Maybe I’m wrong but I thought charity was commonly used for tax benefits? Also shame. People donate to avoid looking to closely at themselves. And some people just realise they have more than they need.
I participate in charity, I don’t think it’s the worst thing although I understand the criticisms. If the choices are stretch myself further beyond my current capacity or auto donations to a rent bank I’m going to pick the donations.
I haven’t seen the criticisms you received so I can’t guess at what their issue was. Perhaps they were just starting shit.
None of this gets you a tax benefit, and the state doesn’t count food bank volunteer hours towards your food stamps hours or community service or anything. Another reason I say it’s mutual aid and not a charity.
We’ve also set up a tool library, and somebody is providing barn space for community repair projects. My partner is a carpenter by trade, and while he’s unemployed, he’s been showing people how to safely use the tools. I’m disabled, and unemployed, so I’m designing event fliers and providing web hosting for the group. Most of the group is low-income at best, but we absolutely chipped into a pot when a member had to undergo major surgery.
The criticism of charity that I’ve heard, is that by filling in the gaps left by capitalism, you’re postponing the revolution. People need to understand that capitalism is bad, and for that to happen, capitalism needs to fail utterly. Harm reduction and charity keeps capitalism from failing utterly, and is therefore a bad thing.
But honestly, I think 99% of the talk on the Fediverse about all this really is just people wanting to start shit. It’s easy to just say that Americans are incapable of doing anything, and then be derisive when somebody attempts to do something. I live in a rural town of less than 3k, thousands of miles from DC, so nothing I do will ever be big enough or good enough to change federal policy, and is therefore considered a waste of time by your average commenter here.
I say this with kindness: If a criticism doesn’t apply to you then it doesn’t apply to you. Anyone can get online and say whatever they want. There is a lot of nonsense out there. A lot of people playing fantasy.
I know it’s hard to let people talk shit directly about you and your initiatives but you don’t owe them an explanation and there is no benefit to convincing them if they are strangers on the internet.
It’s easy to just say that Americans are incapable of doing anything, and then be derisive when somebody attempts to do something. I live in a rural town of less than 3k, thousands of miles from DC, so nothing I do will ever be big enough or good enough to change federal policy, and is therefore considered a waste of time by your average commenter here.
Some people might be saying exactly that, but I think people take criticism of the american system really personally and make it about themselves.
When people criticize my government (and there is a lot to criticise) I don’t get defensive because I have no interest in defending the state and I know I am doing what I can to improve conditions locally and disrupt the systems that enable our own brand of imperialism.
there is no benefit to convincing them if they are strangers on the internet.
There is absolutely benefit to countering the false rhetoric that nobody is doing anything. I want to inspire others to do stuff in their own communities and stop getting discouraged by all the “you only have stupid protests” nonsense that gets spread around here. Nobody believes an anti-hierarchical grassroots movement could form in a rural town, because they just assume rural = trump supporter, even the people who live here.
Let me tell you, despite being in a rural town, we only get a handful of hecklers at each big protest. We routinely get a crowd of 200 protestors, dozens of people honking in support, and only a couple of people rolling coal. We keep getting people stopping to express shock that we even exist, people keep thinking they’re the only anti-trumpers living out here, but they’re not.
People aren’t going to do stuff if they think they’re on their own. The news isn’t going to spread word about supportive communities in your area. If we don’t talk about what we’re doing, who will?
There is absolutely benefit to countering the false rhetoric that nobody is doing anything.
That’s my point though. The rhetoric isn’t nobody is doing anything. I didn’t make this meme but I can’t imagine a way to make a meme that also says “this doesn’t apply to you if you are doing something, carry on”.
Nobody believes an anti-hierarchical grassroots movement could form in a rural town,
People who believe that are foolish, and aren’t interested in hearing from rural towns because they have already made up their mind.
(I’m rural btw)
Anyways, I’m not trying to tell you what to do, just trying to share things I think are helpful. I don’t take offence to being told I’m wrong and it’s not useful. Good luck, I hope you are successful with your initiative…
So when you said “Why is cooperation and mutual aid so invisible to americans”, what did you mean? I understood it to mean that you didn’t think anybody was doing anything.
People who believe that are foolish, and aren’t interested in hearing from rural towns because they have already made up their mind.
But I’ve literally experienced the opposite, lol. I hear from the people themselves that they’ve just never thought that it could happen out here until they saw it happening out here. Propaganda affects us all.
So when you said “Why is cooperation and mutual aid so invisible to americans”, what did you mean? I understood it to mean that you didn’t think anybody was doing anything.
I think there are clearly linguistic and cultural differences between us. It’s fine that you’re asking. I’ll explain. But first I want to tell you truly that when someone makes a generalization about a group I belong to, I don’t take it personally. It’s a short cut. If I had to list every single man who isn’t sexist when I complained about systemic sexism I wouldn’t get to say anything at all!
So for this specific comment, I didn’t want to criticise the individual making the comments. My response isn’t about them as an individual. So I can’t say “why are they so invisible to you”. I also have observed this sentiment (americans can’t afford to do anything but comply because they are dependent on the state and pro-state structures) quite a bit, so I knew it wasn’t just this one person’s thoughts. It’s a systemic problem. So I chose the generalization.
The only reason I replied to you is because you asked a question. Otherwise I would ignore it because I’m not really in the habit of telling people they are “one of the good ones”. I think that concept is fundamentally dangerous. We should all be open to criticism, we just need to decide if the criticism is useful or not.
But I’ve literally experienced the opposite, lol. I hear from the people themselves that they’ve just never thought that it could happen out here until they saw it happening out here. Propaganda affects us all
Yes, I hear these things too. I spent my first 35 years in my country’s biggest city. My spouse is from a rural community and he wanted to go back to that way of life. So we did. Rural people also talk a lot of trash about city folk too. Some of it deserved.
It benefits people who hold power to sow discord. I’m sure we can all think of a time we lashed out in a way we regret. So I try and save my energy for people who actually know me. Or if someone who doesn’t know me at all says something and I get super defensive about it I’ll try and sit with why I’m getting so mad. Maybe they are on to something. Maybe I’m just hungry lol
Yes? Who else would care enough?
Maybe I’m wrong but I thought charity was commonly used for tax benefits? Also shame. People donate to avoid looking to closely at themselves. And some people just realise they have more than they need.
I participate in charity, I don’t think it’s the worst thing although I understand the criticisms. If the choices are stretch myself further beyond my current capacity or auto donations to a rent bank I’m going to pick the donations.
I haven’t seen the criticisms you received so I can’t guess at what their issue was. Perhaps they were just starting shit.
None of this gets you a tax benefit, and the state doesn’t count food bank volunteer hours towards your food stamps hours or community service or anything. Another reason I say it’s mutual aid and not a charity.
We’ve also set up a tool library, and somebody is providing barn space for community repair projects. My partner is a carpenter by trade, and while he’s unemployed, he’s been showing people how to safely use the tools. I’m disabled, and unemployed, so I’m designing event fliers and providing web hosting for the group. Most of the group is low-income at best, but we absolutely chipped into a pot when a member had to undergo major surgery.
The criticism of charity that I’ve heard, is that by filling in the gaps left by capitalism, you’re postponing the revolution. People need to understand that capitalism is bad, and for that to happen, capitalism needs to fail utterly. Harm reduction and charity keeps capitalism from failing utterly, and is therefore a bad thing.
But honestly, I think 99% of the talk on the Fediverse about all this really is just people wanting to start shit. It’s easy to just say that Americans are incapable of doing anything, and then be derisive when somebody attempts to do something. I live in a rural town of less than 3k, thousands of miles from DC, so nothing I do will ever be big enough or good enough to change federal policy, and is therefore considered a waste of time by your average commenter here.
I say this with kindness: If a criticism doesn’t apply to you then it doesn’t apply to you. Anyone can get online and say whatever they want. There is a lot of nonsense out there. A lot of people playing fantasy.
I know it’s hard to let people talk shit directly about you and your initiatives but you don’t owe them an explanation and there is no benefit to convincing them if they are strangers on the internet.
Some people might be saying exactly that, but I think people take criticism of the american system really personally and make it about themselves.
When people criticize my government (and there is a lot to criticise) I don’t get defensive because I have no interest in defending the state and I know I am doing what I can to improve conditions locally and disrupt the systems that enable our own brand of imperialism.
There is absolutely benefit to countering the false rhetoric that nobody is doing anything. I want to inspire others to do stuff in their own communities and stop getting discouraged by all the “you only have stupid protests” nonsense that gets spread around here. Nobody believes an anti-hierarchical grassroots movement could form in a rural town, because they just assume rural = trump supporter, even the people who live here.
Let me tell you, despite being in a rural town, we only get a handful of hecklers at each big protest. We routinely get a crowd of 200 protestors, dozens of people honking in support, and only a couple of people rolling coal. We keep getting people stopping to express shock that we even exist, people keep thinking they’re the only anti-trumpers living out here, but they’re not.
People aren’t going to do stuff if they think they’re on their own. The news isn’t going to spread word about supportive communities in your area. If we don’t talk about what we’re doing, who will?
That’s my point though. The rhetoric isn’t nobody is doing anything. I didn’t make this meme but I can’t imagine a way to make a meme that also says “this doesn’t apply to you if you are doing something, carry on”.
People who believe that are foolish, and aren’t interested in hearing from rural towns because they have already made up their mind.
(I’m rural btw)
Anyways, I’m not trying to tell you what to do, just trying to share things I think are helpful. I don’t take offence to being told I’m wrong and it’s not useful. Good luck, I hope you are successful with your initiative…
So when you said “Why is cooperation and mutual aid so invisible to americans”, what did you mean? I understood it to mean that you didn’t think anybody was doing anything.
But I’ve literally experienced the opposite, lol. I hear from the people themselves that they’ve just never thought that it could happen out here until they saw it happening out here. Propaganda affects us all.
I think there are clearly linguistic and cultural differences between us. It’s fine that you’re asking. I’ll explain. But first I want to tell you truly that when someone makes a generalization about a group I belong to, I don’t take it personally. It’s a short cut. If I had to list every single man who isn’t sexist when I complained about systemic sexism I wouldn’t get to say anything at all!
So for this specific comment, I didn’t want to criticise the individual making the comments. My response isn’t about them as an individual. So I can’t say “why are they so invisible to you”. I also have observed this sentiment (americans can’t afford to do anything but comply because they are dependent on the state and pro-state structures) quite a bit, so I knew it wasn’t just this one person’s thoughts. It’s a systemic problem. So I chose the generalization.
The only reason I replied to you is because you asked a question. Otherwise I would ignore it because I’m not really in the habit of telling people they are “one of the good ones”. I think that concept is fundamentally dangerous. We should all be open to criticism, we just need to decide if the criticism is useful or not.
Yes, I hear these things too. I spent my first 35 years in my country’s biggest city. My spouse is from a rural community and he wanted to go back to that way of life. So we did. Rural people also talk a lot of trash about city folk too. Some of it deserved.
It benefits people who hold power to sow discord. I’m sure we can all think of a time we lashed out in a way we regret. So I try and save my energy for people who actually know me. Or if someone who doesn’t know me at all says something and I get super defensive about it I’ll try and sit with why I’m getting so mad. Maybe they are on to something. Maybe I’m just hungry lol