this post was submitted on 27 Sep 2024
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Yes, Actually, Individual Responsibility Is Essential to Solving the Climate Crisis (www.sierraclub.org)
submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by stabby_cicada@slrpnk.net to c/solarpunk@slrpnk.net
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A fixation on system change alone opens the door to a kind of cynical self-absolution that divorces personal commitment from political belief. This is its own kind of false consciousness, one that threatens to create a cheapened climate politics incommensurate with this urgent moment.

[...]

Because here’s the thing: When you choose to eat less meat or take the bus instead of driving or have fewer children, you are making a statement that your actions matter, that it’s not too late to avert climate catastrophe, that you have power. To take a measure of personal responsibility for climate change doesn’t have to distract from your political activism—if anything, it amplifies it.

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[–] dillekant@slrpnk.net 10 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The issue is, the "wisdom" isn't "don't worry about personal emissions", it's "take voting extremely seriously. Become a single issue voter, that issue should be climate"

But there's a psychological thing where people take the discount today and the payment later.

[–] teolan@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Voting isn't going to do shit.

Get involved. Protest. Refuse to work for terrible companies. Convince the people around you to protest and vote.

[–] mojo_raisin@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Voting isn’t going to do shit.

Voting can buy us time and keep us a situation more conducive to making changes outside the electoral system. Protesting under a fascist regime is a good way to get a life sentence, get deported, or put on a blacklist.

[–] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 6 points 1 month ago

I would amend the quote to say "voting alone isn't going to do shit." IMO without direct action it's just a slower slide into fascism.

Agreeing with both of you basically. I just don't want anyone thinking that voting on its own is sufficient to address the problems we're seeing

[–] socsa@piefed.social 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Voting is literally a require to enact meaningful change in the long term. At no point has change in a western society come from a protest movement being given carte blanche to create new laws. The protest movement creates awareness, shifts the Overton window and causes people to elect a government which passes new laws.

[–] dillekant@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Voting isn’t going to do shit.

Convince the people around you to protest and vote.

Which is it?

[–] teolan@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

Voting by itself doesn't do shit. Organizing and convincing people to vote based on an issue does.

[–] stabby_cicada@slrpnk.net -2 points 1 month ago

Okay, let me write in "Climate for President" and see how that goes.