March 16th 2021

Today I’m struggling to determine whether activism is worth it or not. For me, at least. There’s a lot wrong with the world, but I feel powerless to change that. And I feel like engaging in the discourse makes me more depressed about it all, but ignoring it makes me culpable.

The dilemma I’m having is the same one I have about voting. Or recycling.

I’m just one guy.

My vote won’t actually make a difference in a country of seventy million. I know that if everyone had that mentality then no one would vote, but if only I have that mentality, then it makes no difference.

Similarly, me deciding to recycle my milk bottles doesn’t make a difference when there FTSE100 companies are responsible for something like 95% of the world’s carbon emissions.

I’m just one guy. What difference can I make?

Similarly, for injustice. And oppression. And racism. And the recent discourse around sexual violence towards women.

I’m just one guy. What difference can I make?

The difference is only made by the collective. Democracy only works if everyone votes. We can only save our planet if everyone recycles. We can only save society if everyone tries.

But I can’t make everyone try. I can do what I can, and it won’t change a thing.

But I guess if everyone thinks like that, nothing will change. No one would vote. No one would recycle. You’ve gotta believe that you’re making a difference. And if everyone believes that, then maybe together we can.

Until tomorrow, at the very least, you can keep the conversation going.

Jacn