Comment on Activists Are Using ‘Fortnite’ to Fight Back Against ICE
Paradachshund@lemmy.today 1 day agoI 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
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.
alyaza@beehaw.org 1 day ago
you are shadowboxing with things i didn’t say and are the only person inserting the terms “helpless” or “incapable” here, but also once again: this is a game marketed at literal children. i stopped playing Roblox at 14 and doing some research i’m led to believe that would be quite old for a Roblox player. probably half or more of the player-base is 13 or younger. do you honestly expect the average 13-year-old (or younger) to be capable of anything other than performative activism relating to the genocide in Palestine?
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
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.
Paradachshund@lemmy.today 1 day ago
How could i know what you do in your spare time? You haven’t shared it until now. I can only go off of what you’ve said on this thread, and I do not retract my criticism of it. This will be the last response, so I hope you have a good day and thank you for making a difference in the world.