What Activism looks like (for an Introvert)
Should you be an activist at all?
Earlier this week, I read a piece from 1849 called Civil
Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau. To summarize, it mostly speaks
to the importance of protest in the form of civil disobedience, or breaking
laws that you believe to be immoral. I’m quite sure that everyone has something
in politics they care about, and some are worth fighting for. That’s why
activism is a thing. However, I also completely understand if you’d prefer to
stay out of it, whether it be because of burnout or stress.
What are you comfortable with doing?
This made me think, what about the introverts? I'm sure most
introverts would not want to tell the IRS that they're not going to pay their taxes
and going to protests may also be overwhelming. So, I thought I'd try to help
in that department. In Quiet, by Susan Cain, she explains how most
introverts are “high-reactive” which means we respond more to new stimuli than
extroverts do. With that in mind, what you do comes down to what you feel like
you can handle. If protests are your thing, do that. But, if you’re new to this
whole thing, here’s some things you can try.
I would say, if you’re attending a gathering, you could hang out
at the edge of a crowd to give yourself some space. Or, if you are speaking up
about something, trust yourself on it. As introverts, we generally spend a lot
of time ruminating, as our minds are the most familiar place of all. You don’t have
to act aggressive or talk loudly if that’s not you, just say what you want to
say. In the end, you don’t have to actively participate in anything, but if you
do, I hope that this was helpful!
I really enjoyed your blog as the format you chose was very similar to a how-to guide which was very appealing. I also loved the images you choose which not only showed strong symbolism but also referenced your title. Your writing in general was great as well, I loved reading through it and it kept me very entertained.
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