This is why. Why go to a rally? This is why. Why email my representatives when I just get an auto response? This is why. Why call my reps just to leave a voicemail? This is why. Why bother to take action when “nothing happens?” This is why. We all want to be the individual straw that breaks the camel’s back. It is more likely we are not that particular straw but one of the straws that contribute to the load. This article explains why that seemingly insignificant straw increases change in the system. So, add your straw and know, confidently, it is not pointless. That straw, your straw, contributes and is important. It generates heat even if you don’t feel or see it. Read the article and understand that this is why.
"If we have our own why in life, we shall get along with almost any how.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
wow!I woke up to this. It clarifies how collective action spread among many can rise as the water molecules of a tsunami energized by a moving fault beneath the sea defy gravity and wash over a shore cleansing all rooted objects before it. We are the molecules,our challenged psyches are the energy. History shows us that collective human ' tsunamis' energized by continued disruptive government challenges to our better sense can wash society clean of its destructive elements. Thank you for publishing this. Needless to say you have jolted my conscience. This piece bears widespread distribution to the electorate.The level of understanding it reaches and mobilizes will be the true test of American exceptionalism.
Excellent! So, if I can get three friends to contact their legislators on a specific issue….this is doable, this is NOT overwhelming. Love it. I’ll check my account when I get home.
Nicely written and persuasive, Christopher - and thanks for your reply. We could disappear down several rabbit holes here. Surely stochastic systems are also deterministic insofar as the prior state determines the latter state, albeit in an unpredictable way. The weather must be stochastic. Chance (and originally chaotic) inputs like meteor strikes and solar flares affect the atmosphere. The weather thus changes unpredictably. I hear what you're saying and love splitting things down like this. I have found that obstruse 'realities' like this are indistinct, 'foamy', and even fissile in nature.
I love it. May I wax a bit metaphysical? I think what causes the phase change is INTENT, possibly the same force that opens a small seed in dark soil and makes it grow upwards into a -- tree, or weed, whatever. And I think it's important that we direct our attention/intention beyond the political/human realm and include all the other beings around us. It's not either/or, we can protest, send letters, make phone calls, complain, AND watch a spider/listen to a bee etc. It is a UNIverse, after all.
I love this explanation. Will share with friends as motivation!
Thinking in terms of complex systems, specifically the adaptive kind — where agents operate based on a relatively simple set of rules and individual agents make decisions to adapt to changing circumstances — wouldn’t the “rules” of healthy human social systems (family, neighborhood, community, government) be ethics?
Ethical rules boil down to a few concepts such as integrity, honesty, caring, and respect for life. Democratic constitutions and lists of human and civil rights are more complicated reflections of those simple underlying rules.
So individuals who are motivated (heated up) to take action may best contribute to the emergence of a healthy government by considering ethics as they make their choices. That’s nonviolence.
(This is why we have been repeatedly shocked over the last decade, watching political leaders violate more and more blatantly the rules most of us understand to be critical to healthy community.)
Great piece as is true every.single.day. Thank you! Can you please give me the link to the discord? Also we’re still doing our “Almost Daily Resist” email (to any of congress or state legislators AG SoS etc depending on the letter) and call scripts if anyone is interested, message me your email and I’ll add you to the distribution. Chris’ daily letters have provided good fodder for some of our letters to state reps.
Love this. Consistency is the whole game. And thanks to Chris and his near-daily cadence being probably the most practical ways to turn passion into action.
Timely. I actually just reposted my article about how to properly contact your representatives. I do it every Thursday night and I will be honest, it kind of *sucks*. Especially leaving 9 voice-mail. Honestly sometimes I can't face the phone and will convert the script into a powerful and well worded e-mail instead. I try to pick up the phone more often than not, however. An article by Chris such as this one serves as a fortification against the fact that such civic duty isn't particularly fun. It's renewing so thank you Chris.
“State legislators report that six to eight constituent contacts on one side of an issue feels like a landslide of public opinion.⁶ Six people. That is a Tuesday afternoon, and three excited atoms finding three others.”
People keep waiting for a moment, a leader, a signal that it’s time.
But when enough individuals act on their own timing and for their own reasons, suddenly the system has to respond whether it wants to or not.
What looks small up close starts to bend things at scale. That’s the part most people underestimate.
Thank you Christopher for explaining the 'why'.
This is why. Why go to a rally? This is why. Why email my representatives when I just get an auto response? This is why. Why call my reps just to leave a voicemail? This is why. Why bother to take action when “nothing happens?” This is why. We all want to be the individual straw that breaks the camel’s back. It is more likely we are not that particular straw but one of the straws that contribute to the load. This article explains why that seemingly insignificant straw increases change in the system. So, add your straw and know, confidently, it is not pointless. That straw, your straw, contributes and is important. It generates heat even if you don’t feel or see it. Read the article and understand that this is why.
"If we have our own why in life, we shall get along with almost any how.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
Add the damn straw.
wow!I woke up to this. It clarifies how collective action spread among many can rise as the water molecules of a tsunami energized by a moving fault beneath the sea defy gravity and wash over a shore cleansing all rooted objects before it. We are the molecules,our challenged psyches are the energy. History shows us that collective human ' tsunamis' energized by continued disruptive government challenges to our better sense can wash society clean of its destructive elements. Thank you for publishing this. Needless to say you have jolted my conscience. This piece bears widespread distribution to the electorate.The level of understanding it reaches and mobilizes will be the true test of American exceptionalism.
I get it, Chris!
Random actions add up to success, eventually!
Beautifully written, man!
Glad you enjoyed, Delia 🌲🌲🌲
Excellent! So, if I can get three friends to contact their legislators on a specific issue….this is doable, this is NOT overwhelming. Love it. I’ll check my account when I get home.
Thank you! This is SO encouraging.
The notion of chain reaction comes to mind. One of the most insightful thought pieces to date!
Nicely written and persuasive, Christopher - and thanks for your reply. We could disappear down several rabbit holes here. Surely stochastic systems are also deterministic insofar as the prior state determines the latter state, albeit in an unpredictable way. The weather must be stochastic. Chance (and originally chaotic) inputs like meteor strikes and solar flares affect the atmosphere. The weather thus changes unpredictably. I hear what you're saying and love splitting things down like this. I have found that obstruse 'realities' like this are indistinct, 'foamy', and even fissile in nature.
But enough about me.
Nice work.
Appreciate it, Nick 🌲🌲🌲
As a retired scientist, I love the physics analogies, Christopher!
Expect more of them because this piece was so much fun to research 🌲 🌲 🌲
Do you have a scientific background, Christopher?
No STEM background for me. I'm just an enthusiastic fan. All of my professional work has been in psychology/criminology, law, and public policy.
I love it. May I wax a bit metaphysical? I think what causes the phase change is INTENT, possibly the same force that opens a small seed in dark soil and makes it grow upwards into a -- tree, or weed, whatever. And I think it's important that we direct our attention/intention beyond the political/human realm and include all the other beings around us. It's not either/or, we can protest, send letters, make phone calls, complain, AND watch a spider/listen to a bee etc. It is a UNIverse, after all.
Great analogy! And, for what it’s worth - I did get a response from my DA. They listen. 😊
YES 💚💚💚
I love this explanation. Will share with friends as motivation!
Thinking in terms of complex systems, specifically the adaptive kind — where agents operate based on a relatively simple set of rules and individual agents make decisions to adapt to changing circumstances — wouldn’t the “rules” of healthy human social systems (family, neighborhood, community, government) be ethics?
Ethical rules boil down to a few concepts such as integrity, honesty, caring, and respect for life. Democratic constitutions and lists of human and civil rights are more complicated reflections of those simple underlying rules.
So individuals who are motivated (heated up) to take action may best contribute to the emergence of a healthy government by considering ethics as they make their choices. That’s nonviolence.
(This is why we have been repeatedly shocked over the last decade, watching political leaders violate more and more blatantly the rules most of us understand to be critical to healthy community.)
Great piece as is true every.single.day. Thank you! Can you please give me the link to the discord? Also we’re still doing our “Almost Daily Resist” email (to any of congress or state legislators AG SoS etc depending on the letter) and call scripts if anyone is interested, message me your email and I’ll add you to the distribution. Chris’ daily letters have provided good fodder for some of our letters to state reps.
Love this. Consistency is the whole game. And thanks to Chris and his near-daily cadence being probably the most practical ways to turn passion into action.
https://discord.gg/Gh8n6Ch2j
Could I also join? It says invites are paused. Thank you!
Definitely, I'll announce when we open back up 👍
This is inspiring! I do often feel hopeless under the crushing influence of MAGA.
So much to read but I always read your emails., they are well written and thoughtful!
Timely. I actually just reposted my article about how to properly contact your representatives. I do it every Thursday night and I will be honest, it kind of *sucks*. Especially leaving 9 voice-mail. Honestly sometimes I can't face the phone and will convert the script into a powerful and well worded e-mail instead. I try to pick up the phone more often than not, however. An article by Chris such as this one serves as a fortification against the fact that such civic duty isn't particularly fun. It's renewing so thank you Chris.
Love this :
“State legislators report that six to eight constituent contacts on one side of an issue feels like a landslide of public opinion.⁶ Six people. That is a Tuesday afternoon, and three excited atoms finding three others.”