I have friends who are genuinely confused when I point out to them that being politically engaged is a luxury item lots of folks don't invest time or money into. They don't think deeply about politics until and unless it directly affects them. It's an alien thought (and I get it!), but it's true.
Reposted from
Faine Greenwood
Too many people on here seem to believe there are exactly two kinds of Americans: ardent politically-obsessed Bluesky users, and frothing MAGA cultists.
There are a LOT of people in this country who *just don’t pay a lot of attention one way or another*.
And we absolutely can reach them.
There are a LOT of people in this country who *just don’t pay a lot of attention one way or another*.
And we absolutely can reach them.
Comments
My parents were curious about the new music bldg.
If that works then try bringing up a few thousand new hires running around the country looking for the next bug.
You know, may have saved her life, seriously.
In any event it becomes even more criminal when folks deny the potential dangers.
A duty to be informed and use your our brain before expressing your vote.
Most forget the DUTY part.
As I worded it - in the 80s/90s (my teens/20s), I used to be apathetically moderate (or moderately apathetic). I can't afford that luxury anymore.
When they are so brainwashed & not paying attention
But don't be surprised when the people who's lives politics has destroyed tell you that calling them "rude" is a privileged person's whiny entitlement.
A lot of people who're not safe like you are in increasing real life danger are mad and scared, and I think you are being tone deaf and unsympathetic.
This reminds me of your initial racefail screwup. You were hurt people got mad at you then too.
Is eternal vigilance!”
Few places have this much unreality. Upper west side NYC, Malibu/Hollywood Hills, and Silicon Valley, maybe?
I just wish I knew what to *do* about it.
I don't think it is enough to ask them to sit out the election next time. They will need courage to vote differently than they have ever done before.
There is also trickle down voting (vote fringe first and trickle to a major party). This data helps shape policies
We have restrictions on the money used to campaign. (ie. not Citizens United)
Social media and misinformation is harder now with big tech relationship
I don't care why they voted for Trump. Anyone who voted for Trump is the enemy.
If she's still listening afterwards then point out that red states get more money from the Federales, per capita, than do blue states.
And that's John. He does not ever have to worry that his passport might get seized because he's trans for example. So he can live in peace with people who cheer that on.
I'm a pansexual cis man with ADHD, and I will still stick to that saying because it's true.
John is deeply insulated from the suffering. Bad things happening to him are super distant.
(yeah, like the pope said to do in response to Vance's crapola...)
In addition there are lots of people who would absolutely consider themselves engaged because they watch Fox News--and are therefore "informed."
And he doesn't understand that he's being fed a curated version of the truth.
The truth is going to have to become overwhelmingly obvious for folks to "awaken".
Anyway, point being, you can't just look at the national voting percentages in an area to understand it, yeah.
When they see a black man in a nice car they ALWAYS wonder what kind of drugs he sells.
Ohio is crap.
You have failed this country so many times.
Whatever you might think should be the breaking point for anyone... they didn't catch it, or missed key context.
Soon the weather will begin to warm and with that I am hopeful that we can raise awareness by increasing visibility via peaceful, organized, demonstrations and marches.
This is why what is going on with TSAR TRUMP MATTERS and WE MUST STOP IT, NOW.
Before THEY come SMASHING DOWN MY DOOR.
Neoliberalism never wanted an engaged electorate, factor this in to any analysis of policy development you may have, it is revealing...
When someone like JD Vance says “illegal immigrants are eating pets” then they take notice without question and despite the thousands upon thousands of testimonials, they stopped engaging and went back to their lives only knowing that.
No evidence based charts and graphs. Just straight from the heart.
That, too, was a waste of time.
C'mon.
America 340.1 million
Russia 143.8 million
Mexico 128.5 million
Canada 41.1 million
Germany 84.9 million
Israel 9.5 million
SArabia 35.3 m.
China/India rank 1st and 2nd largest w/ UNITED STATES 3rd! Thats a lot of people compared to the rest of you! So think about that America! 👍🏼
And global security is of value to every American as it is to every European, every global inhabitant.
The problem isn’t acknowledging complacency & apathy but educating ignorance.
The problem is knowing how to you help people to see that investment in any thing isn’t only of value if it advantages them.
That being governed by a plutocracy
“Not here in America”
crowd.
Try pointing out that a lot of things they said that about did end up happening and the most just shrug what you say off. They are too busy living their lives. They don’t care until it affects them. Slowly some are waking up.
*This is why* he says he won on the word “groceries” - not the promise to lower costs.
Because you can't talk about class in US political discourse. Still, and still, and still.
For one brief moment the first week of December it looked like that might change. But nope.
This is a serious question.
We are all pissed and annoyed and see the country at threat from within.
What, exactly, do we do?
Talk? Post sh*t?
Without a concerted effort, we spin a million wheels and go nowhere.
So… anyone have anything?
And at this point, there is no longer a need. The evidence is clear, this government is the worst we’ve seen. There is nothing good going to come from it.
Support resistance. Simple.
One of the big sources of problems for America is that people don't actually have a sense of what government is or does. Some of that is by design - it's a virtue in infrastructure! But also it's a source of real problems.
Instead, "It would have been bad either way." "They just need to burn it all down."
If that is the prevailing attitude in this environment, we are in a whole lot of trouble.
People pretending there's a middle ground between that is what allowed the later to steal power and doomed us all to the escalating Hell of the next 4 years.
For anybody not familiar with Sinclair Broadcast Group, here's a whole Last Week Tonight deep dive on it (NSFW if you care about profanity):
https://youtu.be/GvtNyOzGogc?si=D8H1wwd73ApHfPEn
I hope you recognize the privilege you have.
It’s classist.
Minorities have not had that luxury.
For most of those who don't vote, it isn't a principled stand like some leftists, it's that they're not paying attention. They wouldn't know whether or not one side is fighting for them.
For those voters for whom it's tribal, they already think their team is
“why did we never hear about kamala’s policy plans before the election?” gee, I wonder!
…yeah, maybe there’s a big reason they never showed up on your maga-and-CCP-owned feeds?
Like GOP fight to win
Dems give up and blame their own parliamentarian
I try to remember that, as an LGBT person who's been under the political gun my entire life, I've never been able to afford NOT paying attention. So I got in the habit as a teen, & had to be resilient. That's not everyone.
The end result is folks thinking their only options are every two years.
Probably have lower blood pressure.
Shaming people for focusing on what they have direct control over isn't going to create the solidarity needed to overcome the kleptocrats.
Need to consult a psychologist to deal with the craziness, and to know how to reach those not paying attention.
That third group are absolute morons who allowed this situation to happen so they don't get a pass from us.
It’s not that people CAN’T be informed — they just don’t WANT to.
You can be in a position where you simply don’t have the time to engage (work, family, etc.). But you can also be unable to engage due to disability. The one that disgusts me? People who don’t pay attention because they’re wealthy and don’t need to because you’ll be fine
It’s more about things like me being able to go to a rally on a Monday because I freelance and I gave myself the day off.
My grandmother, who immigrated to the United States, was a maid for a rich family would not be able to take the day off to participate in such an event.
There are people working two and three jobs just to get by. They do not have the luxury to be on social media, go to rallies or call their reps.
They are emotionally, physically, and intellectually exhausted from existing.
You can’t turn them off.
You see them everywhere.
You aren’t talked at because YOU read them.
No tech, no internet, no tv.
Lazy and passive isn’t an excuse, it’s a death knell for democracy.
There are always consequences!
Pericles