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Blackout the System: What, Why, and How
- Meridith Byrne
- Sep 4
- 3 min read
From Worker to Worker
Strip away the titles, the side hustles, the brands: we are workers. And workers are the backbone of this nation.
We keep the schools running, the warehouses stocked, the code written, the care given, the wheels turning. And what do we get in return? The already-wealthy rake in record profits while telling us to “tighten our belts.” Corporations that not only exploit our labor but actively pit us against each other like it’s the Hunger Games.
No, thank you.
What Exactly Is Blackout the System?
The upcoming Blackout the System protest (September 16–20, 2025) is a collective refusal to play along. It’s a five-day economic and labor blackout that says loud and clear: the people will not yield their power—not to an autocrat, not to an oligarchy, not to robber barons in new suits.
Think of it as a distributed protest. Instead of one big march in one city, it’s millions of us quietly, stubbornly pulling our weight off the system all at once. Less working. Less spending. Less traveling. Less feeding the beast.
Even if you can’t commit to all five days, September 17 (Constitution Day) is the one to circle in red. Show up for that, and you’re part of the wave.
Why We’re Doing This
Because we are America’s workers—the backbone of this nation. Our labor keeps the schools open, the shelves stocked, the care delivered, the lights on. Yet billionaires and corporations profit from that labor while pitting us against each other, convincing us that our exhaustion is normal and our struggles are our fault—or worse, each other’s fault, to keep us bickering.
The great American abolitionist Frederick Douglass warned us long ago: “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” He knew the truth—that the limits of tyrants are set by the endurance of the people they oppress.
This blackout is that demand. It’s a refusal to submit quietly. It’s a reminder that without us, nothing runs. Not to an autocrat, not to an oligarchy, not to robber barons in new suits—we will not yield our power.
How to Participate (Without Tanking Your Life)
Not everyone can go full hermit for five days. That’s okay. The point isn’t to ruin yourself; it’s to join in at the level you can. Here some options:
Go All In
No work, no spending, no projects, no errands. Treat it like a five-day digital detox, but in addition to enlightenment, you’re contributing to mass disruption.
One-Day Stand
If that’s too much, prioritize September 17. Call in, slow down, or simply spend nothing that day.
Workplace Judo
If you have to be at work:
Work to Rule: Do only what’s in your job description. No unpaid “above and beyond.”
Go Slow: Take your time. Approach every task is Ikea furniture assembly.
Shirk Lightly: Show up, but do the bare minimum. (If you’re already doing that, congrats, you’re ahead of the curve.)
Financial Pressure Points
Delay purchases until after the blackout.
Pull your money from major banks if you can.
Cancel subscriptions you’ve been meaning to ditch anyway. (Looking at you, streaming service you never use.)
Support small, local, cooperative businesses on non-blackout days.
Symbolic Solidarity
Black out your social media for the week.
Share posts, stickers, or conversations to spread the word.
Host or join community events—swap skills, tools, or even just stories instead of dollars.
No one’s asking you to tank your job or skip rent. The point is to make a dent together. Even a partial slowdown matters if enough people do it. Think of it like a stadium wave. One person standing up looks weird. But when thousands stand at once? You feel it.
Closing Thought
Blackout the System is about refusal to keep feeding a system that works against us. Refusal to stay silent while billionaires and politicians pretend our exhaustion is “normal.” So whether you take five full days, one symbolic day, or a handful of smaller actions, you’re adding your voice to a chorus that says: we deserve better.
The System isn't America, the politicians aren't America, the pundits aren't America.
We are America. And there's power in knowing that even if the machine pretends to ignore the people, we banded together and flipped it a massive bird.
What actions will you take? I'd love to hear from you in the comments.