A way through
How to find your way through the chaos and into action
Like so many of you, we at Sûre found ourselves caught in a cycle of shock and overwhelm from 2015 onward. There was so much. All the time. And it seemed intentional.
It was.
This isn't a new phenomenon. This has happened before. But what is different is the immediate access to our attention through social media, not only by so many in the media, but also by bad actors seeking to cause a breakdown in our social fabric.
They have been so successful.
The cycle of shock and overwhelm has left so many feeling helpless as our fundamental freedoms come under attack, some already lost.
If you weren't already engaged in activism, it can leave you wondering "which issue do I focus on"? Or "which organization should I help?" Perhaps you make a donation to one or several and then your engagement ends there until the next event calls you to consider "How am I going to help?"
Know your values
There is a way to start answering that question. It must begin by sitting down and naming your values. Write them on a piece of paper. Type them in your Notes app. Post them on social media. Talk about them with friends, family, and colleagues. Learn them so well that you can use them as your primer for anything life throws at you.
Orient yourself to your present by understanding the past
If you find yourself constantly asking "Why is this happening?" then you are missing the big picture. None of what you are experiencing are siloed events or inflection points. There is an overarching plan to destroy liberal democracy throughout the west. It has been planned for decades. And, again, this has happened before.
Once you begin to better understand history, especially the history we are not taught in school, you will start to feel less disoriented and have a better grasp of the connected-ness of everything. You will feel less shocked and will have a clearer perspective on what should be happening, how these moments were met in the past, how our institutions are failing us, and how much direct mass action is necessary to meet the challenges of this moment.
Watch what activists and leaders of boots-on-the-ground organizations are doing
There are good people doing good work. It can feel like nothing is happening, especially if all you are seeing is inaction within your own community. But there are so many activists and organizations who have been anticipating what was coming and what would be needed in response.
We encourage you to dig deep into the organizations we are donating to but also encourage independent research. You will find there are many more to be discovered.
Get involved.
Learn about the organizations we love
Books we've read and recommend
Podcasts we listen to
