I needed to hear this: “Am I surrounded by genuinely evil people, or am I surrounded by people who are acting in their own protection from a place of fear and the results have been evil.” This is what I’ve been wrestling with this week and hadn’t been able to crystallize in words.
I watched a video of an ex-maga member, who explained it's very similar to a cult based on fears and strengthening those fears. And that they're in an echo chamber of the same messaging "everyone who doesn't agree with us, is the enemy"
It’s a good point. I can get angry at people who’ve voted for DT believing that his plans are genuinely in their best interests or the best interests of their country, or we can get mad at the huge amounts of disinformation and propaganda being spread and try to do something about it. Sadly it’s a massive job and the media seems intent on doing the opposite but what else is there?
@@RomySewsunfortunately with social media, we have reached an impass with our current zeitgeist of what Freedom of Speech is, and the threat posed by misinformation hyper-accelarated by social media. Throughout the past 10 years, every time one of these online personalities that spread this stuff gets cracked down on, they use Freedom of Speech laws to protect themselves, usually successfully. I still believe in Freedom of Speech, but its obvious that were going to have to either tackle it at another angle or re-evaluate whether the current definition of Freedom of Speech on online platforms and other modes of instant communication are helping us more or hurting us more and act accordingly.
Thank you for this much-needed message. You can't know the healing you are Kickstarting in my heart. Much love from a tiny Blue dot drowning in the massive Red sea floating thru the state of Ohio!
American here. Badumbum... The thing that I keep trying to remember is that while millions of people voted for this path, there are millions who didn't. That doesn't limit the power that they've gained but it gives me a different perspective. Also, it's wild to me how many people think public figures shouldn't have opinions on a wide variety of topics. People are not one-dimensional and US politics impact the whole world.
This is what I have been sharing in my circles too. It's easy for us to feel totally overwhelmed and outnumbered... But the margin is a few percent, maybe 30k total (laat I checked, so margin of error here)... And there's a whole swath who abstain. Moreover, nearly every place is far more purple than the electoral map looks. Even in states that voted red for pres voted blue for governor and such, or passed democratic amendments to their state laws. The I keep thinking about conversations with my therapist, where she questions why I future-fail myself, and reminds me that it's not over until it's over, that I haven't lost until I give up.
Those millions that didn't vote for Donald Trump - what is also worth considering is that a lot of them were battling insults and ignorance to do it. I know which way the threats and violence have been going. It's been obvious time and time again. There were a lot of seriously courageous, brimming with integrity, people in that minority. It's usually not size that matters.
Oh man. This video really really helps me. Immediately after the election results, I saw that Nick Fuentes tweet that said "your body, my choice, forever." I realise that I backwards projected that sentiment onto all 75 million Trump voters and felt impossibly surrounded by hostility and predators. It made me feel like now I have to climb this impossible hill of convincing 75 million people of my baseline humanity. But you're right, it's not as steep or terrible as that; I can't disregard all the evidence I've accumulated that people are kind, rational and empathetic. Thank you for untangling this, Leena!
You put my feelings really well, thanks for explaining what I’ve been struggling to get my head round! Also staying off social media helps because the more you see those kinds of tweets shared, the harder it is to remember that he’s one dickhead being given too big an audience
So many of them were lied to by certain news channels and outlets too, but don’t forget sometimes sufficient ignorance is indistinguishable from malice. What we need to do is get extremism out of politics by fixing gerrymandering, removing all anonymous money in politics, removing policies that limit voting (particularly in primaries) and eliminating the “tea party” style tactics that make it impossible for actual republicans moderates to succeed. The book it is even worse than it looks has some solid if a bit dated takes on how to do this, and the best part is a lot of it is local work so you can see the effects yourself.
Yes Leena!! Thank you ❤ Last year my country, Argentina, also elected a really weird against-all-things-good-&-progressive president, and I was heartbroken about it. But then, a couple months later, I joined my daughter's school's cooperative to give my time and talents locally, I went to my first pride parade, I began composting at home on top of recycling, I continued to reach out to friends and family who I knew voted for this president out of fear and anger and I just listened to them and gave my perspective whenever possible. And we've been educating our 3yo in the values we feel are necessary, and if I can't have hope about the future then why bother? But I do have hope, so much of it that it hurts.
This is exactly what I needed now when things are threatening to hit the fascist fan in my country and I've been wondering how many of the people on the bus with me voted this way. Your perspective is inspiring ❤ thank you
Something really horrific just happened a couple of weeks ago in my life, and we found out another nice man was horrific. That poem hit extremely deep.
The way you so elegantly managed to link your experience, the resistance anecdotes and the US election is astonishing and really packed a real punch. I tip my hat to you, bravo 🔥
This made me unexpectedly emotional, I think I really needed a reminder that tiny resistances are still resistance and that the whole world is not awful just because some awful things exist within it. Thank you ❤
I watched this with my girl on my lap, who is only a few days old. I already felt I didn't have the option to despair, but to go on and do so with a bit of hope for humanity, is very welcome right now. Your stories, horrifying as they are, are really beautifully tied together here.. meaning making at its best.
Thanks for this video, Leena. My own far right horrific government has been elected 2 years ago and has been, quite literally, catastrophic for my country. And even though I feel thoroughly and shockingly hopeless, I go out every week to make sure my voice is heard. Bc when an extremist government rises, even managing to stay in place, or minimize the decline, is a fucking achievement to celebrate. US gumptioners, you've been here before. Get out. Make your voices heard. It's going to suck and feel like you're moving backwards, but remember the frame of reference is shifting, and even slowing a flood by 5% can save lives. I'm with you and I wish both our countries better leaders than these.
Thank you. As an American who grew up in a deeply red area, I’ve been actively fighting this for twenty years at this point. Since I was a child. So it’s hard to keep the exhaustion at bay when it’s so clear all our efforts weren’t enough to stop the machine. I deeply know reinforcements aren’t coming, because we have been here before- in some ways we’ve been here the whole time. I listen to my chosen elders from indigenous American and other marginalized communities in this country to know how to move forward through an occupied space, and I’m also furious that we have to. So the thing you said about the flood is exactly what I needed to hear, thank you. Appreciate that.
I wasn’t expecting to get a free session of therapy but this post of yours actually made me feel better about moving forward and continuing on. I’m also a non-American who is crushed by the results of the election and it’s a wonderful reminder that our every day actions matter.
American here-thanks for making this post. It’s like I told people before the election-90% of what I do everyday, my activism, community care, work, personal life, will remain the same. It’s that 10% which will change depending on who wins. It’s still a fight for a better world no matter the outcome, and I’m in it for the long haul, even as I’m grieving and angry with the result now.
Thanks you Leena for acknowledging small acts of resistance! The election made me so sad on many levels but particularly the setbacks to environmental action when we need to be implementing solutions ASAP. Two days after the election I helped a neighbor plant a hedgerow of native plants on her property. It's a tiny thing but it is so healing to just work with your hands and know you can make even a small difference. 🌱
Thank you Leena ❤️ it is everybody’s business because globalization is a thing. From trade to regulations, war and peace…it’s all relative. Thank you for sharing your story. It’s a terrifying experience to have lived through and an accurate anecdote. Love to you from an American living in the EU. 💕
Also, right extremists do two things: vote and berate strangers online. Good thing is we will be busy living our lives and helping make the world beautiful for the sake of living out our best human experience, so we won’t be entertaining such nonsense as armchair politics.
I’ve heard a lot of people this week sharing a lot of quotes from Tolkien amidst feeling a lot of hopelessness and there are about 5 that I could share that really resonate, but I’ll just leave one: “I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” There is still many things to do, no matter how small they seem, that could make a world of difference. 💕 thanks for the video Leena!
Thank you so much for your video. Your work does matter and makes a difference, even if just in cheering us up and making us think (and we'll need a lot of hope and positive thinking to go on with the world!)
This week scared me. The best recommendations I have seen have been to take a bit of time to grieve if you need to, and then dust yourself off and get moving again. It might be hard, but it is worth doing. Find information, find community, find ways to help people out and keep doing whatever you can to make the world even a little bit better or brighter. You might not affect the overall system (I think we all know it's pretty broken) but you can have an effect on the people around you.
Thank you for this. As a Left US citizen from Seattle (the most Blue part of this country) I am absolutely horrified. To know that our rights are going to continue to be stripped away is terrifying. And it was an utter SHOCK to most people. But I know that most of the people who voted Red are struggling. Most Americans are uneducated about how our government works because we are never actually taught about it. So they vote against their own best interest thinking it’ll help their every day struggle of getting food on the table. It’s out of desperation and exhaustion. They don’t see the government working for them, and getting taxed more (to support their community and help with the things that cost the most) is too risky when we are seriously living paycheck to paycheck. I don’t think they are evil, I think they don’t understand what is about to happen. 😢
Not always uneducated... But mislead, for sure. There's a huge diffuse right-wing propaganda machine straight up misleading folks as well, amplifying the effects of their discontent.
I could understand feigning ignorance if this was the first time they elected him. It also undermines a lot of educated people who voted for him because the demographics of people were also college graduates….sometimes people are bad because it doesn’t impact them. I think we have to be willing to accept there are a lot of people who genuinely want bad things for other people.
I’m an American and this last week has been difficult to stomach to say the least. But beginning to see the energy rising up again, to push back, and like how you responded to the accident we have to pick ourselves up and not let this become a very negative thing. To everyone but especially the other Americans we cannot and will not let the hate steal our joy or our hope or our humanity. That is our power and how we keep fighting.
Watching this video a little after it was posted and I'm so glad that I clicked on it because a) a couple of days ago I clicked on a random article that google showed me on my phone (no idea how to get rid of those) and it talked about all the things my country and others do to actively prepare for war and I immediately went into freeze mode, like "Why bother going to uni and studying and doing all this stuff if everything comes crashing down so soon" and this video, especially the "You just do the thing you were originally planning on doing" bit really helped, because yes, there might be a war coming soon, but there's no point in putting my life on hold until it's there (if it even happens). Also, on the thing of eating someones body, my brain always immediately goes to the fact that those were someones way to move around, like how the hell would I feel if someone ate my arms? How would I feel if someone ate my brothers legs? Or my cats shoulder muscles?
I really really needed this. Living in America right now is scary. I just voted in my first presidential election and felt so good about it I could cry. I’ve been feeling so hopeless about my voice and my country. Thanks for the different perspective
When you spoke about the resistance museum the 1st time I was already planning on going to Amsterdam, thank you for the museum rec. Me and mi sister found it interesting and very impactful, and I've been recomending it to others too.
I was at that lattitude and met you just after the car crash happened. I still think about the story and how strong you seemed at the time, it was a great comfort to me when you talked about how much you struggled with it afterwards because it helped me know that it is okay to break down and feel angry and sad about what has happened to you after the fact, even if to strangers you put on a brave face x
I really appreciate the hope. Many friends and I are in despair over this catastrophe, and feel exactly like Germans watching the rise of Hitler and feeling powerless against the insane tide of approval he's getting. As US citizens we're literally afraid for our safety. I appreciate the guidance for how others have resisted. We know that not all of us will survive these next few years (or more), but it is good to have examples to follow for how an individual can make whatever difference they might.
I’m a tour guide in Amsterdam and I love the Resistance Museum especially post renovation. So happy to hear it get a shout out! Thanks for sharing during this horrible time!
I didn’t know what to expect when I clicked on this video, but that poem of yours and your reflections were so profound, I was compelled to leave a like. Thank you for sharing!
From a sad and angry American, thank you. Your point about doing political things throughout the year vs. voting once is spot on. We will get through this. 🙏
Resistance in the way of doing good (to and for each other) is the best advice I've heard from this post election world. Everything has felt so bleak the last week, but it's not over until you give up
American white guy here still having anxiety spikes through out the day in response to what happened last week. I commiserated with a wonderful person at the bookshop today. I’m fortunate enough to live in a very blue county in an ever more red state. I’m not just going to pickup and move along like nothing happened. If someone asks “how are you” I answer “not ok” and they get it. I avoid my trumper in-laws because I have a lot to say and none of it’s nice
I'm in TX and I understand. I'm not speaking to my Trumpee in-laws right now because they won't listen to why this is so bad and scary for me, our country, and the world at large.
I’m so sorry you went through that. Absolutely 🙌 I was in DV for 16 years. Honestly when you realise, there are many man who literally hate not just you but women. That only think of themselves, and that you are just an object in life. Having my whole life impact by one person, should have broken me. But it hasn’t because like what you learnt in therapy, I leant the same. Stepping away from someone’s actions, and knowing that it will not stop us. I hope you’re getting support for the PTSD, as being in a crash is no easy thing to heal from. I feel like it’s made me even more of a fighter in life. ❤❤❤
This made me feel a kindof 2007 TH-cam nostalgia. I remember sitting alone in my room and watching videos and TH-cam wasn't really a huge deal yet, so no one else really sat alone and watched stuff like I did. They still had cable I guess. I would watch very low resolution nonsense but occasionally someone would make something personal like this and it felt like that was the point of it. We're all alone feeling these feelings but somehow because of a video, we're all in a room together feeling it as one. I don't know what it is but It just sort of gives you chills but feels like a hug at the same time? Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Something that I’ve internalized recently, partially because of your video on small actions mattering even when they have a minuscule if any statistical impact, is that direct action is one of the only things I have control over- and most importantly that mutual aid and activism are acts of love. Small acts of love are the most important thing to me right now. Talking to a fellow autistic friend about how to bull their way through job interviews, a friend giving me an old blender for a project I’m doing- small acts of aid towards friends, towards anyone, those acts of love ARE activism. It’s what my entire focus is on right now and it gives me hope. I want to expand my circle of who I give love to and give it indiscriminately
This was a very wise and well-timed video for me - last week, I was in a very negative headspace and thought "what's the point in trying to do any good?" but of course we must carry on. Giving up isn't an option, as we would be letting ourselves down too! My 'completionist' trait takes over sometimes and I wonder what the point of doing a good act is, if it doesn't make a massive difference in the world on its own. But every big change takes many smaller steps, and it's unfair and impossible to bear the weight of the entire world on my shoulders. It's like that story about the man putting the starfish back in the sea and it making the world of difference to just that one starfish!
As a black woman in America, the disappointment is beyond… not sure who’s safe…🥺what will be or why they chose him… or why consequences have not fallen on him & his cohorts who have committed treason and have wicked agendas…
This was such a refreshing perspective. I have been educating myself to understand why people voted for him. As a fellow Brit I just struggled to get it. The reality seems to be that so many normal, working Americans have been left behind, they have no hope, they are struggling financially, they wanted change and even though the evidence shows that the situation they find themselves in was mostly caused by actions taken in his last presidency, his straight talking lies reached them in a way that the democrats and Kamala didn't. It seems to me that these are not evil, selfish people. They are hopeless, struggling people. When humans loose hope bad things can and do happen! The solution is not adding more despair into the world, it is not minimising their struggles. It is showing them that there are other solutions. There are more hopeful and loving solutions. It will take time, years, decades probably but in the end peace and hope does always find a way through. Don't loose hope people! In the end it is all we have.
I am German and lived in Las Vegas for a while. Trust me, that its not only financially struggling people voting for Trump. I had a boyfriend who was Jewish at that time and I was in my conversion process.. The orthodox community I attended was 99 % full of Trump voters and they for sure had all money! And I met many more people from Israel etc. making a good living in the USA and voting for Trump. You also have rich billionaires such as Musk voting for Trump and conservatives such as Jordan Peterson supporting Trump. We have to face it, its the majority of Americans, poor or not poor, who did vote for Trump, there is no excuse, many of Trump voters arent left behind, many many of them are financially well off.
There is something so incredibly powerful in this meeting of the uncontrollable, world sized problems, with the intensely personal way of being with yourself, and your world view, power, anger, and resistance. Thank you for this.
So well said Leena 👏👏👏 the power of resistance through getting on with our lives living out our own values in whatever "little" way we can 🙌 we can't all be big resistance movers but we can all get the f**k on with it 🎉🎉🎉
As an American living in California, the feeling you described at the beginning of processing the election from the UK feels true here as well. The decisions of America overall obviously affect us, but there is a degree of removal living in a more progressive, protective, and non-swing state that makes it difficult to process both the rawest, most immediate consequences of a Trump presidency, and difficult to accept the lack of control over the decisions that Americans outside this coastal bubble make. Anyway, your poem was beautiful and so wildly relevant. This video overall has made me feel more hopeful than many other attempts have, I think because of the honesty of your anger and fear at the specific and perpetual bad man, and the incredible thoughtfulness that you bring to the relationship between our political and emotional realities.
I think people overestimate the protection that being in blue states have historically provided. It doesn’t matter what your state law is if allowing gay marriage is declared unconstitutional to protect religious freedom, or if reproductive care is determined to be intentional illegal 💀 by a federal court, it won’t matter what state you are in if the FDA and EPA are shut down or de-fanged because stuff from other states will get in to your supplies. It’s hard, but once you realize that you start to get a sense of how big the impacts are likely to be…. Nothing can protect us except stopping the bad things when we can.
Thank you so much on so many levels! Your heroic decision to perform after the accident. Thanks for the poem. I loved the way you did not harp on about the gender of your assailant. I can‘t help doing it though. ‚I‘m having a sad, hopeless day, so lets sack the city, crash the plane, trash the car, no matter the consequences for others‘ seems not very common among the female genders. I also love that you make clear that going to perform like an absolute heroine was a reaction available to you, but that you also had therapy. And ABBA! You are so right. A combination of off-days and a cold allowed me to wallow in dark denial (binge-watching..), but now I must find my way back into action. It does not really console me to think that people who vote for misogyny, xenophobia, and for denying facts in favour of science denialism have a dense howling emptiness inside them, a black hole of fear that they have never acknowledged and never learned to engage with. We all have that black hole of fear, it is what we do with it that matters. Thanks again!
How am I feeling? Honestly, I'm feeling exhausted. As a fellow UK person, I'm exhausted with all of it and some of it barely touches me. In the last few years, in countries around the world, I've seen people vote against their own interests because they have been lied to by the people in power. What has Brexit achieved? It was supposed to provide £350m a week for the NHS, that never materialised. I've watched the media during Trump's first term report on every deranged tweet he posted, while he enacted dangerous laws, ignored murder for a photo op, and frankly didn't seem all that interested in running a country, he just liked the title and the power. I've watched a pandemic sweep the globe to be horrifically mishandled from every possible side and the people in power lie to us again. I've seen young men and boys radicalised online to the point where it seems genuinely unsafe to live as a woman. I've seen a beloved author turn into one of the most hate-riddled people on the planet and my country turning against anyone who doesn't live by their assigned at birth gender. I've seen a president get impeached and convicted of real crimes with no consequences. I've seen wars blossom in major nations and the cost of living crisis become almost unbearable. I've seen a member of the Royal family and one of the most famous news readers in the UK be convicted of being nonces. I've seen a head of lettice outlast a prime minister. I've seen the world most powerful nation elect a self-obsessed criminal for the second time. Maybe there was a spark of hope when Labour won the UK election, before I realised that 14 years of Tory power have made this country unfixable and I guarantee that when Labour can't fix everything within 5 years the pendulum will swing right back to Tory again. I want to resist, but I no longer believe it will do any good. I'm too tired.
What an incredibly well articulated, beautifully structured video! Leena you discuss these very nuanced and complicated topics so eloquently. Thank you for making this video, I think several people needed to hear this. You’re a champion of utilising positive panic for good and please never stop!
Loved this video! The idea at the end about doing more political acts than just voting was really helpful to me. I also added going to the Resistance Museum in Amsterdam to my bucket list! I'm Finnish, and traveling around Europe by train is one of my long-time dreams for when I'm no longer a broke student in a few years, so now that place will definitely be on my list of spots to visit.
Your choice on how to respond is key - this is what my family has been wrestling with. Some of our friends are trying to find ways to leave the U.S. Thanks for reminding me the little actions still help even if they don't stem the tide.
I have been in the Amsterdam resistance museum and it was also one of my favourites. It just gave me so much hope to see that there were (and still are) people in the world willing to put their lives at risk to resist tirany. There is a museum in Warsaw about the Warsaw uprising against the Nazis in 1944, that has the same energy. It so well set up, that I really felt like I was in Warsaw back in 1944.
True but i get her stance on it. It's basically the same as Mine (im vegan). My Logic for being vegan is that it's an act of withdrawing myself from the system as much as i can, rather than assuming that my decision will Change the system. And Part of that stance is to protect my own mental health. Im vegan because i have massive issues with industrial agriculture and its Impact on the environment. If i did it to make a Change, Id probably Burn Out eventually, because after 10 years, it's pretty clear that my individual Action doesnt really Change much. A healthier View for me is "Well this is crap, but at least im Not participating" and moving on with my Life. It may sound Like cynicism but it's what enables me to function better so overall it's probably helped me 😅
We were just told that new elections will be held in Germany in February. I felt kind of shell shocked after last week, but your video helped me decide that I want to actively help during the campaign and before the election. So thanks! Because it is in my power to do something now, and if only to feel better about the shitty results later.
Thank you Leena. Writing from Oregon, USA. Need my tethers to hope more than ever now. I've been seeing a lot of posts from frustrated people in my liberal/leftist bubble of the west coast calling those who voted for trump evil and wishing violence upon them, and I understand the emotional place they are coming from, but it's made me really sad. It was helpful to hear about your experience with the car crash, thank you for sharing such a vulnerable story. Also, I think that poem is one of my favorites of yours. Is it published anywhere?
Leaving a comment so I remember to come back to this - capitalism stops for no one, so I need to try getting to sleep. But I am grateful to see that you made a video about this topic, Leena! As an American, it’s certainly been a bad week, and your takes are always so thoughtful.
I needed this video more than I can express. I immediately wrote "you continue" on my wrist to keep me going throughout the rest of my day where I'm performing a thousand micro political actions, because they are actions of kindness. Thank you for being a reason that I continued today.
I'm a teacher from Germany and have lots of conflicting feelings right now. First of all, I woke up shocked but not completely surprised on the morning after the election. However, what surprised me was my students' reaction. I taught 12- to 13-years-old students and while the results where getting in I had trouble teaching them because they were invested in the election and hoping for a different result. I hadn't expected them to care so much about politics in general and especially about the US. This gives me hope. However, the day we got the results of the US election was also the day the German government had a crisis and the coalition broke apart meaning that we'll have the next election earlier than expected. This worries me because the right-wing party AfD is increasingly popular and I fear its politicians will benefit the most from the end of the coalition.
I really enjoyed this video, thank you! I've been feeling very hazy since everything and it is so helpful to hear people just talking about it, about other things, musing about the world and morals. It just really helps. ❤
Never underestimate how much hope your videos can give random people on the other side of the world. I’m Australian and have been feeling a lot of feels this past week but this gives me a bit of hope - turning on the abba and getting the f**k on with it! ❤️
Waited a little longer to watch this one (as I am American and have definitely been grieving my optimism this month) but Leena as usual this is so exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you. And thank you for feeling it with us and sharing the stories of resistance you've lived through. Much love and solidarity. I will say I work in policy and advocacy and most American organizers I know are tired are resting but then we all plan to "get on with it"
Well done Leena. Honestly this is such a gentle and yet also powerfully encouraging and comforting message ❤ and just from a storytelling perspective, really beautifully told x
This is the most creative and different approach that I have seen on this toppic so far. You said so much about the issue at hand without talking about it directly. Amazing video. So intelligent! Tank you!
Thank you so much for your words. I sent this video to a few family members in the USA who are struggling since the election. And.... Where did you get that eye pillow?!?! It's wonderful.
"there is a crack in everything. that's how the light gets in" Leonard Cohen thinking about resistance helps (thank you) because in our USA, it's a Grand Canton sized crack that can only be filled with millions of tiny acts of resistance.
I, an American woman in a right wing state, am deeply mourning for the rights of women, the LGBT+ community, immigrants, and people of color. I am still processing how people I thought were intrinsically good could vote for a party currently led by a man filled with so much hate. I have tried to meet people where they’re at. I’ve tried to appeal to their humanity. But now I am also mad. No not mad, livid. And it threatens to consume me. How do I enact change AND protect my peace? For now I will not be communicating with the woman who bore me because she is also the woman who told me to “Suck It Up” when I expressed my sorrow. There will be no Thanksgiving shared, no Christmas presents given. I can not fake merriment with the people that traded the rights of the people they claim to love for the chance at a few extra dollars in their pocket.
Exactly. There is a lot of recovery work to be done & dealing with the emotions that are so hard right now. The emotions, and the truth of the situation that will impact the entire planet.
In some ways I don’t think we can protect our peace - but if we can it will be by composting our anger into useful things. I highly recommend Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Han it is extremely helpful in breaking it down from someone who is both academic and who has lived their truth through horrors.
I'm sad and scared and disappointed and frustrated and grieving. Mostly grieving. Thanks for this story. Not every person who voted for Trump (or Cruz etc, etc) actively wants to harm people. Some of them just don't care one way or the other. Breathe in: breathe out. Over and over.
I cried my eyes out with that poem cause there was a huge case like that recently in my country, and i wasn’t even IN that accident. That was a great poem, man
I'll come back here when I have a more coherent mind space....but man. Thank you Leena. I really needed this right now. You managed to synthesize these fears and hopes I've been having throughout this process, but they've been so distorted by my own anxiety/polarized thinking that I haven't even been able to identify them specifically. Thank you.
This video was exactly the non-peptalk I needed, thank you. I stopped eating meat for the same reason, and now when something looks deliciously tempting I imagine it's my beloved darling cat, Frank, and suddenly it's not appetising any more.
Thank you for this video, Leena. Non-american here, but also been struggling with anger and apathy following the result. Also, i dont know if I've just missed you talking about the car crash before or if you dont talk about it a lot, but thank you for sharing such a vulnerable story for the sake of something bigger ❤
Thanks so much. As the American daughter of European expats now living in Europe and working for an NGO I had, until now, largely avoided thinking or talking about this and felt numb when I did. You pulled loose the feelings and reminded me that it's okay to be sad and mad while we keep doing what we're doing because what we do daily matters even when it feels like its so so small. Thank you
I've always been pessimistic and anxious, but I actively try to imagine and hope for the best. If you're generous in your estimations of people's intentions, it makes it so much easier to exist happily and not feel like the world is a hostile place. I don't rule out the bad option, I'd rather be prepared. But I definitely feel the difference in how friendly and happy I am since making a more conscious effort. I think because social media and the news is so filled with extremes, that it's easy to forget that most people have pretty normal/mild takes on things.
Regarding the section where you talked about not eating meat anymore - I went vegetarian at the beginning of 2020 (and I'm on my way to being vegan. Almost there). While I still definitely do miss eating meat, I haven't looked back. My conscience is just so much clearer. I don't feel like a hypocrite anymore when I call myself an animal lover. And yes, maybe I'm not making systemic change, but I am introducing vegan foods to those omnivores around me and some of them really like the foods. And if I can influence one person around me to eat less meat, then I consider that a win.
I typed a well thought out response to this that ended up reading like an essay so to sum that up, thank you for this. I really needed the perspective and the motivation to move forward.
This was such a powerful video to watch . Feel like it will resonate with so many people in both political actions and individual relationships. It’s really empowered me to be a better version of myself in my own life while still being allowed to be angry. Also, as a survivor of being hit my a man while crossing the road and relating to the ‘shit, I nearly died’ sentiment, I’m so glad you are doing better cause it’s tough 🫶🏻
Read Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler. It hits a bit harder that the story starts in 2024 and features a president with the same slogan.
I read Lilith's Brood trilogy and have never been so disturbed by the written word, in an impressive way. Like nightmares disturbed. I can't imagine how rough the Parable books are.
DO NOT! I mean do if you are the kind of person who likes really intense and interesting stories but these books actually made things so much worse for me personally when I read them. Fantasy is for escape, that was just another hell. I do however recommend Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Han which is practical advice from someone who lived through some really messed up stuff
I really needed this video, it’s weird it’s not my countries election but I have felt so dismayed and overwhelmed and wondered was this how the rest of the world felt in the 1930s. Your tales of the resistance museum resonated with me as I had a grandparent living in occupied Belgium, and reminded me of their stories and your feelings about the car crash I have been comforted by that you were able to choose your response and not let hate win. There is hope as long as good people continue to stand, or sit and darn socks shut 😊
This was very comforting. As a half American who has lived in Sweden for the majority of her life I was appalled and so distraught after the election. The only thing to do is to shift my perspective I guess and that is something I can work on. So thank you for that!
Thank you for this video! Although not the topic of the video, I felt really understood through your exploration about your traumatic experience in the car and how that (temporally) changed the way you looked, not only at the driver, but at the world as a whole, and that is/was not the right thing to do. I've experienced some very different trauma about two years back and it really changed my worldview. I am still trying to find my way back a bit, but I'm getting there. It was really comforting to know that there are other people around that also think and feel that way. That it's not just my weird brain making everything bigger. Appreciate it!
Confronting the reality of the US elections feels incredibly hard right now - especially bc here in Germany, on the same day it became clear Trump had been elected for a second term, the so called Ampel Regierung (somewhat progressive) broke apart and we're facing early elections in february where it's expected the extreme right-wing party will have a major voter afflux. So I kept denying these facts and thus putting off watching your video (& any content concerning politics) for a few days. Today, I finally regained the heart to face reality and what to do next. Your video made me cry in the best possible way💜 I really admire your ability to express complex dynamics and subjects in a way that not only reaches the brain, but also touches upon our deepest human level of community and solidarity (don't know how to express it any better in english). Thank you!
I am from the Netherlands and have unfortunately never visited the resistance museum. I should really visit it some time. Thank you so much for your video Leena❤
I needed to hear this: “Am I surrounded by genuinely evil people, or am I surrounded by people who are acting in their own protection from a place of fear and the results have been evil.” This is what I’ve been wrestling with this week and hadn’t been able to crystallize in words.
Fear certainly makes people stupid, that’s one thing I’ve learned.
White ppl fear is so scary though 😭
I watched a video of an ex-maga member, who explained it's very similar to a cult based on fears and strengthening those fears. And that they're in an echo chamber of the same messaging "everyone who doesn't agree with us, is the enemy"
It’s a good point. I can get angry at people who’ve voted for DT believing that his plans are genuinely in their best interests or the best interests of their country, or we can get mad at the huge amounts of disinformation and propaganda being spread and try to do something about it. Sadly it’s a massive job and the media seems intent on doing the opposite but what else is there?
@@RomySewsunfortunately with social media, we have reached an impass with our current zeitgeist of what Freedom of Speech is, and the threat posed by misinformation hyper-accelarated by social media.
Throughout the past 10 years, every time one of these online personalities that spread this stuff gets cracked down on, they use Freedom of Speech laws to protect themselves, usually successfully. I still believe in Freedom of Speech, but its obvious that were going to have to either tackle it at another angle or re-evaluate whether the current definition of Freedom of Speech on online platforms and other modes of instant communication are helping us more or hurting us more and act accordingly.
"You cannot do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good you can do." -Jana Stanfield
That’s the outro of Shelbizzle’s videos ❤️ didn’t know it was a quite nor from whom
this is beautiful
Google “computer scientists Free Speech for People letter” if you want to know why we need recounts in swing states
"in the mood reserved for only men who believe that other people should die at the feet of their problems" oooof
That line stuck with me too!
This really hit so hard
This!!
Thank you for this much-needed message. You can't know the healing you are Kickstarting in my heart. Much love from a tiny Blue dot drowning in the massive Red sea floating thru the state of Ohio!
American here. Badumbum... The thing that I keep trying to remember is that while millions of people voted for this path, there are millions who didn't. That doesn't limit the power that they've gained but it gives me a different perspective.
Also, it's wild to me how many people think public figures shouldn't have opinions on a wide variety of topics. People are not one-dimensional and US politics impact the whole world.
This is what I have been sharing in my circles too. It's easy for us to feel totally overwhelmed and outnumbered... But the margin is a few percent, maybe 30k total (laat I checked, so margin of error here)... And there's a whole swath who abstain. Moreover, nearly every place is far more purple than the electoral map looks. Even in states that voted red for pres voted blue for governor and such, or passed democratic amendments to their state laws.
The I keep thinking about conversations with my therapist, where she questions why I future-fail myself, and reminds me that it's not over until it's over, that I haven't lost until I give up.
Those millions that didn't vote for Donald Trump - what is also worth considering is that a lot of them were battling insults and ignorance to do it. I know which way the threats and violence have been going. It's been obvious time and time again. There were a lot of seriously courageous, brimming with integrity, people in that minority. It's usually not size that matters.
Darn their socks shut. I needed that.
Oh man. This video really really helps me. Immediately after the election results, I saw that Nick Fuentes tweet that said "your body, my choice, forever." I realise that I backwards projected that sentiment onto all 75 million Trump voters and felt impossibly surrounded by hostility and predators. It made me feel like now I have to climb this impossible hill of convincing 75 million people of my baseline humanity. But you're right, it's not as steep or terrible as that; I can't disregard all the evidence I've accumulated that people are kind, rational and empathetic. Thank you for untangling this, Leena!
You put my feelings really well, thanks for explaining what I’ve been struggling to get my head round! Also staying off social media helps because the more you see those kinds of tweets shared, the harder it is to remember that he’s one dickhead being given too big an audience
@@RomySews agree!!
I don't know, still feels pretty steep and hostile to me. 😢 Maybe I need more time
@@zeldamorgan9260 understandable :( and maybe you're closer to the eye of the storm than me
So many of them were lied to by certain news channels and outlets too, but don’t forget sometimes sufficient ignorance is indistinguishable from malice.
What we need to do is get extremism out of politics by fixing gerrymandering, removing all anonymous money in politics, removing policies that limit voting (particularly in primaries) and eliminating the “tea party” style tactics that make it impossible for actual republicans moderates to succeed. The book it is even worse than it looks has some solid if a bit dated takes on how to do this, and the best part is a lot of it is local work so you can see the effects yourself.
Yes Leena!! Thank you ❤
Last year my country, Argentina, also elected a really weird against-all-things-good-&-progressive president, and I was heartbroken about it. But then, a couple months later, I joined my daughter's school's cooperative to give my time and talents locally, I went to my first pride parade, I began composting at home on top of recycling, I continued to reach out to friends and family who I knew voted for this president out of fear and anger and I just listened to them and gave my perspective whenever possible. And we've been educating our 3yo in the values we feel are necessary, and if I can't have hope about the future then why bother? But I do have hope, so much of it that it hurts.
This is exactly what I needed now when things are threatening to hit the fascist fan in my country and I've been wondering how many of the people on the bus with me voted this way. Your perspective is inspiring ❤ thank you
Something really horrific just happened a couple of weeks ago in my life, and we found out another nice man was horrific. That poem hit extremely deep.
The way you so elegantly managed to link your experience, the resistance anecdotes and the US election is astonishing and really packed a real punch. I tip my hat to you, bravo 🔥
Yes you said what I didn't have the spoons to figure out how to say haha thank you, seconded, and thank you Leena 💜
This made me unexpectedly emotional, I think I really needed a reminder that tiny resistances are still resistance and that the whole world is not awful just because some awful things exist within it. Thank you ❤
I watched this with my girl on my lap, who is only a few days old.
I already felt I didn't have the option to despair, but to go on and do so with a bit of hope for humanity, is very welcome right now.
Your stories, horrifying as they are, are really beautifully tied together here.. meaning making at its best.
Thanks for this video, Leena. My own far right horrific government has been elected 2 years ago and has been, quite literally, catastrophic for my country. And even though I feel thoroughly and shockingly hopeless, I go out every week to make sure my voice is heard. Bc when an extremist government rises, even managing to stay in place, or minimize the decline, is a fucking achievement to celebrate.
US gumptioners, you've been here before. Get out. Make your voices heard. It's going to suck and feel like you're moving backwards, but remember the frame of reference is shifting, and even slowing a flood by 5% can save lives. I'm with you and I wish both our countries better leaders than these.
Thanks so much. As an American, this is helpful to hear.
Thank you. As an American who grew up in a deeply red area, I’ve been actively fighting this for twenty years at this point. Since I was a child. So it’s hard to keep the exhaustion at bay when it’s so clear all our efforts weren’t enough to stop the machine. I deeply know reinforcements aren’t coming, because we have been here before- in some ways we’ve been here the whole time. I listen to my chosen elders from indigenous American and other marginalized communities in this country to know how to move forward through an occupied space, and I’m also furious that we have to. So the thing you said about the flood is exactly what I needed to hear, thank you. Appreciate that.
I wasn’t expecting to get a free session of therapy but this post of yours actually made me feel better about moving forward and continuing on. I’m also a non-American who is crushed by the results of the election and it’s a wonderful reminder that our every day actions matter.
American here-thanks for making this post. It’s like I told people before the election-90% of what I do everyday, my activism, community care, work, personal life, will remain the same. It’s that 10% which will change depending on who wins. It’s still a fight for a better world no matter the outcome, and I’m in it for the long haul, even as I’m grieving and angry with the result now.
Thanks you Leena for acknowledging small acts of resistance! The election made me so sad on many levels but particularly the setbacks to environmental action when we need to be implementing solutions ASAP. Two days after the election I helped a neighbor plant a hedgerow of native plants on her property. It's a tiny thing but it is so healing to just work with your hands and know you can make even a small difference. 🌱
"I have met hundreds of men like you, men who think the world is there as a rec room to throw themselves around" was a gut punch.
Thank you Leena ❤️ it is everybody’s business because globalization is a thing. From trade to regulations, war and peace…it’s all relative. Thank you for sharing your story. It’s a terrifying experience to have lived through and an accurate anecdote.
Love to you from an American living in the EU. 💕
Also, right extremists do two things: vote and berate strangers online.
Good thing is we will be busy living our lives and helping make the world beautiful for the sake of living out our best human experience, so we won’t be entertaining such nonsense as armchair politics.
I’ve heard a lot of people this week sharing a lot of quotes from Tolkien amidst feeling a lot of hopelessness and there are about 5 that I could share that really resonate, but I’ll just leave one:
“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
There is still many things to do, no matter how small they seem, that could make a world of difference. 💕 thanks for the video Leena!
This was surprisingly helpful thank you for sharing it.
This was like a hug. Thanks for sharing, Lena
"We need more solution based museums in this world"
Fuck yeah
Thank you so much for your video. Your work does matter and makes a difference, even if just in cheering us up and making us think (and we'll need a lot of hope and positive thinking to go on with the world!)
Xxx
This week scared me. The best recommendations I have seen have been to take a bit of time to grieve if you need to, and then dust yourself off and get moving again. It might be hard, but it is worth doing. Find information, find community, find ways to help people out and keep doing whatever you can to make the world even a little bit better or brighter. You might not affect the overall system (I think we all know it's pretty broken) but you can have an effect on the people around you.
Thank you for this. As a Left US citizen from Seattle (the most Blue part of this country) I am absolutely horrified. To know that our rights are going to continue to be stripped away is terrifying. And it was an utter SHOCK to most people. But I know that most of the people who voted Red are struggling. Most Americans are uneducated about how our government works because we are never actually taught about it. So they vote against their own best interest thinking it’ll help their every day struggle of getting food on the table. It’s out of desperation and exhaustion. They don’t see the government working for them, and getting taxed more (to support their community and help with the things that cost the most) is too risky when we are seriously living paycheck to paycheck. I don’t think they are evil, I think they don’t understand what is about to happen. 😢
Not always uneducated... But mislead, for sure. There's a huge diffuse right-wing propaganda machine straight up misleading folks as well, amplifying the effects of their discontent.
I could understand feigning ignorance if this was the first time they elected him. It also undermines a lot of educated people who voted for him because the demographics of people were also college graduates….sometimes people are bad because it doesn’t impact them. I think we have to be willing to accept there are a lot of people who genuinely want bad things for other people.
I’m an American and this last week has been difficult to stomach to say the least. But beginning to see the energy rising up again, to push back, and like how you responded to the accident we have to pick ourselves up and not let this become a very negative thing. To everyone but especially the other Americans we cannot and will not let the hate steal our joy or our hope or our humanity. That is our power and how we keep fighting.
This was so deeply thoughtful and helpful to hear
Watching this video a little after it was posted and I'm so glad that I clicked on it because a) a couple of days ago I clicked on a random article that google showed me on my phone (no idea how to get rid of those) and it talked about all the things my country and others do to actively prepare for war and I immediately went into freeze mode, like "Why bother going to uni and studying and doing all this stuff if everything comes crashing down so soon" and this video, especially the "You just do the thing you were originally planning on doing" bit really helped, because yes, there might be a war coming soon, but there's no point in putting my life on hold until it's there (if it even happens).
Also, on the thing of eating someones body, my brain always immediately goes to the fact that those were someones way to move around, like how the hell would I feel if someone ate my arms? How would I feel if someone ate my brothers legs? Or my cats shoulder muscles?
I really really needed this. Living in America right now is scary. I just voted in my first presidential election and felt so good about it I could cry. I’ve been feeling so hopeless about my voice and my country. Thanks for the different perspective
When you spoke about the resistance museum the 1st time I was already planning on going to Amsterdam, thank you for the museum rec. Me and mi sister found it interesting and very impactful, and I've been recomending it to others too.
I was at that lattitude and met you just after the car crash happened. I still think about the story and how strong you seemed at the time, it was a great comfort to me when you talked about how much you struggled with it afterwards because it helped me know that it is okay to break down and feel angry and sad about what has happened to you after the fact, even if to strangers you put on a brave face x
I really appreciate the hope. Many friends and I are in despair over this catastrophe, and feel exactly like Germans watching the rise of Hitler and feeling powerless against the insane tide of approval he's getting. As US citizens we're literally afraid for our safety.
I appreciate the guidance for how others have resisted. We know that not all of us will survive these next few years (or more), but it is good to have examples to follow for how an individual can make whatever difference they might.
I’m a tour guide in Amsterdam and I love the Resistance Museum especially post renovation. So happy to hear it get a shout out!
Thanks for sharing during this horrible time!
I didn’t know what to expect when I clicked on this video, but that poem of yours and your reflections were so profound, I was compelled to leave a like. Thank you for sharing!
From a sad and angry American, thank you. Your point about doing political things throughout the year vs. voting once is spot on. We will get through this. 🙏
Resistance in the way of doing good (to and for each other) is the best advice I've heard from this post election world. Everything has felt so bleak the last week, but it's not over until you give up
American white guy here still having anxiety spikes through out the day in response to what happened last week. I commiserated with a wonderful person at the bookshop today. I’m fortunate enough to live in a very blue county in an ever more red state. I’m not just going to pickup and move along like nothing happened. If someone asks “how are you” I answer “not ok” and they get it. I avoid my trumper in-laws because I have a lot to say and none of it’s nice
I'm in TX and I understand. I'm not speaking to my Trumpee in-laws right now because they won't listen to why this is so bad and scary for me, our country, and the world at large.
I’m so sorry you went through that. Absolutely 🙌 I was in DV for 16 years. Honestly when you realise, there are many man who literally hate not just you but women. That only think of themselves, and that you are just an object in life. Having my whole life impact by one person, should have broken me. But it hasn’t because like what you learnt in therapy, I leant the same. Stepping away from someone’s actions, and knowing that it will not stop us. I hope you’re getting support for the PTSD, as being in a crash is no easy thing to heal from. I feel like it’s made me even more of a fighter in life. ❤❤❤
This made me feel a kindof 2007 TH-cam nostalgia. I remember sitting alone in my room and watching videos and TH-cam wasn't really a huge deal yet, so no one else really sat alone and watched stuff like I did. They still had cable I guess. I would watch very low resolution nonsense but occasionally someone would make something personal like this and it felt like that was the point of it. We're all alone feeling these feelings but somehow because of a video, we're all in a room together feeling it as one. I don't know what it is but It just sort of gives you chills but feels like a hug at the same time? Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Something that I’ve internalized recently, partially because of your video on small actions mattering even when they have a minuscule if any statistical impact, is that direct action is one of the only things I have control over- and most importantly that mutual aid and activism are acts of love. Small acts of love are the most important thing to me right now. Talking to a fellow autistic friend about how to bull their way through job interviews, a friend giving me an old blender for a project I’m doing- small acts of aid towards friends, towards anyone, those acts of love ARE activism. It’s what my entire focus is on right now and it gives me hope. I want to expand my circle of who I give love to and give it indiscriminately
This was a very wise and well-timed video for me - last week, I was in a very negative headspace and thought "what's the point in trying to do any good?" but of course we must carry on. Giving up isn't an option, as we would be letting ourselves down too! My 'completionist' trait takes over sometimes and I wonder what the point of doing a good act is, if it doesn't make a massive difference in the world on its own. But every big change takes many smaller steps, and it's unfair and impossible to bear the weight of the entire world on my shoulders. It's like that story about the man putting the starfish back in the sea and it making the world of difference to just that one starfish!
As a black woman in America, the disappointment is beyond… not sure who’s safe…🥺what will be or why they chose him… or why consequences have not fallen on him & his cohorts who have committed treason and have wicked agendas…
This was such a refreshing perspective. I have been educating myself to understand why people voted for him. As a fellow Brit I just struggled to get it. The reality seems to be that so many normal, working Americans have been left behind, they have no hope, they are struggling financially, they wanted change and even though the evidence shows that the situation they find themselves in was mostly caused by actions taken in his last presidency, his straight talking lies reached them in a way that the democrats and Kamala didn't. It seems to me that these are not evil, selfish people. They are hopeless, struggling people. When humans loose hope bad things can and do happen! The solution is not adding more despair into the world, it is not minimising their struggles. It is showing them that there are other solutions. There are more hopeful and loving solutions. It will take time, years, decades probably but in the end peace and hope does always find a way through. Don't loose hope people! In the end it is all we have.
I am German and lived in Las Vegas for a while. Trust me, that its not only financially struggling people voting for Trump. I had a boyfriend who was Jewish at that time and I was in my conversion process.. The orthodox community I attended was 99 % full of Trump voters and they for sure had all money! And I met many more people from Israel etc. making a good living in the USA and voting for Trump. You also have rich billionaires such as Musk voting for Trump and conservatives such as Jordan Peterson supporting Trump. We have to face it, its the majority of Americans, poor or not poor, who did vote for Trump, there is no excuse, many of Trump voters arent left behind, many many of them are financially well off.
There is something so incredibly powerful in this meeting of the uncontrollable, world sized problems, with the intensely personal way of being with yourself, and your world view, power, anger, and resistance. Thank you for this.
Thank you for doing your part for the resistance 💪
Thank you so much, Leena. I am so gutted over the election here in the U.S. Maybe at some point I will get to where you are. Your video helps.
So well said Leena 👏👏👏 the power of resistance through getting on with our lives living out our own values in whatever "little" way we can 🙌 we can't all be big resistance movers but we can all get the f**k on with it 🎉🎉🎉
As an American living in California, the feeling you described at the beginning of processing the election from the UK feels true here as well. The decisions of America overall obviously affect us, but there is a degree of removal living in a more progressive, protective, and non-swing state that makes it difficult to process both the rawest, most immediate consequences of a Trump presidency, and difficult to accept the lack of control over the decisions that Americans outside this coastal bubble make.
Anyway, your poem was beautiful and so wildly relevant. This video overall has made me feel more hopeful than many other attempts have, I think because of the honesty of your anger and fear at the specific and perpetual bad man, and the incredible thoughtfulness that you bring to the relationship between our political and emotional realities.
I think people overestimate the protection that being in blue states have historically provided. It doesn’t matter what your state law is if allowing gay marriage is declared unconstitutional to protect religious freedom, or if reproductive care is determined to be intentional illegal 💀 by a federal court, it won’t matter what state you are in if the FDA and EPA are shut down or de-fanged because stuff from other states will get in to your supplies.
It’s hard, but once you realize that you start to get a sense of how big the impacts are likely to be…. Nothing can protect us except stopping the bad things when we can.
Thank you so much on so many levels! Your heroic decision to perform after the accident. Thanks for the poem. I loved the way you did not harp on about the gender of your assailant. I can‘t help doing it though. ‚I‘m having a sad, hopeless day, so lets sack the city, crash the plane, trash the car, no matter the consequences for others‘ seems not very common among the female genders.
I also love that you make clear that going to perform like an absolute heroine was a reaction available to you, but that you also had therapy.
And ABBA! You are so right. A combination of off-days and a cold allowed me to wallow in dark denial (binge-watching..), but now I must find my way back into action.
It does not really console me to think that people who vote for misogyny, xenophobia, and for denying facts in favour of science denialism have a dense howling emptiness inside them, a black hole of fear that they have never acknowledged and never learned to engage with. We all have that black hole of fear, it is what we do with it that matters.
Thanks again!
How am I feeling? Honestly, I'm feeling exhausted. As a fellow UK person, I'm exhausted with all of it and some of it barely touches me. In the last few years, in countries around the world, I've seen people vote against their own interests because they have been lied to by the people in power. What has Brexit achieved? It was supposed to provide £350m a week for the NHS, that never materialised. I've watched the media during Trump's first term report on every deranged tweet he posted, while he enacted dangerous laws, ignored murder for a photo op, and frankly didn't seem all that interested in running a country, he just liked the title and the power. I've watched a pandemic sweep the globe to be horrifically mishandled from every possible side and the people in power lie to us again. I've seen young men and boys radicalised online to the point where it seems genuinely unsafe to live as a woman. I've seen a beloved author turn into one of the most hate-riddled people on the planet and my country turning against anyone who doesn't live by their assigned at birth gender. I've seen a president get impeached and convicted of real crimes with no consequences. I've seen wars blossom in major nations and the cost of living crisis become almost unbearable. I've seen a member of the Royal family and one of the most famous news readers in the UK be convicted of being nonces. I've seen a head of lettice outlast a prime minister. I've seen the world most powerful nation elect a self-obsessed criminal for the second time. Maybe there was a spark of hope when Labour won the UK election, before I realised that 14 years of Tory power have made this country unfixable and I guarantee that when Labour can't fix everything within 5 years the pendulum will swing right back to Tory again. I want to resist, but I no longer believe it will do any good. I'm too tired.
What an incredibly well articulated, beautifully structured video! Leena you discuss these very nuanced and complicated topics so eloquently. Thank you for making this video, I think several people needed to hear this. You’re a champion of utilising positive panic for good and please never stop!
Xxxx
Loved this video! The idea at the end about doing more political acts than just voting was really helpful to me.
I also added going to the Resistance Museum in Amsterdam to my bucket list! I'm Finnish, and traveling around Europe by train is one of my long-time dreams for when I'm no longer a broke student in a few years, so now that place will definitely be on my list of spots to visit.
Your choice on how to respond is key - this is what my family has been wrestling with. Some of our friends are trying to find ways to leave the U.S. Thanks for reminding me the little actions still help even if they don't stem the tide.
I feel like literally everyone needs to watch this video at least once in their life!
I have been in the Amsterdam resistance museum and it was also one of my favourites. It just gave me so much hope to see that there were (and still are) people in the world willing to put their lives at risk to resist tirany. There is a museum in Warsaw about the Warsaw uprising against the Nazis in 1944, that has the same energy. It so well set up, that I really felt like I was in Warsaw back in 1944.
On the not eating meat being just personal action - personal actions of individuals add up, elections are the best prove of that. Cheers!
*proof
@sophiemulford3435 thank you dear :)
True but i get her stance on it. It's basically the same as Mine (im vegan).
My Logic for being vegan is that it's an act of withdrawing myself from the system as much as i can, rather than assuming that my decision will Change the system.
And Part of that stance is to protect my own mental health. Im vegan because i have massive issues with industrial agriculture and its Impact on the environment. If i did it to make a Change, Id probably Burn Out eventually, because after 10 years, it's pretty clear that my individual Action doesnt really Change much.
A healthier View for me is "Well this is crap, but at least im Not participating" and moving on with my Life. It may sound Like cynicism but it's what enables me to function better so overall it's probably helped me 😅
except voting doesn't even mean much, when electoral votes are the real votes lmao
There are so many conversations in my country, Hungary how people can resist the government in their everyday life and this video helped me a lot.❤
We were just told that new elections will be held in Germany in February. I felt kind of shell shocked after last week, but your video helped me decide that I want to actively help during the campaign and before the election. So thanks! Because it is in my power to do something now, and if only to feel better about the shitty results later.
Thank you Leena. Writing from Oregon, USA. Need my tethers to hope more than ever now. I've been seeing a lot of posts from frustrated people in my liberal/leftist bubble of the west coast calling those who voted for trump evil and wishing violence upon them, and I understand the emotional place they are coming from, but it's made me really sad. It was helpful to hear about your experience with the car crash, thank you for sharing such a vulnerable story. Also, I think that poem is one of my favorites of yours. Is it published anywhere?
That poem you wrote was so perfect for this moment.
Thank you ❤
The history examples are really good
Leaving a comment so I remember to come back to this - capitalism stops for no one, so I need to try getting to sleep. But I am grateful to see that you made a video about this topic, Leena! As an American, it’s certainly been a bad week, and your takes are always so thoughtful.
I needed this video more than I can express. I immediately wrote "you continue" on my wrist to keep me going throughout the rest of my day where I'm performing a thousand micro political actions, because they are actions of kindness. Thank you for being a reason that I continued today.
I'm a teacher from Germany and have lots of conflicting feelings right now.
First of all, I woke up shocked but not completely surprised on the morning after the election. However, what surprised me was my students' reaction. I taught 12- to 13-years-old students and while the results where getting in I had trouble teaching them because they were invested in the election and hoping for a different result. I hadn't expected them to care so much about politics in general and especially about the US. This gives me hope.
However, the day we got the results of the US election was also the day the German government had a crisis and the coalition broke apart meaning that we'll have the next election earlier than expected. This worries me because the right-wing party AfD is increasingly popular and I fear its politicians will benefit the most from the end of the coalition.
I really enjoyed this video, thank you! I've been feeling very hazy since everything and it is so helpful to hear people just talking about it, about other things, musing about the world and morals. It just really helps. ❤
Never underestimate how much hope your videos can give random people on the other side of the world. I’m Australian and have been feeling a lot of feels this past week but this gives me a bit of hope - turning on the abba and getting the f**k on with it! ❤️
Waited a little longer to watch this one (as I am American and have definitely been grieving my optimism this month) but Leena as usual this is so exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you. And thank you for feeling it with us and sharing the stories of resistance you've lived through. Much love and solidarity. I will say I work in policy and advocacy and most American organizers I know are tired are resting but then we all plan to "get on with it"
I needed this today as a person who is in the US. Thank you for sharing Leena.
Well done Leena. Honestly this is such a gentle and yet also powerfully encouraging and comforting message ❤ and just from a storytelling perspective, really beautifully told x
This is the most creative and different approach that I have seen on this toppic so far. You said so much about the issue at hand without talking about it directly. Amazing video. So intelligent! Tank you!
Thank you so much for your words. I sent this video to a few family members in the USA who are struggling since the election.
And.... Where did you get that eye pillow?!?! It's wonderful.
"there is a crack in everything. that's how the light gets in" Leonard Cohen
thinking about resistance helps (thank you) because in our USA, it's a Grand Canton sized crack that can only be filled with millions of tiny acts of resistance.
I, an American woman in a right wing state, am deeply mourning for the rights of women, the LGBT+ community, immigrants, and people of color. I am still processing how people I thought were intrinsically good could vote for a party currently led by a man filled with so much hate.
I have tried to meet people where they’re at. I’ve tried to appeal to their humanity. But now I am also mad. No not mad, livid. And it threatens to consume me.
How do I enact change AND protect my peace?
For now I will not be communicating with the woman who bore me because she is also the woman who told me to “Suck It Up” when I expressed my sorrow. There will be no Thanksgiving shared, no Christmas presents given. I can not fake merriment with the people that traded the rights of the people they claim to love for the chance at a few extra dollars in their pocket.
Exactly. There is a lot of recovery work to be done & dealing with the emotions that are so hard right now. The emotions, and the truth of the situation that will impact the entire planet.
Time to have a friends Thanksgiving. Or a volunteer Thanksgiving! It will help.
In some ways I don’t think we can protect our peace - but if we can it will be by composting our anger into useful things. I highly recommend Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Han it is extremely helpful in breaking it down from someone who is both academic and who has lived their truth through horrors.
@ thank you for the recommendation ♥️
I'm sad and scared and disappointed and frustrated and grieving. Mostly grieving. Thanks for this story. Not every person who voted for Trump (or Cruz etc, etc) actively wants to harm people. Some of them just don't care one way or the other. Breathe in: breathe out. Over and over.
I cried my eyes out with that poem cause there was a huge case like that recently in my country, and i wasn’t even IN that accident. That was a great poem, man
I'll come back here when I have a more coherent mind space....but man. Thank you Leena. I really needed this right now. You managed to synthesize these fears and hopes I've been having throughout this process, but they've been so distorted by my own anxiety/polarized thinking that I haven't even been able to identify them specifically. Thank you.
This was powerful, and I needed to hear it - thank you ❤
This video was exactly the non-peptalk I needed, thank you. I stopped eating meat for the same reason, and now when something looks deliciously tempting I imagine it's my beloved darling cat, Frank, and suddenly it's not appetising any more.
Thank you for this video, Leena. Non-american here, but also been struggling with anger and apathy following the result. Also, i dont know if I've just missed you talking about the car crash before or if you dont talk about it a lot, but thank you for sharing such a vulnerable story for the sake of something bigger ❤
Thanks so much. As the American daughter of European expats now living in Europe and working for an NGO I had, until now, largely avoided thinking or talking about this and felt numb when I did. You pulled loose the feelings and reminded me that it's okay to be sad and mad while we keep doing what we're doing because what we do daily matters even when it feels like its so so small. Thank you
this is exactly what i needed right now, thank you
I've always been pessimistic and anxious, but I actively try to imagine and hope for the best. If you're generous in your estimations of people's intentions, it makes it so much easier to exist happily and not feel like the world is a hostile place.
I don't rule out the bad option, I'd rather be prepared. But I definitely feel the difference in how friendly and happy I am since making a more conscious effort. I think because social media and the news is so filled with extremes, that it's easy to forget that most people have pretty normal/mild takes on things.
Regarding the section where you talked about not eating meat anymore - I went vegetarian at the beginning of 2020 (and I'm on my way to being vegan. Almost there). While I still definitely do miss eating meat, I haven't looked back. My conscience is just so much clearer. I don't feel like a hypocrite anymore when I call myself an animal lover. And yes, maybe I'm not making systemic change, but I am introducing vegan foods to those omnivores around me and some of them really like the foods. And if I can influence one person around me to eat less meat, then I consider that a win.
I typed a well thought out response to this that ended up reading like an essay so to sum that up, thank you for this. I really needed the perspective and the motivation to move forward.
This was such a powerful video to watch . Feel like it will resonate with so many people in both political actions and individual relationships. It’s really empowered me to be a better version of myself in my own life while still being allowed to be angry. Also, as a survivor of being hit my a man while crossing the road and relating to the ‘shit, I nearly died’ sentiment, I’m so glad you are doing better cause it’s tough 🫶🏻
Read Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler. It hits a bit harder that the story starts in 2024 and features a president with the same slogan.
I read them in 2016 / 2017 and they hit SO HARD then. Probably would be harder now though.
I read Lilith's Brood trilogy and have never been so disturbed by the written word, in an impressive way. Like nightmares disturbed. I can't imagine how rough the Parable books are.
adrienne marie brown and toshi regan's podcast on the series is so good in terms of prompting thinking and action in the now
DO NOT! I mean do if you are the kind of person who likes really intense and interesting stories but these books actually made things so much worse for me personally when I read them.
Fantasy is for escape, that was just another hell.
I do however recommend Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Han which is practical advice from someone who lived through some really messed up stuff
@sarahnelson8836 What is it about them that made it so much worse for you? Did it hit too close to home or rachet up your anxiety?
I really needed this video, it’s weird it’s not my countries election but I have felt so dismayed and overwhelmed and wondered was this how the rest of the world felt in the 1930s. Your tales of the resistance museum resonated with me as I had a grandparent living in occupied Belgium, and reminded me of their stories and your feelings about the car crash I have been comforted by that you were able to choose your response and not let hate win. There is hope as long as good people continue to stand, or sit and darn socks shut 😊
This was very comforting. As a half American who has lived in Sweden for the majority of her life I was appalled and so distraught after the election. The only thing to do is to shift my perspective I guess and that is something I can work on. So thank you for that!
Thank you for this video! Although not the topic of the video, I felt really understood through your exploration about your traumatic experience in the car and how that (temporally) changed the way you looked, not only at the driver, but at the world as a whole, and that is/was not the right thing to do. I've experienced some very different trauma about two years back and it really changed my worldview. I am still trying to find my way back a bit, but I'm getting there. It was really comforting to know that there are other people around that also think and feel that way. That it's not just my weird brain making everything bigger. Appreciate it!
Aw, Lena. This was really beautiful. Thank you for sharing and your considered words. I had a small cry, and I'm so glad for you. Thank you.
Great video. Thank you Leena. ❤
You're on fire lately Leena! Another great video. You're a great thinker and communicator.
Love the thing about the direct actions - so easy to get overwhelmed by the bigger picture!
Thank you. So depressed after that election. Great words, good vibe to end on. Stay safe❤
Confronting the reality of the US elections feels incredibly hard right now - especially bc here in Germany, on the same day it became clear Trump had been elected for a second term, the so called Ampel Regierung (somewhat progressive) broke apart and we're facing early elections in february where it's expected the extreme right-wing party will have a major voter afflux.
So I kept denying these facts and thus putting off watching your video (& any content concerning politics) for a few days.
Today, I finally regained the heart to face reality and what to do next. Your video made me cry in the best possible way💜
I really admire your ability to express complex dynamics and subjects in a way that not only reaches the brain, but also touches upon our deepest human level of community and solidarity (don't know how to express it any better in english). Thank you!
From the US, thank you, most sincerely.
I am from the Netherlands and have unfortunately never visited the resistance museum. I should really visit it some time. Thank you so much for your video Leena❤
Incredible storytelling. Thank you ❤️
this is lovely, thank you 💚
Thank you, Leena ❤️