I used to think like this, but I’m not sure I do anymore.
First, it seems like it’d be much harder to create alternate systems if the people in power are making it even harder to achieve basic survival (unless you advocate for accelerationism). As much as we all despise capitalism, there are degrees of shitness within it. And as much as I dislike the current system of power and wish we could ignore it, it does ultimately wield a lot of power that can lessen suffering sometimes. As an example, Medicaid alone allowed 83 million people this year to have access to healthcare, and it would be an incalculable loss if it was allowed to be gutted nationwide. Add to that that Biden is, at the very least, not interfering too much with the resurgence in unions, which will further enable people to survive easier, and expose a new generation of workers to the power they wield. And the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) was a pretty decent step in the right direction for climate change, and is something that we at a grassroots level wouldn’t have been able to implement (I.E, big businesses getting financial incentives to switch away from fossil fuels, big financial subsidies to alternative power companies, etc). I hate capitialism, but manipulating their psychological need for profit into doing the right thing is overall a good thing, and is sadly needed until we’re able to find a way off the capitalism train altogether.
Second, while every previous election in U.S. history has seemingly always been a choice between an evil and a lesser evil, in this very specific case, it’s a choice between a lesser evil and an openly fascist wannabe dictator that wants to “eliminate the communist vermin” (He actually said that).
If we look to history, I feel it’s important to point out Hitler was ultimately voted in initially (or at least his party was, since it was a Parliament, and he won the most seats). That majority win likely allowed for him to create policies and laws that enabled him to further his grip until it was unstoppable. How easy was it for socialists and anarchists to ignore politics in Nazi Germany and build alternate systems or feed the homeless when their government was literally hunting them with secret police? Things are bad in America, but bear in mind they could be so much worse (and I know that argument is used a lot to maintain the status quo, it’s the neoliberal democrat’s main thing they use to get you to keep voting them in, but fuck me guys, this time the stakes are high AF).
This is like the one time we should really engage hard, and then after it’s all over, and we can breathe a little easier, go back to focusing more on mutual aid until another Trump-like figure pops up, which will hopefully be a while.
I think we should vote, but I understand that we are not voting for someone to “represent” us. We are voting for our preferred enemy.
I think the real message here is against engaging in electoralism, which is the political strategy of effecting change through electoral politics, which means canvassing, participating in campaigns, volunteering time and energy beyond the simple act of casting a vote, maybe even attempting to run for office. That’s what they’re saying takes people away from direct action.
I used to think like this, but I’m not sure I do anymore.
First, it seems like it’d be much harder to create alternate systems if the people in power are making it even harder to achieve basic survival (unless you advocate for accelerationism). As much as we all despise capitalism, there are degrees of shitness within it. And as much as I dislike the current system of power and wish we could ignore it, it does ultimately wield a lot of power that can lessen suffering sometimes. As an example, Medicaid alone allowed 83 million people this year to have access to healthcare, and it would be an incalculable loss if it was allowed to be gutted nationwide. Add to that that Biden is, at the very least, not interfering too much with the resurgence in unions, which will further enable people to survive easier, and expose a new generation of workers to the power they wield. And the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) was a pretty decent step in the right direction for climate change, and is something that we at a grassroots level wouldn’t have been able to implement (I.E, big businesses getting financial incentives to switch away from fossil fuels, big financial subsidies to alternative power companies, etc). I hate capitialism, but manipulating their psychological need for profit into doing the right thing is overall a good thing, and is sadly needed until we’re able to find a way off the capitalism train altogether.
Second, while every previous election in U.S. history has seemingly always been a choice between an evil and a lesser evil, in this very specific case, it’s a choice between a lesser evil and an openly fascist wannabe dictator that wants to “eliminate the communist vermin” (He actually said that).
If we look to history, I feel it’s important to point out Hitler was ultimately voted in initially (or at least his party was, since it was a Parliament, and he won the most seats). That majority win likely allowed for him to create policies and laws that enabled him to further his grip until it was unstoppable. How easy was it for socialists and anarchists to ignore politics in Nazi Germany and build alternate systems or feed the homeless when their government was literally hunting them with secret police? Things are bad in America, but bear in mind they could be so much worse (and I know that argument is used a lot to maintain the status quo, it’s the neoliberal democrat’s main thing they use to get you to keep voting them in, but fuck me guys, this time the stakes are high AF).
This is like the one time we should really engage hard, and then after it’s all over, and we can breathe a little easier, go back to focusing more on mutual aid until another Trump-like figure pops up, which will hopefully be a while.
But that’s just my 2 cents.
I think we should vote, but I understand that we are not voting for someone to “represent” us. We are voting for our preferred enemy.
I think the real message here is against engaging in electoralism, which is the political strategy of effecting change through electoral politics, which means canvassing, participating in campaigns, volunteering time and energy beyond the simple act of casting a vote, maybe even attempting to run for office. That’s what they’re saying takes people away from direct action.
Ah, in that case I fully agree. Thank you for clarifying. :)