I have always been something of a reluctant warrior for the left. My reluctance was not motivated by lack of belief in principles because I really believe that corporatism and the rightwing ideology are spectacularly wrong and will lead to nothing but disaster. Furthermore, I believe that the only way forward for our race and our planet is a genuine pursuit of greater cooperation and equality. But my reluctance was motivated by the early realization that the majority of people not only tolerate their own exploitation and oppression, but they actually seem to revel in it. For reasons that I am sure I will never understand, the majority of people seem to actively court their own exploitation and want to cede power to those who will keep most people poor and powerless. And even when people work together to make things better, as when they form unions, they are surprisingly quick to create institutional frameworks that further solidify structural inequalities and hierarchies.
Of course, on the other side of the argument, there has always been an indispensable group of tireless activists who have pushed back the tentacles of power and the only reason that we have any justice and generalized prosperity is because of these activists who have dragged the world forward despite the stupidity and reluctance of the majority.
But I feel like I have been fighting for a long time and on days like this I am looking into an abyss of depression and desperation. At least for now, I don't think I can fight any more. In my dark moments I just think that most people are stupid and probably deserve to be exploited and oppressed. If they can't act in their own interest (as the rich and powerful do all the time), I have to ask myself why I should bother.
With this in mind, I leave the rest of you to it, and wish you good luck. I am done.
Katalog Dapur Aqiqah
10 months ago
20 comments:
Wow.. I know some people are taking the BC Election result hard.. but this seems a tad drastic..
I'm unhappy to hear of your decision, Kirby -- although I understand the frustration that has led to it.
Let's hope this is an hiatus, and that you'll find your way back to the blogosphere.
Sorry to see you leave Kirby, I have always enjoyed your commentary. As you may have seen I came to much the same decision over at Democracy Under Fire recently but hope to be back at it once I have taken a break from all the spin & BS issuing out of our various legislatures. I do hope your spirits revive and we see future commentary from you.
Ah hell.
Sorry to see this.
KC, I can't tell you how many times I have come to the same point you've reached. There are plenty of us, some of the most prolific and committed progressives, who have or are ready to pack it in.
I'm now looking to get directly involved in progressive organizations and possibly the Green Party. Like you I think I've been just spinning my wheels.
Good wishes and no regrets.
I understand the sentiments and withdrew from the blogsphere for similar reasons.
It didn't mean I've stopped working for change in other ways. It might be hard to see now, but change is happening. It just happens very slowly sometimes. An election here, there. Small wins amid large apparent defeats can over time cascade and spiral into much larger things. Andrew Weaver has a seat in the BC Leg now. The Grits have more rope than they know what to do with. The Pipelines and Tanker routes are still in flux and push will very likely come to shove and new catalysts will emerge.
The day-to-day of politics only tells us so much, and very little is written. Keep your eye 10, 15, 30 years ahead...
No doubt Feudalism was as popular in its day as Capitalism is now. Yet we where able move past it.
The Egyptian secular revolutionaries fought for democracy and then the people elected religious conservatives, never the less progress has been made and one day the people will be able to elect a different government.
Keep your blog open. One day you will find something more to say.
You might be interested in reading Bob Altemeyer's - The Authoritarians - which pretty much supports your theory.
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/
I have undoubtedly never told you how much I appreciate your writing. I've looked forward to reading your comments without letting out one peep to let you know that you have done right by me.
Thank you so much for what you have done.
I fully understand your frustration.
Sad news indeed, Kirby. Blogs are thankless things but hopefully you can keep your blog live and post every once in awhile. We need your voice.
I'm so sorry to hear this since I have enjoyed your insights and analysis so much. I get the frustration and depression that comes along with trying to deal with the truth when there is so much societal denial. I often feel I can barely read the blogs I love and learn from on certain days and months. Take care and come back when you're ready.
The gathering of friends and colleagues who have stopped by with words of encouragement, do this out of nothing but sheer respect for you, your shared thoughts and words on this site.
I am reminded of a quote ..
'I am hurt but I am not slain.
I'll lay me down and bleed awhile,
Then I'll rise and fight again.'
Andrew Barton - 1511
LD/
"I am hurt but I am not slain.I'll lay me down and bleed awhile,Then I'll rise and fight again" I believe was one of Tommy Douglas' favourite qoutes.
Take a break, but hope you come back.
I for one would miss your voice in this vast ether. But I guess one always comes to a point: 'should I stay or should I go?'. It's a personal decision, and I have been there a dark night or two (or three or four, and many more).
Take a break, but return. You are needed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIXLHtg2Btk
There are many ways to oppose injustice and build a better world. Even something as simple as holding true to your beliefs - which sets a great example for children - is no small thing. Our first responsibility is to see to our own health. How can we help others if we are drained of energy? Your posts were never wasted, and I'm sure what you do from now on will be diamond.
Take time to enjoy our beautiful world. None of us want you to be sad, or ill, or a tragic warrior. Best wishes!
900ft.
I'm sorry to see you leave, but I can well relate, the 2011 federal election was my breaking point for blogging/commenting on political matters online, one can only stand being Cassandra for so long before it finally really not just exhausts but embitters, and that is not a healthy place to be. It's taken almost two years for me to finally start feeling like I might want to come back to blogging (I haven't yet, while Saundrie is still alive it's been dormant all along, and I've only been doing sporadic commentating at some blogs so far, which I don't consider blogging) on politics. I hope that over time you find yourself able to return to this, as I always found you to be one of the better voices out there even when we disagreed, because not only did you know how to think you knew how to show your thinking/reasoning and that is so important to meaningful communication and something I am sorry to say seems to be on the decline in the modern world, especially the modern political world.
So please take care of yourself, and hopefully you find yourself able to return in time, and if you are not, well you will be missed but you will not be forgotten by many of us I would expect, and I hope that you leave your blog up as a resource for people to look back on. I am always saddened when a voice goes silent, but I am really hurt when that voices record/echo is removed also, it was why I never took Saundrie down and I hope you don't take this site down even if you do not come back to it with new material.
In any event, take care of yourself and be well, because before all else one must take care of oneself before one can care for any others (not to mention that when we don't care for ourselves enough those that care for us are placed with the strain of worry for us instead of having those energies for better uses, so it is more than naked self interest involved but IMHO enlightened self interest). Good luck.
I don't blame you.
but keep the archives up. Lotsa wisdom in there.
Your comments make me think of an old novel I read called The Ragged-Trousered Philathropists. It was all about the tough life of English workers c. 1900 and how they did it to themselves, partially at least, because they mostly voted conservative. I didn't realize how true to life this novel was until much later. People don't seem to be very good at being selfish, do they? Maybe they don't identify with themselves.
Anyway, best of luck. You have contributed to my evolving political consciousness. One never knows what effect ones' actions will have on who in the long run.
People seem to be waking up a bit. I listened to a CBC radio phone-in on the Duffy situation and people actually seemed to give a damn. This is interesting.
Have a good rest. If you're not back in a year, I'll give you the full Viking funeral then - boat on fire, lots of bling, the works.
I completely get it kirbycairo. I was heartsick with the outcome of the BC election, and just couldn't even stay up to watch those returns. I just thought we are doomed.
I felt, we can't fight all that corporate money and the politics that support it.
I know that I basically quit blogging although I would post here and there in other blogs.
I will visit your literary site. A rest and a break is good for the soul. Take care buddy.
blessings soul sister
just blessings
lungta
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