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Sunday, July 15, 2018

Problematic Poltical Self Pity & Twittervism Consolation

I don't have an essay in me today. Figured out something of a promise or hypothesis for the essay I've been working on for a little more than ten years. Sadly an article that might help me reach more clarity on a couple concepts has an abstract I can see online, but I can't find the actual article. I guess I'll just need to use an article that has a reference to the original article and may have information that supports my argument. I find how access to information can affect the progress of knowledge and content of knowledge both frustrating and fascinating.

The last few weeks to months I've vacillated to understand my relationship to political activism and protestation, no matter the form it all takes. Lately I've felt overwhelmed by the information and the opportunities out there, trying to decide what groups to associate and align myself with. . .while trying to live day to day.

The day-to-day part feels like the problematic part to me. With the exception of being ultra rich, ultra influential, and/or ultra charismatic, I tick off most of the other categories of privilege (honestly, I wonder if I have some kind of physiological part of me that I don't fully understand that affects my level of charisma, because sometimes I can be extroverted and quite enjoyable while at other times, I'm quiet and become something of a "good listener", but that's beside the point).

I even feel privileged by my geographical location in Chicago. For the most part when it comes to the serious issues, my US elected officials stand for what I stand for. Calling Senator Durbin, Senator Duckworth, or Congressman Quigley feels like a waste of our time because it just feels like I'm saying, "I like what you're doing on this issue, keep doing it." Liking and retweeting their tweets feels more efficient.

A part of me feels like I have some amount of noblesse oblige to meet, though I can't figure out how to best direct my energies and find it overwhelming to figure out how. The problematic part comes from feeling like it is overwhelming and that I have the luxury to choose, but I find that I don't choose and don't act because I feel overwhelmed by it all. Joining groups on social media to keep up with them and seeing what I can do just feels like piling more and more information on top of each other to overwhelm me even more.

So I don't know. I guess part of me wants it to be more personal, which feels dumb since I have the level of privilege that I have. That's why my feelings strike me as problematic. It shouldn't be about me, as I'm doing fine and arguably, I have nothing at risk and have little under threat. I feel ashamed about my empathy not pushing me into more action. Sure, donating money to worthy causes to fight voter suppression, to support candidates that will fight for justice and humaneness, and to increase promotion of civic motivation does help and does something. Maybe my social media presence and blog essays have some influence on the people who follow me.

I still feel like I should do more. I will keep trying to push myself to do more. Maybe this hot hot summer makes things THAT oppressive, but again, other people get out there to make their voices heard and take action in the extreme heat (though plenty of people protested yesterday in the South Side, though that was more spontaneous and I don't know how welcome I would have been there).

Maybe like my physiological charisma issue I mentioned in paranthesis above, my problem comes from an energy issue that I could address with better care of myself. I know I don't get enough sleep, even though I eat well and I get plenty of exercise. I have so many things on my mind that just have to do with me, my ambitions, my day-to-day maintenance (when many in the world have much more work to do just for maintenance, let along pursue ambitions) that just figuring out what do from one minute to the next can get overwhelming.

Which feels all too privileged, liking I'm playing the smallest violin in the world.

So I'll end the self pity and provide some Twittervism:








































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Posted by The_Lex at 7:59 PM

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