myrmepropagandist
It’s been fashionable to dunk on “individual activism” in favor the f targeting the corporations and wealthy individuals responsible for the greatest impact.
And I am the last person who’d yell at a tired working mom for using a disposable plastic straw.
But there *is* something powerful about small individual actions: call it stigmergy
When an ant moves a bit of soil the action itself can serve as a cue for others to take the same action.
myrmepropagandist
If you are fanatical about reducing waste you may remember to mention that it annoys you that the rulers you purchased for your students come individually wrapped in plastic to the supplier. People around you will remember the goal of reducing the volume of trash— if only to stay on your good side but maybe when they have the chance to make a big decision that idea will be closer to the surface.
It’s not that your actions alone will save the world. Your actions are another way to speak.
cuan_knaggs
@futurebird yeah, it's a "yes and" situation. individual acts are important for many reasons: many small acts make a big act, you reinforce activism in yourself, you're a message to those around you, ...
Alex Feinman
@futurebird The meme got subverted. Is very frustrating.
Individual actions can not, by themselves, solve systemic problems. But they are a necessary component.
But the antimeme ("It's not your job to fix the world! So do nothing!") is so much easier to share.
The Duke of Mars ? ?️ ?️ ?
@futurebird agreed, collective activism can’t happen without individual activism. throwing up your hands isn’t a valid response to acknowledging corporations are bad, look at how you can do your part.
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