I love that analogy. No, you're not going to personally save the world by reducing your carbon footprint. But you know what you are going to be? One leaf on a tree in a forest, making that little bit more oxygen that helps collectively make the world a better place.

And that's worth doing. Especially if you can encourage other people to be leaves too.

A screenshot of a Tumblr post.  The text reads:  

I keep seeing posts claiming that x y or z action you can do to build a better world won’t matter. That capitalism doesn’t care, and your own actions dont amount to much.

It’s so painfully individualistic. Of course me doing that thing isn’t going to save anybody or anything.

Im not trying to be a superhero who personally saves the say.

I am one leaf making oxygen in a massive forest of other trees making oxygen. I am doing my best and having faith that millions of others will do their best as well.

Because that can and has made big changes over time. Like. That is just how change happens. Thats cultural shifts. Thats political shifts. Thats how lasting changes happen.

I don’t plant milkweed because I’m personally gonna save monarch butterflies. I plant milkweed because I know thousands of us are gonna plant milkweed and send money to the people fighting horrible pesticides in court.

The standard for change isn’t “is my doing this going to change the world?” The standard is “is my doing this part of the shift I want to see my community make?” And if the answer is yes, I do my best.
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 6 points 5 months ago (2 children)

@Shellofbiomatter - It's alright and I can understand your frustration.

If you have experienced this, then I dont understand why you used words like faith or assume. Why didn't you respond with actual examples of how things arent working out and asking for guidance on fixing them? Or at the very least pointing out the problems in your lived experiences and lamenting at feeling discouraged and beaten down without having a solution?

Your kind of reply, while it may be cathartic to you, only serves to hurt and discourage others.

If you would, and if you are able, either seek comfort in a way that doesn't hurt or discourage others, or seek solutions to those problems you are encountering.

Problems within group dynamics and collaboration are known issues with known solutions - lots of books in the library addressed to it, lots of threads devoting to discussion and application of solutions, lots of mutual aid networks that serve as support for these sort of things.

So. I hear you. And that is frustrating what you're going through. I hope are able to fix whats happening in your group activities, or join a new healthier group, or start a new group from the ground up, or contribute individually and on your own terms.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Good point.

    As i said my social and people skills are kinda bad. i didn't think that through enough and assumed it just gets buried in new, bad habit from Reddit. Lemmy has smaller userbase. I'll refrain from just venting in the future.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment