I know this mood will pass... I've been doing politics for long enough to know that I go through phases. but lately, there's more of the feeling of helplessness and hopelessness, and fewer and shorter periods of feeling that somehow, someone will find a way to make some positive changes.
I wonder if it's a function of age. I've been actively doing this sort of thing for 35 years now, and I've been a rebel trying to change the system even longer than that. It's true that I've seen a lot of positive changes over those years, in terms of civil rights for women, some minorities, queers. It's also true that there are a lot of things now on the progressive agenda that no one even thought about back then.
But even while some things have been getting better, so much more has been getting worse. I think that corporate globalisation, the effects of American exceptionalism, and the assault on the environment are probably the three biggest issues today - not necessarily the most immediate or urgent, but the most important in the long run - and I really don't have any hope of anything getting better in these areas. At least not in my ever-shortening lifetime.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2005-06-04 11:38 pm (UTC)I wonder if it's a function of age. I've been actively doing this sort of thing for 35 years now, and I've been a rebel trying to change the system even longer than that. It's true that I've seen a lot of positive changes over those years, in terms of civil rights for women, some minorities, queers. It's also true that there are a lot of things now on the progressive agenda that no one even thought about back then.
But even while some things have been getting better, so much more has been getting worse. I think that corporate globalisation, the effects of American exceptionalism, and the assault on the environment are probably the three biggest issues today - not necessarily the most immediate or urgent, but the most important in the long run - and I really don't have any hope of anything getting better in these areas. At least not in my ever-shortening lifetime.
Wonderful world indeed.