"Voting is the political equivalent of butt-wiping.." might be the best, most effectively communicated "Get out and Vote" campaign/analogy I've ever heard.

@charliespinoza1966

Жыл бұрын

The new stickers could say “I wiped America’s ass today”

@LegacyFTW

Жыл бұрын

@@charliespinoza1966 Thank you, Lilith, for this community 🤣

@StraveTube

Жыл бұрын

American Butt Wiping is a broken system; we need to completely switch over to bidets or I refuse to participate in the system entirely. It's all or nothing. Also I refuse to offer up any feasible solutions that would allow for us to smoothly and seamlessly change the toilet-paper-based system that hundreds of millions of people use. (That was all meant in jest, but seriously bidets are great and I think a culture shift towards them would be hugely beneficial. But I do not judge anyone who doesn't currently use them.)

@callirok

Жыл бұрын

@@charliespinoza1966 But then do you actually mean you wiped Captain America's ass?

@charliespinoza1966

Жыл бұрын

@@callirok A girl can dream 😉

I find it difficult to imagine some people complexly when those people have said and done things that actively hurt me and my rights. But I also agree with you: cynicism isn't helpful. It's just so much easier to adopt when you're scared.

@alexreid1173

Жыл бұрын

Same. It’s really hard as a trans person to even acknowledge people that have said very transphobic things, let alone attempt to understand them as people. Especially those that have actively wished violence on me and/or my community. I know deep down that everyone has their reasons and many people have been told straight-up lies that affect their beliefs, but it’s hard treat them as people when they don’t treat me as a person. I imagine it’s similar for many marginalized groups.

@lukemorris2221

Жыл бұрын

@@alexreid1173 +

@seanjordan6395

Жыл бұрын

There reasons don’t matter. Some people want other people wiped from the face of the Earth, and they have the power and the resources to do so. There is no flight.

@atlassolid5946

Жыл бұрын

@@adpirtle the thing about that is that we, as the ones who did not instigate the animosity, shouldn't be the ones required to reach out. here's an analogy: if you punch someone in the face once a week, the person you're punching shouldn't have to be the one to apologize and then try to befriend you. that's on you to own up to your mistakes and try to repair things between you two. same thing here, just on a much larger scale.

@flowerheit4512

Жыл бұрын

@@adpirtle i think there's a difference between being nice and being decent. Most people, generally, will be nice to your face. But that doesn't mean they will care about you or support you and your rights if doing so demands they change their mind about anything

Political cynicism is often a response to political exhaustion. It’s not that it’s good, but it’s also really hard to sustain the energy to not be cynical.

@AndrewBakke

Жыл бұрын

It's also sometimes accurate. It's like how 'just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you'.

@shaneharrington3655

Жыл бұрын

Until you start spending energy on the cynicism

@ccnomad

Жыл бұрын

It is really hard, and you can indulge moments where you sit down and give in for a moment. But continuing that work, sustaining that energy, finding and keeping handy a few anchors of hopefulness, persisting in the face of a barrage of reasons to give it up, of folks trying to sell you on the idea of giving it up, is the some of the most important work you'll ever do on yourself in this lifetime.

@ehsan_kia

Жыл бұрын

It doesn't help that one of the most effective way to get people motivated to vote is through outrage and anger, but while that may work short term, it increases the rate of political exhaustion.

@wade8813

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely. But it's also often a response to misinformation, forgetting good stuff that has been accomplished, not understanding the process, etc

My experience working in a non-partisan job for the U.S. Congress supports everything Hank is saying. I would also add that we think of "government" as the roughly 500 elected officials in the group that regularly makes the news, but it's actually tens of thousands of people who do the work to make the stuff we see in the news happen. Even when the news looks bleak, there are thousands of people quietly doing their best to make the country work. It's why I don't give up hope.

@friggasring

Жыл бұрын

My problem isn't with the tens of thousands of people doing the work, though. My problem is with the roughly 500 elected officials who, no matter their intent, have been shown to be more likely to pass bills backed by big donors than bills that are popular among the electorate. My problem is that, at a certain point, people become so rich that they cannot relate to or understand the problem of the people who are not rich. And the power of those tens of thousands of people in the government and the power of the millions of voter don't compare to the power of 500 elected officials or the people who bankroll their campaigns to the benefit of their profit. I think our cynicism is well-earned, though we may not always direct it at the people responsible.

@aerynsunx

Жыл бұрын

I wholeheartedly agree. My parents worked for the government. They weren't big shots, just regular people. They believed in the work they were doing, they believed in the oath of service that they took, and understood who they were doing it for. And they never waivered in their commitment. And neither did the people around them that I came to know. In my experience, for every screw-up, there is a host of people determined to do what is right.

@jyrinx

Жыл бұрын

@@friggasring My dark suspicion is that a lot of those 500 are _also_ just trying their best. It's dark because it leaves little hope for just voting for better people.

@billyjoeallen

Жыл бұрын

so in other words un-elected unaccountable bureaucrats wield the real power and by "make the country work" you mean subverting populism both left and right so the permanent Washington establishment can make policy. In the name of democracy, of course.

@derekhiemforth

Жыл бұрын

This dovetails with something I always remind people of when they claim "the government" is the sinister source of all problems or whatever. "The government" is just people. It's not some different thing. So whether one thinks "the government" is good or "the government" is bad, they're right -- but they're not right for the reason they think. It's not because "the government" is this thing outside of the population and it is evil or altruistic... it's because the government is people who are part of the population, and those people have the same positive or negative motivations as all people. And like Hank notes, the majority of people are pretty okay, and they're just trying to make their way in the world as best they can for themselves and their loved ones.

Hank, I appreciate your takes always and genuinely feel slightly uplifted by your sudden swing towards unabashed positivity...but. I work exclusively for environmental non-profits (which doesn't pay very well, I live with my spouses parents because I cannot afford to live in the area in which I work) and I spend every day fighting utterly complicit boards. Boards staffed by people who work for the same people they're supposed to regulate. Some boards which have, written into the bylaw, that they need to be staffed by the people they're supposed to regulate (look at Carver, Massachusetts earth removal bylaw if you want to fact check). I spend almost the entirety of my life looking at ecological problems that cannot be solved without the help of the people causing them, and when I try and shake the public awake I am reminded that these companies also employ most of the town. Everyone around me will agree it's a problem, and think it should be solved elsewhere and that it should slide at their specific location. I get that these are just people looking after their own tiny lives, but I see first hand that such thinking will not solve some serious environmental issues and unless we have governments willing to risk a lot of political capital to alter things then most of my life's work is ultimately doomed to failure. I cannot help but feel cynical in the face of this. I do appreciate the IRA, and honestly the infrastructure bill that passed a while ago (organizations I work for have written grants for almost 10 million of that infrastructure money - it is an immense help!) but I worry every day that solar farms are going to be placed on pristine pitch pine forests rather than parking lots to justify sand mining (this is happening near me) or that a lot of infrastructure money is going to be gobbled up by profiteering construction firms (cost estimates for almost everything construction wise have doubled in the last three years from someone who works on habitat remediation). Meanwhile I'm being told by contacts at NOAA that this might be it for funding for a decade or more. My anxiety has never been higher.

Hank, Mayor Engen was a complex man and had everyone’s best interest at heart. I disagreed with him on many points but also agreed on many others. What made him good for our community was his ability to think about the community’s best interests as a whole. I met him for the first time at the Orange street food farm and found he was one of the most down-to-earth human beings I have met. We need more people like him on both ends of the spectrum. I am sorry for your and my communities loss. -Best

@coolkumquats

Жыл бұрын

I am similarly saddened to hear of his loss. I only met Mayor Engen briefly at a charity event, but he was a kind man and seemed to genuinely care about contributing to and connecting with his community. It was refreshing to see those qualities in a politician.

@moartems5076

Жыл бұрын

Wow, a balanced mayor! Our mayor is a corrupt piece of of shit, who only listens to some select rich people and tries to harm us, because that rich guy hates us. At least we could kinda blackmail him, as he did something illegal.

If the world is largely filled with well-meaning people doing the best they can with the limited information they have, then it makes those few who deliberately mislead and misinform the public all the more villainous.

I agree with you in theory, but in practice we have a not-insignificant number of people in positions of power who actively and openly admit they are not acting in good faith. I don't think extending them the benefit of the doubt is warranted, nor is it constructive to do so.

@hawkname1234

Жыл бұрын

I 100% agree with this. But it's not incompatible with having a macro hopeful and constructive outlook.

@JosephDavies

Жыл бұрын

@@hawkname1234 Very true.

I've been listening for my entire life and all I've ever heard is that people want me to die for the colour of my skin, my beleifs, and my sexuality. I honestly wish they would just act on it already because I am tired of hearing their fantasies.

@sbears25

Жыл бұрын

Sorry to hear that Jean. That really sounds shitty.

@michaelmicek

Жыл бұрын

You mean you're hearing this directly from the people who want to hurt you, or from people supposedly on your side?

@AludraEltaninAltair

Жыл бұрын

Oof. I know that hurt. Sending you the love you deserve.

And yet, as a russian I somehow was not cynical enough about our government. Would be a wild idea six months ago, considering how I thought I could hardly despise them more than I already did.

@mostlyvoid.partiallystars

Жыл бұрын

The government of my country (Australia) has had a policy of indefinitely imprisoning the refugees who come here by boat in squalid offshore detention centres for a decade now. Refugees have lost their lives by suicide or from treatable medical conditions. Others are still imprisoned after 10+ years. And this policy has bipartisan support from both our major parties. I honestly don't know how else to understand this level of horror other than through a lens of cynicism. It's difficult to "imagine complexly" any person with the power to end such a policy who chooses not to.

@brady9592

Жыл бұрын

Right, there are definite limits to this framing. I think Hank probably gauges from his intuition that we lean to heavily into conflict and seeing ill motives like domination in the actions of others, etc. And some people definitely do! It's hard for me to agree with him here because I think a lot of domination, global exploitation of labor, is invisible to the people whose wealth/consumption is built upon it and it seems to me like we need to point out how core it is to the social order. It's complicated, and these overarching narratives are probably best used for the purposes of getting people to vote, as is done here, and less as an assertion of reality or a prescription for worldview. I take him to be ultimately saying here "don't write off all politicians by virtue of the profession and you may find there are ones who are working hard to bring about good" and "this goes doubly for non-elected public employees/servants" (just processing the video alongside you here, and in agreement with the spirit of your comment)

@cloud_appreciation_society

Жыл бұрын

@@brady9592 Yeah I think I share some of Hank's perspective, which is a frustration about how cynicism can make people disengage with the political system altogether. I have a long list of reasons I'm frustrated with the major parties in my country, the one I mentioned was just an example. But when we recently had a federal election I made sure to read up on how our preferential voting system works, and cast a vote that I thought would be most likely to disrupt the major party system and show support for a minor party that shares my values. The Greens and a new wave of climate action focused independents had a huge influx of votes in that election, showing that many other politically engaged people share my opinion. And it has resulted in tangible changes to the structure of our parliament. If everyone who cares just throws their hands up in the air and says the world is beyond helping then change isn't possible. I think cynicism isn't inherently bad, but it can be if people use it as an excuse for apathy.

So I've worked in loal government as one of those public servants for half a decade now - my entire working career. And my job sucks sometimes... I get yelled at, called stupid and dumb, and cursed at. And sometimes, I feel this weight that all the work that I'm doing within my particular job might be genuinely making the world a worse place. I try to keep the 30,000 foot view that my job is important, but it's easy to be cynical. So... this video made me actually cry a little. Because I needed that reminder to keep looking at the bigger picture.

I am more worried about the politicians that do not actually represent their worried constituents, but rather their own self interests. It's pretty well established that the popularity of legislation has nothing to do with the chance that it will be enacted. But that's just MY bag of worry. Your words still give me hope. Keep on wording. You matter.

I am willing to listen and I appreciate people who don’t agree with me, but there are people in power who are absolutely not trying to govern; they are trying to accumulate power. I really try to look at them through a more open scope, but it is no longer possible. I am older than you. I have voted for both parties. I cannot see myself supporting Republicans anymore, even ones I really have liked, because that party has been poisoned.

@charredmars2659

Жыл бұрын

Same boat here. I’m willing to listen to arguments against things but i have to draw a line. like cancelling student loan debts, as an example, there’s actual substance there: how will it impact LBS buyers, how will individuals with LBS purchases be affected, what will doing so do to the market and how would it potentially affect job growth, individual economic outcomes, etc. and is it all worth opening up a big portion of the country to have higher spending ability? I’m personally for cancelling a certain amount but I understand the mechanisms behind why some people might have reservations that truly aren’t selfish. Something like roe v Wade, or gay marriage, or anything where the disagreement is based on hatefulness or dogmatic principle is where I no longer care to talk and would just rather outvote those people.

@sylva5359

Жыл бұрын

And how about the people who accept money from special interests and allow that to govern their governing. I just…

Hey Hank.. Just gotta say I've been watching since the early years. I used your videos to help teach my students while teaching in college, I used your videos to help me understand content and context in my own life, and now I'm a high school science teacher. It's people like you that helped me get into science education and makes me want to become a lifelong public servant. Thanks for helping learn to listen. Cheers my friend

I think that going for consensus is very difficult when one side wants to kill you or those you care for, either directly or by legislation. I think believing in a system that works for you, but not those who need it the most, is a big part of the problem.

@mynameismatt2010

Жыл бұрын

I think believing that 50% of the country is evil is beyond cynical and plainly paranoid.

@wilyriley_

10 ай бұрын

yeah, exactly! Like, forgive me for being cynical of a system where both sides are complicit in committing a g*nocide (I don’t want to be smited by KZread) against my very existence??? (with one party openly trying to end my existence and the other hardly doing anything to protect it)

"Unjustified" as in "without reason" is probably false. A lot of cynicism is well-justified. But, "counterproductive," yeah, Cynicism falls into that category pretty frequently. Cynicism is really a response to stress, and when it's productive, that's great, it helps get things done. When it doesn't help get things done, if possible, we need to look at personal methods of lowering our stress so that we can still productively contribute to fixing the cause of the stress. So, we gotta vote, and we should make phone calls and write letters and attend protests and buy (or not buy) products for educated reasons and do various harm reduction things...unless doing that is dangerously exhausting, and then, we gotta recognize that exhaustion, and try to fix our health as best we can. And still vote. Vote until you're dead. If you might not make it to election day, vote early, they still count it.

@jimmyjams962

Жыл бұрын

To add to your point, I live in a blue state since '88 so while I still make sure to vote in every election, I've been forced to understand that because of the way the electoral college is set up, my votes for alternative candidates *_literally_* mean nothing, since the (Democratic) winner is going to get all of our electoral college seats anyhow. And so yes, while I still vote, I am _extremely_ cynical about the whole process because I've been made painfully aware of the fact that my vote doesn't _really_ count. When cynicism leads to inaction then it becomes - as you said - "counterproductive". But I think cynicism is more of an unfortunate side effect of a greater understanding of the fabric of our societies and our roles within them, rather than a response to stress. But I'm no scholar nor do I hold any qualifications to legitimately challenge your definition, so feel free to ignore me.

@ObjectsInMotion

Жыл бұрын

Disagree, cynicism is never justified, in the same way intolerance is never justified. The ones being intolerant or cynical may think that, but that doesn't make it true. Both are just different forms of misanthropy.

@jimmyjams962

Жыл бұрын

@@ObjectsInMotion So if during my upringing I was repeatedly subjected to various forms of abuse by... let's say... a religious group, you don't believe that I have any right to be (i.e. that I am justified in being) cynical about that group and its motives going forward?

@clixx13

Жыл бұрын

@@ObjectsInMotion Why?

@MrQuantumInc

Жыл бұрын

@@ObjectsInMotion Cynicism is pessimism about someone's future actions or intentions. Intolerance usually refers to some permanent, inherent, and unchanging qualities. "Tolerance" means tolerating things that cannot be changed, intolerance means some sort of conflict and oppression as those people can't change their skin color or sexual orientation or whatever, meanwhile by definition intentions can be changed is you want it. Humans are not perfect, so a certain level of misanthropy is necessary. Humans can accidentally cause harm, or fail to understand or appreciate the harm they cause, or the might even intentionally cause harm if they think they have a reason. Right wing conspiracy theories are clearly incorrect, but to those who believe in them they justify harming LGBT people. "Gay Conversion Therapy" supposedly helps gay teenagers by turning them straight, preventing the sin of homosexuality, and thus saving their souls. The vast majority of those who experience it are heavily traumatized and are still gay. Even if they don't technically hate gays, there is good reason to mistrust them.

I can accept a lot of things to disagree about. But I have a disability and when those people in positions of power decide to nullify the implications of my existence (what is required to make my life just that bit more fulfilling), that is where my problem begins.

@The_SOB_II

Жыл бұрын

Sometimes I feel like maybe Hank is so optimistic because of his success I'm disabled too, and I see so much oppression on us and other groups. So many other people don't even want to accept that it exists

@mynameismatt2010

Жыл бұрын

What people in minorities call oppression, people outside of those minorities don’t even notice at all. The cynicism that Hank is taking about is the tendency for people to attribute malice towards indifference.

@firefly-fez

Жыл бұрын

I’m facing the same problem. We have a state election this year, and I’ve been in contact with my local representative to advocate for improvements in how people with my disability can access healthcare services. Hopefully something fruitful comes out of all of it…

@Iceman3524

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, Hank is definitely an idealist. The US is not a democracy, fundamentally, and while I appreciate his efforts politically, they're a dead-end. Local elections and politics less so, but national politics are absolutely a bourgeois game and don't serve us, the people. That's not cynicism, it's reality.

@brittany281

Жыл бұрын

It's unfair, absolutely, but the reality is that most likely no one is trying to nullify the implications of your existence. They are trying to, as Hank said, work towards the things that work for the most people...or the most vocal (which, due to cynacism and political exhaustion, is too often those who are fueled by anger and hate). It's natural and justified to feel angry or overlooked...but as RBG said, "Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you." Rarely do people want to join anyone who treats them as morally bankrupt (which is basically the current state of politics, and a terrible chicken & egg kind of cycle).

As a British Nerdfighter I can't help but be cynical about our leaders. They are doing worse than nothing as the population begs for help with basic living requirements. Our Transport Secretary talks about putting license plates in bicycles instead of sitting down to talk to the striking railway workers. The probable next leader of our country calls the workers "lazy" whilst the current leader dips his toes in the Mediterranean and doesn't answer his phone. I don't know what to do or say to make things seem better, never mind actually be better. It just seems like they edge us closer to dystopia every day.

@Concord003

Жыл бұрын

I almost feel your frustration through your comment. You are right to expect more from elected leaders who are getting salaries out of your tax money. Now, to answer your question: to make things seem better, imagine the stopped and did nothing. Completely and absolutely nothing.all the time. Then imagine how the country would work in the absence of any government. For example, I know there has been a lot of criticism of how the UK government handled the pandemic. Imagine the government did absolutely nothing about the pandemic throughout the whole 2020. Imagine the kept doing absolutely nothing about the pandemic for 2 years. Imagine how the number of sick people and dead people would change? Perhaps then you could appreciate your existing government a little, and things might seem better. As a Ukrainian nerdfighter, I am honestly grateful to Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss, and all military leaders involved, for the support they're showing and providing to Ukraine. Without British weapons like NLAWs (and hopefully intelligence) many more people I know personally would now be dead because of the Russian invasion, and our capital city Kiev would probably be under a real dystopian authoritarian military occupation. I understand that your politicians don't meet your expectations, but perhaps they are not as bad as you perceive them.

@pintpullinggeek

Жыл бұрын

@@Concord003 Дякую. It does help a little to know that they are doing something good, especially when it's not for their own country. I hope you and your loved ones are staying as safe as you can and you will soon have your whole country back.

@disposable157

Жыл бұрын

@@Concord003 no. Sorry, this is a terrible argument. The pandemic response, sure. The Ukraine thing? OK. Beyond those two things? If we'd had no government at all for the last twelve years, many many many peooe would be better off than they are currently. For the last ten years, our government has asset stripped the country and deliberately targeted minority groups, particularly LGBTQ people, black people and disabled people. This 'they're not as bad as you think' line only ever comes from people who aren't one of the groups our government have been systematically targeting for twelve years.

@Concord003

Жыл бұрын

@@pintpullinggeek thank you for your kind words and your thoughts about us. These are difficult times, but we are trying to DFTBA :)

@Concord003

Жыл бұрын

@@disposable157 I've seen your comment, but it is now not visible for some reason... I am sorry if you yourself or people you care about field and negative consequences from your government's actions. I was genuinely trying to cheer up a fellow nerdfighter by offering my perspective, based on what I see from my corner of the world. I will not deny that many many politicians are greedy corrupt and selfish. It is potentially even the worse here in Ukraine. One of our previous presidents (Yanukvich, 2010-2014) had a toilet seat of solid gold, for God's sake. And a huge gold bar in the shaped like a loaf of bread. (Among many other tasteless treasures in his home). While coal miners were protesting against wage delays. So, I know what you mean. The only way I know how to change this is to vote wiser next time. Doesn't always work, but generally it's the best approach I know of.

"It definitely doesn't help to NOT do it!" is of course very accurate but also viscerally upsetting when it is part of that analogy 😂I'm not American so I don't have state or federal elections this fall, but I DO have municipal elections in my area and I will keep this video in mind when I cast my ballot. :)

I always liked the perspective of poet and yodeler Jewel kilcher. Cynicism isn't smarter. It's just safer.

@phatkin

Жыл бұрын

@im calling saul no

@danthesquirrel

Жыл бұрын

Judging from my observations (or lack thereof) the unrelenting fist of evolution hasn’t been kind to poet yodelers. Good people don’t mind if strangers are cautious around them. People that take great offense to others being cautious are the ones that will shove you in the wood chipper.

@mostlyvoid.partiallystars

Жыл бұрын

Actually it can be both. People who have been harmed by their government may need safety for their health, to flourish. They may not be willing to risk harm to themselves or their families and thus have adapted as such. Cynicism is not easy, and I am certain it’s a way people who have been hurt adapt. Adaptation doesn’t make them less intelligent - merely less willing to risk being harmed again.

The only problem with this thought and why it doesn't last for any substantial amount of time is because a lot of the so called "leaders" at top positions of government don't listen to their constituents. I mean all you have to do is look at the polling in most places and a lot of decisions are going against the majority. I will say the local levels are more important to everyday life, but I think we all see the dark money flowing into these officials coffers and it is absolutely infuriating. Washington perticulary is a sess pool of profit driven motives. Almost every decision that is made there is a reactionary and not proactive and they lie through their teeth to get what they want. Until that problem is solved, it will be more of the same, with the scales always weighted in the wrong direction. I do love the idea of communities rising up to create a better tomorrow, but as long as the "legal bribes" persist, there isn't much hope for really important change to occur without massive blowback.

@laurenmooers1723

Жыл бұрын

Here’s the thing though, your local and state government make a much bigger impact on your life than anything federal. Yet people focus 95% of their energy on federal stuff. It’s why we never see that trickle down. People in the “top positions” aren’t meant to listen to you. If people pivoted to focus on local they would feel like their voice matters. The US is structured for people to effect their state and then the state as a whole effects federal. Thinking that the individual is supposed to effect federal is just a misunderstanding of how a democratic republic works.

@davadooo

Жыл бұрын

@@laurenmooers1723 I am from Detroit so I know all to well how local levels can also be full of corrupt politicians. Maybe I need some of that small town perspective.

I'm a disabled person trying to survive a pandemic that everyone has decided is over... Enough people suck.

There are lots of politicians out there that I vehemently disagree with, and even who I believe do active harm in the world, but I can still see that (as you talk about in this video) they really do believe that they are serving their community and that they really do listen. But the thing that is hard for me to get past are the politicians who seem to be transparently involved in politics for selfish, corrupt reasons and the political systems that are by design shaped to protect those people.

@laurenmooers1723

Жыл бұрын

Or that they are actively and accurately representing their constituents which is their job. I have seen so many people running smear campaigns against politicians from other states. You can speak out against attitudes and beliefs but you can’t ask a politician to not represent their constituents or criticize them for doing their job. That being said, if they are bowing to lobbyist groups then we can make some noise.

@TitaniusAnglesmith

Жыл бұрын

I used to believe this but after various events throughout my life I can not believe that anymore. There are just too many parties and people who want to harm others.

I came to the conclusion a number of years ago that evil is actually incredibly rare. But we are in a period of history where malicious prejudice is unfortunately common, and sometimes it feels like the difference between those things doesn’t really matter. Hence, cynicism.

Sorry for your loss Hank and thank you for helping me see a bigger perspective. It’s been so hard to feel engaged in life lately.

I’m sorry for the loss of your friend, Hank. Thank you for taking the time to still create this video. I loved it. I am obsessed with local government, and I’m a content creator on NewsBreak and I write about local government updates and news. As important as it is for our leaders to listen, I also think it’s important for them to be communicating with us. It’s actually really hard to find news updates about your local small town, and knowing what they’re doing daily is almost impossible.

@OldManSilencer

Жыл бұрын

yeah a lot of the time you need 'boots on the ground' reporters that basically just go to the town hall, school board, and other various public meetings. it helps a lot to have people that physically go to these events for the small towns because in a larger city it's pretty common that a few news people are at everything but if your town is about 50k or smaller it's very likely that no one is reporting on some of the meetings even if you have a local newspaper. it's really hard to communicate well as a large group without some people who's job or responsibility is explicitly that.

Hey Hank! I’m so sorry to hear about your friend passing. I think that cynicism can sometimes breed apathy and inaction, which generally isn’t good. But I also think that when most of your government and a fair amount of the people in the country you live in wish very much that you wouldn’t exist and seek to make that existence as painful as possible as long as you do, it’s very hard not to be cynical. In some ways, I think hope is a privilege, more easily accessible to those whose lives and communities haven’t been violently marginalized and disenfranchised for generations. I always appreciate your thoughts and videos.

I volunteered at my local congressperson's district office and some state level rep offices when between jobs years ago. The offices are filled with staffers passionate about helping their community doing thankless work for terrible hours and often sub-par pay, but I suppose the political operations are left to staff in DC, state capitols, and local political party offices. It is hard not to be cynical when some states have been able to enact trumpy rhetoric inspired laws that seem to be meant to demoralize and disempower even many in their own party's support apparatus because of the political expediency it seems to afford them.

Seems like the problem that much of the comments section is voicing is "what's the point of telling us to believe that good people are out there and doing their best, when the problem we're facing is that their best isn't enough?" My personal thoughts are that, even in defiance of reality, I must still believe that things will change and that we can work together to help that change along, otherwise it's REALLY all over. The only means by which I can hold onto sanity is patience and grace, but people all over the internet are trying to convince me that this is a fool's errand. That I wouldn't feel this way if I were in a less privileged position. That might be true, but I don't know if I'd actually be better for it. I have very little individual power, but I have to be constantly updated on and subject to terrible things that I literally cannot change, while being made to feel bad for ever looking away. And I can't even voice this concern without fearing that I'll be told that I'm privileged to be able to look away. It is not humanly possible to look everywhere at once, but now that we have the power to, we feel *obligated* to, lest someone sneak up and snatch even more away. I do the bare minimum and I get pulled apart into a thousand directions after that. Ain't that something? Anyways, just wanted to send my thanks for this video. Not the most well-rounded video for these trying times, but I *appreciate* that. It's four minutes long, for crying out loud.

As a young LGBT person, i find it hard not to be cynical. It's hard not to be cynical when everyday I'm reminded online of the fact that even in the best circumstances the odds are stacked against me. There are large, overwhelming issues I can't fix, and I can't do anything but watch. And there are so many issues that I don't understand or won't experience which makes solving them that much harder. I realize the people who are intolerant have their reasons and experiences which shape their views, and i can appreciate the kinder "I just don't want you to get hurt" intentions, but it's hard to try and imagine them complexly when they don't do the same for me. The fact is though that there are people who really really really don't have those sentiments. There are people actively trying to harm me and the world I'm going to grow up in, and while they might think it's right, they do know it's harming people. It's just a lot, and I don't know the solution, and that kills me. I agree cynicism isn't helpful or productive, but it's easy, and stuff's hard right now.

@jacquiz.6837

Жыл бұрын

As a relatively old LGBT person, I find that my cynicism can help me direct my political action in a productive way. It tells me what people to stop trying to persuade. It tells me what issues are not good for me to tackle right now. I hope the young people in our community can learn how to listen to their cynicism in this way.

@aylbdrmadison1051

Жыл бұрын

I understand. The way marginalized groups are treated has been breaking my heart since I was a child in the 1970's. One thing that helps a bit is understanding that bigotry in all of it's various forms are based on unfounded biases (delusions), but also unwarranted fears (cowardice). Really, pretty much all such personal problems are based in fear, in particular even the unfounded biases that people adopt are adopted out of desperation. Multiple studies have also proven that the driving emotion of conservatism is fear. They are actually frightened of people being different. They are displaying extreme levels of fear, and politicians here and abroad (putin in particular in current times, but half of our own government too) have been pushing this type of propaganda from the beginning. And yes, those that are actively trying to harm you are the weakest of character and most emotionally frail group of people there are. Strength is not the man with a gun, strength is the peaceful protester unafraid of dying for the cause of freedom. Perhaps understanding what those people truly are (delusional cowards) doesn't change much, but it at least gives you something you can be proud of: you have a depth of strength and courage that no bigot could ever even hope to attain. Also, bigotry is dying off. Very slowly no doubt (evolution works on it's own timescale), but it is a fact proven by history itself. One thing about bigotry though that I wish more people could see, is that more than 99% of humanity is directly affected by it negatively, and literally all life on the planet is affected negatively by it because of the mass destruction it causes (for just one thing, bigotry is the cause of all war). For those who may not get what I mean, here are some of the major forms of bigotry: classism, racism, misogyny, nationalism, transphobia, homophobia, monotheism, and ageism. Essentially it is the act of "othering" people just for being different. It is not just why marginalized groups are oppressed, it is exactly how marginalized groups are oppressed. Bigotry is the tool of division that the elite have used for thousands of years to pit us all against each other. Just try to imagine how one person or a few people could otherwise so completely dominate and oppress hundreds or thousands, let alone millions without being able to keep us fighting each other while they steal all of the wealth we all created collectively. It sucks, and little justice is had compared to the many crimes and injustices, but things will get better. Good people have always outnumbered the bad people. We hard-wired to evolve, and there is nothing anyone can do to stop the evolution of their own species. In the long run, our victory is all but assured. Much love to you an all my fellow Earthlings! ❤🌍🌎🌏

@osunale

Жыл бұрын

@@aylbdrmadison1051 I needed to be reminded of this. Thank you.

@flowerheit4512

Жыл бұрын

@@jacquiz.6837 +

@editor4201

Жыл бұрын

Not minimizing the pain you feel, but I personally find it helpful to focus on all the people who ARE rooting for me and others, rather than those who aren’t. As someone else pointed out, bigotry is (slowly) dying out, and in many cases the bigots themselves are a small (if vocal) minority. Just look at how far LGBT rights and acceptance has come in less than a generation. There are lots of people who do want to see you succeed and lots of opportunities for you as an LGBT person today, even if it doesn’t always seem like it. Best of luck 👍

I appreciate the video and the useful challenge to my entrenched way of thinking. Which is absolutely more negative now than it was 5 years ago. I certainly *want* to agree with the premise that a significant portion of that negativity is manufactured and unnecessary. Unfortunately I'm not seeing a compelling amount of evidence to support that idea. You've convinced me to go looking for some, which I'm glad for, but I'm not terribly optimistic. So much of this sentiment feels like an implicit acknowledgement that only a small percentage of highly dedicated, motivated people are actually capable of driving progress while the masses are endlessly tripped up by base manipulations-compounded by ignorance, fear, disillusionment and outright exhaustion. Asking that small cadre of people to dismiss cynicism, tighten their belts and get back to the grindstone seems … unsustainable. At some point you have to find a way to actively punish the bad faith manipulators and rehabilitate the angry, fearful masses. It doesn't really matter how "justified" all that fear and anger might be from some narrow and ill-informed point of view. It's dangerous, powerful and actively destructive. I fear it can't be adequately addressed by assuming good faith.

Celebrating people that can bring others and their ideas and needs to make a good law is nice. What happens when a person with a lot of power hold up the legislation based on bad faith? This is where cynicism comes from and it's not unjustified.

I live in the UK, we're dealing with an uncapped energy crisis and I literally can't afford my apartment and my energy bills. I've been trying to root cynicism out of my life for a couple of years but it isn't working, it fees faker day by day. I genuinely believe that most people in positions of power do not have the best interests of working people and the planet at heart and convincing yourself otherwise is borderline delusion at this point. Not to sound harsh, I'm actually kind of an optimist usually, it just feels like we've crossed a line and it's hard not to give up in every sense

@hcstubbs3290

Жыл бұрын

God, I feel lucky to be living with my parents at 24 years old because I can't afford to rent and to pay the bills on a one bed flat in the city I live in despite earning the 'living' wage. My dad bought a house on his own at 21! I don't know if I'll ever afford one. I'm totally with you on the cynical mindset. It's not the worst country in the world, but it drives me to anger that people can't afford to live despite working full time because the politicians in charge have never lived in the real world long enough to realise how hard it is for normal people. We need politicians that didn't have daddy's money to pay their way through Eton and Oxbridge.

@ObjectsInMotion

Жыл бұрын

It sounds like your genuine beliefs need to be examined then, because they are wrong.

@ObjectsInMotion

Жыл бұрын

What you are calling delusion is the truth, the people in power you see in the news are such a small minority of the ones who actually hold power that it is incredibly easy to see how people can be deluded into being cynicle.

@thekingoffailure9967

Жыл бұрын

If you get a terminal diagnosis for cancer it's not cynicism to accept that diagnosis and try to live your last few years with that in mind. Hank is equating optimism with blind hope. Hope that the cancer will just disappear. Hope that our leaders will listen next year, that their bureaucracies will eventually catch up with the needs of the people. This is insanity. We need to change the system. Radical times call for radical solutions.

@RaterProTrickster

Жыл бұрын

@@ObjectsInMotion I know we need to have optimism here but the uk specifically has some integral issues. I would say 75% of our polticians believe what they are saying. The other 25% have sort of formed their own cult around the ideas of brexit and boris johnson and are genuinely willing to bring the country down for their own selfish goals. One of the current people in the conservative leadership elections happening right now straight up went to the richest county in our country and said that we've been funding poor areas too much and not giving rich areas like them enough money. The other is trying to emulate one of our worst politicians and get cheered by the party everytime she says that we shouldn't do something about the crisis. We have a very classist society unfortunately but I think its important to recreate our system so those 75% of good actors can actually be allowed to do something instead of being dragged around in the mud by this 25%. I think for us hope and action as a community is all we have left and we have to get out there and support those who are fighting for it.

"People just have disagreements, but they all just want the best for the people they love" always struck me more as a(n admittedly appealing) platitude than as a meaningful way of looking at the world. For a very large portion of the population, bringing harm to other groups of people is not merely an unfortunate byproduct of their beliefs, it's *fundamental to their worldview*. They don't regret that it happens, they pursue it with an intense, religious (literally in many cases) fervor. Oppression and bigotry are a feature, not a bug.

@viveladecadence

Жыл бұрын

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@nzuckman

Жыл бұрын

^^^^^^^

Hank, I’m sorry for your loss. Sending all sorts of positive vibes to you and your community.

sometimes I think this. and then I remember high level politicians exist. on one side you have rights violations and bigotry. on the other side you have dark money and insider trading. together they're out of touch and too old to be working these crucial jobs

@AludraEltaninAltair

Жыл бұрын

I agree. Many top level politicians routinely demonstrate that they are not just good-hearted, worry-ravaged people. I can extend that charity to the masses of individuals with far less power and influence, but I cannot extend it to people who are open about their motivations largely boiling down to greed.

I'm sorry for your loss, Hank. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, even though it might be difficult.

I think there are definitely people trying their best to do what is right in a confusing world. I do absolutely believe that is true. However, there are also just too many people who are proven grifters, only looking out for their own monetary interests. And then you have the politicians who are actively trying to remove rights from women, minority races, the LGBT+, etc. You cannot look at me and say that those people are just confused, and don't realize that they're hurting people. These attempts at stripping rights are actively evil, and I cannot see the people doing them as anything but. And there's a lot of those people. EDIT: I am not referring to average everyday people here. The people I'm talking about are the Tucker Carlsons, Dennis Pragurs, and Matt Walshs of the world. Ron DeSantis and Marjorie Taylor Green, those types. An average person can be shown to be wrong and possibly convinced. These people know that theyre wrong - they've been shown that. And they dont care, because not caring makes them a LOT of money from oil barons or gun manufacturers or whoever. These are the kind of people I am referring to.

@jacquiz.6837

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for saying this!

@Sigskogi

Жыл бұрын

I could try to articulate how I feel, but thankfully it's already been said. Elected representatives and those in Certain media outlets that are actively trying to remove people's rights and do bad things to our planet should not be given the benefit of the doubt anymore. They're evil. It's the people they're talking to that can still be reached, be reasoned out of those harmful positions that we should and must reach politically, or they'll just be more evil people in the world.

@swimmingsquid6523

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely, and I think it’s a lot easier to forgive bigots from Hank’s position (where their actions impact you a lot less)

@Fractured_Unity

Жыл бұрын

How can you see anyone as evil who doesn’t not see themselves that way? Their intentions and motives aren’t evil from their world-view. To me, these people are ignorant, not evil. If they had the privilege to access information that you or I have access to, they would be acting differently. Instead, they have been told by their surrounding that the world and people were better in the past and we have to go back/stop forward progress. With such a literally impossible task, it’s easy to see why these people from the outside seem to be acting hysterically and irrationally. That’s because to them, the sky is falling, and people like you are a very visual reminder of that.

@AlexDings

Жыл бұрын

I agree that they're actively doing evil and that they are utterly morally wrong because they construct their morals exclusively from their own point of view, from a simplified world view that thinks simple solutions for complex issues are possible and that completely fails to take into account the differences between different human stories. But at the same time, I get the impression that most (not all) of them are honestly convinced that they are morally correct, that they are fighting a heroic, noble fight for "true values" or for "their country" or whatever. They don't think they're wrong, and if they do realize they're hurting people, then because that's morally right for "the greater good" in their view - still the morally right thing to do (in their view - just to be clear about that). Thinking of them as confused does not mean you have to accept their actions or words or beliefs. But I think the message to them shouldn't be "you're evil" but rather "you think you're doing good, but you are extremely wrong about that".

Times like these make me so grateful that I got my BA in Psychology, even though I’ve never ‘used’ it. It helps me remain more optimistic about our ability to grow and understand.

@AlexDings

Жыл бұрын

Glad to read that - when taught poorly, studying psychology leads some people to the opposite conclusion

As someone who came from a very privileged background and has ended up working in places where I’ve seen the worst rural poverty in the country. I can understand the root of the anger that many conservatives feel. It is true that their communities have been exploited. Unscrupulous folks have used those disenfranchised communities to both gain power an enrich themselves. Honestly I could forgive people for being manipulated before but we have crossed over into willful ignorance. While I still believe myself to be an optimist I also know that people have to choose to change. Punishing the marginalized doesn’t make the price of food and rent go down. I know not everyone has embraced the new normal of “cruelty for the sake of cruelly” but standing up takes courage and I’m not sure that a lot of folks have what it takes. I’d be happy to be proven wrong though.

@alakani

Жыл бұрын

I got some Oakland cops arrested by the FBI and got PTSD in the process, now nobody here likes me for saying that writing and reading books from ivory towers isn't helping anything. My glasses may not be rose enough to be welcome here anymore, but I'd compare carbon footprints with anyone in an instant, and at least I'm not giving thousands of dollars a month to rich sociopaths so I can live like a sardine anymore, as inconvenient and unfulfilling as my life may be

@Tustin2121

Жыл бұрын

I don’t think “willful ignorance” is the right label, though. Because a big component to the propaganda and misinformation pushing is creating “trusted sources” out of those who are pushing the propaganda, “known enemies” out of those trying to combat the propaganda. And thus people think they already know what’s going on; they’re not consciously refusing to learn more, rather they’re unaware that what they think they know is wrong, and have been hardened against those who tell them that it is wrong. And without firsthand experience in how wrong their “trusted sources” are, nothing will counteract that brainwashing. They’re not willfully ignorant, they’ve been manipulated into believing a lie.

Cynicism allows us to detach, to put walls around our hearts and minds. However, change requires people to actively listen to one another and care about what they hear, which puts every party in a vulnerable position. If we come to the table with accusations and cynicism instead of open ears and compassion, then nothing productive will happen. Vulnerability and trust are two components that we need to have when working with others to find solutions to problems.

@Silas_MN

Жыл бұрын

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@meghanquinn6383

Жыл бұрын

+

@agerardi125

Жыл бұрын

This is a really good comment.

Can't help but think that it's easier for Hank to not be cynical as someone who holds a lot of privilege. It's a lot harder to have this worldview when you're someone who has experienced living as an oppressed minority, and the complex kinds of trauma that comes with it. Cynicism is how you survive in a society with people that are apathetic or actively hostile to your basic rights.

@thekingoffailure9967

Жыл бұрын

He he seems to have the same amount of empathy for the oppressors as he does for the people they oppress. "Aw man, it hard to be a politician! You have to find the perfect compromise between the racists (who I stronly disagree with but whose opinions should still be fully respected somehow) and the races they refuse to help! What a complicated moral quandary, that very nice politician is faced with!" If he better understood what it felt like to be oppressed he would have less respect for the oppressors and their crooked beliefs.

@JS-tl7jp

Жыл бұрын

Yeah

@rimonino

Жыл бұрын

Just cuz it's easier for him does not mean that cynicism is good. It's political self-medication. Like, people hooked on opiates and stuff obviously shouldn't be blamed for their addictions, but that doesn't mean they should be fine staying hooked. One can say "try not to be cynical" without blaming you for your cynicism. Also like....older black women are pretty fkn marginalized and they get the hell out to vote lol

@pahbody5336

Жыл бұрын

@@rimonino hardly anyone is making a case for cynicism. Personally not a fan of the way his example of a politician is a dear friend of his who dealt with municipal issues, which might as well be a different kind of creature to a congressman or a president.

@davidpachon8591

Жыл бұрын

@@thekingoffailure9967 Not every politician is an opressor, you crearly dont know what youre talking about

It's really hard to know there are good people. I have been using my own good to prove to myself there is good but it gets draining without seeing any other doing good for the same reasons or better ones. But you and your brother really help me. Thank you. I appreciate your voices.

The book "Humankind: A Hopeful History" by Rutger Bregman changed my world view on cynicism and human nature.

@MeldaRavaniel

Жыл бұрын

came to the comments looking for this. I've bought five copies because I keep giving it to people. cannot recommend enough.

@NemoSciunt

Жыл бұрын

Same, it changed my outlook on so many things that frustrated me

@kashiichan

Жыл бұрын

+

It doesn't matter if people are fundamentally motivated by good if their idea of well-meaning action results in outcomes like the overturning of roe v wade

@michaelmicek

Жыл бұрын

The people who vote for the politicians who claim to be pro-life generally believe honestly that the fetus is a person who deserves protection from murder.

@jericho86

Жыл бұрын

Not sure how killing fewer babies is a bad thing, but ok.

I was just watching your old interview with John the other day. I'm sorry for your loss, Hank, he will be missed

This reminds me a lot of “Profiles in Courage” by JFK where people who don’t work in legislation are shown what it’s like to deal with difficulties in that situation. It’s hard and frustrating and a lot of things don’t get done, but it’s still so fascinating to see people who genuinely care about people fight for what they believe is right. Love the vid, Hank :).

"I have always found that actively loving saves one from a morbid preoccupation with the shortcomings of society." - Alan Paton

my little sister is in the hospital with a potentially fatal eating disorder and i simply cannot imagine being optimistic about anything in my life. i admire your view, but i just can’t get over the pain of the world i guess. a million other kids and a million other families are going through what my sister and our family are going through, and a lot of it is because of systems and marketing schemes and science class misinformation that gets to us. her eating disorder was preventable, on our family’s level (that’s a whole other drama, watching my parents fail my sister for years isn’t helping my optimism) but also a societal level. it just feels so hopeless

@crypticmedicine

Жыл бұрын

I am so sorry for you and your sister. I hate these discussions on cynicism, they always focus on the emotions and ignore WHY people are cynical in the first place. Sometimes people do not have others' best interests at heart and should be treated as such--and those who recognize that fact are NOT just causing more problems by being cynical. Rather, it's the powerful people who actively twist things to avoid accountabilityfor all the harm they cause, who are spreading misinformation (so-called "high conflict" just sounds like the effects of propaganda and marketing campaigns to me) in order to distract from the problems they cause. Why do we still have problems if most people are well-intentioned? Because if the well-meaning people ACTUALLY helped change the world for the better, no one could profit off of the collective suffering of so many. Incremental progress is possible. But the system incentivizes greed, and change isn't profitable. Children, minorities, the poor, the disabled, the elderly, and many others--so many get the short end of the stick. Some people can't wait for "eventually." My heart goes out to you and your sister. All we can ever do is fight--and that means research, reflection, and resistance. Take care of yourself. 💜

You've convinced me, as of right now to run for public office. I'm going to start local and then my county school board. I want to help bridge conflict. Good video!

This reminds me of the Reacting to the Past class (like LARPing but for college credit) I took on the Constitutional Convention. Putting ourselves in their shoes and trying to work out all the issues and get enough votes for things to pass made it really clear how hard it was to write something everyone could agree on, which extrapolates to any big complicated legislation with lots of different interested parties with their own goals. Looking at it that way, it's a miracle they passed it at all! And I am extremely glad they did.

My cynicism doesn't come from misinterpreting the intentions or goals of others. It comes from the fact that ultimately the goal of "a better life for myself and loved ones" is a zero sum game. Whether it be time, money, effort, etc. This leads to the issue that to benefit the whole, everyone needs to give a little. But all too often people aren't willing to give that little bit. It seems so common that many are willing to gain their happiness at the expense of others while giving nothing of themselves. Truly an "I got mine" mentality. I hope they won't, but have learned to expect it.

I really really want to believe this. I do. And for the majority of people, I do. Probably even for the majority of politicians. But there are just too many people really actively pursuing harm for me to truly, fully believe this. Too many people who fight against democracy, against gay rights, against womens rights, etcerera.

@jmwild1

Жыл бұрын

I do believe this and have no trouble believing this. The reason it doesn't feel true is that the minority is so much more vocal and actively antagonistic.

@Khwerz

Жыл бұрын

There's always going to be people who do this. there's people who also don't, its really weird to be defined by this group of people instead of this group of people. especially when it seems the majority is this group of people.

@Mysteroo

Жыл бұрын

The question, then, is why? Why do they pursue harmful ends? I'm inclined to believe it is not because they are evil at heart or filled with poor intentions - but that there is a flaw in their fundamental beliefs about the world and about what's right. Ignorance, cultural brainwashing, trauma, biases, and brokenness are far more frequently the culprit of harm than than is conscious malice.

@TacticusPrime

Жыл бұрын

@@Mysteroo I don't think any of those things are more forgivable than conscious malice.

@Fractured_Unity

Жыл бұрын

@@Mysteroo My thoughts exactly. No one gets up in the morning to be evil. They get up to do what they think is the best use of their time to further their goals.

Aaaahh. Big sigh. I've been feeling these feelings for a long and time and Hank had the words! Thanks Hanks.

So sorry about the loss of your friend, Hank! Praying/ hoping for peace for his soul and all who loved him. ❤️

i am much more empathetic to people than i am to systems, and it becomes really really muddled when people work for systems. and i can extend empathy and understanding and even the benefit of the doubt to a lot of politicians, but it stops either when they're a proven hypocrite or when their beliefs, however sincerely felt they might be, negatively impact the lives of people what im trying to say really is, it's good to be kind but we can't become passive and let others take advantage of that kindness. sometimes you have to be pragmatic, too.

"Almost no one is evil. Almost everything is broken." - Jai Dhyani

I got my master's degree in environmental policy at the turn of the century. One of my profs used to say, "Policy is the art of muddling through." My ADHD brain couldn't handle the routine of going to meetings and writing long, collaborative reports--basically, the typical day of a policy analyst--so I left the field shortly thereafter to become a full-time writer (and food server, because bills). But I never forgot how many scientific, economic, ethical, and political considerations go into making policy. It gave me a huge appreciation and patience for those who work so hard and run so fast just to keep things going in this country, much less make things better. I loved how after the Inflation Reduction Act passed a week ago Sunday, Chuck Schumer read out on the Senate floor the names of all the staffers who made it happen. They are the big heroes of that legislation.

I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for making this video during a hard time.

That most people were good was my belief, until 2020 and the pandemic. Sure, there were some people who just seemed to believe things that were false. Fine, I can accept that. But there were a whole lot of arguments that bad things weren't bad, and a whole lot of laughing at death. And a whole lot of people were willing to side with those doing that. It's why the pandemic was so often a moral injury to many of us. We found out that a lot of people we thought cared about doing the right thing (even if we disagreed on what that was) clearly did not. Good people just can't look at evil and call it good. That, however, has never meant that I think I should give up. Giving up means you always lose.

@frankdayton731

Жыл бұрын

Let me guess, the "good people" gleefully took the vaccine, and enthusiastically asked for the booster?

@ZipplyZane

Жыл бұрын

@@frankdayton731 Not all of them, no. Some were, as I said, people who believed things that are false. I can accept that. But there were people who would argue it was okay that so many people died. People who would laugh at the statistics. People who knew better lying to make a buck. You saw tons of people acting like, since it didn't affect them, it didn't matter. People would mistakenly say masks didn't protect the wearer. And that was enough reason not to wear them. Nevermind that they protect others. There were the people who would travel knowing they could spread the disease. And then don't forget all the people who would harass others who did wear masks, get vaccinated, etc. And nearly all of these people supported Trump, no matter how hateful he was. No matter that he was putting kids in cages, mocked the disabled, would lie about obvious things, etc. And now his successors are all about finding excuses to attack LGB and especially T people, and people eat it up. I'm not going to even say that it's more than half. But it's still a huge portion of the population. I hope you're not one of them.

@Magnulus76

Жыл бұрын

Man, you just put into words what I've been feeling and wanting to say for months. The pandemic has been a huge moral injury and I can't forgive "my fellow citizens" for it. Let them rot, I'm not sitting around singing kumbaya with people that advocate for necropolitics.

It's really hard to not be cynical or feel violent urges when there are people that very blatantly A: want people like me dead, B: want people I care about dead, C: want everyone except for a sliver of people they see as "the good ones" as having their rights and freedoms stripped to the bone. Yeah I am cynical because I am scared and because I want to cause these people immense harm and pain. It's not fun. I can externalize and look at myself from afar and see the how and why I'm feeling this but not being able to change the what that I'm feeling. People like Ron DeSantis aren't confused and trying the navigate complex things. They're one dimensional, are very public about how shitty that one dimension is, and then triple down on that to gain power and wealth at the cost of everything else. So I am cynical and angry and itching to punch someone in the face and I'm not happy to be in that state of mind. Paragraph break to say I'm sorry about the death of your friend. I saw that he died from pancreatic cancer, a rough way to go. I hope he was loved by those around him in his final days, and it sounds like he left a positive mark on his community. We can all be so lucky to live such a life. I hope you're well.

@nzuckman

Жыл бұрын

THIS ^^^^^^

@osunale

Жыл бұрын

This. I WANT to believe in a world where most people are well-meaning, but I just can't see it. Not right now. As a queer Floridian who has watched our governor and legislature override and attack our humanity, our rights, CHILDREN, education, who has watched as this has permeated my family and people who once treated me with respect, I just can't anymore. The minority who have modeled themselves after storybook villains are powerful and they are affecting everything. Maybe most people ARE well-meaning, maybe even most politicians, but the self-serving, violent minded ones have more power. And that's how it's always been. We keep fighting, we make some progress, but always there are people trying to curb that progress. Maybe I'll get back to optimism someday.

@flowerheit4512

Жыл бұрын

+

@purple-flowers

Жыл бұрын

100% this video definitely speaks from a place of privilege. As a trans, queer, and disabled person I can't not be cynical about how society blatantly hates me and the people I care about.

@randomsandra4039

Жыл бұрын

This.

The idea of arguments being useful until the point that they are not is a huge underlying premise in Rachel Maddow’s first book (and also just her approach to the world) that has really impacted how I approach political disagreements with family and friends since reading Drift and watching Rachel talk about it. Cool to hear the same idea resonating on vlogbrothers!

i really like this video. thank you so much for this. I really appreciate the personal story you shared about your friend, I think that helps put it in perspective for some people who have heard this message but haven't heeded it, till now. hopefully.

I’m really trying to be more optimistic these days, but it’s hard when most of my day revolves around climate change and big, seemingly unsolvable problems. It’s really helped me to learn more about my “enemies” and try to see them as full people rather than opponents. I try to see their motivations and understand where they are coming from. It’s a work in progress…

@editor4201

Жыл бұрын

I’m sure you’re aware, but there are also lots of people on the right side of the climate change fight who are increasingly (finally) winning big victories and making the progress we so need. I find following those stories to be great fuel for optimism

@alexreid1173

Жыл бұрын

@@editor4201 Absolutely! I really appreciate the Citizen’s Climate Lobby in the US specifically targeting a bipartisan audience. It’s easy to get lost in the “capitalism caused climate change” mindset and forget that there are right-wing arguments for fighting climate change too.

@thepinkestpigglet7529

Жыл бұрын

You know what helps me? Cynical optimism. Society is only ever three meals away from revolution and bread is currently unaffordable.

@TitaniusAnglesmith

Жыл бұрын

Remember that your enemies are people, but remember that people can just be terrible. They want you dead.

@lucasward9506

Жыл бұрын

@@TitaniusAnglesmith Pretty much no one wants anyone dead. Both sides are so caught up in this idea that the other side wants to murder them that both sides are effectively gearing up to fight the other at this point.

As a disabled queer trans person myself... I detest all the big bags of "well-meaning worry" that stand in the way of the rights of other living breathing ppl just tryin to survive and live their lives.

@disposable157

Жыл бұрын

Yuuuup

I think cynicism is easy and normal in today's culture, as is over the top optimism. Instead, when possible, I think we should engage in honesty and acknowledge the vulnerability we feel in our current human position.

I have a strong aversion to conflict and have always had a strong need to understand and connect people. When you have someone that can be impartial in the middle to represent both sides objectively I think people are much more likely to compromise. I know I am as long as everyone is "acting in good faith". If only that wasn't so much harder to realize than it sounds.

Truth, nothing will change unless people can relax their grip and egoic need to be right and see the other side's view with compassion. Love watching you guys 💛 Sorry for your loss.

I wish I could agree with you that everyone is trying their best and they are trying to balance everyone’s wants. But unfortunately from my experience that just isn’t the case for many politicians and people in various positions of power. There are definitely many who want to listen and make positive change, but there are also many who are just there to maintain money and power for as long as possible. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s good to try to find the good in things and people (maybe even essential), but it has to be grounded in realism. Because if we don’t plan for what’s coming and what some people in power are willing to do to keep it, we will inevitably have marginalized people losing their rights and their lives even more than what has already happened.

@flowerheit4512

Жыл бұрын

+

@thenoblegasargon

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for writing this. I agree. A lot of Nerdfightaria appeals to me because it assumes the best in people and systems, but it's also what keeps me from belonging here--because personal experience has shown me I will not survive if I operate under that assumption. Thanks again.

@Tustin2121

Жыл бұрын

I think the “everyone is trying their best and wants what’s good for them and theirs” is best aimed at non-politicians. Everyone outside of politicians wants what they think will make the world a better place. It just gets marred because there are genuine bad-faith actors who are pushing propaganda as to “what’s good for them and theirs” onto a section of the population and manipulating those good-intentioned people into supporting harmful policies. And that in turn moves well-intentioned politicians in a harmful direction as well.

I'm sorry for your loss Hank. I agree with what you say - it's a really tough job working in government and trying to do the right thing for the whole community. Not everyone has the best intentions, but there's loads of really dedicated people who do.

its amazing how prescient this is to my own recent state of mind

Hank, the problem wasn't disagreements, it was blatant corruption. That's where the cynicism and apathy comes from.

@MarkThePage

Жыл бұрын

It's both. Corrupt leaders/influencers tap into those disagreements, distorting and amplifying them until they become these existential battles for the followers.

I think cynical collective illusions get heavily entrenched as soon as a structural conflict becomes about winning and not solving the problem. That's why I found that differentiation to be a really fantastic point to highlight at the start of this, because it makes that mindset and outlook far more believable, and also understandable about when it breaks down and why.

@osunale

Жыл бұрын

++

KZread knows.... Every time a Vlogbrothers drops it's the number one recommended video on my feed. I come to youtube to watch them, all the rest is consolation until the next tuesday.

I find this troubling. Framing the question like this suggests that youhave a pre-conceived answer in mind for which you are trying to provide a justification. What if a lot of Cynicism *is* justified? What if a lot of optimism is unjustified? We're not really saying anything about any of these things or what ever it is that may actually be true with the title question. Open ended (potentially even unknowable) questions without evidence just seem like a justification to believe what you would rather believe rather than what has been shown to be real. Imagining people complexly, as it's usually put here, is a much better frame. I'm sorry for your loss.

I agree that a lot of the current cynicism is unjustified, particularly the type that says climate change is so far along that attempting to mitigate its effects is pointless. However, I really can't look past the fact that EVERY Republican senator and representative voted against the IRA. Half of the voting populace wants to take no action on climate change, wants to strip women of their bodily autonomy, wants to gut public education, wants to merge church and state and make the USA a theocracy, and still supports a party which ATTEMPTED A LITERAL COUP. How am I not supposed to be cynical about this subset of my fellow Americans? At what point do they stop being misinformed voters brainwashed by right wing propaganda and start simply being bad people?

Many people I've dealt with throughout my life are addicts. They often feel like they're drowning, and when that happens, that animal part of the brain concerned only with immediate survival takes over. They'd lie, cheat, threaten, steal, in blind panic they'd clamber on top of their fellow drowning men and rescuers alike, drowning them as well. And as you may know, power is both fleeting and addictive like any other high.

Thank you for this message in these trying times

I understand what you're saying. And I generally agree, but not when it comes to everything and not when it comes to most political leaders and the current political system (anywhere, really..). This level of optimism about the leaders in my country (and other countries) doesn't seem realistic at all. I wish I could believe everyone had good intentions and those people tried their best for the public. But what I see in my country instead is a bunch of self serving, greedy politicians, some are maybe just incompetent. Others are.. simply put, old psychopaths who couldn't care less about any of us or our lives. Whether it's sending kids to made up wars started to gain votes, or running the citizens' lives and economy and our basic living conditions to the ground so they can stuff their pockets some more. Giving more power to the worst people who already have too much of it.. I guess this view could be called cynical, but looking around me here, I genuinely consider it as just reality. I hope to see that change, but having hope here is difficult.

@viveladecadence

Жыл бұрын

I am happy (in a cynical way, oh the irony) to see in the comments that others see the privileged and unrealistic take of this video, too.

@Future_Pheonix

Жыл бұрын

@@viveladecadence I mean, I think he provides an important perspective that can be applied in many ways and to many things, and I myself wished many times before that there would be less cynicism in the world, I still think that's true and important. I just couldn't help but feel thay it didn't really work when it comes to the majority of our political system today and most of our political leaders, unfortunately. I even find it unrealistic to call them leaders. So when he started talking about that I just couldn't convince myself to believe it, for the most part. Maybe not all of them are like that, but this is still too sugar coated and ignores the existence of certain types of people and problems in our society.

@viveladecadence

Жыл бұрын

@@Future_Pheonix I agree, it's not that I don't _want_ this to be how politics work and politicians think. In fact, I would welcome any politician who _proves_ they want what's best for the community etc. But just as you write, giving the impression that this was the usual way in politics leaves out a frighteningly big part of what politics these days actually is.

@Future_Pheonix

Жыл бұрын

@@viveladecadence Agreed.

I think “directional inertia” is a good way to describe things, but it also erases the incredibly small, incredibly powerful group of people who benefit from the status quo and have a vested interest in perpetuating it. Most people are generally good, just trying to take care of themselves and their loved ones. Those people are the working class, and they (and we) have a common enemy in the billionaires of the ruling class.

@M4nusky

Жыл бұрын

Even the thousands of well-meaning workers in the governement still have their hands shackled by whatever policy those very few on top decided. And as you said thats not even counting on outisde interference to sow discord and distrust toward our own systems, cater to cynicism and other human nature to paralyse a population or blind them with petty smoke screens and personality cults. Seeing the speed at which abortion rights got wiped off kind of show how that "inertia" can be overcome.

When he brought up about how hard it is to feel positive about goverment, I just relized that I've been cynical about goverment for SO long that I didn't even think that someone could even feel positive about goverment! WOW!

A beautiful commentary on your mayor and this shared endeavor we call society

Its hard when one side is literally doing everything it can to destroy us and the other side is doing the absolute bare minimum to help us and somehow the ones trying to destroy us are winning.

@MarkThePage

Жыл бұрын

The two most important things I learned in my political education were that people who do things badly aren't trying to help at all; and those who seem to help minimally are struggling against a system designed to prevent change.

@mynameismatt2010

Жыл бұрын

Cynicism is the result of attributing malice to what can be explained by indifference.

@LightHawKnight

Жыл бұрын

@@mynameismatt2010 If you think what the republican party is doing is indifference, I got some land to sell you.

My current battle with cynicism is because there are now so many states where it is genuinely unsafe to even visit with my family, 2 members of our family are transgender, one of whom is a child, and one member of our family is currently pregnant. It isn't safe to even *pass through* places like Texas with any of them right now. If my daughter is found to be trans, someone could call the cops on us and if something tragic happens for my pregnant relative, being in a place like Texas means it's much more likely that they AND the baby will die. It's hard not to be cynical in a country that is busily removing rights we already had so that an angry minority of citizens, who mostly don't understand how basic human empathy works, can feel like they have more power over AFAB people and queer people.

@mermaidismyname

Жыл бұрын

I live in Texas but am still optimistic because I know that the government is not equivalent to the people, if that makes sense. Most doctors are genuinely going to try their best and want to do what they think is right whether the law agrees with them or not. I'm not saying it's not hard, but I do think that the good people outweigh the bad people and the worst thing that good people can do is to give up.

Had no idea this channel existed. Was looking up an old movie called Squirm and algo sent me your Rax food chain video. I instantly recognized that voice Hank!

There is an error in the New Mexico video for “How to Vote in Every State” (the polling place hours are wrong). Thank you for making that channel! Complexly doing the wonderful work, as always.

@mollyforgaard196

Жыл бұрын

Source: I work on a political re-election campaign for local office in the state, and I’ve been told not to share the video because of the error.

We aren’t. There is evil in the world. And it’s winning.

I don't doubt that the vast majority of people in the world are, in their own way, trying to do the right thing. That is a core belief of mine and it informs a lot of my other views on empathy and cooperation. However sometimes people say or do things that stretch so far from that definition that I find myself unable to find a generous explanation. For example my country's government has for the past ten years cut our health system's budget, despite it being obviously demonstrated that this leads to worse outcomes and ironically, higher costs as the system fails to meet its maintenance and upkeep requirements. Some times things are just so wrong that I can only infer malice or corruption as an explanation.

@ObjectsInMotion

Жыл бұрын

Then that is an incorrect inference. What is abundantly clear to you, the exact opposite is abundantly clear to thousands of others. Certainty doesn't get us anywhere, only understanding. It's ironic because you're doing the exact same thing you are accusing others of doing.

Thanks for the positivity, Hank. Sorry for your loss. Hope you’re holding up ok.

How to vote in every state makes me so happy! I'm a PhD candidate and I started voting because a professor told us it mattered and we should do it, and now in every class I teach I give a whole "how to vote!" lecture with links for all the homestates present in the classroom-- and pictures of the two most common voting locations for students living on campus, ("see this funky looking art museum? you know where that is!") but it's always messy. This is great!

Hank this is a wonderful message but I can't see you! it's like you're blending in with the background or something

@jobriq5

Жыл бұрын

Hank Greenscreen

Most action on climate change by any country, ever. That's a BFD, even if some of it is counterproductive, the overwhelming majority of this law is productive and positive.

First and foremost, my sincerest condolences for your loss Hank. He sounds like a great person and I'm glad that such a dedicated public servant had a great friend. Second, this was a very well put together monologue and brought up a very good point. Politics may feel like a mess right now, but if you see it less as "us vs. them" and more "different people with different concerns" it does give you a very different and very useful perspective. Third, I would say that I'm a bit of an optimist about the whole situation because I do believe it will get better. We're in very interesting and messy times, but the good news is that we will get through them and we'll come out the other side better and maybe a bit different, if only due to the simple fact that our old and decrepit politicians who created and support an old and decrepit system will be dying off over the next couple of years.

Truly going to get whiplash from the vibe shifts this week but l guess that’s why we love it here.

I don’t think that unjustified is the right word. I think that most cynicism is justified by the actions of others or by what people see going on in the world. I think that it is wrongly chosen though. I believe that it’s easier to look at something that you don’t like and be cynical. It’s when we start challenging ourselves to imagine the world as complex and we ask deeper questions that we find the world isn’t just evil to be evil. I am someone who loves this world, and the people in it, deeply. I still think some people and systems are horrible, but I don’t let that stop me from loving the world and trying to make it better. I’m sorry for the loss of your friend Hank.

@patrickdoyle3174

Жыл бұрын

I really appreciate this comment

@alakani

Жыл бұрын

There's a fine line between optimism and obliviousness. There's no reason but immature cognitive dissonance resolution skills that people can't be cynical and hopeful at the same time

If you get a terminal diagnosis for cancer it's not cynicism to accept that diagnosis and try to live your last few years with that in mind. Hank is equating optimism with blind hope. Hope that the cancer will just disappear. Hope that our leaders will listen next year, that their bureaucracies will eventually catch up with the needs of the people. This is insanity. We need to change the system. Radical times call for radical solutions.

@BasicLib

Жыл бұрын

I don’t think that’s what he’s talking about Like at all. The belief that the system can be changed is the opposite of the cynicism he’s talking about. The belief that even at that, you can still improve peoples live with the system we have, dealing with a multitude of interest groups and that to stew and sulk until “revolution” comes is useless and misses the reality of a complex society with divergent interests Which is why revolutions rarely go the way those who carried them out imagine. I’m almost certain we’re the American system be reconstructed under the current political situation, you’ll probably hate it more cause you’re not the only one who gets a say in what the resolution is. That’s the thing most people don’t get and Hank is getting at… in a society, you actually have to contend with other people and their definitions of what the “good” is. And no amount of “power” or “victory”, to the extent your side is the one that would even have it, changes that. cheers

Your thoughts on Mayor Engan were beautiful. Grieving with Missoula from Great Falls. Engan was a good dude.

whenever the title of a vid is a question, the answer is almost always "no".

Hank I get mixed feelings when I hear this. I agree that everyone (or nearly everyone) tries to do the right thing. I don't think people are cartoon villains and there are complex lives behind ever person. That said, there are behaviors, politics, ideas and speech that hurt people and that needs to be defended against not compromised with. It doesn't matter if someone has your best interests at hear if their actions make life worse and a bad idea is not improved in the slightest by good intentions. Moreover, some people do not have your best interests at heart. Either because cynical self interest or failing to understand that there are human beings on the other side of their actions choose consciously to hurt others either out of fear or greed. This isn't to say we can't talk with these people or even work with them but they are not on our side and pretending they are is harmful. Cynicism is definitely a bad algorithm for deciding how to solve problems, but a well meaning person trying to make our lives worse is still deserving of both anger and direct opposition.