I can’t count how many stories I’ve written about proposed data centers and the fear it delivers to those living in the small towns (always the small ones) where these behemoths may land.

The big selling point is that they will bring jobs. This is worse than Black Lung at those old coal mines. Now we have this thing, that sucks so much water it will surely kill people. When will we wake up and see that data centers will take our water, suck our land dry, dot our land with hideous looking buildings, and I might add, always in the most beautiful rural areas. If you have no water, or tainted, dirty water, you have nothing.

Generally speaking, people living in these places can’t move, they’re homeowners who have spent their life savings living somewhere they can be left alone, self-sufficient, and afford life. Then to have their land infiltrated by capitalism on steroids. Do you want to discuss socialism, or the latest trope, communism, or do you want to discuss the horror show that capitalism has become?

Capitalism is by definition “an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and its use for the purpose of obtaining profit”. Hey I created a company that I profit from, but I pay most of what I make to the people who work for the company, and a huge chunk to the government of this country, and another to the state where I live. Communism is, by definition: “a socioeconomic classless order centered on common ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange that allocates products in society based on need”. Sounds good to me, except the part where it’s divvied up – based on need. Who decides our need? Then there’s Socialism: “social ownership, instead of private, for the means of production. Social ownership can take various forms, including public, community, collective, cooperative, or employee”. I mean, I like to be led, but I don’t think it’s fair for anyone except those elected, to vote with their colleagues (who hopefully are not bought and sold to the highest bidder) on our behalves. I personally vote against the wealthy deciding what the poorest should get. Many people seem quite confused about Socialism.

I used to say that I was numb to the stories I was writing, that violence, and bloody violence could no longer penetrate me. It was just the stories of violence against tiny animals or tiny humans that continued to stay with me. But this is so different. In yoga we call it “ahimsa” do no harm. I learned this in journalism too, and don’t doctors also learn this, “first do no harm”? This story continues to haunt me daily, as I learn more.

What are we doing? So, we’re just going to hand over human jobs to the richest humans so they can get richer? We’re handing human work to machines with no regard for how our humans will survive? There’s no restitution, no plan for us, and worse, nobody seems to care if they suck up our water, destroy our land and take our careers so the 1% can get richer. Not to mention, they have no well thought out plan to pay the low-income folks for the use of their land as a trash can.

I know, it’s dramatic, but let’s really look at this.

Let’s also take their healthcare, and lately, let’s also take the aid we give them to get their meds after they get sick. Then feed them a slow, sorrowful, bitter death.

**the opinions of this column are just that, opinions.