3 ms·

You mention you don't use drugs but then you start talking about being an activist, potentially doing something extreme, and looking for "jobs for people with d

You mention you don't use drugs but then you start talking about being an activist, potentially doing something extreme, and looking for "jobs for people with depression". The problem is that all of this still screams "baggage". Maybe not as bad as a hard drug problem or criminal record, but it's still "baggage" that nobody would want to deal with when there's plenty of other people that either don't have it or hide it well enough. When you're looking for help and handouts, "going against the grain" is not a successful strategy, so you need to put all the activism/strong morals/etc aside and never bring it up. Make up a believable backstory about yourself that doesn't bring any of this up nor raise suspicions to explain your predicament to potential employers (someone with degrees in knowledge work applying for menial work is more surprising than a blue-collar worker) and use that to slowly rebuild. > Is that what I should do... emigrate back where I came from? If I had to choose I'd rather be homeless in Europe than the US. The latter is a country where fucking the little people is considered good business and so much existing business relies on that, where moneyed interests have effectively seized control of the government and where the general groupthink would be against (or can easily be convinced to go against) anything that would help the little people in fear that it would be "socialism" - definitely not a good place for someone in this position.

clubm8 3y ago
That's part of the issue -- I'm a former altar server who joined the DSA when my NRA dad smashed my laptop. My activissm got the mayor replaced and a state senator arrested. One of the township police who kept insisting I need to not make my dad aangry if I don't want firearms pointed at me got arrested for talking to too many teenagers on the internet. I was hoping to find allies here, but everyone is a libertarian or a jerk apparently. (No offense, but absent specific suggestions... I'm angry)
- Nextgrid 3y ago
  You need to put politics aside, right now you need all the help you can get, regardless of whom it comes from. Is there a way to mend the relationship with your family by being open and pretending to be interest/supporting of their political views? That would actually be the best outcome, not just in the short term but also in the future as it would give you a healthy relationship with your family. It also sounds like your activism definitely ruffled some feathers and upset the status-quo in your community which isn't great if you now want help from said community. Even if your morals were just, this at the very least screams "troublemaker" which no employer would take a chance on if they have plenty of other candidates with no such "baggage". Getting back on track with your family might also be a gateway for you to re-engage with your local community and make yourself a good name beyond being a troublemaker who got a bunch of people fired/arrested.

clubm8 3y ago

That's part of the issue -- I'm a former altar server who joined the DSA when my NRA dad smashed my laptop. My activissm got the mayor replaced and a state senator arrested. One of the township police who kept insisting I need to not make my dad aangry if I don't want firearms pointed at me got arrested for talking to too many teenagers on the internet. I was hoping to find allies here, but everyone is a libertarian or a jerk apparently. (No offense, but absent specific suggestions... I'm angry)

Nextgrid 3y ago
You need to put politics aside, right now you need all the help you can get, regardless of whom it comes from. Is there a way to mend the relationship with your family by being open and pretending to be interest/supporting of their political views? That would actually be the best outcome, not just in the short term but also in the future as it would give you a healthy relationship with your family. It also sounds like your activism definitely ruffled some feathers and upset the status-quo in your community which isn't great if you now want help from said community. Even if your morals were just, this at the very least screams "troublemaker" which no employer would take a chance on if they have plenty of other candidates with no such "baggage". Getting back on track with your family might also be a gateway for you to re-engage with your local community and make yourself a good name beyond being a troublemaker who got a bunch of people fired/arrested.