I know where the “Say No To Doomerism!” is coming from, but I want folks to make sure they aren’t slipping into some toxic positivity remix.
Shock and sadness are among the reasonable responses to the situations we face.
And those feelings can exist with others, it’s not always either/or… 1/
Folks want to make sure others don’t get stuck in the despair of the moment. That the shock/sadness/fear don’t keep people from taking action. I get it.
But pushing too hard on the “if you feel this you are part of the problem/a tool of the oppressors” is unkind to those feeling real feelings… 2/
And tbh, I think some of the folks pushing back against the doomerism are talking to themselves, in that they are sharing a coping mechanism that works for them. Which is cool.
But don’t be judgy about it. Others might cope in different ways or different timeline. That doesn’t make them an opp 3/
I believe that in all our movement work, whatever brand, we should try to meet people where they are.. including emotionally.
I also believe that we are in a post-pandemic collective mental health crisis, in part due to not having time/space to grieve.
Keep these truths in mind! 4/
Just like we deserved Truth & Reconciliation commissions on COVID, we might need a space to reckon with the feelings of betrayal that the political moment brings.
Inside we are screaming like Tyra, “I believed in you!” to America, (even though we said we didn’t, because we knew the history…) 5/
I’m tired of hearing breezy versions of the ‘stages of grief’ that pretend there is always a sequence. Such certainty would be a balm.
But sad, scared people make change too!
Let’s speak from a place of caring that they feel that way, not only concern that they won’t do their part in the fight. 6/
For only the 847,694,537th time in my life, I look to Black activism and organizers for insight. Black hope and joy is a renewable resource that has fueled many struggles. But tbh, so has Black sorrow, anger and fear.
Ask Mamie Till…or anyone who was in the streets for George Floyd…7/
If I’m honest about it, this resistance to the sad, difficult feelings might be seen as ableist.
And privilege props up the idea you can’t make change while filled to the brim with challenging feelings. It’s an act of erasure of so many.
(Not trying to be judgmental and rude myself though!) 8/
Also the pandemic isn't over. We're just collectively ignoring it. Which has already had a lot of people who were paying attention super depressed for years.
Hey Eb! (I followed you in the other place…)
And trust & believe I know COVID isn’t over. I struggle for language to describe what I mean.
I don’t write “post-COVID” just like I never write post-racism, but used “pandemic” as a formal thing that was declared and undeclared.
Not perfect, for sure.
Hey! That makes sense to me.
And I do really appreciate the larger point of this thread. As someone who has been dealing with increasing periods of hopelessness and despair over the last three and a half years, it's been rough to see "rational reaction to caring" framed as a betrayal.
Recently I've had several people effectively say to me "I'm really struggling and I feel like that's my failure" and when I remind them about the pandemic they're almost surprised. Grieving/being angry about huge life upheavals is really important, and that was/is one we're mostly just ignoring.
Your point about the pandemic is excellent. I personally lost a lot of trust in people I thought were allies but in practical terms I’m going to have to find away to get past that. I’m sure I’m not alone in that.
