System Commodities.

(Emile Munier..1840-1895..”May I have one too?”)

System Commodities.

Have you ever heard of the phrase : “system commodities”?

It refers to the essential commodities required to keep a system…any system, operating at a satisfactory level..a continuity of mediocracy.. and any item superfluous to the accepted parameters of the needs of the system will not be seen as of any use.

Interesting…I heard the phrase used by Bob Dylan in answer to a question put to him asking if he thought that music integrity has gotten worse these days…here’s his reply..:

“Well..because there’s so much mediocracy going on, you know?..and anytime somebody really good comes along..it’s like, you can’t be too good, because you’re looked at..because you stand out, you know?…and people who stand out in an individual kind of way, they don’t fit into the system, you know, because they don’t sell, you know, they don’t keep system commodities going.”

This notion of “system commodities” reaches way beyond just the music industry..it is a managed system that keeps many civil and social structures ticking along with just enough capacity so as to sustain the “just in time” supply-chain delivery systems we have become used to in our lives, be it finance, politics, arts, cost of living expenses, education or child care…systems once seeming diverse from each other, but now intricately woven together to form a kind of DNA spiral connection to each commodity and vicariously then to us as consumers. I have witnessed the application of such systems on several blogs I have contributed to in the past, where the topics of conversation are “steered” into appropriate cul-de-sacs by those who have influence with the moderators because of their prolific testaments of mediocracy in so many subjects..and they use this influence to block or trash other’s opinions outside their own limited knowledge so as to not make themselves look bad..it generally results in the death of that particular site as a legitimate discussion blog.

Here’s an Ai analysis : “A systematic commodities strategy is a rules-based investing or trading approach that removes emotion from decision-making. It relies on pre-programmed algorithms, mathematical models, and historical data to identify market trends, manage risk, and execute trades across physical goods like energy, agriculture, and metals…”(painted with a rather broad brush, but you get the idea).

Personally, we have not been immune to having been “managed” as a similar system commodity when it comes to life expectations vis work, obligations, career and families. We are also included within the parameters of this social commodity items of need.

Recently, keeping with the notion of “putting my money where my mouth is”, I joined three online writing groups in an attempt to promote some of my writing to a broader audience., One group was for a local community showing creative works relevant to the geographical region. Another was for a wider State-based option, while the third was specifically for poetry. I decided to post on all three as I had much material to satisfy all needs. The first local blog posted my stuff, no worries, but since it was mostly taken up with visual art and crafts, my longer pieces didn’t get a look in, as the general interest was in a quick visual appreciation and any poem or otherwise over ten lines long was passed over for the more instant gratification of the pictures.

The second State wide writing blog seemed to take a long time to moderate my posts so they would appear on the page, until now they seem to be permanently “rested” in the “pending approval” column…yet so many promotions of workshops, Kindle sales or other promotional activities are plugged ad nauseum on the site so that it led me to enquire if this was a writing or a promotions blog…and I meant it .

The third poetry site shot a pop-up on my posting a poem requesting I do not place poems on the site and there are other places that would cater to those items…and then more promotions.

So there you go..it would appear I am outside the needs of the “system commodities”.

And as an aside, but I feel in keeping with the theme of the subject..:

The other day, after circle dancing, a few of us retirees go to a nearby cafe for coffee and chat…and in the course of the conversation, I casually asked what those women used to do for a job…and they all told of this or that career…except one lady…quite older…she just sort of fatalistically and quietly replied…(almost apologetically)…that she was “just a housewife”…

Quite sad, really …that such a demanding and fulfilling duty is in these times seen as a demeaning and wasteful occupation…

Once…back in ancient times the designation “children-producer” (-proletarius-) had been a term of honour for the Romans” ( Mommsen)…Now, the occupation of mother, wife or house-frau is viewed as a deterrent to career..and if one is “inflicted” with more than one child, a whispered; “tch-tch” can almost be the coup de gras for reaching the giddying heights of corporate leadership…as if THAT is how we as a society view individual achievement.

I am about to become a great-grandfather for the first time soon (I pray all goes well for the mother)..and my grand-daughter is rightfully nervous at her first child delivery…I gave her as best as I could a boost of confidence in her coming through the experience all the best..and I said…and truly believe..that the birthing of a child was the most spectacular and important event in a woman’s life..and when I hear, as above, that one has to apologise for being “just a housewife”, I feel an anger rising, a wincing, eye-watering offence against all those gormless bastards who have framed our lives around mock “career achievements” over human social accomplishments…to force us all into their framework of: “System Commodities”.

BASTARDS!!