• Semi-Hemi-Lemmygod@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      I mean, if there’s not anything I can do beyond dumping a thimble of water on the fire six months from now I’d rather just die happy.

      • GreatTitEnthusiast@mander.xyz
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        5 months ago

        Two things

        1. Politics is for Power provides a pretty good model for thinking about this https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Politics-Is-for-Power/Eitan-Hersh/9781982116798

        There’s a lot of political hobbyism on social media in general and Lemmy is really bad for it. Take for example the constant Elon Musk rage bait. No one is doing anything productive with that information. They’re just getting mad

        1. Social media, in general, isn’t a good way to get informed. It makes you feel really in touch but when a lot of the time you’re getting biased and polarizing that is often as enraging as it is unproductive

        We treat politics like entertainment and it’s making our politics worse. Personally I try to limit my exposure to politics that I don’t think will be productive. It might feel like the most important thing in the moment but it’s often a huge waste of time

        • Churbleyimyam@lemm.ee
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          5 months ago

          You make some great points. I’ve seen this in action locally - it’s a tiny minority who actually make the effort to change things and they have an amazing success rate, in part because they are often unopposed. The barrier to entry is deceptively low. I think I’m going to read that book.

      • jaspersgroove@lemm.ee
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        5 months ago

        Perhaps I’m old and tired, but I think that the chances of finding out what’s actually going on are so absurdly remote that the only thing to do is to say, “Hang the sense of it,” and keep yourself busy. I’d much rather be happy than right any day.

        • Douglas Adams
        • dalekcaan@lemm.ee
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          5 months ago

          Great quote, but missing a rather crucial bit at the end:

          “And are you?” “No. That’s where it all falls down, of course.” “Pity”, said Arthur. “It sounded like rather a good lifestyle otherwise.”

        • dohpaz42@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          That is such a hard lesson learned; being happy rather than right. It’s one I’m trying to learn more and more, and it has helped.

          RIP Douglas Adams. He was an intergalactic treasure. 👍 🦏

    • kd45@lemm.ee
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      5 months ago

      Tbf, Lemmy is a place to unwind for many people, we have enough boring exhausting shit going on irl.

      • retrospectology@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        There is a global authoritarian campaign to undermine democracies across the globe, the US is not the only country having serious trouble right now.