You need to find meaning in the struggle. That's all you can do. We might not see progress in our lifetime, but we've got to believe that if we keep working that a better future is possible.
Maybe get involved with a local org like PSL or similar. It helped me meet people who felt the same way and is better than looking at the news and getting depressed.
How do I tell where there are chapters. Probably not one where I live...
Not sure. They aren’t everywhere but finding a similar mutual aid org in your area could be worthwhile.
Even your local DSA. Yeah, they're probably libs, but membership has skyrocketed over the past 6 months so get in there, agitate, and radicalise.
It's going to get rough. Capitalism was exhausting Earth's ability to support it before Covid, now Covid is laying bare all the inherent contradictions at the core of the system. People know something is very, very wrong, but they can't quite put their finger on it. All you can do is try is explain that the thing killing us all is capitalism, not Republicans or conservatives. A bunch of people aren't going to every admit it, but the increasingly large numbers of those left behind are all potential comrades.
The struggle carries on. That's what I think when I despair. No matter how bad things get, there will always be those who struggle, who fight, whose wills survive the storm. The struggle carries on, and so must I.
I visited my brother and sister in law last weekend, and my 11 month old niece cried when I left. (Which, not to say I'm happy that she was sad, but she's not talking yet but I know she loves me. If you know more about human development and what babies know/remember, don't you DARE tell me I'm wrong, lol)
Anyway, love is what's keeping me going. And of course, love means danger too--that whole "hostages to fortune" thing--but it can also give you the joy you need to get you through the day. It can also give you the fuel you need to not give in to despair but to keep fighting for a better future. What should you be doing to fight and how should you be fighting? I'm not an expert on that, but I bet if you look you'll find some kind of organization in your area that would love your help. Will that actually make a difference? I don't know if it will make big changes, like with climate change etc, but it can definitely make little changes, like giving an unhoused person a safe place to sleep at night and that is a difference that is worth making.
I realize I might be talking to some lonely souls out there, so I just want to give some words of unironic encouragement for a minute (I've been a big sister practically my entire life, mothering people is in my blood and I can't help myself.) You are not the only person in your sphere who is lonely and feeling stressed by the realities of life these days. Consider being the one to reach out, even if it's hard. I bet people will be happy to hear from you. If you've burned some bridges and would like to make amends, reach out and give it a try. People are looking for a little joy in their lives right now, and so now is a good time to heal broken relationships.
I am not the best at keeping in touch with people if I'm not seeing them in person regularly--I'm definitely more of a face-to-face person. So I have regularly scheduled video calls with people. Having a schedule in place eliminates the problem of saying "we should get in touch some time," then some time never comes. One of them is a weekly book club with some friends. Some nights we barely talk about the book, and there's no pressure if you're behind on the reading. It's purely a coping mechanism for living with covid restrictions so the book is more of an excuse to meet regularly than anything else. I also asked some friends to start meeting with me twice a week to go for walks around our city. We pick a different park or whatever to walk in, catch up, and get some fresh air. These friends were eager to have something like that to do, all it took was for someone to make the suggestion and, crucially, go ahead and schedule the first one right away so "some time" doesn't slip into "never actually."
This community helps me feel better and not lose my mind over how fucked everything is
Yea seriously. At least I have someone to tell me I’m not crazy.
Go join the forces in Rojava. You might die, but not like you care, right? Might feel nice to be a part of something.
Doomerism is the objective of enemy propaganda, and as such is counterrevolutionary.
