THIS is why I’m on Substack. For rock-solid, coherent writing about important subjects. For ideas that are in play and their skillful presentation. This is a great, great piece.
Well done, these are indeed ideals to strive for: authenticity, liberty, personal and collective empowerment. And we do have the power to make this our reality. I like how you call attention to the fact that we are constantly relinquishing our power by giving too much focus onto things outside of our control. There's a delicate balance between having compassion for injustices in the world and losing ourself in moral pontification.
Jenn, I really appreciate your thoughtful work, so I just subscribed to help you with your goal. I didn’t pay much, because I’m retired and I pay “child support” to a several young families in our little town where it’s tough to start out.
Agreed. I've got young activists in my life and they are doing amazing work...and...they seem exhausted and cynical towards humanity too. It's a balance to advocate for the change we want and to also revel in the daily pleasures of life: lounging, napping, nature-soaking, playing video games, watching crap TV, hanging with friends...I think such activities can feel 'complicit' to them..but to your point, live a life worth living..which includes all that brings pleasure.
The problem with advocacy is that it’s about pushing other people to do something. When I was a kid, I figured out that the best way to create change is to simply go do the thing that needs to be changed. My cause was poverty in the global South, and I figured out a career that allowed me to work on the problem directly as an aid worker. It was tough, exhausting, dangerous at times, and took a toll, but in hindsight, the only thing I would do differently is to take better care of myself. It turns out that I am also a person.
God, I love this! So good. To your first point, this to me is the most amazing lesson from HRC. She has to be the most disliked woman in the world and yet she keeps going. Keeps doing her. Keeps showing up. Thank you. I’m still reading but just had to comment …
Jen, I care a lot about becoming a better thinker/writer. How do you go about thinking/writing a post like that? Do you know what you want to say before pen hits page and you just find the best way to say it? Or do you start with questions which pull you through research that reveals what you end up saying? If it’s both, one before the other, how do you know when it’s time to flip from questioner to teacher?
Or does your process look like something else completely?
Hey! honestly, it comes from a lot of reading and a lot of practice! I typically have a seed of an idea come to me early on in the week and then I continue to muse on it and think about it throughout the week and then I write (and then rewrite + edit many times)
"As highly connected and informed individuals, we witness these issues firsthand and often hyperfixate on them, attaching our emotional state to their outcomes."
This sounds a bit disassociated; like someone watching what's happening to someone else. When you, first person, is directly affected by violence, discrimination, unjust loss of rights or liberties, it's pretty tough not to let our emotional state be affected. I tried to be a good Buddhist (and failed).
you make a good point here. I updated that statement to say "online" instead of "firsthand"--those are two very different things. Thanks for your feedback!
Liberty and justice for all is propaganda. Play pretend. We are seeking remedy. That is available. Freedom, sovereign, unalienable rights. Liberty is offered and given for a specific time then reclaimed.
Liberty is what they give Sailors and Marines on ship / base to go ashore for a time.
Justice for the 160 years of color of law, incorporated governance with 14th amendment priviledges is not reasonable. We may get Article III Amendment VII remedy. A de jure Constitutional republican form of government this year 2024.
THIS is why I’m on Substack. For rock-solid, coherent writing about important subjects. For ideas that are in play and their skillful presentation. This is a great, great piece.
Thank you, John! 🤗
Well done, these are indeed ideals to strive for: authenticity, liberty, personal and collective empowerment. And we do have the power to make this our reality. I like how you call attention to the fact that we are constantly relinquishing our power by giving too much focus onto things outside of our control. There's a delicate balance between having compassion for injustices in the world and losing ourself in moral pontification.
thank you, Jeremy!
As always, sensible, incisive, and kind
❤️
Jenn, I really appreciate your thoughtful work, so I just subscribed to help you with your goal. I didn’t pay much, because I’m retired and I pay “child support” to a several young families in our little town where it’s tough to start out.
Thank you so much! I appreciate you more than you know
Agreed. I've got young activists in my life and they are doing amazing work...and...they seem exhausted and cynical towards humanity too. It's a balance to advocate for the change we want and to also revel in the daily pleasures of life: lounging, napping, nature-soaking, playing video games, watching crap TV, hanging with friends...I think such activities can feel 'complicit' to them..but to your point, live a life worth living..which includes all that brings pleasure.
The problem with advocacy is that it’s about pushing other people to do something. When I was a kid, I figured out that the best way to create change is to simply go do the thing that needs to be changed. My cause was poverty in the global South, and I figured out a career that allowed me to work on the problem directly as an aid worker. It was tough, exhausting, dangerous at times, and took a toll, but in hindsight, the only thing I would do differently is to take better care of myself. It turns out that I am also a person.
love this!
absolutely! You can't fix the world's problems if you keep avoiding your own
Awesome post!!!
Thank you, Tory!
God, I love this! So good. To your first point, this to me is the most amazing lesson from HRC. She has to be the most disliked woman in the world and yet she keeps going. Keeps doing her. Keeps showing up. Thank you. I’m still reading but just had to comment …
thank you so much! Yes, HRC is a great example!
Jen, I care a lot about becoming a better thinker/writer. How do you go about thinking/writing a post like that? Do you know what you want to say before pen hits page and you just find the best way to say it? Or do you start with questions which pull you through research that reveals what you end up saying? If it’s both, one before the other, how do you know when it’s time to flip from questioner to teacher?
Or does your process look like something else completely?
Thanks for your work
Hey! honestly, it comes from a lot of reading and a lot of practice! I typically have a seed of an idea come to me early on in the week and then I continue to muse on it and think about it throughout the week and then I write (and then rewrite + edit many times)
"As highly connected and informed individuals, we witness these issues firsthand and often hyperfixate on them, attaching our emotional state to their outcomes."
This sounds a bit disassociated; like someone watching what's happening to someone else. When you, first person, is directly affected by violence, discrimination, unjust loss of rights or liberties, it's pretty tough not to let our emotional state be affected. I tried to be a good Buddhist (and failed).
you make a good point here. I updated that statement to say "online" instead of "firsthand"--those are two very different things. Thanks for your feedback!
Liberty and justice for all is propaganda. Play pretend. We are seeking remedy. That is available. Freedom, sovereign, unalienable rights. Liberty is offered and given for a specific time then reclaimed.
Liberty is what they give Sailors and Marines on ship / base to go ashore for a time.
Justice for the 160 years of color of law, incorporated governance with 14th amendment priviledges is not reasonable. We may get Article III Amendment VII remedy. A de jure Constitutional republican form of government this year 2024.