I’m talking in the context of mass movement (as opposed to inner party politics). People are very complex and it’s unreasonable to expect everyone will be happy to share the room with one another. There’s likely going to be a decent chunk of disagreements, but ultimately we have to some degree be able to tolerate disagreements. Right?
Some people don’t have the privilege of accessing healthy development and end up with putrid personalities, doesn’t mean you should be their friend, but as long as healthy boundaries are maintained I think we should be able to at least be able to cooperate. I’ve never expected to be embraced or understood, but please at least allow us contribute.
And besides If you judge those like us as your enemy, wouldn’t you want to keep us closer, so you can eliminate us quickly? You’d have to deal with the problem either way.
“I don’t like you and you don’t like me, but we all gotta drink water and breathe air.”
I think there’s practicality, and then there’s blindness. If one is part of another org and they’re just kind of a shitty person, what can you do. Not your monkeys, not your circus. But if there’s somebody with a terrible personality in your org or circle or whatever; I really think you should handle it. If you don’t, they’re a liability, either because they alienate others in your movement (explicitly or implicitly) and/or they usually end up doing heinous shit that comes back around and harms your movement. Not worth it.
I say “hey (name), here is what the schedule looks like for us. And this is what city council is doing” given I already work with at least one person I despise but we share common goals at times.
But seriously I helped create a group and we are very loud about our boundaries. No bigots, fuck cops, Free Palestine, facts and evidence, homeless people need housing etc. Worded better of course. So usually the people who show up at least have those core values. Things that we will not compromise on. However we will allow learning.
I have to work with people who still care a bit to much about electoral politics but I don’t really care as long as we build a good foundation as shit hits the fan more and more and we can rely on connections to keep people safe in the after math.
Healthy development is not a promise for a personality that anyone is going to like.
In the current climate, you’re not going to be able to maintain any kind of deep relationship with anyone that does share your values. People are absolutely isolating based on the slightest of differences.
Disagreements, relationship habits, behavior patterns, ideology and personality are different things. Whatever it is that prompted this post, I wonder if you lack clarity regarding the situation. Several concepts appear to being mushed up together.
