Imagine Hope
Before fascism descended, we had real problems. Now we have all those problems, 99 new ones, and a cartoon gestapo. It’s easy to give up hope, but critical that we remember what we’re fighting for.
So what are you fighting for? Going back to 2015 is impossible—and kind of depressing at this point. So what do you want to build?
How we do it:
We’ll defeat fascism, eventually. Our goal is to defeat it as quickly and thoroughly as possible, preserving whatever we can, and then build something better. To do that, we start by imaginging “something better.”
We don’t want to just restore the flawed ACA — we want real single-payer health care like the rest of the developed world! It isn’t enough to restore Roe v. Wade — we need an ERA guaranteeing women full human rights, including bodily autonomy.
You and I won’t want exactly the same things in the same way. Finding common ground is a skill we can practice now, and having concrete goals like “free education” or “no child hungry” help us imagine the steps towards those ideals. Maybe you only want to make college affordable again, and I think even medical school should be free! Our goals align for now.
This idea was inspired by my daughter, who passed a five hour drive brainstorming a better world with her passenger, but you could also throw a (NYE?) party themed around “imagining a better world.” Invite each guest to give a five minute pitch, then the group brainstorms steps towards the goal. The rules are simple: no negging! It’s okay to say “and then we use alien technology to reduce carbon.” The goal is to imagine a better world, and brainstorm ideas for moving toward it.
