I Refuse to Succumb to Pessimism about Our Political Future

[MineralMan]

There's lots to be pessimistic about, but letting pessimism overcome me and stop me from trying to make things better isn't my style. In my own local area, and on the national scale, I want to do something, not just complain about the current situation. But what? For me, what is clear is that we have a job to do, and that job is educating people. It appears that low-information Americans are simply avoiding participation in choosing elected officials. That has never seemed more clear to me than after this mid-term election.

However, instead of declaring the United States to be finished, for all intents and purposes, it has solidified my belief that we have a lot of work to do in educating Americans. What I've found in my door-knocking work over the years is that people don't vote because they don't know what the issues are and what the candidates' positions are on those issues.

That's why my strategy has always been to ask everyone I talk to what issues are of most concern to them. Then, I refer to my knowledge of what individual candidates believe about those issues and help them understand which candidates are going to try to help solve those particular problems.

Problem is, though, that I only reach the voters in my little precinct, which has only just over 1000 registered voters. When I do, I manage to convince a number of them to go to the polls and vote in their own interest and in the interest of improving their little corner of society.

Like many, I tend to hang around on this website that more or less believes as I do. I spend too much time here, I believe. Instead, I need to spend more time trying to provide information to low-information people, and less time preaching to a choir of high-information people who are already active in politics. So, I need to check my priorities and see if I can't find ways to reach a larger audience of people who can change their views and become part of the process. Here, everyone is already part of the process.

We need to reach out and educate those who need that education. We aren't doing that on DU. So, my resolution is to find new ways to talk to people who will benefit. As I find those ways, I'll share them here. I've already shared my precinct canvassing strategy, and my precinct does vote. They vote for progressives. Every Democratic or progressive candidate on the ballot we voted on won. Every last one of them. I'm encouraged by that, and hope to influence people outside of my limited area. We'll see how I find ways to do that.

[LongTomH]

1. I think it was Juan Cole who explained the difference between 'optimism' and hope

It's nearly impossible to remain optimistic about our future now; but, we can still hold out hope for change, and I do agree with you that we can't stop fighting and trying to educate our neighbors.

If you're looking for ways to become more involved, check out Move to Amend and see if there's an affiliate chapter in your city.

[MineralMan]

2. I'm optimistic by nature. It has been the fundamental

part of my life that has enabled me to make my living in a very precarious way. Optimism is my stock in trade.

[Bluenorthwest]

10. I too would perish without optimism in a precarious as fuck career. Hope. The thing with feathers.

I think it is our job to give people hope. Educate them yes, but without a vision people perish. It is our job to provide that vision and that hope. I'm going to link to a speech many know about but don't really know, Harvey Milk's speech known as 'The Hope Speech'. It's a complex thing, and full of those times and our very own as the excerpt I'm going to post shows. I hope you will read the whole speech, it's something you will like.


"What's happening to me is the antithesis of what you read about in the papers and what you hear about on the radio. You hear about and read about this movement to the right. That we must band together and fight back this movement to the right. And I'm here to go ahead and say that what you hear and read is what they want you to think because it's not happening. The major media in this country has talked about the movement to the right so the legislators think that there is indeed a movement to the right and that the Congress and the legislators and the city councils will start to move to the right the way the major media want them. So they keep on talking about this move to the right.......
After Dade County, I walked among the angry and the frustrated night after night and I looked at their faces. And in San Francisco, three days before Gay Pride Day, a person was killed just because he was gay. And that night, I walked among the sad and the frustrated at City Hall in San Francisco and later that night as they lit candles on Castro Street and stood in silence, reaching out for some symbolic thing that would give them hope. These were strong people, whose faces I knew from the shop, the streets, meetings and people who I never saw before but I knew. They were strong, but even they needed hope.

And the young gay people in the Altoona, Pennsylvanias and the Richmond, Minnesotas who are coming out and hear Anita Bryant on television and her story. The only thing they have to look forward to is hope. And you have to give them hope. Hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow, hope for a better place to come to if the pressures at home are too great. Hope that all will be all right. Without hope, not only gays, but the blacks, the seniors, the handicapped, the us'es, the us'es will give up.


http://www.danaroc.com/guests_harveymilk_122208.html

[MineralMan]

11. For me, hope without optimism is hollow.

Milk' s speech was inspiring. His death was a horrible blow to both hope and optimism. Still, both returned. I have little patience for those who have given up on both. Despite setbacks, it is hope and optimism that keep people trying. I believe that both are required for success. Without optimism, hope is only solace. With optimism, it is fuel for movement. I believe in movement.

Thank you for your thoughtful reply and for reminding me of that speech. I will read it again in full.

[alterfurz]

9. a very important distinction

Optimism is the belief that things are going to turn out as you like, as opposed to hope, which is when you are thoroughly convinced something is moral and right and just, and therefore you fight regardless of the consequences. In that sense, I'm full of hope, but in no way optimistic. -- Vaclav Havel

[ChisolmTrailDem]

3. The people I try to educate have one or more of 3 reactions:

1) They don't want to hear it.

2) They argue they're own deeply held beliefs and refuse to accept actual facts if it doesn't match what they believe to be fact.

3) They look at me like I have 3 heads and a forked tongue and tail and turn and run as fast as they can away from knowledge.

[MineralMan]

5. If those are the only three reactions you get,

then I suggest changing your approach. I've gotten those reactions from some people, certainly, but not from everyone. I also get the reactions:

1) I didn't know that. If that's true, maybe I need to do something. {my suggestion is to go vote}

2) Are you sure that candidate has that position. Can you show me? {I can. I have the candidate's literature right here, and here's the website address.}

3) I see you and your wife walking your dogs every day. How long have you lived here? {10 years, this past July.}

I get lots of different reactions. The ones you list are not the most common of them.

[upaloopa]

4. What is missing is the connecting of the dots

People don't connect the fact that they have difficulties with the party that is responsible for policies that result in those difficulties.
And if it will turn out the vote, our party has to get a new platform that offers solutions and loudly proclaim it.

[MineralMan]

6. There are many missing dots.

There always will be. The dots I'm trying to connect lead from the individual to the voting booth. I don't pretend to be able to influence overall party politics. I'm too small a cog in that machine, frankly, and am too old to start trying to become more influential.

[pansypoo53219]

7. BAH! it was JUST CYCLICAL + money pissed more amerikans off of politics.

we are stifling all civic mindedness for the interminable ME ME ME ME. NO E PLURBIS UNIM.

[MineralMan]

8. I'm sorry, but I'm unsure what it is that you're saying.

Can you clarify a little for me?