In two words "instant gratification". Blogging and arguing online is instantly rewarding in various ways. Either people get a sense of being holier than thou or having been right about being cynical all along or they get their retweet, favs and likes to reward the inner narcissist in all of us. Meanwhile winning requires actually getting out in public and organizing. That means having to look people in the eyes when you talk with them, listen to them and it also means agreeing to lose the comfort blanket of internet anonymity!
Well anyways that's been my experience as an avid blogger, online activist etc. People will say the rudest things to each other between posting save the animals pictures or chastising the other political party. But seeing people in person you actually instantly can tell you're speaking as a human being to another human being and realize everyone has their own struggles and burdens to carry so maybe we should just chill a little bit!
So we hang out here on KOS or Facebook or Twitter among other places arguing about how much the world really sucks and how doomed we all are and who to blame next instead of finding the organizations working to make things better and joining up with them. That actually requires exiting from one's comfort zone and going out in what I call the 3D world to meet new people. This is something I actually find to be very rewarding.
So what is "winning" anyway? Winning is living together in a country and world that doesn't accept the status quo mugging of the working class, total abuse of women and exploitation of mother Earth. Winning is making progress towards more compassion and understanding and reducing some of the suffering out there together. Well that's what winning is to this liberal.
I spend a lot of time thinking of ways to help people break away from TV, smart phones and the internet in general to form groups of citizens working together for that better world. It's really very hard when there's so much competition for people's time and attention and you don't get a "like" when you show up at a local firehouse meeting room or coffee shop with civic minded neighbors. But you might find you like yourself and life a bit more.
I think the more we meet up. The more we win.
4:02 PM PT: I really appreciate all the thoughtful and helpful comments here. So I thought I would update this diary a bit.
I did not mean to say that nobody is out there protesting, phone banking and being involved in civic engagement efforts. I am incredibly encouraged by the efforts of groups like Moral Mondays, NAACP, The Advancement Project, The New Georgia Project, NJCW, Planned Parenthood and others! I've met some really terrific people from all walks of life working extremely hard to fight for and with all of us!!!
I did not mean to scold my progressive brothers and sisters here on the KOS. No, my intention however I may have failed at it was to describe my experience mostly on Facebook and Twitter with working to get people together to work on campaigns to elect good progressives to office. I have as a writer/activist also experienced how addicting the "likes", comments, retweets and favorites can be and how much resistance there is to going out and meeting new groups of "strangers".
Myself, being a shy type of person I would never have thought of talking to strangers about voting, a living wage, GMO foods and climate change five or six years ago! But today I speak to people in line at the post office, pharmacy or wherever I go. I talk with and mostly listen to people including self described conservatives, libertarians and fellow liberals and after awhile it's clear that while we may disagree about how to get there, almost all of us want a fair, healthy, prosperous country that preserves our civil rights. Almost always we end up finding common ground.
So for myself I find that being an activist is blogging, writing, posting and sharing, and it is also protesting, lobbying and agitating the power elites for change. But it is also being open to listening to and talking with everyone we meet in life about the issues we care most about, hopefully including about voting for progressive candidates!
Again, I know that there are a lot of really terrific people out there working the best way they can to push for social justice from the left. The fact is however that those people who you and I see out there working our asses off represent a tiny fraction of the so-called blogosphere. That's the way it is in any group or organization usually a small percentage do most of the work. I understand this. I find it frustrating and maybe that's why this diary came across as scolding to some folks. Sorry about that. I know that it's hard for people to get away from the computer/phone and become politically active.
1. Most of us are working hard trying to make ends meet, harder and for less money.
2. Many live in Red State areas with little progressive support and a dangerous environment.
3. There's not a lot of effort to advertise local progressive organizations and let people know where they can come to meet and help.
I think what you describe here of the activism on KOS is fantastic, and encouraging. I did not mean to be as derisive as it appears I've come across being rather new to Daily Kos my experience online is more with Facebook and Twitter where I don't see that kind of engagement in campaigns.
Thanks for understanding where I'm coming from. It's mostly from my experience seeing how the likes, retweets and such can be addicting and also after spending six plus years trying to get people on Facebook to try to work together to elect progressives and facing enormous resistance to the status quo.
Thanks again for your comments. I as always am open to helpful advice and learning from others.
In solidarity,
Joseph
ps. I cant seem to have my comment replies appear after making them though Ive tried.