Fertilizing the Grass Roots
Okay, kids. Politics time.
First: On Elections.
rodant-kapoor just said everything that needs to be said about yesterday's special election in Massachusetts.
Second:On Activism.
I've heard some comments that there's more to participating in democracy than just saying, "I voted; now it's their turn to sort things out."
I really want to do things. I really want to make my voice heard. I really want to do that activism thing.
Unlike Billy Joel's "Angry Young Man", I haven't "passed the age / of consciousness and rightous rage". I just don't know what to do with it.
The only leads I've found in that direction have been canvassing, either door-to-door, on the phone, or stuffing envelopes.
You cannot convince me that this is significant or effective.
I don't treat political solicitors any differently than I do commercial or religious ones. At the door, on my phone or in my mailbox, they are an uninvited intrusion on the sanctity and privacy of my home.
I will politely turn away a political canvasser on my doorstep. I will rather less politely inform an unsolicited caller that I am "not interested". I will briefly glance at political mail to see if the candidate in question expresses views that coincide with my own, and if so, I'll put their name on my list of candidates to consider.
I almost always assume that the claims being made for or against Proposition X or Candidate Y are unreliable, at best, and flat-out lies, at worst. When election time rolls around, I troll the web looking for independent analyses and recommendations, but I don't trust unsolicited opinions.
And this is my reaction for the canvassers that I agree with. I have a hard time believing that this kind of activity is actually going to change anybody's mind.
Am I just stubborn? Am I too cynical to believe that J. Random Doorbell might be swayed by the presentation of reasonable arguments and evidence-based debunkings of misinformation? Or, despite my adherence to Colbert's memorable statement that "Reality has a well-known liberal bias", am I too cynical to believe that "my side" will provide me that kind of good, solid data to present?
Am I just an antisocial jerk who likes to hang up on people and slam doors in their face?
Really, are independent voters any more eager to have zealots idealists concerned citizens pounding on their door or ringing them up in the middle of dinner or the latest episode of Supernatural than Your Obedient Serpent is?
Heck, if I were an "independent" rather than a liberal technocrat, I'd probably wind up voting for the party that bothered me the least.
I suppose this boils down to two questions:
One, are my door-slamming habits atypical?
Two, what kinds of "grass-roots activity" are out there that don't include pestering the neighbors?
First: On Elections.
rodant-kapoor just said everything that needs to be said about yesterday's special election in Massachusetts.
Second:On Activism.
I've heard some comments that there's more to participating in democracy than just saying, "I voted; now it's their turn to sort things out."
I really want to do things. I really want to make my voice heard. I really want to do that activism thing.
Unlike Billy Joel's "Angry Young Man", I haven't "passed the age / of consciousness and rightous rage". I just don't know what to do with it.
The only leads I've found in that direction have been canvassing, either door-to-door, on the phone, or stuffing envelopes.
You cannot convince me that this is significant or effective.
I don't treat political solicitors any differently than I do commercial or religious ones. At the door, on my phone or in my mailbox, they are an uninvited intrusion on the sanctity and privacy of my home.
I will politely turn away a political canvasser on my doorstep. I will rather less politely inform an unsolicited caller that I am "not interested". I will briefly glance at political mail to see if the candidate in question expresses views that coincide with my own, and if so, I'll put their name on my list of candidates to consider.
I almost always assume that the claims being made for or against Proposition X or Candidate Y are unreliable, at best, and flat-out lies, at worst. When election time rolls around, I troll the web looking for independent analyses and recommendations, but I don't trust unsolicited opinions.
And this is my reaction for the canvassers that I agree with. I have a hard time believing that this kind of activity is actually going to change anybody's mind.
Am I just stubborn? Am I too cynical to believe that J. Random Doorbell might be swayed by the presentation of reasonable arguments and evidence-based debunkings of misinformation? Or, despite my adherence to Colbert's memorable statement that "Reality has a well-known liberal bias", am I too cynical to believe that "my side" will provide me that kind of good, solid data to present?
Am I just an antisocial jerk who likes to hang up on people and slam doors in their face?
Really, are independent voters any more eager to have zealots idealists concerned citizens pounding on their door or ringing them up in the middle of dinner or the latest episode of Supernatural than Your Obedient Serpent is?
Heck, if I were an "independent" rather than a liberal technocrat, I'd probably wind up voting for the party that bothered me the least.
I suppose this boils down to two questions:
One, are my door-slamming habits atypical?
Two, what kinds of "grass-roots activity" are out there that don't include pestering the neighbors?