Activism, making a difference (was Re: Stray kitten)

[Guest guest]

We can also learn from " normal " people, in that we can sometimes do

things clunkily, sense-of-logic alone. For example, in my 11th and

12th grade years in high school, I became overly concerned about

indoor air pollution and chemical contamination. To a point, that is

logical. But it is so dose dependent, that if it's not a regular

ongoing basis, like an occupational setting, it's really not going to

amount to a hill of beans.

So we need to add sense-of-context, sense of flow. If it feels like

an overall good idea, if it helps to build a team, build a community.

(I still get disappointed that people aren't interested in questions

of societal justice.)

-Doug

>

> I think I know what you're talking about. If you go door-to-door

with

> a petition, for example, or set up a table at a community venue,

doing

> it as politely as you can, as positively as you, getting a few

people

> who are supportive at the beginning, for activism by oneself can be

> lonely, lonely work.

>

> People will feel put upon, people will feel you are asking them to

> take on one more obligation in an already over-stretched life.

>

> Combined that with people not being good at serious topics to begin

> with, and people not being at all comfortable questioning

institutions

> (which has to be one of the biggest surprises of my life!).

>

> . . . It's an uphill struggle. Requiring an ample sense of humor.

>

> And I know I should say " most people " or " many people " and remain

open

> to all the good in people--myself fully included!--but at times it

> does wear me down.

>

> I was an anti-war activist during the first Gulf War way back in

> 1990-91, and overall it was pretty disappointing, even my fellow

> activists. It seemed, in retrospect, that many were overly on-guard

> regarding " weird " people (like me!). And so when I wanted to talk

> about philosophy and academic theories of ethics, which was one of

my

> big interests at the time, that was usually not well received, even

> though I thought it fit in very well with our topic at hand.

>

> -Doug

>