The Architecture of the Common:
Breaking the Pyramid:
A Presentation for the Global Solidarity Movement with the Zapatista Communities:
Friends, family, and sisters and brothers of the Americanas Zapatistas:
A Presentation of Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés’ 2025 Address:
Imagine a pyramid.
At the very top, a single point of power. In most of our world—in our governments, our corporations, and even our families—this is the only shape we know. We are told that to be successful is to climb; to be "right" is to be the one at the peak, isolated and deaf to the world below.
But on December 30, 2025, Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés stood before the Zapatista communities and offered a different geometry [01:26].
He spoke of a radical shift from the individual to "El Común"—the Common. This isn't just a political theory; it is a lived experiment in survival and dignity that has lessons for every one of us, from the mountains of Southeast Mexico to the urban centers of the Americas.
1. The Power of the Negative
Moisés begins with a simple, yet revolutionary, electrical metaphor: the battery. To have light, you need both a positive and a negative pole. In the Zapatista struggle, the "positive" is our progress, our "we are doing well." But the "negative" is the critique, the voice that tells us what we are missing or what we are doing wrong [01:55].
For those of us in solidarity movements, the temptation is to always look for the "win." But Moisés reminds us that if we stay at the "top of the pyramid," only listening to our own praise, we fail. True autonomy requires the "Negative"—the humility to listen, to smell, and to imagine alongside others [02:54].
2. The New Generation: Laboratories of Freedom
One of the most moving parts of this address is the focus on the youth. For decades, the Zapatista roles were clear: Insurgent, Militia, or Support Base. But today, the youth are demanding more. They are becoming ultrasound technicians, dental workers, artists, and environmentalists [08:13].
This isn't just professional development; it is an evolution of freedom. Moisés shares stories of young people challenging their parents—old Zapatistas—to let them serve the community in new ways [11:45].
They are moving from a struggle defined by "taking up arms" to a struggle defined by "taking up the common good." They are inventing their own futures, designing their own paths, and proving that the movement is not a relic of the past, but a living, breathing laboratory [10:05].
3. Practicing: "El Común"
What does "The Common" look like in practice? It is the rejection of private property in favor of shared life. Moisés describes communities coming together to experiment—not competing to see who earns more, but collaborating to see what works best for the collective [15:41].
Whether it is a cornfield, a fish pond, or a bakery, the goal is "rendición de cuenta" (accountability) to the assembly [15:29].
Crucially, "El Común" is not an exclusive club. Moisés recounts the construction of a communal hospital where non-Zapatistas—people of different religions and political parties—came to work [19:29].
When an outsider asked if they had to become Zapatistas to help, the answer was a firm "No." [20:33].
"The Zapatistas are not recruiting followers;
they are building a world,
where everyone can live with dignity,
regardless of their label."
4. The Weight of Memory:
Finally, Moisés grounds this communal hope in the "digna rabia"—the dignified rage—that connects all of Mexico. He speaks directly to the 43 students of Ayotzinapa and their families [01:03:21].
Ten years later, while others have used their pain for political gain, the Zapatistas remain steadfast. They understand that there can be no true "transformation" in a country that refuses to heal its deepest wounds [01:05:08].
To seek justice is a communal act;
to remember is a form of resistance.
Conclusion: For Everyone, Everything
To our brothers and sisters in the Americanas Zapatistas, this video is a mirror and a compass. Moisés reminds us that "Para todos todo, para nosotros nada" (For everyone everything, for ourselves nothing) has evolved [23:43].
It is now: For everyone, everything, in common [24:05].
The path is not easy. It involves long assemblies, exhaustion, and the difficult work of reaching consensus [58:01].
But it is the only path that leads away from the pyramid. As you watch this video and reflect on your own local struggles, ask yourselves: How can we build "The Common" in our own geographies? How can we listen to the "Negative" to improve our "Positive"?
The revolution is not a destination; it is the practice of sharing the world.
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