Our Overwhelm Is One Of The Greatest Weapons Of The Alt Right
Here are some tips for shifting out of a chronically reactive state
Everyday we wake up to more devastating news. In one instant the rights of trans folks are being taken away, the next second there is a white supremacist massacre in a grocery store, then a mass shooting of elementary school children, and the next day I’m packing up my house to run from anther greed-fueled wildfire. It’s excruciating, devastating, and as much as we may not want to admit it, it’s very often defeating. We turn our heads back and forth as if we’re watching apocalypse ping pong. Many of us are the ball itself, being hit and hit and hit again. Unable to heal the last punch because more punches keep coming, we are in a perpetually reactive state. Over time, it’s hard to not look at the world the way one might look at the home of someone who struggles with hoarding. With so much to clean up, it’s a challenge to even begin. Here’s what I think is certain–our overwhelm is one the greatest weapons the alt right has. So is our reactivity. In a chronically reactive state it is more difficult to think clearly. It’s more of a challenge to manage stress and maintain one’s health. It’s far harder to stay focused. Also, in reaction, it’s harder to stay the course of one’s individual skills, passions, and purpose. Because we are not going to be able to keep the onslaught of terrible events from happening today, I’m sharing five things I believe communities working for change can do right now to lessen the overwhelm and reactivity amongst us.
Reconsider having the news cycle be the conductor of your activist work. Everyday I see trans rights activists being attacked for staying the course of trans rights activism on the days the wildfires make the news. Everyday I see immigrant rights activists being attacked for staying the course of their activism when gun violence makes the news. I understand why this is happening. People are terrified and desperate for more voices. We are also acutely aware of how vital it is to have intersectional movements. But the news being the conductor of what we are doing is a problem for a number of reasons. Only one of those is that it suggests such events don’t happen until they make the news, which is commonly not the case.
Grieve. Not properly grieving often leads to debilitating depression & anxiety, and ultimately less positive world change. Recently, I was talking with a therapist friend who works in grief counseling. She reminded me how important it is to grieve what’s happening in our world right now, and also reminded me that grieving takes time, attention, and care. I’m still shaken by the fires that burned through Colorado five months ago, but I’ve had my attention on so many other world events then, that I’ve not yet been able to process it. Try to think of your nervous system like your digestive system. Most of us are politically backed up. Whenever possible, process something as completely as you can before feeding yourself more devastating news. Without doing so, our bodies and spirits are less likely to stay well.
Stop demanding that individuals who care about the world be emotionally and actively involved in every aspect of dismantling white supremcist cisnormative heteronormative capitalist patriarchy. It isn’t actually possible for anyone to engage every injustice that is happening in our world. Even if it were––we would soon find out it results in far more performative action, far less action, and far less focus on making the kind of moves that will lead to lasting results. Additionally, the expectation for constant engagement is ableist as it comes packaged in the belief that people should be able to take in, react to, and respond emotionally and precisely to every devastating world issue without their own wellness being impacted. We are collectively worn down at a time that we need to be up, literally up, for the task.
Understand that what inspires you towards positive action may be very different from what inspires others. Some people can easily turn rage and grief into diving boards for change. I can sometimes, but not as efficiently and with the same longevity as I can when feeling joy. There seems to be a general idea on “the left” that change isn’t possible unless the people working for change are in pain. We even seem to be growing afraid of people’s joy. When did we begin equating someone feeling peaceful inside to someone being apathetic about the world? I think it’s fairly obvious why that narrative is detrimental to every single social justice movement. Some people will be politically activated by feelings of rage, some by grief. Others by feelings of joy, wonder, and love. There is no one thing that inspires all and we are hurting every single movement by suggesting there is.
Stop allowing reactivity to turn your attention away from what you are most competent at and where you have the most to offer. Kate Bornstein wrote, “Your life’s work begins when your great joy meets the world’s great hunger.” People doing what they enjoy and are good at supports their longevity as an activist, and in turns supports every other movement. It’s important that we collectively understand that someone having most of their attention on one political issue does not equate to them not caring about other issues. An example from my own life—nothing upsets me more politically than the NRA and the gun laws in the U.S. But most of my energy and attention is spent on LGBTQ issues as well as issues of mental health, as this is where I know I have the most to offer the world with my limited energy. Every individual’s energy is a limited resource.
Thanks for reading. And thanks for being people who want to make our planet amazing. I know not everyone will agree with what I’ve shared here. I love having my mind changed, so please feel free to share your perspective with me.
Love, Andrea 🖤
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📚 Andrea's bestselling book 'You Better Be Lightning'
📣 Add to the conversation: How do you lessen your overwhelm and stress and reactivity among these challenging times? Share your thoughts in the comments
Hi Andrea, I've enjoyed reading this, and it rings the bells of truth for me. However, I like to challenge you a bit on the ending... quote: "this is where I know I have the most to offer the world with my limited energy. Every individual’s energy is a limited resource."
You, and everyone else in my view has unlimited energy, in fact we are Infinite energy, the power of Infinite consciousness, the love (re)source which we are. How about that?
Reading bits and pieces of your other work and the expressed gratitude for life and limbs, I gather that you're already aware of its flow. I recommend to add the infinite part ;)
All the best, Pascalle