I have some friends and family in my life and it’s really hard to broach topics like climate change, COVID, and Gaza and what my government’s response means for our lives presently and in the future.

I talk about the unusual weather and it’s too early in the morning to bring up climate change. Can’t talk about surges in COVID infections after dinner because it would ruin the evening.

I’m trying to make plans and take preventative care for safety, but it feels like nobody around me wants to deal with the reality happening around me.

I think I’m holding out hope that these people in my life will take these things seriously if they’ll just see reason, but deep down I know they don’t want to engage with these things either because they’re scared or in denial, or still insulated from the worst of it.

It’s scary. It feels unsafe being around them, and not just for the material reasons like not taking the same precautions with COVID. It’s like how can I trust them to see danger if they can’t even reckon with the current things happening? How can I have a relationship with people who are this indifferent.

I get trying to cope and trying to find enjoyment where there is little to have, but it’s incredibly lonely knowing that this site is like the only space I have to voice my concerns.

If you have made progress in getting people in your life to see reason, what worked? Does just sitting down and laying out these things as a personal concern help?

If you haven’t been able to reach people who are this resistant to real conversation, how did you cope with it? What did you do about it?

I’m not in a level of community that I thought I was and I could use some advice on how to move forward.

  • umbrellaEnglish
    14·
    2 months ago

    a couple examples: my gf changed her mind from reactionary to more of a vaguely leftist tought. persistence and mainly patience did it. she is a reader so i introduced her some very light theory (bauman) when she was ready. then a good smart youtuber. dont be sectarian, keep it real.

    i pulled an old friend a bit left too. i talked about his shitty job and climate change, and why these things are like this. and gave him a hopeful view of what can be. he noticed capitalism is crap and i presented the anticapitalist options. this happened over a few years. always keep it real.

    each person is a little different but there are people who simply don’t want to hear it because they are privileged, dont want to deal with it and so on. don’t hide your opinion if you can (like if your job or living space doesnt depend on it) but don’t waste time pushing things with them too hard until or even if they actually want to hear it.

    your parents though? older relatives? yeah most old people nowadays are arrogant and will. not. hear. it. because they think themselves smarter than those damn youngns and they tied their group identity to that shitty opinion. rich people? much harder too, but we shoudnt need many of them anyway.

    remember leftism isnt sponsored by big money. WE are the ones who have to do this work. you just have to have the sensitivity and patience to do this properly without driving people away. and DON’T feel like you have to change everyones minds immediatly or at all. people tend to change their minds slowly over time and you have their honest listening ears for only a small amount of it, or little of it at a time. sometimes they wont budge and thats okay too. keeping your loved ones is always more important.

    edit: thank for the updoots le kind gentlesir also try not to get that mad at people for believing propaganda. its fucking powerful and most people are not at fault for it. dont take shit from fascists and trolls tho.