Socialism

Socialism isn't just a national system of government. Socialism is a mindset, a set of values, a way of life.

Socialism is already happening in pockets and small groups. Often the less they overtly advertise their socialism, the more socialist they can be - because people love socialism in practice despite being taught to hate it in theory. Doing small scale organizing is reasonable and achievable. Direct action is going to get you places in the short term, because it is local and focused on the goals of you and your comrades. Forming a tenants union, organizing at your workplace, joining a cooperative -- these are all direct actions you can take right now, and not only help you in the short term, but will build a bridge to much bigger things in the future.

If you feel small steps are just a circle jerk, if you are waiting for some large watershed moment where everyone else decides to live under socialism, you're going to have a bad time. You shouldn't expect yourself or anyone else to be able to effect sudden utopian change. But you do have incredible agency in deciding how you live. By participating in the small direct actions, you can see how socialism can improve your life first hand, not just in theory. You can get first-hand experience with leaders and comrades, and build your intuition about whether groups are actually socialist, or just another version of oppression. Changing the world may seem impossible if you focus on the big picture, the secret is focusing on changing yourself to be a better person, someone who will thrive and help others to thrive in a socialist world. I find hope in learning to connect better with others, and learning through my interactions with them what kinds of alternate societies can be possible. Every step in self-improvement, every breakthrough you make in your own journey changes the world in a real, tangible way for the better.