A fixation on system change alone opens the door to a kind of cynical self-absolution that divorces personal commitment from political belief. This is its own kind of false consciousness, one that threatens to create a cheapened climate politics incommensurate with this urgent moment.

[…]

Because here’s the thing: When you choose to eat less meat or take the bus instead of driving or have fewer children, you are making a statement that your actions matter, that it’s not too late to avert climate catastrophe, that you have power. To take a measure of personal responsibility for climate change doesn’t have to distract from your political activism—if anything, it amplifies it.

  • teolan@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    10
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    3 months ago

    Voting isn’t going to do shit.

    Get involved. Protest. Refuse to work for terrible companies. Convince the people around you to protest and vote.

    • mojo_raisin@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      7
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      3 months ago

      Voting isn’t going to do shit.

      Voting can buy us time and keep us a situation more conducive to making changes outside the electoral system. Protesting under a fascist regime is a good way to get a life sentence, get deported, or put on a blacklist.

      • grrgyle@slrpnk.net
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        3 months ago

        I would amend the quote to say “voting alone isn’t going to do shit.” IMO without direct action it’s just a slower slide into fascism.

        Agreeing with both of you basically. I just don’t want anyone thinking that voting on its own is sufficient to address the problems we’re seeing

      • socsa@piefed.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        3 months ago

        Voting is literally a require to enact meaningful change in the long term. At no point has change in a western society come from a protest movement being given carte blanche to create new laws. The protest movement creates awareness, shifts the Overton window and causes people to elect a government which passes new laws.

    • dillekant@slrpnk.net
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      3 months ago

      Voting isn’t going to do shit.

      Convince the people around you to protest and vote.

      Which is it?

      • teolan@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        3 months ago

        Voting by itself doesn’t do shit. Organizing and convincing people to vote based on an issue does.