When Jeff Bezos revealed his plans for a lavish wedding in Venice set for early 2025, many locals found the concept offensive and even outrageous. A rising number of residents were grappling with finding affordable housing in a city flooded with tourists and Airbnb rentals, while the billionaire was intending to essentially rent out the city for three days, spending around $50 million on festivities that would congest central canals and obstruct busy streets. To make matters worse, Amazon’s carbon emissions were escalating due to artificial intelligence and expanding data centers – an urgent issue in Venice, where streets already experience flooding multiple times a year.
Marta Sottoriva, a 35-year-old high school teacher, told us she first learned about the wedding plans just as Bezos’s rocket company, Blue Origin, was making headlines. Bezos had sent a “crew” of female influencers and celebrities-including his fiancée Lauren Sánchez and pop star Katy Perry-on a seemingly pointless publicity stunt to the edge of space. “The idea that you are so rich and powerful that you can use space as a 10-minute trip,” Sottoriva recalled, only heightened her feeling that “our city was being taken away from us in such an arrogant way.” Federica Toninello, another young activist, echoed her sentiments by stating it felt like both space and Venice were being “colonized”.
Colonizing space is precisely what Bezos aims to accomplish. According to his rehearsed sales pitch for Blue Origin, he believes it will secure humanity’s future by enabling trillions of people to eventually spread throughout the solar system. The terrifying nightmare he envisions himself saving our species from? A “civilization of stasis”, which means facing real ecological limits and figuring out how to share our planet’s limited resources. To sidestep this reckoning, Bezos fantasizes about a future where “Earth will be zoned residential and light industrial,” acting as some kind of preserve mostly inaccessible to its native inhabitants. Most humans would seek vague benefits from “exponential growth” within inhospitable space aboard Blue Origin spacecrafts. It seems Bezos views sustainable living on our singular home as an unthinkable scenario not worth considering.
Not surprisingly, most Venetians prefer to keep living in beautiful Venice. Unlike Bezos, they aren’t anxious about theoretical civilizational stagnation; they’re concerned about economic decline due to government neglect combined with fewer job opportunities forcing them out of the beloved city they call home. Many young Italians find themselves having no choice but to emigrate for work; over the past decade alone, more than one million citizens have left-one-third of whom are between 25 and 34 years old.
So far, much of the frustration and resentment felt by Italians has predominantly benefitted the neofascist right. However, those same frustrations have also rallied people against Bezos’s influence here in Venice; sparking a developing antifascist movement.
The spirited “No Space for Bezos” campaign tapped into widespread anger towards billionaires while addressing climate issues and militarism-it also provided organizers with a platform to advocate for alternative ways we could coexist peacefully. Activists produced posters showing Bezos’s head on rockets heading into space along with creating effigies depicting him clutching fake cash while hanging onto oversized Amazon packages floating down canals. They displayed banners on iconic Venetian buildings proclaiming: “Tax the rich to give back to the planet.” They even chanted that funds earmarked for the wedding would be better allocated towards rebuilding Gaza. For days they created joyful chaos while mocking both Bezos and his celebrity guest list that featured fellow billionaires Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner along with Open AI’s Sam Altman and several Kardashians.
Shortly before the wedding date arrived officials announced it would be moved away from central areas because of ongoing protests against it. Even permission was denied for Bezos’s two yachts Koru and Abeona to dock locally during this time frame as well. Organizers celebrated their victory once again amid growing international media coverage detailing this visually striking clash between affluent guests versus local dissenters.
Similar controversies surrounding extravagant gatherings highlight glaring issues within our interconnected gilded age exemplified by events like Donald Trump’s lavish ballroom parties or now this upcoming spectacle orchestrated by Amazon’s founder himself who wanted nothing less than fully consuming one Europe’s most exquisite cities during such celebrations; next year he’d go on replicate these tactics at New York City’s Met Gala stirring up equal amounts outrage across grassroots movements.
Protests held in Venice centering around both Bezos’ ambitions toward outer space at Earth’s expense reflect something deeply concerning regarding today’s rise associated with end times fascism-a term used throughout our latest book describing harmful alliances working towards apocalyptic outcomes benefitting only select individuals escaping untouched unharmed amid crisis situations facing larger populations daily struggling economically under degrading conditions alongside oligarchic elites tossing absurd amounts cash around without regard whatsoever
On one side lie those among us without any escape plans or shelters equipped either above ground or below who remain steadfast committed staying put engaged directly within life here together realizing urgent needs exist ensuring safety safeguarding all living beings depending upon sustaining ecosystems ultimately recognizing this world alone must come first above all else!
Conversely exist entities harboring grandiose schemes shielding their families amidst turbulent political climates fueled rampant ecological disasters burning down everything surrounding them whether through dreams ascending beyond earthly confines bunkered zones securing nations utilizing technology merging humans alongside machines building barriers separating them entirely! Rather than enhancing overall circumstances improving lives belonging actual communities instead these end times fascists cook up escape routes remaining utterly unaware indifferent dismissive crucial aspects needing preservation love deserve attention appreciation shared existence vital importance sustained life forms right here!
“Every day we confront knowledge further destruction inflicted upon earth through hands ourselves: extinction animal species flora fauna.. elements took five billion years evolve suddenly vanished forever thanks mankind interference,” remarked Shatner later clarifying expectations prior arriving discovering nothing spectacular awaited beyond atmosphere returning immediately longing regain familiar comforts homeback once more asserting statement best encapsulated essence reality-“I discovered beauty isn’t ‘out there’, but right down here amongst us!”.. Perhaps Shatner’s insight into perilous situation confronting precious planet resonates somehow beneath surface levels understanding yet billionaire’s visions proposing colonization outer realms compounded by continuous expansion carbon-emitting data centers contradict otherwise prevailing notions among fellow tech oligarch peers examples include Peter Thiel whose top three aspirations achieving liberation equate entirely apart cyberspace outerspace seasteading new communities floating oil rigs constructed elsewhere atop oceans! In simpler terms wealth affords accessing breathtaking locations available worldwide still favors cold lifeless alternatives compared vibrant thriving sphere brimming vitality full beauty!Something seems amiss particularly true Elon Musk appears gazes upward witnessing countless wonders night skies only seeing prospects fill void unknown midst respective junk created filling universe!Venerable novelist Joyce Carol Oates highlighted these apparent limitations fall season ahead publication slated late year responding critiques directed towards Musk using own platform X lamentingly remarking, so curious,” Oates stated simultaneously elaborating words captured sentiment many others feel witnessing wealth obscuring simple joys inherent everyday lives full meaning experiences replaced mere accumulation material goods instead humility found nature surroundings appreciating beauty art historical milestones connecting individuals generating bonds cherished treasured feelings alive rather than hollow laughter echo chambers devoid genuine substance none dared venture reach out connect deeper trying understand complexities individual stories shared circles encountered everyday lives led encounters profound depth arising friendships forged formed through kindness empathy connection forming relationships illuminating paths previously unexplored those long waited discover sense belonging community alongside loved ones departed.”Source link
An absence of awe
Bezos’ obsession regarding outer spaces touches upon deeper insights necessary understanding trends observed related end times fascism including reliance heavily prioritizing separation departing shared realities altogether demonstrating disconnection wonderment experiences offered here every day surrounding us daily! This became painfully apparent back when he launched another crew shortly after sending Captain Kirk himself-William Shatner-to fulfill childhood aspirations flying high observing vast emptiness outside orbit back then too recalling famous line uttered repeatedly across episodes stating simply: “Space-the final frontier.” Yet whilst gazing downward noticing blue-green hue receding farther away behind window glass began overtaken surge emotion struck him horrifically recalling stark contrast present there amidst hostile coldness contrasted vividly warmth nurturing characteristics found solely existing Earth below triggering flood grief deep sadness awakening newfound awareness fragility beauty inherent within whole environment enveloping us.“Every day we confront knowledge further destruction inflicted upon earth through hands ourselves: extinction animal species flora fauna.. elements took five billion years evolve suddenly vanished forever thanks mankind interference,” remarked Shatner later clarifying expectations prior arriving discovering nothing spectacular awaited beyond atmosphere returning immediately longing regain familiar comforts homeback once more asserting statement best encapsulated essence reality-“I discovered beauty isn’t ‘out there’, but right down here amongst us!”.. Perhaps Shatner’s insight into perilous situation confronting precious planet resonates somehow beneath surface levels understanding yet billionaire’s visions proposing colonization outer realms compounded by continuous expansion carbon-emitting data centers contradict otherwise prevailing notions among fellow tech oligarch peers examples include Peter Thiel whose top three aspirations achieving liberation equate entirely apart cyberspace outerspace seasteading new communities floating oil rigs constructed elsewhere atop oceans! In simpler terms wealth affords accessing breathtaking locations available worldwide still favors cold lifeless alternatives compared vibrant thriving sphere brimming vitality full beauty!Something seems amiss particularly true Elon Musk appears gazes upward witnessing countless wonders night skies only seeing prospects fill void unknown midst respective junk created filling universe!Venerable novelist Joyce Carol Oates highlighted these apparent limitations fall season ahead publication slated late year responding critiques directed towards Musk using own platform X lamentingly remarking, so curious,” Oates stated simultaneously elaborating words captured sentiment many others feel witnessing wealth obscuring simple joys inherent everyday lives full meaning experiences replaced mere accumulation material goods instead humility found nature surroundings appreciating beauty art historical milestones connecting individuals generating bonds cherished treasured feelings alive rather than hollow laughter echo chambers devoid genuine substance none dared venture reach out connect deeper trying understand complexities individual stories shared circles encountered everyday lives led encounters profound depth arising friendships forged formed through kindness empathy connection forming relationships illuminating paths previously unexplored those long waited discover sense belonging community alongside loved ones departed.”Source link
