Don’t fall for propaganda shaming people into inaction.
There are always people who will mock civic engagement, and you better believe that the opposition is the beneficiary when people get shamed into inaction.
In a forum a few years ago I was asking people to write their reps about some issue, and I got double teamed by a couple people telling me that writing reps isn't "real activism" and only "struggle" matters. I didn't know what this meant, and when I asked, their explanation seemed nonsensical and completely incoherent — like they were just repeating slogans or something. I exited that discourse figuring it wasn't a friendly place for even discussing civic engagement activities. In retrospect, I don't know if they meant Maoist struggle sessions or maybe something violent. They connected it to organizing at work, but I’m a union member, and unions call for civic engagement, I’ve written letters to the editor with my union, I’ve signed petitions organized by union people, to get people on the ballot to run for office, and I’ve done postcards to voters with a union.
I recall recounting this a few days later to some pals because it was still preying on my mind that these people were telling me that pressuring one’s politicians is not real activism, how strange. One friend, a senior citizen and long-time activist, without hesitation just straight out said angrily that of course writing reps is important and effective, she mentioned having written her senators just that week, and she warned me that those people are clearly trying to undermine me and others taking action. I wound up spending a lot more time talking to this friend, who unfortunately recently left us, and I'll certainly miss her input. This exchange took place several years ago, and at the time I wasn't even suspicious of these kinds of things as much as I am now. Now that I've seen examples of deliberate sabotage of effective action. After witnessing myself the manipulation of, and attacks on, anyone effective, time and time again. All you have to do to know what’s effective is to see who is supporting it, and how viciously they are attacked by all and sundry. And that also illuminates who the opposition is. Having sorted out many disinformation campaigns, I have no doubt that while this stuff may mostly come from unwitting people simply repeating garbage, I also know now that people are being coached to spread such demotivating messaging. It’s not a maybe. Carl von Clausewitz pointed out, that if possible, the aggressor would prefer their aggression be unopposed.
And over and over again I have come upon many people pushing the idea that no activism is relevant or effective, unless it's related to labor or union organizing. They say unless it’s based in the labor movement you can’t trust it or similar such claims. I think most people repeat this because they have heard this, maybe been burned by some dubious organization or have seen some organizer get smeared. But if you stop and think about this claim — that no organizing is legitimate unless it’s based in the labor movement — this is ableist right out of the gate since labor organizing is never going to be able to prioritize for example disability justice, and nor does it need to. Nurses unions do prioritize patient safety as central to their own interests. But the fact is that generally speaking, a labor union's first priority is to workers and the situations of workers in the context of the workplace and work — and that's as it should be of course! I’m both a union member and disabled, so these constituencies aren’t mutually exclusive. But my union wasn’t really there for me when it came to disability accommodations. So no, we need more than just unions. There are many issues and aspects of life and politics and civic engagement beyond the workplace. So it’s really problematic to float the idea that all organizations outside of unions or worker co-ops should be mistrusted. That’s ridiculous. There are a lot of people who do not work, who require advocacy organizations because there are people, some who can't advocate for themselves, and require others to advocate for them. Disabled adults, children, senior citizens, and whatever combination. The elderly in the nursing home or the child with healthcare needs, they don’t have a workplace or a union to join. On the one hand I think this framing of labor might be an attempt to appeal to people focused on labor issues, young healthy people, or perhaps communists, I don’t know. But it’s also problematic to lean on the idea that labor unions will save us. Support unions and union workers you know, absolutely. But obviously labor unions have not been strong in recent times, so relegating so many people to only union activism, when most people have no direct connection to unions, just seems like a great way to make people feel like they can't do anything or that maybe they shouldn't do anything.
I’m not on Tiktok, but I’ve now heard that a talking point on Tiktok is that "calling your reps is the new hopes and prayers" — with people trying to push the idea that somehow pressuring representatives in congress is somehow pointless with no effect in the real world. That’s laughable as it’s obviously absolutely NOT true. It's more demonstrably true than it has been in a long time that pressuring elected officials definitely does have tangible effects. You only need to look at the reactions of politicians – they definitely are reacting. It may not be the hoped reaction (yet), but they're definitely feeling it and it's obvious. The Republicans are claiming it’s not real and refusing to have town halls, and the Democrats are whining and complaining about their constituents expectations for better. They’re all freaking out because they’re enduring an unusual volume of pressure.
I've had people say rude things to me about engaging at all in so-called "electoral politics" and then they try to claim that’s pointless or ineffective and at least innuendo that I’m naive or perhaps stupid for phone banking, writing postcards to voters, or even so much as voting. Of course it’s a silly claim because just look what Trump and Elon Musk are able to do now — the huge changes, some that will have ramifications for decades to come — because they were able to win the election. Obviously voting matters. Look how much rich people pour into politicians. Why would they do that if who gets voted in didn’t matter? Of course it matters. But your opposition sure doesn't want you voting. Why else would they go to such lengths to suppress voters, especially Black voters, if voting didn’t matter?
My rule is that any time something provokes shame, confusion, anger, or animosity, that's the cue to stop and engage in critical thinking, and consider the source, the meaning, and the relevance, and potentially the motivation for whatever it was that made you react with intensity. The same goes I think for anything that seems too good to be true, happens to be just what you wanted to hear, or makes you feel greatly satisfied — that too is reason to pause as well.
Honestly, no matter what conclusion you come to about it all after thinking about it, whatever the reason that sparked strong emotions or outrage or anger, it's probably going to be best not to pass it on, not to repost whatever it was on social media, and not to waste time ruminating too long on it. Just move on and do something you have good reason to think is productive.
AOC - instagram live November 6, 2024
What You Do DOES Matter Parkrose Permaculture Mar 6, 2025
Seek protection from noise and spiraling gloom - Chloe Humbert Feb 16, 2023
Vigilantes Inc. — Full Movie Greg Palast Oct 18, 2024