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davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
David Graeber Institute
@davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
18K followers 2.7K following 850 posts
A platform for projects related to David Graeber’s legacy, developing his ideas and projects that will take on a life of their own, continuing and contributing to his work.

https://davidgraeber.institute
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davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
If you talk about forgiving or cancelling debts nowadays, you may face a variety of insults from conservatives

But it is something built into Biblical law. Maybe those conservatives need to read a book about the history of Debt.
"Nehemiah quickly found himself confronted with a social crisis. All around him, impoverished peasants were unable to pay their taxes; creditors were carrying off the children of the poor. . His first response was to issue a classic Babylonian-style "clean slate" edict-having himself been born in Babylon, he was clearly familiar with the general principle. All non-commercial debts were to be forgiven. Maximum interest rates were set. At the same time, though, Nehemiah managed to locate, revise, and reissue much older Jewish laws, now preserved in Exodus, Deuteronomy, and Leviticus, which in certain ways went even further, by institutionalizing the principle. The most famous of these is the Law of Jubilee: a law that stipulated that all debts would be automatically cancelled "in the Sabbath year" (that is, after seven years had passed), and that all who languished in bondage owing to such debts would be released." . - David Graeber (Page 81/82 of Debt: First 5000 Years)
November 11, 2025 at 3:06 AM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
On Friday, we'll have an online event with the writer Benjamin Paloff

He'll talk about the work of Mikhail Bakhtin, examine Bakhtin’s thought, ethics, and freedom through the lens of adventure.

It'll be livestreamed on our youtube channel.

youtu.be/xOLDVq_b1Lc
Benjamin Paloff on Bakhtin's Adventure
YouTube video by Institute of David Graeber
youtu.be
November 10, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Reposted by David Graeber Institute
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
Time for the Democrats to get rid of Chuck Schumer and the other "Centrists" in the Party.
The Centre has become this pure set of performative symbols and at the same time you get to feel morally superior which is ultimarely what liberal centrism is all about. the ability to feel better than other people.
November 10, 2025 at 4:14 AM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
Time for the Democrats to get rid of Chuck Schumer and the other "Centrists" in the Party.
The Centre has become this pure set of performative symbols and at the same time you get to feel morally superior which is ultimarely what liberal centrism is all about. the ability to feel better than other people.
November 10, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Reposted by David Graeber Institute
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
Is this new system we are moving to even Capitalism,

or is just Feudalism with modern technology?
'Financialization' is often represented as being characterized by a kind of casino capitalism; as a matter of conjuring value out of nothing; as an abstract game detached from what is often called the 'real economy.' But financialization to put it in somewhat crude Marxist terms marks a shift of the center of gravity of surplus extraction from wages and commerce to various forms of rent taking, that is, direct extraction, through semi-feudal relations of extraction where financial interests work closely with state power as to create conditions of mass indebtedness." — David Graeber
November 8, 2025 at 3:25 PM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
Is this new system we are moving to even Capitalism,

or is just Feudalism with modern technology?
'Financialization' is often represented as being characterized by a kind of casino capitalism; as a matter of conjuring value out of nothing; as an abstract game detached from what is often called the 'real economy.' But financialization to put it in somewhat crude Marxist terms marks a shift of the center of gravity of surplus extraction from wages and commerce to various forms of rent taking, that is, direct extraction, through semi-feudal relations of extraction where financial interests work closely with state power as to create conditions of mass indebtedness." — David Graeber
November 8, 2025 at 3:25 PM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
Yesterday, we held a livestream with Prof Tim Ingold about the topic of 'Art In A Possible World.'

If you could not make it, you can view the stream here on our youtube channel.

youtu.be/eJc2fWZLj2g
Sharing time: the work of art in a possible World - Tim Ingold
YouTube video by Institute of David Graeber
youtu.be
November 7, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Reposted by David Graeber Institute
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
If you are interested in Anthropology and the work of David Graeber, our live stream with Prof Tim Ingold starts now.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJc2...
November 6, 2025 at 5:53 PM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
If you are interested in Anthropology and the work of David Graeber, our live stream with Prof Tim Ingold starts now.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJc2...
November 6, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Reposted by David Graeber Institute
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
So-called "Centrism" does not work.
everywhere the centrist argument the left has to abandon its principles to fight fascism leaving the only choice between corporate bureaucrats and nazis has had the effect of empowering nazis. thats a failed formula every time.
November 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
We have a livestream later today about Anthropology and the work of David Graeber!
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 5d
We'll hold a public talk with Tim Ingold on social anthropology. Thursday, Nov 6th (6pm London time)

The topic will be, Sharing time: the work of art in a possible.

It'll be streamed live on the DGI Youtube channel.

youtu.be/eJc2fWZLj2g
Sharing time: the work of art in a possible World - Tim Ingold
YouTube video by Institute of David Graeber
youtu.be
November 6, 2025 at 2:10 PM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
So-called "Centrism" does not work.
everywhere the centrist argument the left has to abandon its principles to fight fascism leaving the only choice between corporate bureaucrats and nazis has had the effect of empowering nazis. thats a failed formula every time.
November 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
We'll hold a public talk with Tim Ingold on social anthropology. Thursday, Nov 6th (6pm London time)

The topic will be, Sharing time: the work of art in a possible.

It'll be streamed live on the DGI Youtube channel.

youtu.be/eJc2fWZLj2g
Sharing time: the work of art in a possible World - Tim Ingold
YouTube video by Institute of David Graeber
youtu.be
November 5, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Reposted by David Graeber Institute
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
David Graeber, a Jewish New Yorker, would be smiling today to see a Socialist win in his city.
I just want a kinder world than this.
November 5, 2025 at 3:38 AM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
David Graeber, a Jewish New Yorker, would be smiling today to see a Socialist win in his city.
I just want a kinder world than this.
November 5, 2025 at 3:38 AM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
It is the 99% v the 1%

All the propaganda out there is to get all of us in the 99% to hate each other and to fight among each other so that we don't unite to defeat the 1%.

Never forget that!
November 5, 2025 at 3:31 AM
Reposted by David Graeber Institute
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
Maintaining the status quo is an essential part of the job of the mainstream media.
It is becoming increasingly obvious, in fact, that the role of the media is not only to tell Americans what they should think, but to convince an increasingly angry and alienated public that their neighbors have not come to the same conclusions. The logic is much like that used to dissuade voters from considering third parties: even if the third party challenger states opinions shared by the majority of Americans, Americans are constantly warned not to “waste their vote” for the candidate that actually reflects their views because no one else will vote for that candidate. It’s hard to imagine a more obvious case of a self-fullling prophecy. The result is a mainstream ideology—a kind of conservative centrism that assumes what’s important is always moderation and the maintenance of the status quo—which almost no one actually holds (except of course the pundits themselves), .
November 2, 2025 at 3:23 PM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
Maintaining the status quo is an essential part of the job of the mainstream media.
It is becoming increasingly obvious, in fact, that the role of the media is not only to tell Americans what they should think, but to convince an increasingly angry and alienated public that their neighbors have not come to the same conclusions. The logic is much like that used to dissuade voters from considering third parties: even if the third party challenger states opinions shared by the majority of Americans, Americans are constantly warned not to “waste their vote” for the candidate that actually reflects their views because no one else will vote for that candidate. It’s hard to imagine a more obvious case of a self-fullling prophecy. The result is a mainstream ideology—a kind of conservative centrism that assumes what’s important is always moderation and the maintenance of the status quo—which almost no one actually holds (except of course the pundits themselves), .
November 2, 2025 at 3:23 PM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
We'll hold a public talk with Tim Ingold, on Nov 6th (6pm London time)

The topic will be, Sharing time: the work of art in a possible. It'll be streamed live on the DGI Youtube channel.

Don’t forget to subscribe & the notification when we go live.

davidgraeber.institute/public-talk-...
Public talk : Sharing time: the work of art in a possible World -Tim Ingold
David Graeber Institute “In the world of possibilities, every work begins with an idea in mind, and ends in its realisation. This is work that cuts across. But the creativity of
davidgraeber.institute
November 1, 2025 at 2:51 PM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
It is a neo-liberal myth, the idea of an unregulated bank.
"There’s no such thing, for example, as an unregulated bank. Banks are institutions to which the government has granted the right to issue I.O.U.’s that it will recognize as legal tender. The government regulates everything from a bank’s reserve requirements to its hours of operation; how much can be charged in interest, fees, and penalties; what sort of security precautions can or must be employed; how its records must be kept and reported; how and when clients must be informed of their rights and responsibilities; and pretty much everything else." . - David Graeber
October 31, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Reposted by David Graeber Institute
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
Please do have a read of some of David Graeber's words on the policy of Universal Basic Income.
We have got a real problem the way society is structured. I point this out when we think about the robots taking our jobs. Why can’t we just redistribute the jobs in a reasonable way so that everybody does a little and then we enjoy ourselves? We have a stupid system where you don’t get any money unless you work. So we could change that. We could just give people the money. There are many different solutions. You could try to shorten working hours. But I like that one that is called a universal basic income. It’s like language. Everybody contributes to this civilization, this culture, and knowledge. So why don’t we just pay everybody for that? . - David Graeber
October 27, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Reposted by David Graeber Institute
shannonmattern.bsky.social
When Andy worked at the US Dept of Treasury, he worked w/ the staff economists to write an internal rpt on: money — what is it? It wasn’t until I introduced him to Graeber’s Debt years later that he realized how much richer it was, and how impoverished the econ rsch was for not having engaged w/ it
October 27, 2025 at 6:52 PM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
Please do have a read of some of David Graeber's words on the policy of Universal Basic Income.
We have got a real problem the way society is structured. I point this out when we think about the robots taking our jobs. Why can’t we just redistribute the jobs in a reasonable way so that everybody does a little and then we enjoy ourselves? We have a stupid system where you don’t get any money unless you work. So we could change that. We could just give people the money. There are many different solutions. You could try to shorten working hours. But I like that one that is called a universal basic income. It’s like language. Everybody contributes to this civilization, this culture, and knowledge. So why don’t we just pay everybody for that? . - David Graeber
October 27, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Reposted by David Graeber Institute
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
One of the most important political messages on the internet.
anyone who thinks the way to head off the tide of fascism is by limiting the range of political choices to either fascists or pro business neoliberal technocrats is dooming us to fascism. David Graeber.
October 26, 2025 at 7:40 PM
davidgraeberinst.bsky.social
We'll hold a public talk with Tim Ingold, on Nov 6th (6pm London time)

The topic will be - Sharing time: the work of art in a possible.

The talk will be streamed live on the DGI Youtube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe & the notification when we go live.

davidgraeber.institute/public-talk-...
Public talk : Sharing time: the work of art in a possible World -Tim Ingold
David Graeber Institute “In the world of possibilities, every work begins with an idea in mind, and ends in its realisation. This is work that cuts across. But the creativity of
davidgraeber.institute
October 27, 2025 at 2:52 PM