The parallels between abusive families and the culture of civilization illuminate why protest has become futile. Futility is not to say that something is difficult, verging on the impossible. Futility arises when an action makes the condition it is meant to ameliorate worse. When unintended consequences pile on, blocking any possible benefit from making a difference. At that point an activity is no longer simply a waste of attention. – As grave a fault as can be found since attention is all we have. – It has co-opted our efforts. We have been tricked into aiding that which we were seeking to end.
Normalization
Normalization
Normalization
The parallels between abusive families and the culture of civilization illuminate why protest has become futile. Futility is not to say that something is difficult, verging on the impossible. Futility arises when an action makes the condition it is meant to ameliorate worse. When unintended consequences pile on, blocking any possible benefit from making a difference. At that point an activity is no longer simply a waste of attention. – As grave a fault as can be found since attention is all we have. – It has co-opted our efforts. We have been tricked into aiding that which we were seeking to end.