you can possibly do when without!

Clothing:

If sewing clothing from scratch is something that appeals to you, that is ideal for self-reliance! It is likely that after just a bit of practice, you'll be able to sew more quality items than are sold, because current fashion items are made to fall apart, and you can make your clothing strong and durable.

Sharing clothing you no longer want to wear, and letting others know they can offer their unwanted pieces to you can provide you not only with practical clothing, but you can use all fabric, buttons, zippers and other materials to sew! You can, again with minimal practice and even by hand-sewing, make your own bags, tablecloths, placemats, pillows, blankets, decorations, hats and scarfs

Visible mending, embroidering, adding details or creating your own little alterations on clothing will not only provide a sense of accomplishment, but enrich your life in the way of skill development and being able to make and mend things with little resources

Learning about history of textiles and what fast fashion is doing to the environment provides appreciation and love for sewing and creating textiles, and could inspire you to try and see how it feels to do!

Any piece of clothing that is no longer fit to be remade into something new, can still be cut into pieces and used for cleaning, as a paper towel replacement, for wiping the floor or wiping your shoes, and if it's soft, for pillow filling!

For extra clothing or furniture, you can join online groups named 'buy nothing' and 'sharing is caring', where people will often gift extra clothes and furniture for free, sometime appliances and electronics too

Food:

If any outside space is available, learning to garden is an excellent investment in food security

Seeds can be harvested from plants you already have, gifted from neighbour or friend gardeners, and some can even be taken out of store-bought produce

Soil can be taken from the forest ground which has composted leaves as topsoil, dig under a tree for best results

If no outside space is availabe, dwarf plants, herbs, and greens can be grown in containers, clean your air while they also provide food

Learning to forage for wild edible plants will provide both entertainment and free food! Any wild plant you find is likely to be more rich in nutrients than a cultivated plant, making your diet well rounded and healthy

Learning to grow trees and care for them will provide free food not only for you, but for generations to come, as well as offset the damage from the climate change. Knowing how trees work and how to prune and nourish them is powerful knowledge.

Preserving food:

Ways of preserving your food long-term are curing (for onions, potatoes, garlic, pumpkins), canning (tomatoes, peppers, fruit), fermenting (cabbage, hot peppers, turnips), dehydrating and sun-drying (tomatoes, fruit, herbs, hot peppers, mushrooms)

Growing and collecting food during warm months and then saving them for winter was done by people for centuries and it provides a safe and reliable access to food all year round

Buying cheap produce when it's in-season and preserving it can save you a lot of money and bring you far in self-reliance

Making your own recipes and then getting to eat them later in the season bring a sense of accomplishment and pride, as well as providing a zero waste food option

Cooking food from scratch is made easier by having some of your food preserved, because a lot of the time you've already prepaired most of your ingredients, and only have to place them in the pot

If you already know to make your own bread, you can also try making your own yeast, by mixing flour and water, and letting it ferment while adding more flour and water every day. It can last forever.

If you're interested in knowing more about gardening, herbalism, tree care, and foraging, check the 'Homesteading Survival Knowledge' masterlist, filled with links on these specific topics!

These are not ideas that anyone should quickly or immediately integrate in their life; instead, trying whatever seems interesting and appealing, slowly learning about it and trying one thing at the time is more encouraging and sustainable! I myself have spent years learning and integrating these, enabling me to feel happy and confident doing any and all of this. If this is overwhelming, pick whatever feels appealing and do only that! Forget the rest until it feels easy and fun thing to try out.

[angelinthefire]

I was reading some of the annotations to the Hadestown soundtrack on Lyric Genius, and I think if people understood a little bit of Marxist economics, they'd understand Hadestown better.

[theadaptableeducator]

Towards Sustainable Societies: Gandhi's Insights on Challenging Dominant Systems and Embracing Alternative Paths

Drawing on Gandhi’s philosophies, we can explore the interconnectedness and unsustainability of colonialism, nationalism, imperialism, and capitalism, and propose sustainable alternatives. Colonialism: Gandhi vehemently opposed colonialism, seeing it as the exploitation and domination of one group over another. Colonialism disrupts local economies, cultures, and governance systems, often for the…

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of Individualism

The philosophy of individualism is a worldview that emphasizes the moral worth, autonomy, and rights of the individual as paramount. It holds that individuals are the primary units of moral and political consideration, and that personal freedom and self-reliance are fundamental to a just society. Individualism is often contrasted with collectivism, which prioritizes the group or community over individual interests.

Key Aspects of the Philosophy of Individualism:

Autonomy and Self-Determination:

Personal Freedom: Individualism asserts that individuals have the right to make their own choices and control their own lives. Autonomy is a core value, meaning that individuals should have the freedom to pursue their own goals, values, and interests without undue interference from others, including the state.

Self-Reliance: Emphasis is placed on the importance of self-reliance and personal responsibility. Individuals are encouraged to depend on themselves rather than on societal structures or other people for their success and well-being.

Moral and Ethical Foundations:

Moral Agency: Individualism views individuals as moral agents with the capacity to make ethical decisions and to be accountable for their actions. This perspective upholds the importance of personal integrity and the right to act according to one’s own conscience.

Rights and Liberties: A key aspect of individualism is the belief in inherent individual rights, such as the right to life, liberty, and property. These rights are seen as fundamental and inalienable, meaning that they cannot be justly taken away or violated by others or the state.

Political and Economic Implications:

Liberalism and Libertarianism: Individualism is closely associated with political ideologies such as liberalism and libertarianism, which advocate for limited government, protection of individual rights, and free-market economies. These ideologies emphasize that the role of government should be to protect individual freedoms rather than to impose collective goals.

Capitalism: Economically, individualism is often linked with capitalism, which promotes free enterprise, private ownership, and competition. Capitalism is seen as a system that allows individuals to freely pursue their economic interests and rewards personal initiative and innovation.

Cultural and Social Dimensions:

Cultural Individualism: In individualistic cultures, personal achievement, self-expression, and independence are highly valued. People are encouraged to think of themselves as unique individuals and to prioritize their own needs and desires.

Social Relationships: While individualism recognizes the importance of social relationships, it emphasizes that these relationships should be freely chosen and should respect the autonomy of each individual involved.

Critiques and Challenges:

Potential for Isolation: Critics of individualism argue that it can lead to social fragmentation, isolation, and a lack of community. By prioritizing the individual over the group, individualism may weaken social bonds and reduce the sense of collective responsibility.

Inequality and Exploitation: Another critique is that individualism, particularly in its association with capitalism, can exacerbate economic inequality and exploitation. Without sufficient regulation or concern for the common good, individualism can lead to vast disparities in wealth and power.

Philosophical Justifications:

Rational Egoism: Some philosophical justifications for individualism are rooted in rational egoism, the idea that individuals should act in their own self-interest because it is rational and moral to do so.

Existentialism: Existentialist philosophers, such as Jean-Paul Sartre, emphasize individual freedom and responsibility, arguing that individuals must create their own meaning and purpose in life without relying on external authorities or pre-existing moral codes.

Historical and Contemporary Examples:

American Individualism: The United States is often cited as an example of a society deeply influenced by individualist philosophy, with its emphasis on personal liberty, entrepreneurship, and the "American Dream."

Global Spread: In contemporary society, individualist values have spread globally, influencing various aspects of culture, politics, and economics in different regions of the world.

The philosophy of individualism champions the rights and freedoms of individuals, advocating for personal autonomy, moral agency, and self-reliance. While it has been a driving force behind many social and political movements, it also faces critiques regarding its potential to undermine social cohesion and contribute to inequality. Balancing individual freedom with the needs of the community remains a central challenge within this philosophical tradition.

[koiketto]

how i look insisting im not a communist at my midwestern school

[lesbianinaginkgoforest]

some of you 1 should just read Capital, I don't care if you don't want to 2 get a pfp on your tumblr ffs

[anomalocariscanadensis]

@jiskblr re: this post:

i agree that there's a common view where merchants are evil because they're not productive, but you're somewhat wrong on the intellectual history side of things. Adam Smith believed the labor theory of value* and Marx's labor theory of value in Capital is largely derived from Smith's and Ricardo's (because he was responding to the dominant economic thought of his day). Marx's primary innovation afaik was his emphasis on the split between exchange-value/price and use-value/utility (which he views in its concrete, particular manifestations rather than as an abstract aggregatable quality, e.g. the use-value of a coat is it keeps you warm and dry).

i havent read Ricardo but if wikipedia is to be believed, Ricardo and Marx differ from Smith in that they attempt to actually count the full amount of labor embodied in commodities. on the other hand, Smith and Marx differ from Ricardo in that they believe laborers receive the full, fair price of their labor as wages (yes, Marx believes this**). in Marx and Smith, unlike Ricardo, the LTV is intended to be a description of actual price formation (on average, in equilibrium, modulo supply and demand, etc) rather than some moral ideal about what prices should be.

and Marx at least is very clear that transportation of goods is productive labor*** because it generates use-value by moving them from somewhere they're less useful to somewhere they're more useful (Capital vol 2 ch 6). i didn't make it through the whole Wealth of Nations but i assume Smith says something similar somewhere.

*Wealth of Nations vol 1 ch 5: "The real price of everything, what everything really costs to the man who wants to acquire it, is the toil and trouble of acquiring it...Labour was the first price, the original purchase-money that was paid for all things. It was not by gold or by silver, but by labour, that all the wealth of the world was originally purchased; and its value, to those who possess it, and who want to exchange it for some new productions, is precisely equal to the quantity of labour which it can enable them to purchase or command... At all times and places that is dear which it is difficult to come at, or which it costs much labour to acquire; and that cheap which is to be had easily, or with very little labour. Labour alone, therefore, never varying in its own value, is alone the ultimate and real standard by which the value of all commodities can at all times and places be estimated and compared. It is their real price; money is their nominal price only."

**This is one of the most common misunderstandings about Marx even among self-identified Marxists. This post is already long but the short version is, unlike Ricardo, he's not mad that workers aren't paid "fairly", but instead thinks "fairness" under the system means awful conditions for workers. I can go into more detail about how he theoretically justifies this if desired.

***Also probably worth noting that this is not a moral term. "Productive" to Marx means "producing value for capitalists". Domestic servants, for instance, are not productive laborers in this schema (despite obviously doing hard work with real utility) because their labor is purchased for its use-value directly as a form of consumption for the wealthy, rather than as a way to make money. Marx is more vague about administration, management, etc, but does make a point somewhere in Vol 1 of noting that these jobs are usually not done by the actual big capitalists, but rather by people hired for the specific purpose and paid wages like any other worker.

[tunneldweller]

[image description: "you just die #fear is the mind killer, boomers have... a lot of fear #a lot of fear and hurt that they don't examine or know how to examine and it bleeds through #something something 'it all traces back to trauma' #it... we talk about this a lot" end ID]

I mean, we knew, but it's nice to hear so succinctly

[solarpunkwarlock]

Ways to Live in Direct Opposition to Capitalism

I am by no means an expert in any of these things I’m gonna talk about, so keep that in mind! I am just making a compilation of things I know of that we can do to lessen the stranglehold the capitalist lifestyle has on us while enriching our lives, our surroundings, and the lives of others. Please add anything I miss or correct anything I may be getting wrong! Anyway here goes!

Use what you have, fix what’s you can, make what you can, accept from others, thrift what you can, and finally purchase as a last resort.

This is advice I have seen float around here a couple of times that can apply to a lot of things including clothing, furniture, food, and more besides. It’s meant to be done roughly in that order as it applies to what you’re wanting/needing/doing. It’s about preventing waste, promoting self-capability, having a heightened reliance on your community, and consciously rejecting the ingrained habit many of us have to just purchase things or services.

Here’s where you can read about growing an indoor garden!

Here’s where you can read about sewing things yourself!

Here’s an online site for giving and receiving items for free!

Here is where you can find a local Mutual Aid to get things from, learn skills from, give do, volunteer for, etc. (in the U.S.)

Be politically active! (from a U.S. perspective)

Vote for every election. Know your representatives and those who will be competing in the next election. Vote without ignorance and without falling for unfounded claims. While operating within the system that actively oppresses us will not bring about the future we want, it can serve as damage control (preventing worse candidates from taking office) and it can potentially create a national atmosphere more open to change.

Here’s a good article about getting more involved in the U.S. political process.

Here’s a site that will show you how to register to vote, when and where elections are held, and more!

Here’s good advice on finding protests in your city!

Here’s some readings on unionizing! It’s your legal right to unionize!

Here’s a more user friendly site for learning about unions!

Be active within your community!

Developing strong, motivated, capable, knowledgeable, and inclusive communities is the ultimate way to combat the relentless and bleak present and future. When you’ve worked on the things above and have gotten good at it (or even if you haven’t gotten good at it yet), start spreading what you know and what you can do with others!

Give your neighbors, coworkers, and friends some of the vegetables you’ve grown.

Invite your community members to volunteer events.

Talk to folks about how to vote, when you’re doing it, etc.

Take part in Mutual Aids to teach what you’ve learned or whatever you may be an expert in! Invite neighbors, friends, and coworkers when you take part in the Mutual Aid!

Accept your community. Take them for who and what they are. Discrimination is the enemy of cooperation. You have much more in common with everyone in your community than a single billionaire or corporation. We’re all passengers on this spaceship earth.

Do it one step at a time!

Obviously we can’t do all of these things at once. Do what you can when you can, and you’ll start to notice real change in your life!

Our online communities where we talk about our visions and hopes are fantastic, but they have little impact if we don’t actually get up and do the real work that change requires.

Want to be better, and keep hope for the future!

Harbor and nourish that desire to be a better person and to be the change you want to see in the world. You need to be hungry for a better future if you plan to make it through the rough times when everything feels pointless and without hope. Reach out to others when you’re down, and be someone others can lean on when their lives get hard.

That’s it! Please interact with this, spread it to others, and add your own thoughts and ideas! It’s important that we do the real work to get the change we crave!

[sylvia-on-the-run]

The Yemeni ballistic response deep in the zionist entity strengthens the deterrence equation and further exposes the fragility of the zionist entity.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) salutes with all pride and honor, the brave Yemeni people and their valiant Armed Forces, who once again demonstrated their ability to penetrate deep into the zionist entity and bypass American and Western defenses by launching a ballistic missile that struck the capital of the fabricated entity. This new qualitative operation has proven Yemen's capability to enhance the deterrence equation against the occupation and deliver a powerful response to the occupation’s crime of bombing Al-Hodeidah port and the genocide against our Palestinian people.

This operation has left the zionist enemy in a state of shock and confusion, once again revealing the fragility of its defense system, which has long relied on support from the United States and its allies.

This missile strike comes as part of the continued Yemeni front of support and the strikes from the Axis of Resistance in response to the zionist genocide war against our people and in support of the resistance. The Yemeni armed forces have pledged to impose a naval blockade on the occupation and strike anyone who challenges this blockade.

Through this operation, the Yemeni forces have sent a strong message to the zionist occupation, stating that any aggression against Yemen or Gaza will not go unpunished, and the occupation’s losses will be severe at all levels and in the heart of the entity.

This qualitative operation also affirms that the American-zionist aggression on Yemen has failed to achieve its goals of breaking Yemen’s will or affecting its operations in support of Gaza.

The zionist reliance on American and Western defense systems, or the crimes of their allies against Yemen, has failed to protect the zionist entity. The Yemeni ballistic message today is clear and unequivocal: "Stop the aggression on Gaza immediately, or Yemen's responses will continue, intensify, and penetrate deeper into the zionist entity. There will be no red lines in defending the causes of the nation, foremost among them the cause of Palestine and its valiant resistance."

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Central Media Department Mid-September 2024

[nothorses]

my hot take this morning is that the spread of misinformation and the push to get folks to fact-check everything they see is less about "people being stupid" and more about our very necessary reliance on community being ill-suited to modern capital-driven news dissemination at best, and exploited by bad actors at worst.

[milksockets]

why scan?

scanning is something i've done for probably about 12 years now (i'm ancient, for this site), with varying degrees of regularity, intensity, etc. it has ratcheted up since the dawn of 2023, though, which begs the question: why? why put so much time into what could not-wrongly be considered a passive activity, hunched over a piece of clunky machinery with the express purpose of preserving others' creations? the answers are several, and fascinating (not really).

i am a [sober] drug addict. anything i pursue, consume, create--more often than not--ends up taking on addictive qualities. i'll eat the same specific food item for a month, then never want to see, let alone taste it, again. i'll listen to one song on repeat for days until i'd rather hear nails on a chalkboard than have it shuffle on and assault my ears. one of the reasons that my scanning has increased in volume recently is that i acquired library cards to the 3 nyc library systems: nypl, brooklyn, and queens. as soon as i was able to, i pillaged + plundered those fine centers of learning, leaving any given library with as many hefty scan-worthy books as i could [barely] carry. here, finally, was a *free* way of obtaining more + more + more visual media to consume.

2023 saw me get my first legal, full-time job. as such, my adjusting to that hellish reality resulted in a steep decline in my own personal creative output. collaging, writing, and rapping all fell to the wayside as i slowly acclimated to a life of work that almost everyone else my age has known for over a decade is generally unbearable + detrimental to the maintenance of outside pursuits. in times of famine within my own artistic harvest, scanning, archiving, and sharing others' work is a means of feeling as though i am still contributing to the global oeuvre.

there’s an element of losing my mental self in a series of physical motions that becomes almost automatic after some time. “zoning out�� is not something endemic to my daily life; if anything, i’m almost always too zoned in. relief is necessary.  especially considering the shitshow this past year has been in terms of my personal life.

i am a product of capitalism’s cultivating a craving for constant consumption. 

it seems that visual content is only going to continue to get more + more uninspired. has everything been done? did social media ruin it all? in any case, i feel a need to document the past. to a degree, it’s my version of doomsday prepping. (god forbid books go extinct altogether.) 

i have always gravitated towards solitary activities. this topic could be a thesis in its own right.

i thrive on external validation. this reliance is something i’ve improved upon over the past several years, but it hasn’t been altogether extinguished. even though the materials i scan are not of my own creation, i nevertheless feel a vague pride in showcasing them. occasional appreciation thereof satisfies this fixation on others’ attention, albeit in a diluted form. 

i am fortunate to live in a city bursting to the gills with cultural institutions. i am also lucky enough to have some disposable income that can be directed toward fulfilling my ravenous desire for visual media. 

((i keep getting messages about the specifics of my scanner + "process":

i have a cheap ass hp envy 6055e and i just use the software it comes with.

there's nothing special or fancy happening here, and i could definitely invest in a better and/or a large format scanner, etc. but i really just don't care enough and it's not like i'm getting paid for this lmao))

[reachartwork]

Reliance on a producer-owner framework and individual property is leading artists to develop the tools that are eventually used to abuse them. The slightly batshit campaign to “support human artists” [18] posits that the best way for artists to fight back is to pay a lawyer and lobbyists to beg the government for harsher IP laws, by teaming up with the Copyright Alliance [19] — an organization whose members include representatives from Disney, Netflix, Getty, Adobe, Sony, WB, Nike… you name it.

An extremely good article about AI art from a leftist perspective. You should read this

[guyghoul]

That is ultimately the reason why we should take in charge of our own production, whether that be making our own stuff or buying local.

People in Tumblr may say 'There is no ethical consumption under capitalism' and post Bohrs comics, bu tha train of thought can easily bring yourself to nihilism where the companies that committed human rights violations would easily manipulate you.

Change may not be instant, but all those little pieces can add to something impressive.

okay so it's really cool how much we hate nestle but unfortunately if we wanted to boycott every single company that committed human rights violations we'd all be naked and starving