silviadragoness

[silviadragoness]

Activism is not cold-calling.

Activism is not cold-calling, and this is critically important to understand.

I'm seeing a lot of posts on here about 'building bridges' and 'finding community,' and then (extremely valid) response posts saying "BUT HOW??" And I'm going to explain something that can be very counter-intuitive: there is strategy involved in community.

As a longtime volunteer labour organizer, I’ve taken and taught many trainings on the strategy of talking. Something that surprises a lot of people is the very first thing you do in a union campaign. You sit down with your organizing committee, take out pen and paper, and literally map it out. You draw a physical map of the workplace: where are the entrances, exits, break rooms, supervisor offices. Essentially, ‘where is it safe to have a union conversation.’ Then you draw another physical chart of your coworkers. You sort out who is union-friendly, openly hostile to unions, or somewhere in the middle, and then you plan out very deliberately and carefully who talks to whom and in what order.

Consider: If Vocally Leftist Jane walks up to Conservative David and says "hey what do you think about unions," David is going to shut down immediately. He's not inclined to listen to Jane. But if Jane talks to Moderate Jason and brings him into the fold, then Jason is a far more effective strategic choice to talk to David, and David may actually hear him out without an instant reaction.

IMPORTANT CAVEAT: If Conservative David turns out to be Alt-Right David, and could be dangerous to follow organizers, we write him off. We are not trying to reach Alt-Right David. We are trying to reach Conservative David, who may actually be persuaded to find solidarity with other employees as fellow workers. Jason is a safe scout to find out which one he is. It does no one any good if Leftist Jane (or even Moderate Jane who is a visible minority) talks to Alt-Right David and puts herself on his radar. Not only has she done nothing to convince Alt-Right David to join a union - she's probably actively turned him against the idea - but now she's also in danger and the entire campaign is at risk. NOBODY WANTS THIS. Jane was NOT a hero for doing this. The organizing committee was foolish and enacted a terrible strategy to everyone's detriment.

Where you can make a difference is with people who will listen to you. You having a conversation with your well-meaning but clueless Centrist Democrat Auntie, and maybe gently helping her understand some things the media has been glossing over, is way more strategically useful than you marching up to MAGA Neighbour You've Met Once and trying to "build community" or "understand" them. They don't care. They're impervious, dangerous, and cruel. But maybe your beloved auntie will think about what you said, and then talk to her friend Anna who IDs as "fiscally conservative" but didn't vote because she can't bring herself to get on board with Trump. Then perhaps Anna talks to her brother Nic who has MAGA leanings but isn't all the way there yet. Proto-MAGA Nic would not have listened to you, nor would he have listened to Centrist Democrat Auntie, but he might absorb some of what his sister is saying.

This is not a cop-out or an echo chamber. This is you spending your time and energy strategically and safely. You are not a useful activist to anyone if you’re dead. Anyone who is telling you to hurl yourself directly at MAGA assholes like cannon fodder has no understanding of the strategy behind community building, and you should feel comfortable writing them off.

Last point: If you are tired, emotionally devastated, and/or in danger: take a break. This post is for people who would feel better jumping into action, not for people who are too overwhelmed to even think about it right now. You are worth so much even if you’re not actively Doing Activism, and your rest is worth more than “a break period so you can recharge and Do More Activism.” We all deserve the individual dignity of being worthy of comfort, rest & safety just on the basis of being human, outside of whatever we're doing for others' benefit. To deny ourselves that dignity is to devalue ourselves, and that’s the absolute last thing any of us should be doing right now.

[silviadragoness]

TRANS IS BEAUTIFUL

[silviadragoness]

Paid, thanks to mom and a couple of y'all. 💗

So, my car blew a head gasket this past Sunday. Took few days to get it diagnosed, decide what to do about it, and do some shopping.

I got a new (to me) car yesterday, thanks to my wonderful mother.

BUT, I can't use it for work until I get the new registration card, which could take until NEXT FRIDAY (the 25th). That will leave me out of work for a total of 13 days.

After what some very kind folks sent me earlier, that will probably leave me $1k-1.5k behind on earnings from the time I've been out of work. I'm gonna be WAY behind on bills. Some more help would be HUGELY appreciated.

https://paypal.me/SilviaDragoness

https://cash.app/$silviadragoness

https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2729505512751104298 (phone# last 4: 9072)

(It's really frustrating 'cause for the first time in ages I actually WANT to go to work and I CAN'T)

[silviadragoness]

two more donos. $70 to go

So, my car blew a head gasket this past Sunday. Took few days to get it diagnosed, decide what to do about it, and do some shopping.

I got a new (to me) car yesterday, thanks to my wonderful mother.

BUT, I can't use it for work until I get the new registration card, which could take until NEXT FRIDAY (the 25th). That will leave me out of work for a total of 13 days.

After what some very kind folks sent me earlier, that will probably leave me $1k-1.5k behind on earnings from the time I've been out of work. I'm gonna be WAY behind on bills. Some more help would be HUGELY appreciated.

https://paypal.me/SilviaDragoness

https://cash.app/$silviadragoness

https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2729505512751104298 (phone# last 4: 9072)

(It's really frustrating 'cause for the first time in ages I actually WANT to go to work and I CAN'T)

[silviadragoness]

second dono rec'd. $170 to go.

So, my car blew a head gasket this past Sunday. Took few days to get it diagnosed, decide what to do about it, and do some shopping.

I got a new (to me) car yesterday, thanks to my wonderful mother.

BUT, I can't use it for work until I get the new registration card, which could take until NEXT FRIDAY (the 25th). That will leave me out of work for a total of 13 days.

After what some very kind folks sent me earlier, that will probably leave me $1k-1.5k behind on earnings from the time I've been out of work. I'm gonna be WAY behind on bills. Some more help would be HUGELY appreciated.

https://paypal.me/SilviaDragoness

https://cash.app/$silviadragoness

https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2729505512751104298 (phone# last 4: 9072)

(It's really frustrating 'cause for the first time in ages I actually WANT to go to work and I CAN'T)

[silviadragoness]

Goddammit. Internet service suspended 'cause I haven't been able to work to make the payment. And now they're gonna want 2 months worth to get it turned back on. Can anyone help? (one donation rec'd, $220 to go. bill is ~$130/month x2, plus re-connection fee and probably a bounced-check fee)

So, my car blew a head gasket this past Sunday. Took few days to get it diagnosed, decide what to do about it, and do some shopping.

I got a new (to me) car yesterday, thanks to my wonderful mother.

BUT, I can't use it for work until I get the new registration card, which could take until NEXT FRIDAY (the 25th). That will leave me out of work for a total of 13 days.

After what some very kind folks sent me earlier, that will probably leave me $1k-1.5k behind on earnings from the time I've been out of work. I'm gonna be WAY behind on bills. Some more help would be HUGELY appreciated.

https://paypal.me/SilviaDragoness

https://cash.app/$silviadragoness

https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2729505512751104298 (phone# last 4: 9072)

(It's really frustrating 'cause for the first time in ages I actually WANT to go to work and I CAN'T)

[silviadragoness]

Gonna need groceries in the next day or two. Still waiting on that new registration card so I can get back to work. Can anyone pitch in?

So, my car blew a head gasket this past Sunday. Took few days to get it diagnosed, decide what to do about it, and do some shopping.

I got a new (to me) car yesterday, thanks to my wonderful mother.

BUT, I can't use it for work until I get the new registration card, which could take until NEXT FRIDAY (the 25th). That will leave me out of work for a total of 13 days.

After what some very kind folks sent me earlier, that will probably leave me $1k-1.5k behind on earnings from the time I've been out of work. I'm gonna be WAY behind on bills. Some more help would be HUGELY appreciated.

https://paypal.me/SilviaDragoness

https://cash.app/$silviadragoness

https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2729505512751104298 (phone# last 4: 9072)

(It's really frustrating 'cause for the first time in ages I actually WANT to go to work and I CAN'T)

[silviadragoness]

I love my tumblr mutuals. I just wanna scoop you guys up and mother goose you 🧡

[silviadragoness]

So, my car blew a head gasket this past Sunday. Took few days to get it diagnosed, decide what to do about it, and do some shopping.

I got a new (to me) car yesterday, thanks to my wonderful mother.

BUT, I can't use it for work until I get the new registration card, which could take until NEXT FRIDAY (the 25th). That will leave me out of work for a total of 13 days.

After what some very kind folks sent me earlier, that will probably leave me $1k-1.5k behind on earnings from the time I've been out of work. I'm gonna be WAY behind on bills. Some more help would be HUGELY appreciated.

https://paypal.me/SilviaDragoness

https://cash.app/$silviadragoness

https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2729505512751104298 (phone# last 4: 9072)

(It's really frustrating 'cause for the first time in ages I actually WANT to go to work and I CAN'T)

[silviadragoness]

So, my car blew a head gasket this past Sunday. Took few days to get it diagnosed, decide what to do about it, and do some shopping.

I got a new (to me) car yesterday, thanks to my wonderful mother.

BUT, I can't use it for work until I get the new registration card, which could take until NEXT FRIDAY (the 25th). That will leave me out of work for a total of 13 days.

After what some very kind folks sent me earlier, that will probably leave me $1k-1.5k behind on earnings from the time I've been out of work. I'm gonna be WAY behind on bills. Some more help would be HUGELY appreciated.

https://paypal.me/SilviaDragoness

https://cash.app/$silviadragoness

https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2729505512751104298 (phone# last 4: 9072)

(It's really frustrating 'cause for the first time in ages I actually WANT to go to work and I CAN'T)

[silviadragoness]

So, my car blew a head gasket this past Sunday. Took few days to get it diagnosed, decide what to do about it, and do some shopping.

I got a new (to me) car yesterday, thanks to my wonderful mother.

BUT, I can't use it for work until I get the new registration card, which could take until NEXT FRIDAY (the 25th). That will leave me out of work for a total of 13 days.

After what some very kind folks sent me earlier, that will probably leave me $1k-1.5k behind on earnings from the time I've been out of work. I'm gonna be WAY behind on bills. Some more help would be HUGELY appreciated.

https://paypal.me/SilviaDragoness

https://cash.app/$silviadragoness

https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2729505512751104298 (phone# last 4: 9072)

(It's really frustrating 'cause for the first time in ages I actually WANT to go to work and I CAN'T)

[silviadragoness]

So, my car blew a head gasket this past Sunday. Took few days to get it diagnosed, decide what to do about it, and do some shopping.

I got a new (to me) car yesterday, thanks to my wonderful mother.

BUT, I can't use it for work until I get the new registration card, which could take until NEXT FRIDAY (the 25th). That will leave me out of work for a total of 13 days.

After what some very kind folks sent me earlier, that will probably leave me $1k-1.5k behind on earnings from the time I've been out of work. I'm gonna be WAY behind on bills. Some more help would be HUGELY appreciated.

https://paypal.me/SilviaDragoness

https://cash.app/$silviadragoness

https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2729505512751104298 (phone# last 4: 9072)

(It's really frustrating 'cause for the first time in ages I actually WANT to go to work and I CAN'T)

[silviadragoness]

You make the sky feel less empty ⛅

[silviadragoness]

💗😭💗

[silviadragoness]

Why is it always something?

Bit of car trouble interfered with making rent. Car's fixed, but I lost time dealing with it, which has left me $100-150 short for rent. Deadline's in 9 hours.

https://paypal.me/SilviaDragoness https://cash.app/$silviadragoness https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2729505512751104298 (phone# last 4: 9072)

[silviadragoness]

Who would win? The thousand pound flying meathook t-rex, or… monkey with a stick?

[silviadragoness]

The idea of dragons in modern times is so fun because imagine a hot summer day on your vacay and go to use the hotel pool and staff is like "valued guests we regret to inform you that the pool area is out of service at the moment, we apologize for the inconvenience"

And people like "wtf why" looking out their hotel room window and there's this. This dragon just curled up in the pool chilling, literally, cooling itself down

Some of the staff are trying to gently shoo him away and the dragon does a soft little "rrrrrr" like a grumpy cat and a warning puff of smoke and they're like "fuck it i don't get paid nearly enough for this" and no ones using the pool today sorry!