Simon's Blog

My mother’s favorite birds have always been parrots and hummingbirds. Since her childhood, she has been fascinated by them—particularly the hummingbird, whose speed and agility seem to defy the very laws of physics. During our last conversation, she encouraged me to explore the "crazy uniqueness" of these creatures. I promised her I would dive into their magic, though I warned her that any attempt to truly capture their brilliance would likely fall short. As I began my research, I discovered a creation myth from the Hopi and Zuni tribes. The story follows a brother and sister struggling through a period of drought and famine. To entertain his sister, the brother carves a bird out of wood; when the girl tosses the carving into the air, it springs to life as a hummingbird. The bird then flies to the God of Fertility to beg for rain. Its request is granted, the rains return, and the crops begin to flourish once again. On a biological level, hummingbirds are marvels of efficien...

Across the globe, a growing movement is seeking alternative forms of governance to sustain communities economically, politically, and socially. Many feel we have become submissive to—and dependent on—governments, corporations, and institutions, effectively surrendering the autonomy we once embraced. Today, we work longer hours while seeing fewer of the fruits of our labor; instead, much of our effort is diverted to increasing the wealth of a small minority. In many ways, we have become beholden to a system that prioritizes capital over human well-being. To address this, we must either fundamentally modify the current system or design an entirely new one. A concept gaining significant traction is the Solidarity Economy (SE). The SE refers to a range of economic activities that prioritize social profitability over financial gain. At its heart, this model emphasizes participatory governance and collective decision-making, empowering communities to transform themselves from the ground up...