I read this with dread because I know you're right: posting/tweeting is not organizing, and it does not have any impact comparable to direct action. But so many of us truly don't know what to do, and of course we're also scared of the consequences of direct action, given how governments have doubled down on police power in response to the protests against police brutality. I don't mean to sound defeatist; I think we *have* to act. The question is how.
agreed! The worst version of this argument just sounds like Luddite/ Unabomber bait but it’s hard to argue that social media has helped comparable on the ground efforts like union organizing. Jane McAlevey have been saying for awhile now, that there’s never been a successful union campaign without some restriction on social media
Caught up with this after your episode on Born into Flames with Antifada. It's interesting to read this one year later. Now Jimmy Dore reveals himself to be an antivaxxer. FHL held a "general strike summit" where only a few people came.
It's an issue of people wanting mobilization over organization. Mobilization is ephemeral, emotional, and most importantly to the grifters: increases viewership and listenership.
It took a pandemic for workers to be in the position to demand $14/hour. The Fight for 15 accomplished nothing. It takes deep structural work for workers and oppressed people to be in the position to make their demands.
Anyway, good thoughts Aaron, always a joy to read and listen to you.
Excellent article! I did local organizing work in the Bay Area (not around M4A, but other issues) back in 2011-2013 and mostly left that space due to burnout, though I continued to work behind the scenes in hyper-local electoral campaigns. Your article is one of several pieces I've read this year which has helped motivate me to get back into the mix. The "online left" has been great for finding like-minded people and helping me feel a sense of solidarity, but you're right, Twitter Discourse is not a major part of what organizers do day in and day out. Solidarity from Seattle and hope you heal up from your injuries smoothly and soon. <3
Completely disagree. Twitter is where the public debate is held, why should the Left withdraw from it when the truth is on our side? And I disagree with your point that Twitter isn't "real life", isn't effective: first of all, think of MeToo: a social media pressure campaign that has been hugely consequential in "real life". Then, you praise the BLM protests as an example of real life politics, but how effective were they? They didn't bring about any policy change, didn't get any cop fired. Don't get me wrong, I fully support it and I do think it was meaningful to shift the narrative. But Twitter is instrumental in that as well. I think the force the vote debate was extremely interesting in how it exposed a split in the Left, a sign that we actually need to think and engage in public debate more, as well as direct action. Characterizing it as simply "Team AOC vs Team Dore" completely misses the substance of the debate.
Unfortunately Medicare for All will only makes things worse. Nothing run by the government has any accountability. Take a look at a VA hospital. It's government workers shuffling around lacking a sense of urgency. We need to get insurance out of the equation for all but catastrophic expenses. Insurance has just created a curtain that surrounds the true cost of medicine. Nobody questions what the charges are, they just pay whatever the insurance didn't. You don't even know how many bills you are going to receive when you have a simple procedure such as a colonoscopy. Would you leave your car at a garage and not asked how much it would cost, what exactly was going to be done to it and who was going to be providing the service?
I’m ready. Great read!
I read this with dread because I know you're right: posting/tweeting is not organizing, and it does not have any impact comparable to direct action. But so many of us truly don't know what to do, and of course we're also scared of the consequences of direct action, given how governments have doubled down on police power in response to the protests against police brutality. I don't mean to sound defeatist; I think we *have* to act. The question is how.
agreed! The worst version of this argument just sounds like Luddite/ Unabomber bait but it’s hard to argue that social media has helped comparable on the ground efforts like union organizing. Jane McAlevey have been saying for awhile now, that there’s never been a successful union campaign without some restriction on social media
Caught up with this after your episode on Born into Flames with Antifada. It's interesting to read this one year later. Now Jimmy Dore reveals himself to be an antivaxxer. FHL held a "general strike summit" where only a few people came.
It's an issue of people wanting mobilization over organization. Mobilization is ephemeral, emotional, and most importantly to the grifters: increases viewership and listenership.
It took a pandemic for workers to be in the position to demand $14/hour. The Fight for 15 accomplished nothing. It takes deep structural work for workers and oppressed people to be in the position to make their demands.
Anyway, good thoughts Aaron, always a joy to read and listen to you.
Excellent article! I did local organizing work in the Bay Area (not around M4A, but other issues) back in 2011-2013 and mostly left that space due to burnout, though I continued to work behind the scenes in hyper-local electoral campaigns. Your article is one of several pieces I've read this year which has helped motivate me to get back into the mix. The "online left" has been great for finding like-minded people and helping me feel a sense of solidarity, but you're right, Twitter Discourse is not a major part of what organizers do day in and day out. Solidarity from Seattle and hope you heal up from your injuries smoothly and soon. <3
Completely disagree. Twitter is where the public debate is held, why should the Left withdraw from it when the truth is on our side? And I disagree with your point that Twitter isn't "real life", isn't effective: first of all, think of MeToo: a social media pressure campaign that has been hugely consequential in "real life". Then, you praise the BLM protests as an example of real life politics, but how effective were they? They didn't bring about any policy change, didn't get any cop fired. Don't get me wrong, I fully support it and I do think it was meaningful to shift the narrative. But Twitter is instrumental in that as well. I think the force the vote debate was extremely interesting in how it exposed a split in the Left, a sign that we actually need to think and engage in public debate more, as well as direct action. Characterizing it as simply "Team AOC vs Team Dore" completely misses the substance of the debate.
Follow the March for Medicare for All on Facebook and Twitter (@M4M4ALL). More info coming soon.
Unfortunately Medicare for All will only makes things worse. Nothing run by the government has any accountability. Take a look at a VA hospital. It's government workers shuffling around lacking a sense of urgency. We need to get insurance out of the equation for all but catastrophic expenses. Insurance has just created a curtain that surrounds the true cost of medicine. Nobody questions what the charges are, they just pay whatever the insurance didn't. You don't even know how many bills you are going to receive when you have a simple procedure such as a colonoscopy. Would you leave your car at a garage and not asked how much it would cost, what exactly was going to be done to it and who was going to be providing the service?