nickwitha_k comments on TIL No Kings Protests were the 3rd Largest in US History

[–] nickwitha_k@lemmy.sdf.org 10 points 1 year ago (3 children)

As others pointed out, there's major structural issues. There's also issues with apathy and people buying into the anti-electoralism/accelerationism con with religious ferver.

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[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's not hard to be anti-electoral when elections don't seem to ever fucking work

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[–] nickwitha_k@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You're not wrong but, that's really the trap that many of us on the Left hand fallen for. It takes a long time to build things and make positive changes in the face of resistance from moneyed interests. Leftists refusing to participate in every election, including primaries, is a good part of how we got here in the first place. Non-voters are the largest bloc and, with surveys consistently showing Left-of-Center policies to be popular with the populace overall, it's safe to assume that the Overton window could be dragged to a better place if they bothered to participate and participate consistently in a calculated manner.

It is absolutely infuriating, indeed, to see all efforts being for nought, though. In less than a year, almost a century of progress has been undone and that would not have been possible if people had been voting stategically. At this point, I'm certain that things will not get appreciably better in my lifetime.

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[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 1 point 1 year ago* (1 child)

And if things won’t get better, why bother?

I’ve been voting as much as possible and doing the other things for a quarter century and we’ve always gotten further from what I’m hoping for.

I wasted all that time and money and stress and have nothing to show for it.

Politics is dumb and people are terrible. I want to leave the planet.

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[–] nickwitha_k@lemmy.sdf.org 1 point 1 year ago

You've got extremely valid feelings. Mine are quite similar. I do find myself asking "what's the fucking point?" far more often than I'd like.

Rather like the classic "what's the meaning of life?", I don't think that anyone can answer that for anyone else. For me, it's a love of my fellow human beings and belief that, based upon historical evidence, authoritarianism's grip on society always crumbles. It might take a World War, or it may take centuries of insurgency, but it is inevitable. In order for that to happen, people need to experience kindness and empathy. And people need to be willing to be builders, rather than just violent fighters (every society founded in violence and bloodshed has been vulnerable to authoritarians coopting the movement). So, I keep pushing because it might help others when I'm gone. Hell, maybe it will help lead to the cultural and psychological changes necessary to approach the anarchic society of my ideals (I don't think I'll ever directly have that much influence or desire it but every small bit helps).

And there's also spite. Authoritarians of all flavors are fundamentally cruel douchebags and the current ones are exceptionally stupid to boot (and revel in their anti-intellectualism). Continued resistance and standing up for people and showing them kindness really gets under their skin and I'm a big fan of that.

Politics is dumb and people are terrible. I want to leave the planet.

Yup. Me too buddy. Me too.

I might suggest, if you're able, looking about for local (non-political) nonprofit orgs to see if there are any that really align with what you think is important. Helping others in a tangible manner can really help to stave off apathy.