BREAKING: “Awareness” is Overrated
To follow is a slightly edited version of something I wrote about 15 YEARS AGO. My worldview has shifted in many ways since then but, sadly, that doesn’t change the relevance of this article even one tiny bit.
“Analysis brings no curative powers in its train.” (Henry Miller)
Awareness (noun): knowledge or perception of a situation or fact; concern about and well-informed interest in a particular situation or development
Everywhere we hear about the need to raise “awareness.” So much so, that awareness has become the goal — an end, in and of itself.
If only we were conscious of “what's going on” or whatever else it is we need to recognize, it seems most folks would be mighty satisfied.
My sincere question: When exactly does all this awareness translate into authentic solidarity, productive action, and tangible change?
“I expected to die,” Huey Newton of the Black Panther Party once said. “At no time before the trial did I expect to escape with my life. Yet being executed in the gas chamber did not necessarily mean defeat. It could be one more step to bring the community to a higher level of consciousness.”
Did anyone break the news to Huey that his execution would have done nothing more than create another t-shirt icon?
The list of literal and figurative martyrs across the ideological spectrum grows but the omnicidal dominant human culture remains. We’ve (allegedly) raised our consciousness but where are the results?
We’re aware of the ubiquitous oppression/repression/depression.
We know about it. We talk about it. We write about it.
We complain about it. We hold meetings, talks, seminars, and classes about it.
We share two-hour Rumble videos about it.
We march about it. We make signs about it.
We post about it endlessly on social media echo chambers like Substack.
We can all practically predict what the parasites will do next.
Yet, what has changed in a positive way?
Lesson #1: Awareness is overrated
Lesson #2: The current patterns of “activism” are way overdue for re-evaluation and a complete overhaul.
The Powers That Shouldn’t Be long ago figured out how to either marginalize or co-opt dissent. Until our tactics evolve and much bigger connections (between concepts and comrades) are made, we all remain accomplices to the perpetual crime we call civilization.
Think bigger.
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. … I will show you my faith by my deeds. (James 2:14-18)
Translation: Awareness means nothing without action.
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this makes me think of a friend who was aware of a leaking roof. But doing nothing about it, finally the roof ended in the bath tub. So much for awareness.
Well said. So much of the raising awareness project looks like a tar pit of fallacies. I look back on my own efforts and cringe. Some of what I was doing was a form of self-flattery. Not a good thing!