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[TypicalGirls] March 2026 HumanifestX update: Fear of a democratic planet?!
- From: Dina Hornreich <hornreichdina AT gmail.com>
- To: undisclosed-recipients:;
- Subject: [TypicalGirls] March 2026 HumanifestX update: Fear of a democratic planet?!
- Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2026 11:06:30 -0500
Dear friends (new & old):
I am starting to understand this PROSUMERIST reality that is unfolding around us; as I continue to assess the value of social media’s popularity. I am challenging myself to rethink the concept of “information poverty” since it appears to be the etiological root of “information disorders” (and I am very critical of pathologizing personal differences as permanent deficits). As such, I am pitching my fundraising pleas for overcoming homelessness and concomitant health challenges.
But deficits seem to suggest deprivation, so how should we adopt universal design principles for accessibility negotiations when safeguards and gatekeeping tactics should first be prioritized (especially when pondering those particularly “precious” resources)? Why should we remove certain barriers when scientific rationality remains the dominant ideology; rather than reserving them for building a shared socially responsible morality and similar intuitive kinds of sensibilities/meta-heuristics?
Especially when Lent and Ramadan have coincided this year? And now I’m not even sure how I want to attempt Pesach next month; meanwhile in Northampton, MA; I’m usually feeling either “too Jewish” for the Feminist communities (i.e. too cis/hetero) yet simultaneously “too Feminist” for the Jewish communities (i.e.non-essentialist and otherwise more disorganized/unorthodox in practices - rather than principles). Probably because I am an American Jew who recognizes an inherent sense of identity affirmation that seems more typical of people who might best identify as “secular Israeli expatriates.” (Even though I am none of those things!) Because I continue to compile my activist endeavors under the title of Landiapaloozaism which I hope to use as a template for creating a digital content learning environment that recognizes the interconnectedness of consumption and production under prosumer capitalism in order to realign my educational efforts in promoting librarians’ redefining our roles as meta-literacy counselors.
I never thought democracy meant protecting notions of pluralistic ignorance suggestive of a majority who collectively agrees with misinformation and disinformation in order to conceal communal blind spots (unless it is deliberately promoting some distorted narrative that construes a weirdly propagandistic agenda - gawd fuhbid.). We can’t all just be pawns in some crackpot Ponzi scheme perpetuated by surveillance capitalism, can we?! I only continue to pray to Hashem that we will soften our hearts towards ourselves and each other sooner (rather than later) in order to address the ongoing “overdifferentiation” that is causing unnecessary divisions and otherwise draining us of our vital, precious communal resources.
I continue to recall Freedom Seders and the legacy of Arthur Waskow with reverence for all the tortured artists and jailed poets whose meekness only inspired further subjugation for themselves as prisoners under this oppressive tyranny of corporate greed, violence, and misogyny. (Perhaps it is yet another new midrash to consider entirely?! But I wonder if we can reprioritize the skills and competencies that emphasize cooperation over competition, then we might be able to reorganize the distribution of information/media/technology artefacts (organic, analog, and digital) in ways that promote the utilization of communication networks, channels, systems, and platforms that more deliberately support an integration of social, cultural, intellectual, physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial wellbeing - and otherwise more cohesively better recognize the possibility of integrative/holistic recovery individually (micro level goals), communally (meso level goals), and across the “meta-verse” (macro level goals)?!
Instead of prioritizing “knowledge creation” and intellectual freedom (cf: David Lankes), we might begin by first recognizing the ongoing exploitation of human fallibilities and other natural vulnerabilities instead. And it is only then that we can start to rebuild in solidarity as participants who collectively recognize the vitality of those sensibilities and otherwise strive for becoming a more informed, engaged, and wise citizenry.
Can we aggregate all those vital resources into another organizational structure that better supports distributional practices that promote the development of uniquely human discernments; and otherwise adopt instructional/curatorial strategies that more directly recognize those various forms of “capital” that we need, want, and deserve for lifelong goal attainment (beyond “popularity contests” and similarly fashionably fleeting kinds of marketing trends that have been consistently abused by marketers and consumer culture)?
If the customer is always right, then how will we ever learn to correct our mistakes? A prosumerist awareness should reveal how toxic that logic has become! (e.g. Have we dared to ask ourselves why we even care about being “liked” on Facebook when accumulating those digital “thumbs up” won’t even pay the rent?)
I am reminding myself that March 31 will be Cesar Chavez Day; and as such, this month I will invite you to join me in pondering if/why we seem to fear democracy as a transnational reality. This applies to the social, political, cultural, and economic climates locally, nationally, and everywhere in-between (or beyond?!).
And I am still doing all these things despite how apparent it is to me that the stigma of homelessness continues to plague my recovery efforts (shelter life frequently feels like hospice) and these kinds of facilities only seem prepared for operating on the level of crisis management (involving overdose, addiction, and similar behaviors indicating recklessness, even suicidality) whose criteria don’t adequately fit my situation. It feels like hospice most of the time; but I was not terminal prior to becoming a burden on the system?! The harsh reality is now overt rather than covert; and the pain/suffering continues to feel overwhelming.
Although, I completely understand why various unhealthy temptations seem so appealing at this moment; especially when Project 2025 feels like an affront to progress in sex and gender activism (and many other iterations of the civil rights movements). At the same time, the palpable adversity of neglect, abuse, and deliberate indifference continues as patient privacy issues seem to impede my access to accurate treatment and so interventions that are new (given my current condition which has been suggestive of PCOS and/or endometriosis but has failed to meet the Rotterdam criteria) continue to meet resistance which seems to have been in the form of retaliation. While my transgressions are entirely civil (not criminal), the debts being collected since my divorce do not appear to be explicitly my own; the disputes are based on lore (rather than law).
But I think it is obvious to assert nonetheless that I continue pose no safety concerns (either to myself or to the other residents) in those more common ways despite the authorities continued reliance on false reports (to justify those individual/internal discomforts around our population); and I fear the ways they get projected onto me as an advocate for change in the system - even when I cannot even save myself! I realize that various changes amongst leadership (both systemically and institutionally) offer opportunities for adjustment, and I remain hopeful despite the feedback suggesting the ways in which my self advocacy continues to cause a stir amongst my adversaries (who have had very different personal wellness journeys).
I’m a non-binary, Jewish feminist. The nonbinary aspect refers to balancing my interests in things considered both scientific/rational/masculine as well as creative/spiritual/feminine topics. The Jewish aspect refers to conscious observance of customs, traditions, beliefs, rituals that promote wisdom level
discernments (according to religious laws and lore). The Feminist aspects support a transformative justice agenda that invokes critically questioning “status quo” practices including considerations involving diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging etc. and otherwise fulfilling my goals involving tikkun olam (building a better world).
Trauma-informed practices support a more holistic awareness surrounding a bar of inequitable social dynamics (including balancing cooperative/competitive efforts) regarding a variety of accessibility issues; especially when there is a scarcity of the crucial resources for intellectual, physical, social, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, financial wellbeing which exacerbates disparities - and frequently causes devastating hardships (with short and long term consequences) for individuals, families, communities, etc. (and everyone in-between or beyond). I am especially mindful that my family left Eastern Europe after the nazi occupation in order to serve our purposes as people in the United States of America; and I carry that duty out on a regular basis because I am grateful of our accomplishments as an American Jew. I am neither a communist nor a witch; but seem to be experiencing remnants of McCarthyism and/or witch hunts nonetheless. (Perhaps the human condition is the real curse?!)
I realize that there are a variety of political dynamics of poverty which seem to suggest unwelcome “associations” (involving: gangsters, mobsters, even drugs/sex trafficking). However, I continue to assert that I am a victim of domestic violence (e.g. sibling rivalry, divorce) and identity theft; and as such, my primary health issues remain autoimmune (and are therefore not exclusively psychiatric or behavioral conditions). Mainly, they only remind me that “snitches get stitches”; so I continue to feel like a cancer is growing in my groin in response to the acupuncture treatments which began around November. (In fact, when the homeless community’s leadership includes religious groups whose work overtly involves proselytizing, I cannot ignore the possibility that there are implicit forms of discrimination that are palpable and presumably fighting staunchly against the personal and professional mission, vision, and purpose as a non-binary Jewish Feminist that has left me so disadvantaged after my my divorce! Waiting for their savior isn’t quite the help that I am seeking for integrative recovery and holistic wellbeing.)
I readily recognize that numerous avenues for local community support have been readily available such as: Manna Soup Kitchen, The Western MA consortium, DCC, Tapestry, The Survival Center, etc.; and they have provided ample support avenues for me in my self advocacy efforts and otherwise reduced the demands that I place on the medical care providers at CSO and Valley Medical (which have never required crisis level interventions other than mitigating exposures to harsh environmental conditions as an immunocompromised female); but the absence of the Gardasil vaccine as a routine cancer preventative option (since it has been approved for young girls prior to when I was becoming sexually actively) has added additional cause for concern for my current situation. Both my parents’ have cancer in their medical history; so I prefer to be vigilant of those risks.
Furthermore, I have always worked toward maintaining a nontoxic, clean lifestyle that abstains from extremely potent stimulants including refined sugars and oils, caffeine, or nicotine (or gawd forbid something even more chemically altering like benzodiazepines) or similarly dependencies for depressants (such as alcohol) as their role has mainly involved religious considerations in a very modest way (e.g. four sips of wine was always “more than enough” for me on Passover). Additionally, beer and other alcoholic spirits seem to contain gluten (and other noxious substances) which I find wholly unappealing for the most part.
I have often consumed fermented drinks for gut health (like kombucha) but SNAP/EBT doesn’t always cover those items. Lactose is also problematic in most dairy products. If I experience minor discomforts and other physical disruptions, then I would prefer to try elimination diets (even fasting ) rather than over complicated protocols. However, at this juncture I consistently get the impression that I feel entirely expendable; yet I continue to resist surrendering to the ongoing pain and suffering that I regularly experience as a test of other people’s failures and similar distortions.
I have submitted numerous care directives to my immediate providers reflecting my preferences for “best practices” involving over the counter, herbal, and supplemental remedies (in addition to hygiene considerations involving sensitivities to fluoride, aluminum, etc. in personal care supplies). Being hairless invites numerous environmental sensitivities related to the use of cleaning products and extreme temperature fluctuations. I am grateful for those who continue to help me in a “pinch.”
Thus far, those efforts to provide this level of information have only seemed to invite tactics which undermine those regular supports in order to deliberately elicit a crisis unnecessarily (and otherwise support ongoing false accusations as a coercive tactic) which seems like a reflection of those who are primarily corrupt in their intentions. I have typically operated on a differing wavelength which often makes those attacks from caregivers seem like a betrayal. It’s clear these ongoing tactics are often dismissed as pranks (or possibly hazing), but the best way to help me at this moment is to simply donate to my crowdfunding campaign.
This experience only reminds me that perhaps Sinead O’Connor was correct upon asserting who “the real enemy” might be; and my goals for securing housing and employment continue to get undermined the longer I am at the mercy of a healthcare system that considers us expendable. Not only am I failing in receiving adequate healthcare; but my efforts seem to lack any substantial support under Project 2025 efforts. So I’m hoping that I can get the resources to teach abroad or otherwise rebuild my life in a more suitable environment.
Right now, I am working through scientific rationality while struggling to attain social intuitionism for higher level discernments. It’s the difference between collecting data, facts, and information (i.e. knowledge acquisition) as logical deductions and making interpretations and similarly discerning conclusions given the context of public welfare. A sample discussion prompt might ask if poverty is the “root etiology” for various deficits, disorders, and disabilities involving pluralistic ignorance, media pollution, techno-lust, and other forms of misinformation/disinformation/malinformation/propaganda (fka: “fake news”) as perpetuated under these corporate tyrannies of greed, violence, and misogyny…
In the meantime: happy spring, my friends as we prepare to spring ahead yet again this year; and, as always, please be well.
Dina
https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/NAMP:_Not_Another_Marketing_Ploy
linkedin.com/in/dina-hornreich-113a79283
medium.com/@dina-hornreich
413-315-0485
c/o FOH & CSO @29 Industrial Drive East, Northampton, MA 01060
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Advocating for better consumer safeguards and sustainable
economic reform in the age of surveillance capitalism for "wising up" from rationality to morality in this emerging "Conceptual
Age."
Stopping the epidemics of misinformation, disinformation, & malinformation (propaganda)
from disrupting our information, media, & technology (IMT) ecosystems by
facilitating the effective, appropriate, & ethical comprehension/production
of IMT artefacts on our journeys toward integrative recovery & holistic
wellbeing.
Facilitating the acquisition of lifelong literacies, instead of reinforcing the perception that "natural vulnerabilities" are "permanent deficiencies," as a community of learners struggling to fight the onslaught of unhealthy messages generated by practices which condone/promote the exploitation of typical human fallibilities reinforcing the greedy, violent, and misogynistic approaches of a plutocratic tyranny who resorts to criminalizing, pathologizing, and otherwise blaming the victims of their wanton ludicrousness.
Alerting
consumers to the impact of numerous illusions and other deceptive
efforts that turn our individual differences into manufactured
deviations (and other forms of "learned helplessness"); thereby
revealing systemic injustices that are perpetuated by ongoing
inequitable power dynamics (i.e. colonialism) and other accessibility
barriers to the basic resources that support our universal human needs,
wants, & desires.
Building a taskforce of nonviolent communicators who are:
- Promoting an informed, engaged, & wise global citizenry and participatory transnational Democracy. (cf: listography)
- Elevating “Conceptual Age” skills (design, story, symphony, empathy, play, & meaning) in order to remedy the shortcomings of residuals from the preceding "Information Age" and "Industrial Age."
- Preventing media pollution, information poverty, & “techno-lust” from further disrupting our social, cultural, political, & economic ecosystems.
- Championing mindful “meta-literacies” (i.e. becoming adept bullsh*t detectives) involving the creation, selection, organization, presentation, diffusion, consumption, & preservation stages for "processing" IMT artefactual innovations.
- Adopting the principles of "Data Feminism": Examining power; challenging power; elevating emotion & embodiment; rethinking binaries & hierarchies; embracing pluralism; considering context; and making labor visible.
- [TypicalGirls] March 2026 HumanifestX update: Fear of a democratic planet?!, Dina Hornreich, 03/04/2026
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