As a lifelong activist, I'm constantly feeling guilty that I'm not saying or doing more in the current moment, BUT it's ridiculous to berate other people for what they are or aren't doing right now. It's such a narrow (dare I say privileged) worldview to believe that everyone can drop what they're doing and focus 100% on protesting. My friends in small businesses and restaurants are struggling to survive after a week of being shut down by ice storms, so they had to say, "sorry we can't participate in the general strike, because we need to actually pay our workers" but that means they also need people to still shop and eat out. This stuff is complicated AND none of it is new. I'm glad that so many people are suddenly waking up to the horrors of our capitalist system and coming out of the woodwork to speak up. But does it actually change things to blog about it, doubtful. Hey, even Taylor Swift couldn't tip the last election and she's got a bazillion more followers than all of us combined. Online activism is mainly performative and thanks to the algorithms bubbles it's mostly people who already agree with each other seeing your posts and arguing over nuances. NO minds were ever dramatically changed on these platforms because of a well-worded post. People who know you, know you. Say what you want say, when you feel you need to. Add your own good to the world. We need more happiness, more joy right now. That's your part. It's not ignoring reality, it's creating the reality you want to live in and sharing it with others. And yes, I'm telling myself this as much as I'm telling you.
In the vein of "you never know what someone is going through", there are many reasons people in general may not speak out publicly and that doesn't mean they aren't making efforts in other ways. It's not up to me to demand it.
I don't really expect smaller influencers to do or say anything. I am smart enough to figure out where people stand, but if they say something I disagree with, I unfollow. It's ok to do that!
I DO like to see influencers talk about causes they care about, because people will listen. I like when people with huge followings of white ladies say FREE PALESTINE or universal healthcare now! I liked Kylie Kelce's really funny response when someone asked her about ICE. I like when people at the Grammys say FUCK ICE but I also like when they talk about taking care of people in all roles in the industry, like Chappell Roan did last year. I want people to have empathy for others, that's my baseline. Let Lisa Vanderpump save dogs, and Lisa Rinna can fight this regime.
There's, of course, a lot going on with people in comments either 1) berating influencers to say something or 2) saying stupid shit because they don't understand how government works. I wouldn't have the energy to deal with either one of them. I don't care that Taylor Swift hasn't said anything about ICE, I just don't. But I don't have parasocial relationships and I'm a political pragmatist so I can just move on. A lot of people can't, they NEED Taylor to say something.
I do want to add I don't like when people don't see how their hobby that they are an influencer for can be political. For instance, I run, and I run on a treadmill in the darker months because it's safer but many men don't get that. "You should run outside all the time or it isn't running!"
These are unprecedented times for most of us. In the past, I figured I will just follow for the fashion or whatever. But things feel different now and I don’t want to give someone a second of my time (or money!) if they support what is happening now. It isn’t politics, it is morals/ethics/decency etc. Do I think that means people should post their stance on a shopping account? I don’t know.
I think when someone speaks out, it can create a feeling of kinship and community that feels good in the moment, and I'm not against that at all! But also posting on the internet doesn't really actually DO much other than that (unless I suppose one has a huge following but I don't think that's what we're talking about here). And then what do we really know about what people are doing offline? The members of congress they are calling, the causes they show up for and donate to, the neighbors they're helping out, etc. And I feel like we could get ourselves in this never ending loop of always speaking out but a) not doing anything actually meaningful and b) not doing the things that actually bring us joy and protect our peace and mental health in a way that allows us to continue to show up and do the more tangible things.
I don't look to influencers or celebrities to validate how I'm feeling about the world, but it does feel important to try to vet who you're following online to make sure you're not actively supporting someone whose beliefs harm others.
I also like it when people post ways to help, books that made them feel better (either because they illuminate the present crapshow or because they're feel-good reads) or places to donate. There are too many people who act like we're completely helpless or doomed. Anyone who posts anything along the lines of "we're cooked" is an instant unfollow.
I saw 10 unsubscribes after I published a post on how distraught I was about Renee Good's killing. So I'm not sure what the balance should be. I see a lot of fashion substackers starting off with paragraphs about what they are doing to help and giving links to organizations, maybe that's the way to go.
I also struggle with how much to write about what is happening in our country and the rest of the world, but, as you say, there are other people I look to for that. Historians, journalists, etc. For me, it is enough when someone acknowledges it and balances it with the fact that we all have to live our lives.
Generally I don't need my social media follows to share their political values. If they do and are aligned then great. If they do and are not aligned, I'll likely unfollow. I get that people are hyper aware ATM, but the demand that a content creator who makes content about makeup or cooking or clothing should have to declare their politics feels wrong to me.
I think because I have a vague sense of your human values, it never crossed my mind here.
Please keep on doing what you are doing. There are plenty of people shouting about everything and the clamor doesn’t really help anyone; it is just paralyzing. In my view, the way out of paralysis is to deal with stuff in front of you, the people immediately around you. You can only affect about 4 feet around your body, so focus there. I think there is also something that is self-fulfilling about writing about horror all the time. If that is all you train yourself to see, that is all you will see, and there is so much more to the world than that. Just a penny for the pond.
I've been writing online in some large or small way for umm... a long time now, so I definitely have opinions. Looking back, I think I have always approached writing online and following people online in a sort of "favored coworker" way. We're friends, we go to lunch, we might talk about things or share memes that wouldn't be appropriate for our boss or HR, but we also probably aren't talking about the deep impact of politics on our psyche any more than we are talking about the minutia of our financial situation or our childhood trauma. Sure, it might come up and over time we'll both slowly reveal enough that we let each other in a bit more. Or not. Either way, it's great to have a fun coworker and if that never evolves more than gossiping about the latest office romance, cool.
Like Noah said, it's complicated stuff, we're complicated people - online and offline. I love that you and we can all share pieces of ourselves as much as we feel comfortable. I don't want to see people stop sharing and stop participating in the communities that I think are one the last bastions of what make the internet cool and fun.
There is no other time but now to tell the truth when you feel moved. Everything is political.
And do you really want to sell your soul for a few shekels, a few shiny pennies, to have those one or two readers make you eligible for that 20% off a product you consume?
Agree, I'm just looking for a balance, so my head doesn't explode. (Also, the shopping Substacker I mentioned has spoken out a lot but was criticized for not saying more. It's her full-time job, not just pennies.)
I think I do want to know if someone is MAGA because I will unfollow in the same way I don’t go to Chick-fil-a. But I, too, sometimes just want to read about pretty clothes and makeup or good books. Our psyche’s are not built for all horrors all the time. It’s not sustainable or good for us.
It’s probably too late but a piece of advice we got when my stepfather died was order way more copies of the death certificate than you think you need because everyone you’ll be dealing with is going to need one
I think in the past it maybe wouldn’t cross my mind, but these days I think it’s important to say SOMETHING. I don’t need a treatise, but some acknowledgement of what’s happening is meaningful because I don’t want to support someone who’s MAGA or OK with what’s happening…even if it’s simply saying “this is wrong and it’s not OK.” For what it’s worth, I feel like Ive followed you for so long that i know where you stand!
So many good comments here! I have mixed feelings on this. Three blogs I really enjoy have all spoken out against the regime & write about how damaging this all is to our country & our fellow humans. They are not political bloggers at all, and they don’t write about political situations every day. Their particular styles have stayed true to themselves & they have also made a point to offer ways to help others when they bring up these topics. One has done posts on what to wear to protest events & it’s incredibly helpful (not fashion tips but practical tips). I appreciate that so much & also feel comfortable commenting because it makes me feel so not-alone in all this madness. I’m also happy to use their affiliate links when I shop because I know they’re not magas.
The flip side is that I follow several blogs that are only for “fun,” as in, I like to see the pretty clothes or whatever & don’t necessarily expect those influencers to comment on events because I don’t necessarily think they can pull off that kind of depth. If they give off maga vibes, I definitely am not using their affiliate links and/or I unsubscribe & move on.
I think you’ve done a good job here of letting us know your thoughts. And I really like when you’ve talked about not wanting to say too much because of how complicated it all is and/or how easy it can be to wallow in it. We all need to preserve our mental health when we can by taking little breaks. That keeps us sane and also helps us recharge for our next actions, whatever those may be.
As a lifelong activist, I'm constantly feeling guilty that I'm not saying or doing more in the current moment, BUT it's ridiculous to berate other people for what they are or aren't doing right now. It's such a narrow (dare I say privileged) worldview to believe that everyone can drop what they're doing and focus 100% on protesting. My friends in small businesses and restaurants are struggling to survive after a week of being shut down by ice storms, so they had to say, "sorry we can't participate in the general strike, because we need to actually pay our workers" but that means they also need people to still shop and eat out. This stuff is complicated AND none of it is new. I'm glad that so many people are suddenly waking up to the horrors of our capitalist system and coming out of the woodwork to speak up. But does it actually change things to blog about it, doubtful. Hey, even Taylor Swift couldn't tip the last election and she's got a bazillion more followers than all of us combined. Online activism is mainly performative and thanks to the algorithms bubbles it's mostly people who already agree with each other seeing your posts and arguing over nuances. NO minds were ever dramatically changed on these platforms because of a well-worded post. People who know you, know you. Say what you want say, when you feel you need to. Add your own good to the world. We need more happiness, more joy right now. That's your part. It's not ignoring reality, it's creating the reality you want to live in and sharing it with others. And yes, I'm telling myself this as much as I'm telling you.
Thank you!
In the vein of "you never know what someone is going through", there are many reasons people in general may not speak out publicly and that doesn't mean they aren't making efforts in other ways. It's not up to me to demand it.
I don't really expect smaller influencers to do or say anything. I am smart enough to figure out where people stand, but if they say something I disagree with, I unfollow. It's ok to do that!
I DO like to see influencers talk about causes they care about, because people will listen. I like when people with huge followings of white ladies say FREE PALESTINE or universal healthcare now! I liked Kylie Kelce's really funny response when someone asked her about ICE. I like when people at the Grammys say FUCK ICE but I also like when they talk about taking care of people in all roles in the industry, like Chappell Roan did last year. I want people to have empathy for others, that's my baseline. Let Lisa Vanderpump save dogs, and Lisa Rinna can fight this regime.
There's, of course, a lot going on with people in comments either 1) berating influencers to say something or 2) saying stupid shit because they don't understand how government works. I wouldn't have the energy to deal with either one of them. I don't care that Taylor Swift hasn't said anything about ICE, I just don't. But I don't have parasocial relationships and I'm a political pragmatist so I can just move on. A lot of people can't, they NEED Taylor to say something.
I do want to add I don't like when people don't see how their hobby that they are an influencer for can be political. For instance, I run, and I run on a treadmill in the darker months because it's safer but many men don't get that. "You should run outside all the time or it isn't running!"
Ohhh, this kind of "it doesn't happen to me so it doesn't happen" shit drives me crazy.
These are unprecedented times for most of us. In the past, I figured I will just follow for the fashion or whatever. But things feel different now and I don’t want to give someone a second of my time (or money!) if they support what is happening now. It isn’t politics, it is morals/ethics/decency etc. Do I think that means people should post their stance on a shopping account? I don’t know.
Agree! And I also don't know. And I agree it's more about values/morals than politics at this point.
Keep on doing you! I’ve enjoyed reading your posts for ages.
I think when someone speaks out, it can create a feeling of kinship and community that feels good in the moment, and I'm not against that at all! But also posting on the internet doesn't really actually DO much other than that (unless I suppose one has a huge following but I don't think that's what we're talking about here). And then what do we really know about what people are doing offline? The members of congress they are calling, the causes they show up for and donate to, the neighbors they're helping out, etc. And I feel like we could get ourselves in this never ending loop of always speaking out but a) not doing anything actually meaningful and b) not doing the things that actually bring us joy and protect our peace and mental health in a way that allows us to continue to show up and do the more tangible things.
I don't look to influencers or celebrities to validate how I'm feeling about the world, but it does feel important to try to vet who you're following online to make sure you're not actively supporting someone whose beliefs harm others.
I also like it when people post ways to help, books that made them feel better (either because they illuminate the present crapshow or because they're feel-good reads) or places to donate. There are too many people who act like we're completely helpless or doomed. Anyone who posts anything along the lines of "we're cooked" is an instant unfollow.
I saw 10 unsubscribes after I published a post on how distraught I was about Renee Good's killing. So I'm not sure what the balance should be. I see a lot of fashion substackers starting off with paragraphs about what they are doing to help and giving links to organizations, maybe that's the way to go.
Oof, well, those aren't your people. I like your idea, thank you!
I also struggle with how much to write about what is happening in our country and the rest of the world, but, as you say, there are other people I look to for that. Historians, journalists, etc. For me, it is enough when someone acknowledges it and balances it with the fact that we all have to live our lives.
Yes, I think it's the balance part I'm struggling with.
Generally I don't need my social media follows to share their political values. If they do and are aligned then great. If they do and are not aligned, I'll likely unfollow. I get that people are hyper aware ATM, but the demand that a content creator who makes content about makeup or cooking or clothing should have to declare their politics feels wrong to me.
I think because I have a vague sense of your human values, it never crossed my mind here.
I feel like I've spoken out enough to make my values clear but I worry that it's not enough.
Please keep on doing what you are doing. There are plenty of people shouting about everything and the clamor doesn’t really help anyone; it is just paralyzing. In my view, the way out of paralysis is to deal with stuff in front of you, the people immediately around you. You can only affect about 4 feet around your body, so focus there. I think there is also something that is self-fulfilling about writing about horror all the time. If that is all you train yourself to see, that is all you will see, and there is so much more to the world than that. Just a penny for the pond.
I've been writing online in some large or small way for umm... a long time now, so I definitely have opinions. Looking back, I think I have always approached writing online and following people online in a sort of "favored coworker" way. We're friends, we go to lunch, we might talk about things or share memes that wouldn't be appropriate for our boss or HR, but we also probably aren't talking about the deep impact of politics on our psyche any more than we are talking about the minutia of our financial situation or our childhood trauma. Sure, it might come up and over time we'll both slowly reveal enough that we let each other in a bit more. Or not. Either way, it's great to have a fun coworker and if that never evolves more than gossiping about the latest office romance, cool.
Like Noah said, it's complicated stuff, we're complicated people - online and offline. I love that you and we can all share pieces of ourselves as much as we feel comfortable. I don't want to see people stop sharing and stop participating in the communities that I think are one the last bastions of what make the internet cool and fun.
that said, if I do find out my coworker is cool with all the horrors, we're going to stop having lunch together. So yeah, nuanced and complex.
There is no other time but now to tell the truth when you feel moved. Everything is political.
And do you really want to sell your soul for a few shekels, a few shiny pennies, to have those one or two readers make you eligible for that 20% off a product you consume?
You know the answer.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AgKLjfu5T/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Agree, I'm just looking for a balance, so my head doesn't explode. (Also, the shopping Substacker I mentioned has spoken out a lot but was criticized for not saying more. It's her full-time job, not just pennies.)
I think I do want to know if someone is MAGA because I will unfollow in the same way I don’t go to Chick-fil-a. But I, too, sometimes just want to read about pretty clothes and makeup or good books. Our psyche’s are not built for all horrors all the time. It’s not sustainable or good for us.
It’s probably too late but a piece of advice we got when my stepfather died was order way more copies of the death certificate than you think you need because everyone you’ll be dealing with is going to need one
I think in the past it maybe wouldn’t cross my mind, but these days I think it’s important to say SOMETHING. I don’t need a treatise, but some acknowledgement of what’s happening is meaningful because I don’t want to support someone who’s MAGA or OK with what’s happening…even if it’s simply saying “this is wrong and it’s not OK.” For what it’s worth, I feel like Ive followed you for so long that i know where you stand!
So many good comments here! I have mixed feelings on this. Three blogs I really enjoy have all spoken out against the regime & write about how damaging this all is to our country & our fellow humans. They are not political bloggers at all, and they don’t write about political situations every day. Their particular styles have stayed true to themselves & they have also made a point to offer ways to help others when they bring up these topics. One has done posts on what to wear to protest events & it’s incredibly helpful (not fashion tips but practical tips). I appreciate that so much & also feel comfortable commenting because it makes me feel so not-alone in all this madness. I’m also happy to use their affiliate links when I shop because I know they’re not magas.
The flip side is that I follow several blogs that are only for “fun,” as in, I like to see the pretty clothes or whatever & don’t necessarily expect those influencers to comment on events because I don’t necessarily think they can pull off that kind of depth. If they give off maga vibes, I definitely am not using their affiliate links and/or I unsubscribe & move on.
I think you’ve done a good job here of letting us know your thoughts. And I really like when you’ve talked about not wanting to say too much because of how complicated it all is and/or how easy it can be to wallow in it. We all need to preserve our mental health when we can by taking little breaks. That keeps us sane and also helps us recharge for our next actions, whatever those may be.