the most egregious example I can think of is antiwork in reddit. Posters there love to rant against companies, but they also give good advice regarding laws in different states and is a good source to deal with micromanagers and toxic workplaces.
But it’s like they simply don’t think that reddit is making money with every post they write. It’s like they’re working for the enemy they so much despise, a large corporation.
It baffles me that people keep posting there. Is the fediverse alternative really that bad?
I’m also a realist. Yes, it would be great to be post scarcity and live like they do in Star Trek. That’s not going to happen any time soon. We can work that way, bit by bit, but it’s not going to happen. Not this year, not in the next decade, not in the next century.
I fought for gay marriage rights 10 years ago, attended protests, went to town halls and talked with my senators, did the whole thing, and we’re still here talking about it now. States are still trying to roll it back, and if Roe v. Wade told us anything it’s that it’s still not done. I will be lucky if in my life I see that one single item get codified into law.
Upending the world’s entire socio-economic system? Get real, there’s no way that’s happening. Now, as I mentioned in other comments - if you have real, tangible, actionable items to work on - written down goals in order of priority - that can get done.
This is my main problem as a democrat. We get too caught up in high lofty goals and then we all get scatterbrained on what we can actually do. Take the entire BLM movement with George Floyd. There was a moment we could have all collectively said “This is what we want, we want _________”. But people couldn’t decide on one thing. They wanted the entire system changed. If they had chosen one thing, say demilitarization of police - it probably could have happened.
So I say again, as a grizzled, old, very tired democrat. Choose actionable realistic items to focus on. I don’t care what they are. Mandatory health insurance. Retirement for all. Shortened work days. Pick one, focus on that, and you can make it happen. If you keep your message as “The entire system needs to be thrown out and redone” you won’t see anything done.
The protest against George Floyd’s murder did have an explicit call to action: defund the police and diversify those funds into social work and alleviating poverty to prevent the need for crime.
Well said. It’s easy enough to say you are unhappy with pay, benefits, or working conditions. Complain about the plights of capitalism. Or say you just don’t want to work, period.
There’s a mountain in between here and there. And the path is well defended by the rich and powerful. It’s going to take a lot of work to have less work.