What am I steeming up to?
For years I've carried around notebooks and dummy's, they are like my diaries now.
Books you can review to remember all sorts of things. It's full of stickers, mind-maps of (finished) creative concepts, songs or poem drafts and old papers scissor-cut news paper articles that I somehow have a role in. Books that are carried around in backpacks for a while and has been in lots of places..
Frontside notebook
Backside notebook
So why not dig in there and find a story to write?
I find a picture cut outs from old magazine with me on it, flyer's from squat meetings or actions and "free tekno parties".
Maybe I should write a bit about the local squat scene, that I miss so dearly now.
Since 1st of October 2010 there is a new law enforced in the the Netherlands, the so called:
"Anti-Kraakwet"
Before this squat-law the Netherlands was full of "Free Public Subcultural Artistic Places" that gave creative's a change to be them selves and to do, start or be somewhere.
To be somewhere or to not be somewhere,
am I really here? Is this were we ended up?
The possibilities of life were calmer, it had much more of a layed-back mentality towards productivity compared to the digital world in which I am performing now.
I miss those days hanging out in squats, sleeping over, sharing information learning from each-other face to face. Making memories being outside in the now. There were so many projects I had a role in, helping out with something we share as a community, the house or workspace. The epic parties in which artists were testing visuals and sound machines they had build.
In the beginning of the year 2010 in Rotterdam the "Anti-Kraakwet" protests started, all over town groups helped each-other to squat places that have been empty for over a year. Sometimes the police stood ready outside the general meeting spot, ready to follow us to the place we were squatting. We manage to create diversions. The big group took a detour towards the part of the neighborhood where the building was. In the meantime one duo went straight to the place to break in and start with the lock changing and door barricading construction. Thats what you need for the first 24 hours.
After 24 hours of a new squat occupation with a mattress, table, chair and plate or cup, you can claim the property as your house. Then you go to the nearby police station and notify them about your occupation. In many cases this could give squatters also protection from owners, who were forced to go to court to get the people out of their property.This resulting in proceedings in favor of the squats to be legal, due to lack of proven ownership responsibilities.
However there was a way for property owners to write off squatted places from tax assessments, resulting in a less higher yearly bill from the government, so many who wanted to keep the property for the land and not the building on it, let the squats be squats for years and decades.
The old law that was making squatting legal in the Netherlands since 1980 had 3 main rules:
1: The place had to be unoccupied (empty) for 1 year.
2: The first 24 after break-in. You can be removed.
3: You notify authorities, after first 24 hours to claim the squat.
After October 2010, most places already occupied started to get reviewed and ultimatums from law enforcements were send out. Raids from the government began soon after and creative people were ousted out their homes and workplaces.
No more "weggeefwinkels" (give away shops), weekly 2 $ vegetarian dinners in places all over town.
No more free space to occupy and chill in, have fun, be silly, and build something together.
That has all moved to the Internet now, to be monitored, censored and controlled.
The internet was still all about Piratebay, Anonymous, Wikileaks and (H)activism. It has been 8 years now after this "Anti-Squat-Law", but I can tell you some squats are still alive in the Netherlands, and some free spaces were preserved with making a rent deal. The squat-scene is not entirely gone, but it is more hidden from public. The trick is to know how to operate the old and the new law and keeping up to date with jurisprudences about squats.
To be somewhere or to not be somewhere,
am I really here? Is this were we ended up?
Behind our computers alone in a room versus the vibrant meetings, parties, exhibitions, gatherings etc. The list of possibility is endless in both digital and the real world.
Looking at the digital world it seems the world has never been as creative as before now.
Or is there a fundamental difference in excising online and in reality?
I can feel in the restlessness I have in my leg while sitting on this chair typing on my computer, my body wants to move, walk outside take in sun, smile and say hello to people. It is so different, to be there or here behind a computer. To meet and be with people physically is proven essential to not get eaten by loneliness and loneliness is proven deadly.
Going outside to be with like minded people was rhythm the flow of your life, now we start socializing online and this is a whole new way of processing idea's and events in your life. The Internet is dangerous in another way than reality. We can feel the predator-prey-eye in real life. This is an underlying consciousness operating from your reptilian-brain.
I don't think we use this part of our brain much while operating on the Internet, we sit anonymously and safe inside.
We should have that power to be cautious online like we have in real life. Are we creating?
There are so many risks being alive online, one of only many problems is, it can make you bankrupt and steel your identity.
Renting prices have doubled in these past 10 years. And affordable housing is not easy to get. The shortage on housing makes it still a bit legal to squat is some cases. I miss the squat-scene and would like to see it materializing more, find and build us a "Steemmonsters Headquarters Squat" in real life I mean as an idea ;)
Research:
Dutch:
https://denuttigekraker.wordpress.com/tag/krakers/
https://watisvrijheid.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/kraken-leeft-ondanks-het-verbod/
http://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0001854/2015-01-01#BoekTweede_TiteldeelV_Artikel138a
English:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_squatting_ban
Pictures and writing by me @ireyeye 24th of June 2018.
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