One thing we hear a lot about these days is talk of the need for community, connection, our shared values, shared culture, our place as a people.

Having moments that support and encourage community, connection, belonging, of being in a place you feel safe, secure and loved.

And I agree that these are the things that are the cement that keeps us as a civilisation, a society,  functioning.

But for this to be a part of a society, to be a part of a community, there must be places where these things can grow, these things can occur naturally, organically, like finding people you can be friends with, finding those with shared interests, shared values, having places to be with them, not burdened by ticket prices, cover charges, entrance fees.

Once upon a time you would hang out with friends, hang out with people in public squares, public parks, the shared spaces of a culture that allowed the free movement and assembly of people, allowed people to gather, to converse, to connect.

But these days, these sort of places rarely exit as they did, and if they survive, they are made inhospitable at best, overpoliced and controlled at worst.

Because people gathering, naturally, organically, without a ticket, without paying a fee, is now seen to be more dangerous than Billionaires controlling our food, air and water.

You see without theses spaces, without ensuring these moments of connecting, of communion within our community, that can be both organised and spontaneous, everything we know, that we rely on as a species, begins to break down, all the interconnections we rarely think about let alone truly comprehend, begin to disappear, and engender chaos, despair and destruction.

There are those who deride and belittle the need for these spaces, the need for these moments and occasions, those that would eliminate their existence, their need, their benefits, do not understand, have never truly felt that connection, that place of belonging.

For many of those that oppose these shared spaces, oppose free and fair gatherings, oppose supporting people to connect and commune, oppose anything that give the people a freedom to connect, organise, allow themselves to be heard as a community, these spaces, these connections, are seen as a threat, to their vision of society, of civilisation, but most importantly their influence and power.

We not only must encourage, cherish and protect these shared spaces, need them to be open and free, but most importantly protect ourselves from the influence of their opponents, as well as pity these poor people, who appear to not only not understand, but are bereft of the great benefits of being thinking, feeling and caring human beings.

Marissa Klotzbucher - Thoughts and Comments for Public Consumption