Not looking to start a debate, and as an anarchist I’ve come to a pretty solid conclusion that election isn’t going to fix anything, but I also see the point that Trump and his supporters are more extreme fascists than the obvious fascist currently in office.
But it’s not like we have time to deal with incremental change like the liberals think. Our planet is dying, people are being killed, tortured, imprisoned, and displaced by our current leadership and system. So how can I validate that?
I’d love to hear some thoughts because I honestly don’t know what to do.
Keep in mind I’ve had family deported under Biden who continues to double down on his support for border fascism and his dissemination of the myth of a “border crisis.” Keep in mind that people may have friends and loved ones who’ve died or been displaced in Palestine due to Biden’s support for the genocidal state of Israel.
And please avoid telling me that Trump is un-American or that he wants to destroy America, because that honestly sounds like you’re heaping praise on him.
I’d like to know how/if you think I should vote, but also what more urgent action we can take because we’re not going to make it at this rate, no matter which rich white dude ends up in office.
This thread is open to share your perspective. Just don’t be an asshole, please.
As long as our voting system functions the way it does, I will always vote for the candidate that pays the most lip service to human decency. They get bonus points if their opponents are out and out nationalists.
I dont believe we will be voting our way out of this system, I don’t know that there is much I can do about it but I try to focus on helping the people in my community when I see the opportunity. I hope to find myself soon somewhere that enough like minded people can come together to carve out a safe existence.
I think the only way to end the current power structure is to take power from it, and I am not comfortable with the prospect in the current climate.
Thank you for sharing your perspective. I’m tending to agree. It seems pretty hopeless to convince people they’ve been had when the majority believe the state propaganda. I too have considered the idea of starting a community with others and trying to save as many people as we can, but I feel like we’d have to relocate, which would require resources I lack.
same
To me voting is kind of irrelevant because the people in power are the capitalists and it doesn’t really matter who you choose as their representative. I do vote but I don’t hold any value to it. If I were in the US I’d vote 3rd party because my values just do not allow me to vote for someone who actively supports a genocide.
I find more value in creating a strong leftist community that includes mutual aid and political activism. Historically disruptive activism has achieved more than elections so I like to spend the limited energy I have to activism.
I see that a lot of people around me don’t feel any responsibility towards volunteering work and helping their own community, because the liberalist ideal we grow up with is that self growth implies community growth (???). So I try to give the people around me the opportunity to see the value in volunteering and creating a stronger community. Unions are honestly the best place for this because they actively improve the lives of the people who put in the effort and is therefore the most rewarding.
my values just do not allow me to vote for someone who actively supports a genocide
Mine neither. I just don’t know how I can. This is exactly why I’m grappling with this, though like you said voting is useless by design.
I feel like I’m very involved locally, but not in the right way, and living in a small town in South Dakota I don’t even know where to start to move toward the type of activism that we really need. It’s something that’s on my mind every single day – the feeling of uselessness and helplessness.
Thank you for commenting. You’ve given me a lot to think about.
You can always be surprised how many anarchists or people who hold the same views are in remote areas.
You can be the one that starts to build a community, gather people and with them you can start focusing on the more crucial activism. Not to mention you are not alone, you can reach out to their anarchist groups around you to ask for help or advice or anything.
As for your helplessness try to focus on the small things so you don’t burn yourself out by worrying about the things you cannot affect currently. You gotta have a good balance of being aware of all the shitty stuff and not have it crush you, thankfully community and hope is a perfect remedy for it.
Thank you. One of my anarchist discord friends sent me the book “Joyful Militancy” which is helping me feel less hopeless (and which actually inspired me to make this post), but the idea of outing myself as an anarchist is scary here. If I were younger, I’d feel like I could do something on college campuses, but I’m an old person now.
I used to know some allies when I was younger and part of a scene, but they all moved states because of the hostile environment here. We’ve considered moving back to Mexico. I don’t really know what I’m doing, but you’ve got my mind moving, so thanks.
Voting is one day out of 365 where political action can happen. And unlike voting, direct action covers certain issues that aren’t solved at the voting booth. Sure, it’s way more work, can be more dangerous, and requires more time, but putting the weight of everything on a single vote on a single day months from now will drive you mad since all you can do is wait and catastrophize about possible futures. Volunteer and find like minded people. Join a Union. Go protest (without your phone). I’m sure you can find people since I’m also in a ruby red state and have been able to find moderate success in this. You’ve got this!
Yeah also thinking about my job because I do feel I help people in what I do, but it’s frustrating here. It’s hard to think straight with so many people screaming about the election when, like you said, it’s not even the most important thing. It’s also quite scary here in many ways for my husband and me. Got a lot to think about. Thank you for your comment. I’ll look for ways to find those like-minded people.
