Mustering the will to get out of bed in the morning doesn’t in itself immediately achieve the things I need to do that day, but it’s a first step in the process of getting there. Awareness and convincing people problems are real issues is a step toward potential solutions, even though on their own they don’t immediately solve the problem.
Comment on Activists Are Using ‘Fortnite’ to Fight Back Against ICE
Deyis@beehaw.org 2 days ago
Maybe I’m old, maybe I’m just jaded… Has any kind of protest or activism in a video game lead to change outside of the game itself?
whelk@retrolemmy.com 2 days ago
sneaky@r.nf 1 day ago
In this specific instance, it sounds like education on how to safely communicate and interact with ICE, or at least best available practices, was shared to people who may not have otherwise gotten any info at all. That seems like something to me.
Akasazh@feddit.nl 1 day ago
Creating awareness through outreach is one of the most important bits about protests. There needs to be a critical mass of people that are fed up in order to create a smaller bunch of people that will move in action.
That’s how grass roots campainging works. People with such a huge amount of followers are critical to mobilize more people. For every one person to actively join a protest many more must be reached.
Paradachshund@lemmy.today 1 day ago
I say this respectfully, but has making negative comments about people trying to do good and educate others ever improved the situation?
I think it’s easy to be jaded right now, I struggle with it myself, but remember that this kind of knee jerk criticism is very deflating for some people to read. You might feel like it’s an outlet for you, but it can cause others to feel hopeless and depressed.
I don’t believe you want that, so I would encourage you to be more supportive of attempts at change, not just results. Changing hearts and minds is a long and imperfect process.
Deyis@beehaw.org 1 day ago
Speaking as an activist, nothing brings my piss to a boil quicker than people essentially doing nothing and hiding behind the excuse that they were “just trying to raise awareness”. Holding a pro-Palestine candlelight vigil in Roblox, for example, whilst there are still Palestinian civilians being murdered is a woefully inadequate use of time and effort if you actually want to help.
If people read this criticism and feel hopeless or depressed, there are direct actions they can take for any cause to help which should make them feel better. It’s more difficult than changing your social media banner but doing the right thing to help is rarely, if ever, easy.
alyaza@beehaw.org 1 day ago
Holding a pro-Palestine candlelight vigil in Roblox, for example, whilst there are still Palestinian civilians being murdered is a woefully inadequate use of time and effort if you actually want to help.
the people holding a vigil like this are probably literal children, because Roblox is a game for and overwhelmingly played by children, so i don’t understand the criticism here–it’s unlikely they can help in any material way you could as an adult, but they can be politicized into understanding who deserves their sympathy and who is perpetrating harm that must be ended, which such a rally helps affirm
Deyis@beehaw.org 1 day ago
Whilst children may not be able to help in the same way as adults, I believe that children absolutely can help in material ways. Children can still protest, fundraise, and engage in other forms of direct action. Children are not helpless or incapable.
Paradachshund@lemmy.today 1 day ago
I can understand that perspective, but I also think you’re making a lot of assumptions about whether this was effective or not. Based on your original comment you don’t know, so I’m just encouraging benefit of the doubt instead of shitting on things for not being perfect.
Maybe as an activist yourself you could get in touch with this organization in the post and suggest some more effective methods for what they’re trying to achieve? That would be practicing what you’re preaching instead of just leaving comments online. Just my 2 cents, and I wish you well.
Deyis@beehaw.org 1 day ago
That would be practicing what you’re preaching instead of just leaving comments online.
I mostly leave comments online whilst taking breaks from things like transporting donations to local secular food banks, volunteering at an initiative for rehousing displaced Ukranian people, and my day job; your magnanimous faux concern about how I spend my free time when not making a direct difference to important causes isn’t appreciated.
Battle_Masker@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 days ago
I wouldn’t call this “protest” per se, more like “informing others about causes they should fight for.” And educating people is the first step in those journeys of 1000 miles. Also props for innovating to things people would already be watching anyways without it feeling too shoehorned in