My new name for a blog….
One of my pet peeves has long been a certain strain of defeatism. Understandably we all feel defeated at times, but there’s a certain kind of defeatist out there on the internets, people who spend most of their time chastising others for thinking it’s possible to have any influence and attacking the “stupidity” of those who even bother to try. Maybe those people are right. Maybe there never is anything to be done. But if that’s the case, get a new goddamn hobby. It’s rather odd to spend all your time following political news and blogs if the only reason to do it is to provide justification for your view that All Is Lost. Just go out and have some fun instead.
Except I disagree with the go have fun instead line. I think Americans are entirely too addicted to going and having fun at the expense of the country and the rest of the world. We all need to start giving a shit about what’s going on around us and becoming aware. The American habit of sleep-walking through life is really beginning to bother me. A lot.
But there is no point to being defeatist. What we say and do does make a difference. It does influence the people around us, even if they just tell us to shut up already, or decide not to read our blogs anymore or whatever. It plants the seed for more critical thinking of the world around them, even as they cover their ears and shout, “I’m not listening! La la la!” If nothing else, they’ve become aware of their own denial. And that is an important step to changing hearts and minds.
Never be afraid to say what you’re thinking. You may think better of it and decide not to say it, but you shouldn’t be “afraid” to say it. And you shouldn’t be afraid that what you think and say has no influence – it does.
One Response
I say what I think reasonably often about “important” issues. I ain’t gonna quit.