Conversation

Thinking about this thread, and about the difference between world-facing and life-facing orientations. I've spent the short while of my adult life so far being entirely aware this was coming, but not doing anything about it.

Quote Tweet

Activists just don't get it. The shit has *completely* hit the fan, politically speaking. Just wreckage. Technology is eating away at the fabric of society at an unbelievable rate. Future shock is here. And you think *politicians* are going to fix this? Or consumer choice? Ya

Show this thread

1

2

6

There are a string of reasons: - I lack the relevant technical expertise. - I had to shore up a lot of personal problems first - My contribution would inevitably be minor But with problems this scale, we need millions of people doing *something* to gain any traction at all.

3

This Tweet was deleted by the Tweet author. Learn more

Problems like this too big for the human mind. Everything breaks down as the little network fails to comprehend the scale. I'm guessing I've been thinking about this wrong: realistically, most of us will do little. But if you can solve a real problem, even a minor one, do so.

1

1

5

Not really sure how, if any way at all, an eclectic background in linguistics and psychology can be related to these problems. Maybe they can't, maybe they can. Probably best to find out. And if not, best to do something that could.

3

1

3

Fighting for your country is a lame reason to join a war, but just about everyone who goes voluntarily and isn't a psychopath has some simpler goal. Climate change will dwarf those concerns a thousand times over for the vast majority of us. It isn't even remotely close.

1

2

I have to agree with Vinay's statement that this is a technical problem, not a political problem. Activism is very likely not the way. Conversely, technical problems don't begin and end with technical issues. There are vast networks of support structures that need tending, too.

4

2

3

Replying to

I'd suggest it's almost purely political, but standard activism won't change things fast enough. Existing corporate interests have too much control over mainstream political parties.

1

2

Replying to

Technical in the sense of where to put your weight to make any kind of difference. Politics is a sinkhole at the moment. It will change if it has to, as it always has, seeing as it's a human edifice - but not just by lame-duck stuff like voting, buying into the current system...

1

2

Replying to

and

Personally I've only barely scratched the surface of alternative methods to enact political change, so fair to that. Yet, it's pretty clear that many activists haven't even always scratched the surface of *established* methods, so it doesn't seem like much help. Rather opposite.

1

1

Replying to

and

Slowly coming around to the idea that I've always been able to do something useful, just that it won't be saving the world or some other narcissistic fantasy. Maybe that's on the table for us in the future, but there's a lot of practical work to do in order to get there.

9:25 AM · Oct 13, 2018Twitter Web Client

Replying to

Very true. All our stories are about heroes who save the day, so we either feel incompetent or wait for a saviour, rather than just doing all the things that need doing. I've fallen at least a little into that trap.

1

1