Meditativism—Reflective, Embodied, and Applied—As a Path to Reclaiming Agency
When we think of Private Equity State Capitalism, we often picture Wall Street deals, corporate boardrooms, and the privatization of public goods. But this system isn’t just reshaping institutions—it’s reaching into our bodies and controlling the most intimate aspects of our lives. The commodification of human experience doesn’t stop at public services. It extends to health, reproductive choices, and even personal data.
Bodily Autonomy
At its core, bodily autonomy means having the right to make decisions about your body—your health, your reproductive choices, your time, and your labor. But in the age of financialized governance, even these personal freedoms are under siege. Private equity firms aren’t just buying hospitals and data platforms—they’re buying control over you.
Healthcare
Healthcare is no longer just about access; it’s about profit extraction at every step. Have you ever felt your doctor focused more on insurance billing codes than your well-being? That’s not just bad service—it’s a symptom of a system where there’s capital optimization over care. When private equity firms take over hospitals, they often cut staff, reduce services, and prioritize high-revenue procedures. Your health becomes a balance sheet calculation, and your autonomy erodes.
Reproductive Rights
Or consider reproductive rights. The same system that turns healthcare into a commodity also works to restrict reproductive choices, not because it’s efficient, but because controlling reproduction is a powerful way to shape labor markets and social hierarchies. The less control you have over your body, the more power the system has over your economic choices.
Commodification of Data
Even in the digital realm, bodily autonomy faces threats. Health apps, fitness trackers, and social media platforms collect data on your body’s rhythms, habits, and vulnerabilities. Your data, packaged and sold, influences your insurance rates, job opportunities, and personal freedoms.
Your body has become a commodity – a profit center.
Meditativism comes in here.
Meditativism isn’t just about sitting quietly or seeking inner peace. It’s about connecting inner clarity with purposeful action. It’s about using moment-by-moment awareness to recognize how these systems invade and control our bodies and then taking intentional steps to reclaim our agency.
Reflective Meditativism asks us to notice the ways we experience control over our bodies. Where do we feel agency? Where do we feel restriction?
Embodied Meditativism helps us sense how these forces manifest physically—through tension, anxiety, or resistance.
Applied Meditativism turns awareness into action. It means setting boundaries with the healthcare system, advocating for public health policies, and protecting digital privacy. It also means supporting reproductive justice and resisting corporate control of our bodies.
Liberation begins with awareness. Freedom starts when we recognize that our bodies are not just vessels someone optimizes for their gain. Empowerment happens when we reclaim control over our health, choices, and lives.
So, how are you feeling in your body today? What small and large steps can we take together to reclaim it?