If it were a sunny day and I wanted to conduct an innocuous experiment with my own property, on my own property, and it were legal to do so in my municipality, I’d place a magnifying glass, via powerful magnet and flexible arm, such that it concentrated sunlight on the tire’s sidewall. Then I’d sit back and watch until I either got bored or had to put out any resulting flames with an NFPA-approved extinguisher and/or garden hose. Then I’d record the results in a logbook and drink a beer.

Unfortunately, I’m clueless, too. I feel especially frustrated by my cluelessness, because I’ve received extensive “leadership” training and I feel like I should be good at sharing ideas and building consensus. But I’m an awkward introvert who, at best, prefers to be a sidekick to a better leader who understands and relates to other people more easily than I do.

Something I’d like to try in my community is see if I can reserve the rec room at my local library to do a double feature (maybe two features spaced out by a week) in which I show the films Conspiracy (2001) and Schindler’s List, with a discussion/shared analysis by the viewers following each viewing.

And then maybe I’d try starting a book club where the first book is This Perfect Day by Ira Levin followed by other titles focused on social ideals, flaws, actions, and abuses.

You know, when I have time, that is…

That’s all great steps 6 to 10 advice, but for anyone who never learned how to unlearn, it’ll fall on deaf ears. It’s vague and intimidatingly unactionable. I meant some easy, low-cost, entry-level step toward what you’re describing, which is nearer to the zenith of what we should be trying to achieve. It’s like telling someone who might be interested in becoming enlightened, to, you know, just become enlightened.

My favorite first step toward being a more active component in my community was to go to the local library (bringing with me a piece of mail addressed to me at my address in the same jurisdiction as the library itself as well as a form of identification) and signing up for a library card. I would then see what upcoming programs are being held and then go to some of them to meet other people. Or I’d browse the book selection and specifically try to find books written about social activism or classic dystopian novels. Maybe even see if there are any acclaimed ‘how to protest’ books. My personal recommendation is The Dictator’s Handbook and I just picked up The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes- and Why, which seems good so far.

The problem I’m having is I’m pretty unlearned in the art of effective activism, and that ignorance is intimidating and paralyzing. I don’t want to screw it up and potentially get hurt or taken advantage of and without a trusted guide, it’s unlikely I’ll give it a try. That’s the kind of specific, actionable, realistic advice I meant to solicit, not lofty goals of razing and rebuilding an entire socioeconomic worldview. I mean, that would help, but even it is a poor guide for taking real actions in the physical world.

Oh definitely. Have you read In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts? I’m halfway thru it now and it’s been incredibly eye-opening.

It could also get you access to Kanopy (films and documentaries), Hoopla (audiobooks), and Libby (ebooks and audiobooks).

Thank you for sharing your personal observations and experiences. They sound even more insufferable and dangerous than MAGAsites in the US.

I seem to remember lots of pro-Bernie energy in 2016. Voting for Bernie would have been much more satisfying than voting for Clinton, at least for me and many of the people I personally know.

What do you suggest as the first one to three steps to get started on not being the paralyzed deer? You’ve identified the problem, do you have wisdom to share on actionable tasks one can do to get started? You’re not wrong about identifying ignorance…unfortunately, ignorance is self-reinforcing without effective training and education.

I’d love to see this happen and I hope we can see it through to completion.

Something anyone can do this week to take a step in the correct direction is to go and get a library card. It’ll help one the greatest foundations of democracy, community, and public knowledge in our country, and it’ll help connect you with a source of knowledge and a community with whom you can jointly build a coalition.

The same reason why the childhood treats like Hostess Twinkies and cakes and candy bars don’t taste good anymore. I originally blamed my tastebuds for the change, but now I believe it’s the enshittification of base ingredients, squeezing as much nostalgic goodwill and basic cravings for sugar/fat as possible out of ever-lower quality, cheaper basic materials in the name of profit margins, donations to conservative super PACs, and executive yachts.

I can understand why you feel the way you do and cannot dispute it is a hatred you’ve earned.

Just like I wouldn’t be able to blame any Canadian for hating every US soldier if the US were to invade Canada.

I personally feel bad for every person involved in something as horrible as fighting in a war. I wish their hearts, brains, and energies could instead be employed in something peaceful, helpful, and beneficial for the future.

Geez man, that really sucks. I’m sorry that’s happening to you and your people.

I didn’t think Boeing was known for its fighters (they collaborated with Lockheed on the Rapter, but how much was them vs LH?)…maybe the spirits from McDonnell Douglas will come back to play in the contrails of the Hornet and Eagle.

Or maybe they’ll make a kickass fighter variant of the BUFF.

I would imagine Agent Orange and severe PTSD-induced homelessness or suicide should also contribute to that number.

I just believe the righteous antipathy is better leveled at the Russian government, specifically Putin, than the anonymous cannon fodder.

You mean the 18-30 y/o men who are conscripted into compulsory military service for a year? Kinda sounds like a lot of them might not have much choice, barring gulag or suicide, in the matter.

I’m having trouble thinking of an example where a tyrant dictator was assassinated and displaced by a democratic leader and not just another dictator. I don’t think Hitler is a great example. Maybe Hussein? I’m apologetically ignorant on the current state of Iraq’s political system.

Democratic norms seem to be more successfully implemented when a ruler is facing bankruptcy and has no easy source of funds (e.g. natural resource extraction, sponsorship from foreign sources), and therefore has no other option but to expand freedoms and public goods to empower citizens to be more educated to work more profitably (and be reliable tax payers). A fairly recent example is the shift Jerry John Rawlings performed in Ghana in the 90s, which is explained succinctly in The Dictator’s Handbook (Bueno de Mesquita and Smith).

A general strike could be an effective means to force the hand of a ruler dependent on national productivity to keep his coalition’s insiders/influentials happy enough to retain their support.

Allegedly* killed. Innocent until proven guilty.

Otherwise, excellent answer.

Is this a service rendered to the owners or the vehicles?

That’s reasonable.