There’s a lot of people on here who are part of what I’d call losing causes, causes that run counter to the consumerist capitalist mono-culture, I.e. socialism, veganism, FOSS, anti-car urbanism, even lemmy and the fediverse.

I want to know what made you switch from being a sympathizer to an active participant. I believe it’s important for us to understand what methods work in getting people involved in a movement that may not have any immediate wins to motivate people to join.

EDIT: A lot of people objecting to my use of losing so I’ll explain more, all of these causes benefit from popularity and are weakened by there lack of adoption and are thus in direct competition with the capitalist consumerist mono-culture, a competition which they are currently losing.

  • Socialism on a small scale cannot solve the inherent issues of a capitalism that surrounds it.

  • Veganism benefits from more people becoming vegan and restaurants and grocery stores providing vegan options.

  • FOSS, or more specifically desktop Linux, benefits from more people being on it and software developers designing for and maintaining applications for it.

  • The more people that use transit, the more funding it gets and the better it gets.

  • the fediverse benefits from more people veing on it and more diverse communities so those with niche interests besides the above causes can find community here.

On the flip side the capitalist consumerist alternatives to all of these benefit from there popularity and thus offer a better value to most people. The question is about what made you defer that better immediate material value in favor of something else.

  • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
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    4 days ago
    • FOSS - Because I have been in it since almost the beginning of my tech career (first Linux was Red Hat Halloween) and in a tangential manner have helped it along in many ways. It’s my default.
    • Veganism - Technically I am an inveg (involuntary vegan). I was pushed into a whole food plant based diet because it turns out I am genetically predisposed to coronary disease and absurdly high levels of cholesterol, arterial plaque, and inflammation. Built to run hard and die young, and I’m all out of young.
    • Fediverse - I am old enough to remember the old Internet and the Fediverse has a bit of that vibe. This is probably Lemmy leans more Gen-X/Xennial than other platforms.
    • UBI and other Socialist safeguards - I am a capitalist but I am more so a pragmatist. If we do not ensure the survival, viability of the population and access to the means of success to majority, then the system will collapse and we will all be fucked. Rich, poor and everyone in between. It’s just common sense. Rich fucks and politicians are always focused on fast, short term gains and never in longevity and sustained success.
    • Netrunner CCG - Because it’s just the best card game ever made (sorry MtG, but it’s true). I buy every new set, even if I don’t have anyone to play with anymore.

    I have no doubt there are many other lost causes I support or follow that I am blissfully ignorant of their niche status.

    EDIT:

    • Final Space - I pre-ordered the book so I can find out how it ends.
    • jet@hackertalks.com
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      3 days ago

      I was pushed into a whole food plant based diet because it turns out I am genetically predisposed to coronary disease and absurdly high levels of cholesterol, arterial plaque, and inflammation. Built to run hard and die young, and I’m all out of young.

      Have you been keeping a eye on atherosclerosis with imaging like CAC scores?