Dear Maria, these are all valid points. I am not interested in judging large swaths of people, nor anyone really. I, personally, don't see all of society as "good for nothing."
But when attitudes are explicitly negative toward activism in general (for spiritual reasons) or ignorant, I think it behooves us to look at this blind spot. What do I do about this? Write essays like this. But we will each be called to do something different.
As for your critiques of some activist groups, or political people or groups, this is one reason I encourage more emotionally and spiritually grounded people to be involved. It is all true, and I have been thinking about a next essay: about why activists should look more deeply into spirituality! (Some activists, again. Some already are and have been for some time). My only possible disagreements are with this sentence:
"I can't pretend that I'm always going to be acting with the courage and selflessness of a civil rights leader that sacrifices their own wellbeing and that of their own family for the greater good."
How do we know the Dr. King Jr. sacrificed his own well being and that of his family? Could it be that his well being was tied into his work, his activism? It seems to me he was simply being who he was. ... Can we say his family suffered more from his death than they would have from an inactive (possibly unhappy and frustrated) King? ... Or from continuing to chafe under violent racism here in the US? Which was and still is no joke ...
There seems to be an assumption here that one must sacrifice one's well being in political or activist realms. I wonder if people have the same thoughts about CEO and wealthy, busy business people who are burning out and unhappy in their own particular ways? ... And perhaps all worlds (business, non-profits, corrections, social services, etc. etc.) include difficult people, angry people, unconscious people ...
As for volunteering. I think volunteering is great. I really appreciate our community volunteers and I see volunteering as a form of "activism." It takes all kinds.
However, I also see that given the current timeline for climate, if more of us do not become engaged immediately, we will see and more rapid societal collapse, which will exponentially exacerbate all the issues or problems or groups volunteers are working for, or to solve, etc.
Your thoughts are welcome and well worth considering. Thank you.
