You will not like this answer but it’s because change is usually small and not visible. The people you were nice to will not remember the small things you did, but they will remember the happiness, and associate it with that, and then they eventually pay it forward. But it needs a lot of small nice actions by a lot of people to make people pick up on it and pay it forward, and it’s probably completely opaque to you.
What I’m saying is if you wanna see these small things making a difference, you’re gonna be disappointed. So instead, be selfish, do it because you want to, and for no other reason.
Yes I have already arrived at the conclusion that I’m on a planet ruled by psychotic apes and that I have no real agency beyond saying “Fuck you, I do what I want” which is to be nice because honestly it makes dealing with the apes more efficient.
It’s a collective investment in the betterment of humanity. Over time those little pieces of empathy and charity create a better world. A lot of people are bitter because they were never shown any empathy, or love, or care, so they don’t know how to express it.
I’m sure you can’t save everyone this way, but it seems a whole hell of a lot better to try than to not
I get where you’re coming from. It’s overwhelming. What can you or I do to fix the world?
Nothing. You or I or any one individual cannot do it all by ourselves.
But that doesn’t mean we give up. We just start small. And maybe, just maybe, someone watching will feel inspired to do the same. And then, maybe, we can build an army that can and will tackle the bigger problems. Maybe not.
But we won’t know until we try. And even if it doesn’t work, you can walk away knowing you tried. And honestly that’s more than most people can genuinely say at the end of the day.
And what do you really have to lose that you haven’t already lost?
TIL holding open doors will stop technofeudalism and climate change.
Just because little things might not solve big things doesnt mean we shouldn’t do the little things.
…or we can actually organize and do what needs to be done.
You know, we can definitely do both.
that implies doing both
Nah you said “or” which is definitively not “both”.
because you should not be doing nothing and pretending it works.
And I’m saying I’ve been doing the little things and it doesn’t seem to be working
You will not like this answer but it’s because change is usually small and not visible. The people you were nice to will not remember the small things you did, but they will remember the happiness, and associate it with that, and then they eventually pay it forward. But it needs a lot of small nice actions by a lot of people to make people pick up on it and pay it forward, and it’s probably completely opaque to you.
What I’m saying is if you wanna see these small things making a difference, you’re gonna be disappointed. So instead, be selfish, do it because you want to, and for no other reason.
Yes I have already arrived at the conclusion that I’m on a planet ruled by psychotic apes and that I have no real agency beyond saying “Fuck you, I do what I want” which is to be nice because honestly it makes dealing with the apes more efficient.
It’s a collective investment in the betterment of humanity. Over time those little pieces of empathy and charity create a better world. A lot of people are bitter because they were never shown any empathy, or love, or care, so they don’t know how to express it.
I’m sure you can’t save everyone this way, but it seems a whole hell of a lot better to try than to not
Well, have you tried it yet? Be patient. Kindness and courtesy is everything!
I’ve been doing it my entire life because I was raised right.
It doesn’t hurt, and if enough people can show common courtesy, maybe yes. But doing nothing will absolutely prove useless.
Doing something has proven useless as well.
In before you get shit for being defeatist:
I get where you’re coming from. It’s overwhelming. What can you or I do to fix the world?
Nothing. You or I or any one individual cannot do it all by ourselves.
But that doesn’t mean we give up. We just start small. And maybe, just maybe, someone watching will feel inspired to do the same. And then, maybe, we can build an army that can and will tackle the bigger problems. Maybe not.
But we won’t know until we try. And even if it doesn’t work, you can walk away knowing you tried. And honestly that’s more than most people can genuinely say at the end of the day.
And what do you really have to lose that you haven’t already lost?
I’m saying I already tried.
And I’m saying don’t give up.
And I’m saying it’s too late. I’m burned out. Caring for over 30 years and ending up worse than ever can do that.
Go take care of yourself then. That’s far more important. I mean it. And it is possible to recover from this; I speak from experience.