Hang onLet me dig out a quote from
the incomparable So MayerAfter I got offered the position of Times Up
co-chair, while I was thinking about whether
to take it up, I went to speak to them and
their galaxy brain about activism
They said many brilliant things which I have
saved in a doc, but here’s one: “You're going to
lose and lose and lose and then someone who
has nothing to do with it will sweep in and
take credit. The only way to deal with losing
and losing and losing is to build a network
of people who are completely committed to
each other and the project and find joy in the
wholesome boring tasks”
We gotta cling to the wholesome
highs of organising progressWater under the bridge for you babeThe thing I really struggle with, though, is the
tension between wanting to give time to fighting
the system but also desiring, more than anything,
to write and create and do the selfish artistic
things that make me come alive and make me
feel like I belong to the world in a primal senseWhy do we let it bother us?Is that what it is for you?For me, I also have a fundamental
desire to see people's true coloursSo much energy exerted trying to improve
things when you could be creatingAnd so many people are content
to never let it bother themLike even prominent critics I enjoy very much
do fuck all in the way of The WorkSome deep-seated need to not
see the next gen suffer, I guessIt’s a sweeping statement for sure
but I do think going through Some
Shit makes you more empatheticI think a lot about the person I was when I was
younger and how deeply unhappy I was, and
how I never want anyone else to feel that waySo I try to do what I can to
make it easier where I canThese things are sent to test
us, as my sainted mother saysOh for sure
(I’m fortunate that in my position I can
afford to call things out. But I also feel
that’s part of your responsibility when
you have a comfortable position)I remember in my old job, I worked for days
on a pitch for a new project. And then they
decided they wanted to implement it, and
handed it off to someone else to spearheadThat‘s wonderfulAnd yes, very trueThough that was the impetus for applying for
new jobs which led me to LWL so not all badI felt so betrayed043