5 ms·

I agree 100%; what can a layman like me do to fix it?

by mbg721 4y ago

toomuchtodo 4y ago
You’re not going to like my answer. I don’t like my answer. It’s never ending work. Always vote, run for office if you can, and/or become and stay engaged as a citizen activist. See something? Report it to regulators. Think something’s up? Go digging. Engage with other folks who are doing the same and provide logistical support if able to. I spend thousands of dollars a year on FOIA fees and attorney opinion and correspondence costs, but I have the means and the time. Overarching thesis is “Find someone to help and help them.” -DeviantOllam [1] of “Lawyer. Passport. Locksmith. Gun.” Saintcon talk fame [2]. [1] https://twitter.com/deviantollam https://twitter.com/deviantollam [2] https://youtu.be/6ihrGNGesfI https://youtu.be/6ihrGNGesfI
- mbg721 4y ago
  I think the answer I was expecting was that it's a two-step process: 1) Be lucky, and 2) Don't be unlucky. My next-door neighbor is actually a local politician, but her party affiliation is the one I dislike, so I'm getting a life-lesson in humility.
  - toomuchtodo 4y ago
    I’ve never been good at delivering bad news, my apologies. Talk to your neighbor and explore a run for office if it interests you. Actually wanting to be engaged is the first step, and it sounds like you want to. No one is coming to save us, it’s just us.
droopyEyelids 4y ago
I don't know if this is what you intend, but it sounds like you're baiting an answer about vigilante style "justice" to the executives/board members of these misbehaving corporations. That would be counterproductive and probably only cause them to treat us with less empathy than they do already.
- johnfn 4y ago
  I'm not advocating for "vigilante justice" either, but if that's the clearest / first thought you have when someone authentically asks "what can I do," that's probably a problem :P
- FunnyBadger 4y ago
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
hdhdhdh88 4y ago
If possible, leave USA. There are political systems around the world that aren’t broken and there are some that are actually being fixed by voters (e.g. Australia). But USA is broken for at least our lifetimes. You only live once.
- gretch 4y ago
  The reason those other places around the world aren’t broken* is because people had the mentality of putting in hard work toward the future. If everyone shared what you thought and fled at a moment of hardship, the whole world would go to shit really fast. *your opinion, not mine. I don’t think USA is that bad of a place and I don’t put Australia on a pedestal.
- PaulDavisThe1st 4y ago
  If this is true, who is going to fix it and where will they come from? If this is not true, then ... well then you're just wrong.
  - toomuchtodo 4y ago
    I’m leaving for Western Europe, all of the tools I need for advocacy and accountability work just fine from over there (laptop and mobile device are all that is required). I’m unable to run for office, I am not an ideal candidate for various reasons. I want the country improved long term, but am unwilling to suffer in the short term because of, for lack of a better words, the malevolent and troglodytes. In the case of voting, you can’t persuade some people even with evidence and data. You might just have to wait for old people to age out (1.8 million voters over the age of 55 age out every year) and younger folks (open to new ideas and mental models) to come of age, before there are improved chances of success. If you have to wait somewhere, don’t wait here if you don’t have to (life lesson: never suffer needlessly). (I also contribute time to helping anyone wanting to expat out of the US get to higher quality jurisdictions, Europe, Australia, etc)
    - PaulDavisThe1st 4y ago
      I grew up in Western Europe. I intend to die in the US.

I agree 100%; what can a layman like me do to fix it?

by mbg721 4y ago

I agree 100%; what can a layman like me do to fix it?

You’re not going to like my answer. I don’t like my answer. It’s never ending work. Always vote, run for office if you can, and/or become and stay engaged as a citizen activist. See something? Report it to regulators. Think something’s up? Go digging. Engage with other folks who are doing the same and provide logistical support if able to. I spend thousands of dollars a year on FOIA fees and attorney opinion and correspondence costs, but I have the means and the time. Overarching thesis is “Find someone to help and help them.” -DeviantOllam [1] of “Lawyer. Passport. Locksmith. Gun.” Saintcon talk fame [2]. [1] https://twitter.com/deviantollam https://twitter.com/deviantollam [2] https://youtu.be/6ihrGNGesfI https://youtu.be/6ihrGNGesfI

mbg721 4y ago
I think the answer I was expecting was that it's a two-step process: 1) Be lucky, and 2) Don't be unlucky. My next-door neighbor is actually a local politician, but her party affiliation is the one I dislike, so I'm getting a life-lesson in humility.
- toomuchtodo 4y ago
  I’ve never been good at delivering bad news, my apologies. Talk to your neighbor and explore a run for office if it interests you. Actually wanting to be engaged is the first step, and it sounds like you want to. No one is coming to save us, it’s just us.

droopyEyelids 4y ago

I don't know if this is what you intend, but it sounds like you're baiting an answer about vigilante style "justice" to the executives/board members of these misbehaving corporations. That would be counterproductive and probably only cause them to treat us with less empathy than they do already.

johnfn 4y ago
I'm not advocating for "vigilante justice" either, but if that's the clearest / first thought you have when someone authentically asks "what can I do," that's probably a problem :P
FunnyBadger 4y ago

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

hdhdhdh88 4y ago

If possible, leave USA. There are political systems around the world that aren’t broken and there are some that are actually being fixed by voters (e.g. Australia). But USA is broken for at least our lifetimes. You only live once.

gretch 4y ago
The reason those other places around the world aren’t broken* is because people had the mentality of putting in hard work toward the future. If everyone shared what you thought and fled at a moment of hardship, the whole world would go to shit really fast. *your opinion, not mine. I don’t think USA is that bad of a place and I don’t put Australia on a pedestal.
PaulDavisThe1st 4y ago
If this is true, who is going to fix it and where will they come from? If this is not true, then ... well then you're just wrong.
- toomuchtodo 4y ago
  I’m leaving for Western Europe, all of the tools I need for advocacy and accountability work just fine from over there (laptop and mobile device are all that is required). I’m unable to run for office, I am not an ideal candidate for various reasons. I want the country improved long term, but am unwilling to suffer in the short term because of, for lack of a better words, the malevolent and troglodytes. In the case of voting, you can’t persuade some people even with evidence and data. You might just have to wait for old people to age out (1.8 million voters over the age of 55 age out every year) and younger folks (open to new ideas and mental models) to come of age, before there are improved chances of success. If you have to wait somewhere, don’t wait here if you don’t have to (life lesson: never suffer needlessly). (I also contribute time to helping anyone wanting to expat out of the US get to higher quality jurisdictions, Europe, Australia, etc)
  - PaulDavisThe1st 4y ago
    I grew up in Western Europe. I intend to die in the US.