How do we enact change? (anti-complacency)

[NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙]

It seems everyone collectively buries their head in games, social media that suppresses freedom of speech, and food. We continue to watch nations crumble and wars rage with a collective inaction- why?

How do we enact change in the 21st century? I feel like everyone has turned into a side-quest NPC who sorta watches the world around them thinking that they have 0 impact on any of the outcomes associated with life; how do we change that?

[NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙]

Publicado originalmente por TwisterCat:

I can't think of anything that wouldn't involve chaos. Chaos is the salt-shaker of change, and there's not much need to prod it out of the woodwork ~ it'll come to you.

My unfortunate thinking.

Hard not to adopt the Sic Semper Tyrannis mindset when we're so far over the edge

[NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙]

Publicado originalmente por Breathe:

Publicado originalmente por NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:

For example, I'm passionate about how the economy has deteriorated- and only continues to deteriorate because people haven't been taught critical thinking skills like statistics for example.

Maybe start there. Start small. How exactly do you want people to "wise up'? Do you want them to budget better, be compensated better, be better educated, have access to better choices?

Publicado originalmente por NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:

If people could visualise how the world itself has deteriorated on the backs of billionaires while others starve or work an excess of 40 hours a week to still be in debt, we'd have immediate change. The issue stems from people actively choosing to not participate in those changes, as they've been complacent/subservient for fear of repercussion. We're farming wage-slaves with the current education system, and internet.

People are largely aware of all this. Now is the 'now what?" portion. I think what helps people to conveniently forget or put things aside is that we are constantly given some minor appeasement here and there, it becomes enough to pacify us.

Publicado originalmente por NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:

I'm not talking about preaching per se, but even opening a dialogue in a setting where people can actually participate. The internet as we know it now produces so many unnecessary hurdles on purpose to keep people this subservient. It sounds like I'd more or less be able to cultivate my own landlocked internet island of x ideology, but that still doesn't reach the neighbouring islands. I agree, doing something is better than doing nothing, but it still doesn't address the issue of the overall efficacy of these divide-and-conquer strategies- they're clearly effective

Town halls. Get involved with your local government and again, try finding your people amongst your community. I promise you they exist. By having a group of like-minded, impassioned individuals, some organized action can take place. And who knows, eventually it could lead to your own position of influence within the system itself.

I want people to actually be compensated for the work they do- the fact that working full-time doesn't cover baseline cost of living is atrocious. It didn't used to be this way, despite what boomers will tell you. There was recently a Ted talk about this exact thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEJ4hkpQW8E

More or less, it sounds like I'm to play politics myself- something I'm not entirely comfortable with. It's a "fight fire with fire" world, and my morality prevents me from using the same disgusting manipulation tactics that've become commonplace. I think that while some good could come of getting involved in local government, those people that need to see "apes together strong" are still landlocked on their isolated islands, far from the reach of the government mind-speaking places in the first place. I want to move the highly-isolated into the spaces where they can see that it's possible to get to a better place

[NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙]

Publicado originalmente por mara:

Publicado originalmente por NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:

https://www.ubs.com/content/sites/global/en/family-office-uhnw/reports/global-wealth-report-2023/exploring/jcr:content/mainpar/toplevelgrid/col1/innergrid_1149813921_761847739/xcol1/textimage_copy_18971_858336208/image.580.png/1692949950972.png

The top 1.1% of the global population, classified by having an excess of $1,000,000 USD, control 45.8% of the global economy.

The next bracket down, 12% classified by owning an excess of $100,000 but less than $1,000,000 USD, they control the near remaining 39.4% of the global economy.

Let's think about those two brackets alone. The top 13.1% of the population owning and consequently controlling 85.2% of the global economy is atrocious.

Let's dissect the last 2 brackets now- this is where it gets abysmal.

34.4%, classified by having an excess of $10,000 and less than $100,000 USD, they have control of 13.6% of the global economy.

Now, the real ridiculousness- the bottom 52.5% of the world who has less than $10,000 USD, they only control 1.2% of the global economy.

How are we still continuing a world where more than half of the global population controls 1.2% of the money? This is dystopian, and it definitely isn't the result of the majority of people enjoying the comfort of their own lives; it's the fact that money is power and power enacts change- when tyranny reigns, there's no effective way to enact change

im not in control of any of that, i cant let it affect my life, i have my own problems

as i said previously i can try to positively influence my environnent but i wasnt born with the circumstances to change the world economy, you neither I assume... so we should peacefully come to that conclusion.

complacency
kəm-plā′sən-sē
noun
A feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble, or controversy.

subservient
səb-sûr′vē-ənt
adjective
Subordinate in capacity or function.
Obsequious; servile.
Useful as a means or an instrument; serving to promote an end.

[brain stew]

Step one: be a trust fund baby
Step two: attend an Ivy League / private school
Step three: run for office

[NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙]

Publicado originalmente por Lone Wolf Sigmalord:

Step one: be a trust fund baby
Step two: attend an Ivy League / private school
Step three: run for office

Exactly; I have another thread showing how the current political state has aged- mostly comprised of the exact same people it was 30 years ago. It shows you that even politics has been monopolised.

"Average age of congress" ~ https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EuTDti1XYAYrYy7?format=jpg

"General intelligence over age" ~ https://emilkirkegaard.dk/en/wp-content/uploads/sex-diff-UK-1-1.jpg

"IQ projected to continue dropping over time, not increase" ~ https://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/IQ/1950-2050/figures/p9999.gif

from: "Why the USA's general public is kept stupid relative to years prior. (The actual End of The World)" ~ https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/12/4361250968406588965/

[NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙]

Publicado originalmente por mara:

/ˈstəʊɪsɪz(ə)m/
noun
1.
the endurance of pain or hardship without the display of feelings and without complaint.

delusions of grandeur
phrase of delusion
a false impression of one's own importance.
"you have given yourself the trappings of wealth and delusion of grandeur"

stoicism isn't the same as mindless complacency. Acknowledging the corrupt and still continuing to do their bidding is called evil.

What's delusional is thinking that you're stoic for not caring about humanity overall

[Frankie]

Publicado originalmente por NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:

Publicado originalmente por Frankie:

The rest of us have no powers to make any difference.

It's that mindset that people are alone- the people alive today who've had to go to school and socialize around things like social media know just how alienating of an experience it really is. Most of us probably spend our day alone, sat in-front of a screen, engaging in faux-companionship video-games at large have to offer that real life doesn't.

It doesn't have to be that way. People just need to pick their heads up, zoom out and see the bigger picture. If you look at your own personal steam hours (everyone) consider that you really were most likely alone in a room staring at a screen- not actually doing whatever it was in the game you were doing. I feel people have adopted a pragmatic disillusionment to maintain some semblance of sanity; and for this, I cannot blame them. Alienation does that to people. However, continuing to do this only continuation via inaction

I agree with this and actually have said as much on my posts when I speak of personal apathy. I can say this because I see responsibilities being shirked by a generation I am no longer part of due to my age ;-)

I do respect your passion and your posting style but sadly this world is not ready for/or enabled to enact this idealistic vision of societies responsibilities. Shame I say.

I'm not some peachy newbie to life dude so my posts aren't negative. I just offer that balance ;-)

[JD]

History proves the only thing that inspires people to change is to ruin their lives and take everything away from them. The French Revolution, The American Revolution, and Haitian Revolution are perfect examples.

If people are sitting comfy on a chair typing away, they are not going to want change.

[NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙]

Publicado originalmente por mara:

Publicado originalmente por NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙:

stoicism isn't the same as mindless complacency. Acknowledging the corrupt and still continuing to do their bidding is called evil.

What's delusional is thinking that you're stoic for not caring about humanity overall

What's delusional is thinking that overly caring about the state of the world economy is bringing you closer to changing it.
You acknowledged the corrupt and talk about them on Steam forums, out of all places.
We're on the same page.

Why wouldn't I use a place where there's the most people actively engaging in escapism? These are the people who are collectively inactive- the people that would instil change if persuaded to do so. Why would I be anywhere else if my goal is to drag those who've locked themselves away out of their dungeons?

Right- I should be blissfully ignorant instead of caring about the future of my own life- that makes sense. You're clearly just looking to argue because you want attention; you've stopped making sense and have now only been confrontational for the sake of being confrontational.

Acknowledging a problem is the first phase in solving it- otherwise, there'd never be anything to fix.

[NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙]

Publicado originalmente por Face Diaper:

History proves the only thing that inspires people to change is to ruin their lives and take everything away from them. The French Revolution, The American Revolution, and Haitian Revolution are perfect examples.

If people are sitting comfy on a chair typing away, they are not going to want change.

Exactly what I thought of when

Publicado originalmente por Breathe:

OP: Think of any game. There are always rules but a part of playing is shifting or working those rules to how you play the game. You don't have to do as others do but look at past successes and failures of others as examples to work with.

specifically

Publicado originalmente por Breathe:

look at past successes and failures of others as examples to work with.

because it feels like revolution is inevitable now. Look at NYC, LA, San Fran, Detroit, Chicago, the list goes on. AI automation is only gonna emphasise this dystopia as now the uber-wealthy are creating workers that don't need all the amenities humans need. Inaction will only lead to Universal Basic Income slavery, mark my words

[TwisterCat]

I don't think it's grandeur to think of yourself as important. I know, personally, a few communities that I could single-handedly kill if I wanted to. I know a few gaps where I could make my own.

The founders of most memes, sites, and petitions, so on ~ were pretty ordinary and unremarkable folks.

I wouldn't mistake my own laziness and unconcern with "unimportant." I play a semi-important role, by doing nothing.

[TwisterCat]

Publicado originalmente por TwisterCat:

I wouldn't mistake my own laziness and unconcern with "unimportant." I play a semi-important role, by doing nothing.

And that's pretty much all of society for you. We all could play massive roles, but we wouldn't actually make things better. Instead, we plead for those who are more skilled than us, to do the work.

I think it's humility, personally.

[NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙]

Publicado originalmente por TwisterCat:

Publicado originalmente por TwisterCat:

I wouldn't mistake my own laziness and unconcern with "unimportant." I play a semi-important role, by doing nothing.

And that's pretty much all of society for you. We all could play massive roles, but we wouldn't actually make things better. Instead, we plead for those who are more skilled than us, to do the work.

I can't find the video, but there's one of protesters marching around a guy laying on the ground, presumably bleeding out (parody, not real) all chanting "Help this guy! Help this guy! Help this guy!" and the mock news interviewer asks one of the protesters about who they think should help the guy and they go "I don't know, the government or something?"

It's funny that we're actually seeing this unironically now- I don't know how to address what I'd call "inactivism" as like you said, everyone seems to expect someone else to do it, and this ultimately results in inaction even if that's not the intent

[brain stew]

Yeah, I've seen a whole lot of change, especially as of late. Things I've never seen in this city. People literally laying in the middle of the road, curled up in the fetal position because they're so whacked out on fenty. Tents and encampments everywhere, traffic medians, parks, next to schools... This is the change people voted for I guess.

[NoRain :( 🗕 🗗 🗙]

Publicado originalmente por Lone Wolf Sigmalord:

Yeah, I've seen a whole lot of change, especially as of late. Things I've never seen in this city. People literally laying in the middle of the road, curled up in the fetal position because they're so whacked out on fenty. Tents and encampments everywhere, traffic medians, parks, next to schools... This is the change people voted for I guess.

I think it goes deeper than addicts being addicts- the decriminalisation didn't address the reason why people at large starting doing those hard drugs. I think the majority of those people are people who've done the math, see that working full-time literally results in nothing but debt anyways, so they took to the cheapest escapism there is: substance abuse.

I used to drink tequila by the bottle, I'm an alcoholic coming up on a year of sobriety. I also smoked a metric ♥♥♥♥-ton of weed chronically. I understand the addict pov where it's like "The result of trying is the same as the result of not trying; thus, I should just try to maximise my enjoyment of life even if it's by artificial means" it's really not too dissimilar to the escapism people indulge in with video-games. Video-games just require an actual home, which is something a lot of people are without.

If they addressed affordable cost of living, and actually gave people an incentive to work so it wasn't just for nothing, there'd be a lot less addicts

e: imho, decriminalisation was a direct result of prison overcrowding more than public opinion