I moved away from “left” activism before it shifted fully into wokism and long before the word “Covid” entered our daily vocabulary. More recently, as I spoke out against lockdowns, masks, jabs, and all that, I reached a new audience and made new friends.
Was talking to a new aquaintance today who is on the same important page about little girs not getting dbl mastectomies etc only to find out she loves Rachel Maddow.
There's a "surplus elite" issue in activism and the wannabes tend to recapitulate the same pathological set of social relations that exists in the broader political economy. It seems to me that it's largely a waste of time to attempt reforming that. Small, flexible, locally-aware efforts that include some direct relief are a better bet as organizational models. If they can coordinate a bit, or even just share info, all to the good.
To me, an activist is a man or woman who finds a piece that fits into a puzzle and shares that connection with others. The problem is there are many more pieces to fit, in completing the puzzle and no one on earth ever completes life's puzzle. We can only hope for a partial image we may frame and hang on our wall for other activists to see, judge and perhaps adopt.
Activism is an artform for life in the gallery of good intensions.
I consider any random Amish person (or Hutterite or Mennonite) to be more of an activist than the rest. How this must look to all of them who have rejected so much '$cience' in favor of Simple. I hope they all managed to avoid the jabs.
Yes, the "purity tests" seem to always breed toxicity. Love your reference to Dylan "losing his purity" going from acoustic to electric -- almost 60 years ago. That caused a frenzy of friends "eating each other" at the Newport Folk Festival and following (sure, smaller scale than today and other dramas, but basically the same dynamics).
"... of the “activists” I’ve met in this time period, I find many of them to be virtually indistinguishable from the “activists” I fled years ago."
I stopped attending protests last year for this very reason Mickey.
Moreover: Many of the people I brushed up against were clearly off their meds, or paranoid to the max. (Behaviour. Signage. Etc.)
Haven't found my lost tribe. Not to sound pessimistic but lately: "I vant to be alone".
Am I destined to be a solitary old gypsy until the day I draw my last breath? Maybe.
I still remain hopeful however as the plandemic years plod by, I find myself not merely enduring my cancerian, hermit crab-like, reclusive existence, but preferring it to alternatives.
Being human, around other human beings, is no longer something I regularly choose to do.
Your remarks bring back memories of when I was at university in Washington DC during the heyday of the massive protests of the Vietnam war and all forms of social injustice. While I’ll never forget the giant March on November 15, 1969 (which came to an abrupt halt when I got hit with a shot of tear gas), the moment that was most defiant was when I was arrested protesting the draft during the weeklong May Day events where the message was if the government won’t stop the war, we’ll stop the government.
For a peace lover and love freak like myself, it was always about the feelings of coming together for a greater cause while we forced change whether people wanted it or not.
But after a while, it became apparent that so many of the peace folks were not really very peaceful and some were downright belligerent and intolerant. So this all led me to a path of self discovery, being mindful and heartfelt at the same time.
So after taking an alternative path for 50 years, I’ve come full circle, only this time the message that we are talking about is far more urgent. And I’m finding the people involved to be some of the brightest and most honorable I’ve ever met. Hopefully the differences among those drawn to freedom, medical and all else, will not tear us apart. There’s way more that can be gained by accepting ourselves for who and what we have in common. But to be in this battle for the soul of humanity, it’s important that someone checks their ego at the door. That’s my little rant for the day.
Was talking to a new aquaintance today who is on the same important page about little girs not getting dbl mastectomies etc only to find out she loves Rachel Maddow.
Thoreau said it i think. I know but......Maddow? 😄
There's a "surplus elite" issue in activism and the wannabes tend to recapitulate the same pathological set of social relations that exists in the broader political economy. It seems to me that it's largely a waste of time to attempt reforming that. Small, flexible, locally-aware efforts that include some direct relief are a better bet as organizational models. If they can coordinate a bit, or even just share info, all to the good.
To me, an activist is a man or woman who finds a piece that fits into a puzzle and shares that connection with others. The problem is there are many more pieces to fit, in completing the puzzle and no one on earth ever completes life's puzzle. We can only hope for a partial image we may frame and hang on our wall for other activists to see, judge and perhaps adopt.
Activism is an artform for life in the gallery of good intensions.
Yep, this unity thing is idealism.
https://miriaf.co.uk/do-i-want-to-divide-the-movement-absolutely/
Also, even on Jimmy dore, Madea Benjamin quoted MLK that if everyone agrees in the movement, it's not big enough.
I consider any random Amish person (or Hutterite or Mennonite) to be more of an activist than the rest. How this must look to all of them who have rejected so much '$cience' in favor of Simple. I hope they all managed to avoid the jabs.
Yes, the "purity tests" seem to always breed toxicity. Love your reference to Dylan "losing his purity" going from acoustic to electric -- almost 60 years ago. That caused a frenzy of friends "eating each other" at the Newport Folk Festival and following (sure, smaller scale than today and other dramas, but basically the same dynamics).
Make big changes in you, and the world will notice. It all starts with you.
Mickey you have the gift of "insight". ❤
"... of the “activists” I’ve met in this time period, I find many of them to be virtually indistinguishable from the “activists” I fled years ago."
I stopped attending protests last year for this very reason Mickey.
Moreover: Many of the people I brushed up against were clearly off their meds, or paranoid to the max. (Behaviour. Signage. Etc.)
Haven't found my lost tribe. Not to sound pessimistic but lately: "I vant to be alone".
Am I destined to be a solitary old gypsy until the day I draw my last breath? Maybe.
I still remain hopeful however as the plandemic years plod by, I find myself not merely enduring my cancerian, hermit crab-like, reclusive existence, but preferring it to alternatives.
Being human, around other human beings, is no longer something I regularly choose to do.
Ok, back to your article.
“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”
Krishnamurti
Your remarks bring back memories of when I was at university in Washington DC during the heyday of the massive protests of the Vietnam war and all forms of social injustice. While I’ll never forget the giant March on November 15, 1969 (which came to an abrupt halt when I got hit with a shot of tear gas), the moment that was most defiant was when I was arrested protesting the draft during the weeklong May Day events where the message was if the government won’t stop the war, we’ll stop the government.
For a peace lover and love freak like myself, it was always about the feelings of coming together for a greater cause while we forced change whether people wanted it or not.
But after a while, it became apparent that so many of the peace folks were not really very peaceful and some were downright belligerent and intolerant. So this all led me to a path of self discovery, being mindful and heartfelt at the same time.
So after taking an alternative path for 50 years, I’ve come full circle, only this time the message that we are talking about is far more urgent. And I’m finding the people involved to be some of the brightest and most honorable I’ve ever met. Hopefully the differences among those drawn to freedom, medical and all else, will not tear us apart. There’s way more that can be gained by accepting ourselves for who and what we have in common. But to be in this battle for the soul of humanity, it’s important that someone checks their ego at the door. That’s my little rant for the day.