What You Do

Expect a few posts about CSICon over the next few days. It was a good time. It was good skepticism. It was good discussions with the people who are or will end up running our movements.

One type of conversation I had repeatedly this weekend is a discussion I’ve been having a lot these days. It generally starts like this:

I really appreciate what you’ve been doing the last few months. I feel like I should be doing more to help, but…

In these situations, the “but” is sometimes an explicit reason and sometimes left hanging, but it typically all means the same thing: “I’m in a position where I can’t do that and do what I do now.”

There are people who ask what they can do as well, but those conversations start differently. The conversations I’m talking about happen when I’m sitting down with other activists, people already deeply ensconced in our movements. These are the people who always feel compelled to take on more, even when they really can’t fit any more on their plates.

The first few times this conversation happened, I was surprised. Then I realized I have a very similar reaction to everyone who has said this to me. Ever since then, these chats have been much easier.

So if you’re one of the people who are actively involved in the day-to-day operation of our movements–you run activities or groups, lobby, speak, investigate, research, write, edit, design, and all the other things that keep us functioning–you’re doing work that desperately needs to be done. Moreover, you’re doing work that I can’t do. I don’t have your skills, or I don’t have the time your projects require, or I don’t have the temperament that would allow me to keep at your work over the long haul.

I’m envious. You’re making contributions I can’t. I’m also feeling a little guilty, because what I’ve been doing recently has been showy. It gets attention that the nuts-and-bolts work doesn’t. That’s very much not fair. Sometimes necessary for the changes that have to be made, but not fair.

Nor is it any more fair that many of you have to refrain from taking part in a fight that means a lot to you. One thing that has been key to me in being able to effectively criticize movements I’m part of is my independence. A silly petition notwithstanding, other people and organizations I care about generally can’t be targeted in any attempts to shut me up. That leverage doesn’t exist.

The same cannot be said for most of the people who have felt bad over not being able to help. These are movements that rely on donations and engaged memberships to accomplish what they do. When people who otherwise represent the organizations that do most of the work take a vocal stand on a contentious issue, that can threaten both. Since we’re all working with a goal stronger, broader movements, taking those stands may be counterproductive.

There’s an irony here too, in that the people who can’t take public stands are typically making these movements more welcoming places for diverse populations in more direct ways than I can. I can suggest harassment policies, but someone needs to put them in place. I won’t be hiring more women into any positions, much less positions of leadership. I can’t set the tone of meetings or invite speakers or give awards.

I can write. I can articulate nuanced positions. I can explain the bad logic supporting bad arguments. I can stand up for people who don’t have a platform. I can take some pointless but annoying heat.

I won’t tell you those things haven’t been needed, but they are nothing like all or even the most important daily business of these movements. That is done by other people, and I’m incredibly grateful to the people who do it.

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What You Do
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One thought on “What You Do

  1. ~G~
    1

    First, people who want to do more should read this as well as listen and read a lot of what Tim Farely produces. Even if your focus is atheism over skepticism many of the ideas still apply.

    I’ve been running a group 4.5+ years. First we did about 2 events per month, now about 5. I have tons of ideas on backlog including activism, but just day-to-day maintenence is incredibly time consuming. My advice for people who want to do something, even if just a little:

    Offer to do some of the time consuming but unsexy tasks for a local group. Like phone calls, website maintenance, researching info, etc. Ask them what they need.

    Or, just join and show up consistently. If you can’t do that, participate online. **Show appreciation to people doing work.** Say thanks. Show enthusiasm and let it spread to others. Help recruit. Think of potential speakers you know and offer to set up a date with them.

    Ideas- leaders get tons of ideas but rarely get people ready to do the heavy lifting. Even and offer of a phone call to find out more information needed is something that should always go hand in hand with offering an idea.

    What gets me down is when people say they’ll attend but no-show, when I request feedback and get crickets, or someone complains even though they’ve never donated or volunteered.

    What keeps me going is hearing a thank you or seeing an enthusiastic person ready to commit to doing a project.

    Little things count and if you have time to read and comment on these blogs, you have time to help out someone in your local community! Or maybe start something yourself. It’s hard work but very rewarding. 🙂

    If you don’t want to be in a group- write letters! Start a petition, fund raise. Again, unsexy and no one will thank you but it adds up!

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