DAY 23, TEETH WELFARE & YOUR POWERS, book 4, building

By the next morning, however, it was Skye who made the headlines. ‘Teeth welfare tells it all,’ says Skye Mattis, head of the town project’s Care Team, speaking at a hospital, yesterday. ‘Teeth welfare is a simple example of how medicine for profit incurs higher costs, lasting damage, and poorer health. But maybe that’s the aim: to make as much money of people’s ailments and insecurities as possible. Because if dental care was mandatory and for free, dentists would become unemployed by the thousands. We as a town project make it our mission to create a health system which has nothing to do with profit and everything with prevention and health education — to say nothing about education for doctors so they can get rid of their arrogance, get out of their professional bubbles, and we can finally restore some trust in the profession.’ Skye Mattis’ speech went viral, and some fifty-two percent of British citizens have by now voiced their agreement with her assessments, and more people have taken a look at the town project. Maybe Skye Mattis is right when she says: ‘We don’t want to promise anything, we want to find out whether our ideas can work. We need a whole town for this because everything is connected, from tooth to job to friends and more. To try fix only dental care means to overlook everything that got us into the teeth misery in the first place, starting with foods full of sugar, with our stressful lifestyles and with destructive, short-sighted profiteering.’ When Alice returned to the Compound, after giving a speech, she talked with Any, the head of THE, via video. ‘I thought you wanted to do more speeches.’ Any remarked. ‘I did. I do. But apparently I have to make myself scarce to seem more important.’ ‘And how is this coming along?’ Alice shrugged. ‘No idea. But I’m glad I have a moment to hear all the latest from the campaigns.’ ‘Your powers is doing very well,’ Any said. ‘Since its launch, a week ago, people have actually been testing their powers. And the Hub has set up an additional Your powers room for the exchange of power stories.’ ‘Wow, I didn’t know that,’ Alice said. ‘I heard this story about a kid who loves ice cream. Only the ice-cream parlour on the street corner had horrible ice cream. So the kid rallies all their friends, they make a flyer, and they manage to convince everyone not to enter the parlour for a whole day, by the afternoon attracting the attention of a local paper. The next days, the parlour is closed. And when it opens again, it has, and I quote, “the best ice cream ever.”’ Any shook his head. ‘I hadn’t heard that story. My favourites are still the boycott flashmobs.’  ‘Of course they are your favourites. You help organise them.’ ‘Aye! I do.’ ‘I loved the one where that big festival opened their ticket sales, expecting to sell out in minutes, and no one bought a ticket while demanding that the festival divest from plastic, provide free water fountains and found solutions to use less and renewable energy.’ Any nodded and said: ‘I truly admired the fans for sticking together, and no one breaking the ranks. And it took the organisers only five days to present the fans with a convincing concept which meet all demands. Anyway, I have three favourites: the free chocolate flashmob boycotts against exploiting cocoa farmers, where millions of people stop buying chocolate at random flashmob times; the no streaming flashmob to protest against story recycling which reiterate outdated narratives; and the stop posting flashmob for all sorts of demands such as adjustable algorithms, or tax payments in the countries where the platforms earn their money, or against labour exploitation by tech giants, especially in Africa, but also small things like more or fewer colour options.’ Alice chuckled. ‘I also love the end fast fashion protests where people stop their shopping process whenever it’s time for another flashmob boycott.’ ‘Oh, yes. That’s a good one, too.’ ‘It’s just a shame that the big tech companies, while shocked, seem to have decided to ignore these actions.’ ‘Yeah,’ Any said, a twinkle in his eyes. ‘It’s a child’s reaction. Something happens and you close your eyes in the hope that it will go away. By the way, the tech bros have announced to sue you for profit losses.’ ‘Really? I’m always shocked how little imagination they have.’ Any chuckled. ‘Well, according to them, you’re the big bad who incites customers to hurt themselves. They want to reveal the negative ripple effects of your so-called Your Powers Campaign because at the end of the day, customer power is an illusion. Customers are meant to consume what they’re served. If customers started asking questions or making demands, then they’d endanger the economic system which would result in unemployment and poverty.’ Alice sighed. ‘How did they get away with this silly narrative for so long?’ ‘By tapping into desires and fears.’ ‘Does Emine know about the lawsuits?’ ‘Not yet. She’s doing a speech with Dana, as we speak.’ ‘True.’ ‘But one of my people talked to her team and to Javiera. They say, we can use those lawsuits to strike back. But it would have to be a pretty harsh blow.’ ‘As in?’ ‘A counter-lawsuit which sues these companies for intimidation, false claims and justifications to keep ruining people’s lives and the planet.’ Alice pursed her lips. ‘It’s not that I don’t like the idea. It’s not even like I ain’t tempted to add a lawsuit for blowing billions for space travel and virtual reality fantasies while the planet collapses and people starve but— But this sounds pretty much like war. Could we formulate such a counterattack, send our draft to these companies and point out that we’d rather not go into a full-blown fight because we’re quite busy with a few other trifles?’ Any nodded. ‘Good plan! I might be able to add the odd blackmail.’ ‘About which I don’t know anything.’ ‘Of course not. You and I are just business partners, and what I decide to do is my responsibility.’ ‘Freedom fighters with loaded cannons, someone once called you.’ ‘I’m happy to do the dirty work. And I will keep it to a minimum, knowing that you prefer other methods. But look at it like this: if you have mildew on the wall, you will have to remove it. Afterwards you can repaint the wall and take all the necessary precautions to prevent any new mildew from finding a way in.’ Alice inhaled. ‘Keep it to a minimum.’ ‘Will do. Are you up for a few tricky issues which have surfaced?’ ‘Fire away.’  ‘OK. The mayor of London and mayors of other cities seem to have noticed that their cities profit from the campaigns, and apparently they won’t get upset about the campaigns any more — not least because your team are apparently “masters of cleaning up behind them.”’ ‘And that’s tricky why?’ ‘The mayors are getting a lot of BS from MPs, the police and some of the public for consorting with the enemy.’ ‘Should we send the mayors a care packet with chocolate and fruits to cheer them up?’ Any chuckled. ‘No, I think we should let them be. This is their fight, not ours. But the campaign teams should beware that the greater freedom they might have from now on can easily be reversed.’ Alice nodded thoughtfully. ‘Anything else?’ ‘Yes. A group of millionaires have set up their own boot camps to — and I quote — to: “steel ourselves against being brainwashed by the town menace.”’ ‘Wow!’ Alice said. ‘Maybe Troy can do a comic to show the difference between being brainwashed and getting a few impulses on how to use one’s imagination.’ ‘Not a bad idea. I’d also like a comic on the rise of the TOWN MENACE.’ Alice laughed. ‘Yeah. What else?’ ‘The millionaires boot camp occasionally steels the show and gets a lot of coverage. Controversies, too, and some people are complaining that it’s always about the rich.’ Alice shrugged. ‘That’s on the corporate press. Ripples news hardly mentions the boot camps. And on the Hub Campaigns Square all events get attention. If the press chooses to be single-minded, then that’s on them.’ ‘I hear you. But people still read the papers, and there are some who believe that the town is elitist.’ Alice grimaced. ‘OK. I’ll talk to Heather. Maybe we can add some ads which focus on the 99% of our actions which address pretty much everyone.’ ‘I think it’s important. Too many people believe that they always miss out.’ Alice nodded. ‘OK. Anything else tricky?’ ‘There are questions about how much money the campaigns spend, and where the money comes from.’ ‘Don’t we publish the numbers?’ ‘Not yet. Apparently the teams don’t have time to do the bookkeeping. And a lot is decided spontaneously.’ ‘I’ll talk to Beatrice.’ ‘We already did. She says she can’t help. Her team is overstretched, and they don’t have time to recruit new people. But if someone recruits, could they have twelve more people for her?’ ‘She should have told me. Our international teams — Do we have people on our international teams who could help?’ ‘I hadn’t thought of that.’ ‘I’ll hand it to Jesse,’ Alice said and frowned. ‘But you know, don’t you? You have our numbers.’ Any pursed his lips. ‘I’m not your accountant.’ ‘Any, I know that your trust issues are as severe as mine, and while we both chose to trust each other, I know that in your heart of heart you’re afraid of me turning — and that’s why you scrutinise me and the project constantly — to keep yourself and — I hope to keep me — safe. And that’s why I know that you already have the numbers, and you would tell me if we were overspending or if there was anything dodgy going on.’ Any grimaced. ‘I’ll have the numbers sent to Beatrice. And I’ll get her more people. And you’re fine. And I’m sorry that I wasn’t honest with you. Won’t happen again.’ Alice sighed a little. ‘I hope you’ll never turn, Any.’ Any smiled. ‘I can’t. I’m the founder and the head of THE, but I, too, am bound by the THE codex. If I go rogue, I’m gone, and nothing I can do about it. And no, I can’t give you a copy of our codex. You’ll have to find your own. But when you have one, I’ll take a look, and maybe I’ll add a suggestions or two.’ Frowning, Alice returned: ‘Maybe the project needs several codices? One for us as team, to keep me and the other heads from causing harm, and one we develop during the experiment for the town.’ ‘You could start with a preliminary codex for the town. Like clay for a vase.’ Alice smiled. ‘Clay. I like that. Easy to shape. Easy to adjust.’ Any smiled and looked at his other monitor. ‘Ah, yes. I knew there was more. So on some different notes: There is a rush by businesses to get contracts with the Building Site Team for the building phase and for our new business stations.’ ‘Anything I can tell Seth?’ ‘No, Chico keeps him up-to-date from our side.’ ‘Thanks. What else?’ ‘The anti-town campaigns are increasing their reach.’ ‘Anything I can do?’ ‘Nah. All campaigns and the speeches get a lot of positive feedback. And your new counterattack team works closely with the fact-check team, and they are good.’ Alice nodded. ‘Anything else?’ ‘I received anonymous hints that several countries might move to demand to get a town built by your project, should the project succeed in the UK.’ Alice shook her head. ‘Bloody politics. I wish there was a way we could stay out of it and keep governments from using us as their beachball.’ ‘You mean the ball they keep throwing at the people they don’t like?’ ‘Exactly. By the way, do you know to which constituency Jellybridge belongs and who the MP is?’ ‘Ah, you don’t want to know. His name is Marcel Throb. He’s determined to fight the town.’ ‘And when were you going to tell me that?’ ‘You know my rule: I tell you what you need to know. Right now, you don’t need to worry about him. He isn’t influential.’ ‘Hm.’ This afternoon, the PLANTS AND FOODS DAY, organised by the YOUR POWERS CAMPAIGN dominated social media, and the following statements were in reposting loops and wildly discussed: YOUR POWER is the power to think, to envision, to question; YOUR POWER is the power to ask yourself why you do what; YOUR POWER is the power you have over your body; YOUR POWER is the power you have over your choices; YOUR POWER is the power you have to only buy what doesn’t cause harm; YOUR POWER is to only buy from companies who aren’t complicit in wars, exploitation or the like. YOUR POWER is the power you have to think about what it is you really need; YOUR POWER is the power you have to resist marketing; YOUR POWER is the power you have to plant wild plants, vegetables, fruits; YOUR POWER is the power you have to rewild the land, your roof, your balcony, you mind, your work, your life; YOUR POWER is the power to document and celebrate nature; YOUR POWER is the power to rethink pavements, facades, roofs; YOUR POWER is the power to decide to walk, go by bike, skate; YOUR POWER is the power to use public transport and trains; YOUR POWER is the power to shop fruits and vegetables with others; YOUR POWER is the power to cook. In the evening, Alice, Colin, Beatrice, Raiden, Andy and Leo met to review the application process for prospective towners. The aim was to open the applications forms directly after the site for the town was secured. Later this night, Emine sent the suggestions for a counterattack to the prosecutors, pointing out that the press conference, next day, would be suitable to announce a counter lawsuit.

© Charlie Alice Raya, book 4, building, 2025