Thanks for this. I am infuriated by the constant pressure from the establishment and their gatekeepers and pushers of civility and tone policing to just chill out, moderate my justified rage, and take up a relaxing hobby "like knitting" (yes, a therapist actually suggested this to me in response to my expressions of societal outrage and workplace moral injury!) or pressure to take numbing medications like antidepressants and antipsychotics. I truly think that this is how things have gotten so bad, especially in the U.S., where 80% of the world's antidepressants are consumed. They keep us complacent by any means necessary so we don't r10t and b3h34d our oppressors.
As a front line advocate for myalgic encephalomyelitis, I can fully relate to being shushed for speaking up. Status quo is killing people in our community and yet too many "advocates" & even nonprofit "ME" orgs are telling those of us angry about the reality to stop rocking the boat.
This silencing has resulted in society's lack of awareness about this devastating disease.
It is important to understand why people benefit from status quo. Once the motivations are made clear there is no mystery. Power/money/ seat at the table are clear motivators in maintaining status quo.
Exactly what I needed today. Thanks for this confirmation that moral outrage is not only okay but necessary for collective change in the status quo to happen. Without my online friends I wonder if I would be able to keep up keeping on after 50 years of advocating for Palestine and also raising climate change awareness. One of the plus sides of enduring LongCovid is that it has afforded me plenty of time to regularly discover new online friends.
I am prepared to take on those who would try to stop my moral outrage. No one has succeeded in stopping me yet, not for lack of trying. I will continue the fight. Now, through my weekly podcast, The Village Oak Tree. I am not an active duty soldier anymore but I am still a soldier standing up for what is right. I will continue to do so for as long as I can. I stood up for the Republicans and Catholics during the troubles, which got me in a little trouble back in the early 1980's. I stood up for immigrant rights through the years. Now, I am standing up for all of it. Climate change denial, America's turn towards fascism, Israel's ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians, Myanmar's ethnic cleansing against the Rohingyan's. The corporate human exploitations taking place around the world and so much else. My moral outrage encompasses all of the things we are afraid to talk about for fear of government repurcussions, even in the U.S. and Canada. We should get mad, very , very mad. We should not have to be afraid to stand up to governments and corporations to get equal justice for our fellow humans around the world. But we are.
This was incredibly serendipitous today Nate, thank you!! I had a conversation with my therapist this week that the idea of continuing to want to "feel good" at this juncture in human history is a function of while supremacist emotional comfort, which keeps us from changing our behaviour to adapt to the harsh realities we are facing as a global species. We need outrage, change has never happened by politely asking.
This is yet another valuable column from Nate Bear!
All who read it should share it with immediate friends and for those who participate on social media put up a link for followers. I am placing this comment on Notes on the chance it picks up an additional reader.
One problem I see with social media are the silos that form and limit dissemination of posts. Despite this limitation spread the ire, we need a lot more pissed off people on this planet.
Yes. A personal investment is what makes significant change happen, at least in my experience. Campaign contributions and voting aren't enough, sometimes ya gotta but your ass on the line.
I've seen social media can help coalesce these feelings, in the SARS pandemic and hopefully with the terrible military violence.
Thank you. I wonder how many important advances in social reform came as a result of positive thinking and quiet acceptance of the status quo, and how many came from "negative thinking" and outrage. My suspicion is that outraged women are less socially acceptable than outraged men.
Thanks for this. I am infuriated by the constant pressure from the establishment and their gatekeepers and pushers of civility and tone policing to just chill out, moderate my justified rage, and take up a relaxing hobby "like knitting" (yes, a therapist actually suggested this to me in response to my expressions of societal outrage and workplace moral injury!) or pressure to take numbing medications like antidepressants and antipsychotics. I truly think that this is how things have gotten so bad, especially in the U.S., where 80% of the world's antidepressants are consumed. They keep us complacent by any means necessary so we don't r10t and b3h34d our oppressors.
Yes, our overlords prefer us numbed out and controllable rather than outraged and active
As a front line advocate for myalgic encephalomyelitis, I can fully relate to being shushed for speaking up. Status quo is killing people in our community and yet too many "advocates" & even nonprofit "ME" orgs are telling those of us angry about the reality to stop rocking the boat.
This silencing has resulted in society's lack of awareness about this devastating disease.
It is important to understand why people benefit from status quo. Once the motivations are made clear there is no mystery. Power/money/ seat at the table are clear motivators in maintaining status quo.
It’s a type of gaslighting, manipulation and victim blaming. I’m 💯 with you
Exactly what I needed today. Thanks for this confirmation that moral outrage is not only okay but necessary for collective change in the status quo to happen. Without my online friends I wonder if I would be able to keep up keeping on after 50 years of advocating for Palestine and also raising climate change awareness. One of the plus sides of enduring LongCovid is that it has afforded me plenty of time to regularly discover new online friends.
I am prepared to take on those who would try to stop my moral outrage. No one has succeeded in stopping me yet, not for lack of trying. I will continue the fight. Now, through my weekly podcast, The Village Oak Tree. I am not an active duty soldier anymore but I am still a soldier standing up for what is right. I will continue to do so for as long as I can. I stood up for the Republicans and Catholics during the troubles, which got me in a little trouble back in the early 1980's. I stood up for immigrant rights through the years. Now, I am standing up for all of it. Climate change denial, America's turn towards fascism, Israel's ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians, Myanmar's ethnic cleansing against the Rohingyan's. The corporate human exploitations taking place around the world and so much else. My moral outrage encompasses all of the things we are afraid to talk about for fear of government repurcussions, even in the U.S. and Canada. We should get mad, very , very mad. We should not have to be afraid to stand up to governments and corporations to get equal justice for our fellow humans around the world. But we are.
This was incredibly serendipitous today Nate, thank you!! I had a conversation with my therapist this week that the idea of continuing to want to "feel good" at this juncture in human history is a function of while supremacist emotional comfort, which keeps us from changing our behaviour to adapt to the harsh realities we are facing as a global species. We need outrage, change has never happened by politely asking.
Wow. Need to think about that. Thank you too
This is yet another valuable column from Nate Bear!
All who read it should share it with immediate friends and for those who participate on social media put up a link for followers. I am placing this comment on Notes on the chance it picks up an additional reader.
One problem I see with social media are the silos that form and limit dissemination of posts. Despite this limitation spread the ire, we need a lot more pissed off people on this planet.
Act Up - Fight back - fight AIDS
Yes. A personal investment is what makes significant change happen, at least in my experience. Campaign contributions and voting aren't enough, sometimes ya gotta but your ass on the line.
I've seen social media can help coalesce these feelings, in the SARS pandemic and hopefully with the terrible military violence.
Thanks for writing this.
Thank you. I wonder how many important advances in social reform came as a result of positive thinking and quiet acceptance of the status quo, and how many came from "negative thinking" and outrage. My suspicion is that outraged women are less socially acceptable than outraged men.
Bravo!
EVERY. SINGLE. WORD. ON. THIS. ESSAY. 🔥🔥🔥😡😡😡
This. 👏🏽