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I dislike Activism

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posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 10:22 AM
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I don't understand why, but Activism annoys me.

It shouldn't. But it does.

I know there are some great people out there risking their well-being to highlight the plight faced by other people/animals to bring forth change for the betterment of those people/animals. I know that without activism, we would still be backward in our thinking and intolerant of people that are different to us. I know that I can enjoy many of the freedoms I possess today thanks solely to the actions of past activists.

Despite all these highly plausible facts, I get angry and impatient whenever I see expressions of activism - even if I support the cause in some small way.

Is this a form of cognitive dissonance?

How do I resolve this inner conflict?



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 10:39 AM
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a reply to: Dark Ghost

Interesting introspection. Activism is used across the political spectrum. IMO, activism is very general and pervasive. It only varies by scale.

Have you taken the position opposing activism because you are pacifist?
Have you taken the position opposing activism because you you don't understand the meaning of the word?
Have you taken the position opposing activism because you prefer the status quo?
Have you taken the position opposing activism because you are willfully ignorant?





posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 10:40 AM
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a reply to: Dark Ghost

you had me until :


I get angry and impatient whenever I see expressions of activism - even if I support the cause in some small way.


I utterly abhor much of the activity that is called " activism " in the 21st century

but I still support activism for causes I actually believe are for the common or greater good



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 10:43 AM
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a reply to: Dark Ghost

Just should organise a rally for that! A sort of million man march against activism....


Just kidding.

Activism accomplishes alot but it will never stop the money-hungery, evil, power whores from finding different ways to scr*w you over. You may change one thing only for it to be replaced with something equally bad.

It's just the way of the world I guess.

I'm more of a "revolutionism" kind of guy, bring on the guillotines!!

Peace



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 10:49 AM
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slowly changing perception is always better than shoving things down other's throats. Sometimes activism actually drives a wedge between people. Making rational speeches should be the form of activism that is expressed. People can realize the truth if they hear it enough. Now fixing things is going to cause inconvenience and sometimes a loss of income to some people, but if the reasoning behind the needed change is truthful and practical, people should accept it. But change has to be gradual and these activists do cause problems by attacking the actions of people too much, this causes a defensive response which actually is bad for their cause.

Sometimes I think radical activists are actually steered by some of the ones who could loose the most. They like these people out there to stir things up to unreasonable states where people stick with the ones running things. If the actions of a radical activist make it seem like it will negatively effect you, you will strengthen your relationship with the ones that they challenge and call the activists Kooks. We do not like to align ourselves with Kooks.

So do the ones at top actually hire people to infiltrate these groups to destroy the acceptance of the cause? I am sure they do. I was a business man and I think this would have been a good approach myself to dissuade people from following the cause. Now how do people get suckered in to follow the radicals in these good causes. I don't know, most people are followers I suppose.....not leaders.



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 11:17 AM
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When Jesus was walking in Israel, His country was occupied by the Romans and the Roman army. They were everywhere. It was a politically oppressive environment. Although Jesus could have spent all His time and energy in talking about 'the problem', He had higher goals.

These days, approx. 2000 years later, the Roman Empire is long gone. But Jesus and what He did still lives on.

Point taken.



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 12:48 PM
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a reply to: Dark Ghost

If you lean toward conservatism, it is in your DNA. You don't like change.



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 01:09 PM
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originally posted by: Dark Ghost
I don't understand why, but Activism annoys me.

It shouldn't. But it does.

I know there are some great people out there risking their well-being to highlight the plight faced by other people/animals to bring forth change for the betterment of those people/animals. I know that without activism, we would still be backward in our thinking and intolerant of people that are different to us. I know that I can enjoy many of the freedoms I possess today thanks solely to the actions of past activists.

Despite all these highly plausible facts, I get angry and impatient whenever I see expressions of activism - even if I support the cause in some small way.

Is this a form of cognitive dissonance?

How do I resolve this inner conflict?


I can sympathize. The primary issue I have with activism in most forms is two-fold: much of it is as toothless as it is about making little more than discordant noise and second, the potency of non-violent activism for the most part depends on the good will of the system whose policies it seeks to change or end. Further, even the most radical activists can achieve little without the backing of some political or corporate entity, even if said support is indirectly funneled. Then the martyr aspect plays in as well, with leaders and soldiers of various movements ever ready to sacrifice themselves for the cause.

Small groups within a movement often act independently, some even violently, while the rest disassociate themselves with those whose approach they do not approve of and disunity on a solution to whatever cause often follows. However, I do agree with the sentiment by another poster that activism plays a very central role in most all levels of the human political spectrum. The defining difference between private and government activism being the very unified and direct eventual action taken by those in office while the civilian groups more often fall into impotency due to their divisiveness, hesitancy and inability to move forward from a united position on most any crucial cause.



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 01:16 PM
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originally posted by: Dark Ghost


Despite all these highly plausible facts, I get angry and impatient whenever I see expressions of activism - even if I support the cause in some small way.

Is this a form of cognitive dissonance?

How do I resolve this inner conflict?


Because you adore authority. And any attack on your perceived personal authority and tribal identity frightens you.

I'll bet you attend church regularly; And individual thought and expression is an anathema to your religious/ spiritual structure.

Combined with your genetics and upbringing you received; I doubt if you will change or even really want to.

Subconsciously you know that activists like to party and don't adhere to the sexual mores commonly acceptable in the mainstream paradigm. This also goes against your basically conservative grain. It's really not about the activism or the cause, but a much deeper psychological etiology involving your sexuality and fear of it's expression.

Did I even get close?
edit on 16-9-2014 by olaru12 because: (no reason given)



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 02:22 PM
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a reply to: olaru12

What era in activism are you speaking of?
Todays activists are some of the most uptight and dull people there are.
You need to learn how to really party and remove that stick.
You seem to be part of the problem. It takes 5 seconds to decide.



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 02:34 PM
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originally posted by: ItCameFromOuterSpace

You need to learn how to really party and remove that stick.



So what do you have in mind there cowboy?

I was referring to the OWS demonstrations that I attended; hardly uptight and dull!!
edit on 16-9-2014 by olaru12 because: (no reason given)



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 02:54 PM
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a reply to: Dark Ghost

I often feel the same.

I think for me, it's because much of the activisim I see is accompanied by behavior that undercuts the very nature of the principle being sought.

Peace by violence.

Equality by division.

Conservation by waste.

Consensus by fear.

Drives me nuts when I see the collective maturity of humanity demonstrate the emotional skills of a five year old.



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 02:59 PM
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I sort of agree.. mostly because where I live activism would many times be violent leftists, useful idiots in many ways.



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 10:37 PM
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originally posted by: InverseLookingGlass
Interesting introspection. Activism is used across the political spectrum. IMO, activism is very general and pervasive. It only varies by scale.

Have you taken the position opposing activism because you are pacifist?
I am neither a pacifist nor a warmonger. I don't like war and hope I will never have to take part in one myself.


Have you taken the position opposing activism because you you don't understand the meaning of the word?
Perhaps. As you are aware, English is a language that continually evolves and the number of definitions for words continues to expand/change in usage.


Have you taken the position opposing activism because you prefer the status quo?
It's possible. But there are situations where I like and welcome change in my life, so there is some conflict in that respect I guess.


Have you taken the position opposing activism because you are willfully ignorant?
Depends how you define "wilfully ignorant" - and I'm not trying to be obtuse.

For example, am I wilfully ignorant for not watching footage of how animals get slaughtered for meat because I don't want to be a vegetarian? Am I wilfully ignorant for not fully researching how and why there are millions of people starving around the world with not hope of survival? Am I wilfully ignorant for not reading the Bible in full and still choosing to denounce it as a book of division?



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 10:40 PM
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a reply to: Dark Ghost

RISE UP!

People Against Activism!

Everyone band together to march against activis. . . . . . oh.

Never mind.



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 10:49 PM
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originally posted by: olaru12

Because you adore authority. And any attack on your perceived personal authority and tribal identity frightens you.

I don't "adore" authority, but I feel its important to a certain degree.


I'll bet you attend church regularly; And individual thought and expression is an anathema to your religious/ spiritual structure.

Way off. I am an irreligious agnostic who welcomes individual thought and expression. Activism is not exactly the expression of "individual" thought, it usually involves group-think tactics.


Combined with your genetics and upbringing you received; I doubt if you will change or even really want to.

Incorrect once again. Life experience as well as reading through various threads on ATS has opened up my eyes to whole new ways of thinking and approaching complex issues. I have shifted my views on a number of issues since being a member here.


Subconsciously you know that activists like to party and don't adhere to the sexual mores commonly acceptable in the mainstream paradigm. This also goes against your basically conservative grain. It's really not about the activism or the cause, but a much deeper psychological etiology involving your sexuality and fear of it's expression.

Wrong again. I am all for sexual freedom and don't care what other people do as long as it does not harm me or my loved ones. I am neither conservative nor liberal. I am somewhere in-between.


Did I even get close?

Good effort, but you were way off the mark on this one.


edit on 16/9/2014 by Dark Ghost because: formatting



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 11:05 PM
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a reply to: Dark Ghost

So what is your definition of an activist?

Apparently I have been more or less accused of such and just trying to fish around for what that is supposed to mean.



posted on Sep, 17 2014 @ 06:29 AM
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I am all for activism if it is done with proper intent and proper methods in order to change things in the name of progress

People take it WAY too far and sometimes use it as a weapon...there is where the problem begins. People have got to start realizing that baiting and blaming every single person in a group is evil when the truth is they may not know that person...

I understand it gets ugly, but overall activism is great...it provides change



posted on Sep, 17 2014 @ 10:47 AM
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Passive activism is like passive war. More casualties and your causes get lost in time.



posted on Sep, 18 2014 @ 09:19 PM
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a reply to: Dark Ghost

Here you go Dark Ghost :-)





Hard to stop - so much out there - though not as much new stuff

At least - not as much as there should be these days. That would be another interesting thread - how come?

Maybe you just don't like it when people draw attention to or make (what looks like) a spectacle of themselves - maybe that sort of thing is not in your nature?

Which is why I think a lot of people turn to art




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