in 2023, i would have def considered myself a dem/liberal. but since then, i've done a hard shift wayyy to the left because of all the ongoing issues in the world. but majority of my friends stayed liberal.
i tried to talk to them about palestine, they didn't seem to care. i try to talk to them about capitalism and it's affects on society, they don't care. and i know it's because all of it doesn't personally affect them, which drives me INSANE. everyone is stuck on identity politics (which i completely understand, and am not saying its not important), but it's been frustrating trying to get people to understand its a class issue. and there's been almost 0 support until trmp got into office and now everyone wants to talk "politics".
i honestly tried to cut out so many friends because the lack of empathy hurt me that deeply, BUT since then i've just come to realize that we truly are all just victims to capitalism :( it's not their fault they've been so individualized and complacent, but it is their fault to not stay educated. so i'm always open to discussing with friends, i've just had to find new friends with similar beliefs in order to keep my sanity.
in the end, being leftists, we just gotta focus on the community and helping those around us, even if they don't care or their beliefs dont line up with ours. that's the only way to get people to understand and empathize, so i started trying to implement that more into my life, as hard as it is sometimes.
Jan 24, 2025
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I fully acknowledge my privilege this recommendation. I have the privilege to be able to build bridges because, though I am able to be dismissed because I'm a femme-presenting woman, I am much less viscerally threatened in general because I am white.
That being said, I feel like I have turned a new leaf in that I largely refuse to contribute to in-fighting discussions. In my mind, we are all in a race against the 1% but they have tricked us into thinking we are in a race with each other. I have decided to let go of the race. I have decided that whether they fear, pity, hate, whatever me, I'm going to value "the opposition" as people and when they are able to figure out who we should be actually fighting, I will be there happy to provide resources and supplies that I have in the aid of this goal. Until then, I'll be around.
The isolation that has been bred since long before I was born has just destroyed a sense of community, something that I yearn so much for. I know that people do things that bring me harm. For instance, I still take many COVID precautions and am part of two COVID safe communities. However, I know that the large majority of the population no longer cares and does, unwillingly or not, participate in a lack of overall health safety for me and my family, as well as their own safety. But I'm not going to isolate, I'm going to take precautions to continue to be part of community. I believe folding people in together is the only way forward.
My brother is a huge fan of Elon Musk, which is so gross and awful. I used to shut down conversations about this but I've decided to be open, honest, and present with him about this. I check Elon's behavior to him, let him know that I believe his actions are on purpose and that my brother is making nazi sympathizer choices with his thoughts and actions. I also let him know that when it's ready to fight, I want him to be on our side, which he states he would be (idk). That's all I can do. Keep communication open. Keep connection open. Make these sympathizers not fear "the others" because I am willing to participate and provide and talk.
Now, none of this means I'm willing to lay down as terrible beliefs ravage our society. I am still able to be critical of others choices and I will defend myself and my family against harm if need be. I just believe that the core of most of the harm and violence comes from the top. I believe that people are emotionally thrown for a loop when they come to a conversation with fear-based hostility and find community-based hospitality in response.
I will continue to advocate for the people who are being brutalized our community. I believe, however, that they need to hear us first. They need to see us as human, and I think part of that is showing them that we see them as human. Yes, flawed scared scapegoating humans that need to be held responsible for their actions if and when they participate in violence. I'm not talking about conceding or finding "common ground" in our beliefs beyond the basic humans need food water shelter (and love if they're about that). I may acknowledge their fear, the influences that they have been under, and the things surround their hate. I will try to come at it at as loving as a place as I can, always reminding myself that they were once babies shaped to view the world as this big scary thing filled with monsters, taught by the actual monsters who want to control everything.
Again, I'm only recommending this if you have the energy to do so. I think a lot of people have tried for years and then get burned out. I get that, I think getting stronger within your own community would help grow the ability to then reach outside and communicate. At the same time, my friend and I were talking about how some people are just "front of house" and some are "back of house" and the front of house people can be the ones interacting with society and the back of house can build the inside. We don't all have to do everything, let's find out strengths and build on those to get through, and maybe even past, the shit show we find ourselves living in today.
Jan 31, 2025
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to set the stage here I organized as a college student/adjacent to a political cult (was never 100% brainwashed and pulled in) so this answer is going to diverge from many other answers. I’ll say in my opinion that trying to divide or merge person and politic is a zero sum game or detrimental for my personal life and political consequences at large
I don’t allow myself to get into situations where this would be remotely possible and that either comes off as extremely myopic or cushioned from reality but I’m choosing to accept that. In my friendships or making new friends I try to be a remotely ok judge of character to determine if political beliefs will inflame the friendship
no amount of brain power would make me consider changing someone’s mind on politics in a friendship but its likely im on the same page of people who are moderate or political disengaged to discuss freely about it
Hannah Arendt once observed that the personal and political spheres merging creates this space where we can no longer ”act” in politics but we behave as economic actors or consumers. I think she’s on the money about this to this day - politics on the whole are very much boiled down to a market choice for me and not visible in my personal life much
Jul 14, 2024
lots of other thoughtful responses here but simply put, no. if someone supports a harmful political figure, they likely believe that figure’s beliefs or they at least don’t care enough about each impact of that politician’s whole platform. we can’t only think about how things impact ourselves; being kind to others is the bare minimum.
and there is nuance, like if someone believes we can’t abolish the police but thinks the current system is bad, so they support a politician who increases social services (that prevent crime), that’s different from someone who supports a politician that justifies police violence. the latter is highly, highly ignorant; but the former acknowledges social issues, which indicates space for further dialogue and growth
from an organizing perspective, i do believe in educating and calling in etc but those are learned skills and also a totally different thing from friendship and dating. you probably can’t just “fix” the views of friends or partners, and should not just leave that as a caveat of your relationship nor put up with their beliefs because you think you might be able to educate them.
article linked is specifically about dating but it’s a good, brief essay
Jul 14, 2024
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Jan 22, 2025
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2024 was my first year getting involved in my community. i’ve always been a very anti-social/introverted person who relied a lot on my friends for social interactions outside of our immediate friend groups. but i went thru a break up last year because our political goals and ideas didn’t match up, and now im left alone to discover the wonders of my community.
i must admit i haven’t gone to any physical events YET, but it will be my first time this weekend (: i’ve mainly been donating, going to educationals, and spreading the word on any mutual aid i can think of on IG. but i have been (machine) knitting beanies to distribute to the houseless while it’s cold af outside! i’ve made about 40-50 beanies now (also a great time for me to go down my letterboxd watchlist).
you get to interact with amazing people and help people who have been screwed over by our gov. but remember, mutual aid is not charity. its when we come together as a community to help people who need help, with no strings attached.
anyways, this is your sign to look at what you can do for your communities! i promise it's so worth the time and it's really changed my life and the life of those received aid
Jan 22, 2025
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capitalism is meant to suck the soul out of you and work you into the GROUND. it's how the gov creates soulless people that don't have the capacity to care about anyone but themselves. everyone's too tired and too concerned about their own needs being met to think of anyone else.
but people are meant to be chillin with the homies, reading books, creating art -- enjoying life!! all without the pressure to commodify their hobbies or stress about working a 9-5 just to (sometimes barely) survive!
so i've found that just accepting the fact that it's ok to not be productive is sort of a mini revolution. it gives more meaning to life than just going thru the motions of a 9-5. it gives you a larger capacity to care and form community with others, and that's something that the gov does NOT want (as seen this past year smh)
Jan 23, 2025