(Nimue)
There’s a lot wrong in the world right now, and that can make it tempting to think in terms of resistance. Of course we have to resist, to push back, stand up for justice, speak out… And yet in some ways this is also a trap and it is as well to avoid it.
When we focus on resistance, what we do becomes defined by that which we are resisting. That can narrow how we act, and come to define who we are. Being against something means only existing in relation to it. Resisting can become a form of joining in, if we aren’t careful. It allows what we wish to resist to define how things work and the ways in which we all operate. It centres the problem, not the solution.
Being focused on resistance means being focused on fighting, and on reacting. It moves us towards combative stances, and conflict. That’s exhausting and hard to sustain. It also doesn’t lend itself to building peaceful, thriving communities.
If you build a group based on resistance, how will it survive and function if you win? To work for the long term, we need instead to focus on being restorative and creative. If we focus on what we can make and do, then we’ll work differently and more effectively. Our actions won’t be defined by those we see as being in opposition. History shows us that all too often, people who fight to bring down systems end up replicating them.
Being against things isn’t especially inspiring. It doesn’t bring people together in the same way – there can be a thrill and an adrenaline rush around fighting the good fight, but that won’t hold people for long. There’s always some new fight to get involved with. Sustained action for change can’t work on that basis. Being ‘for’ something is so much more appealing and sustaining.
If you are for something, and you lose a particular fight, that isn’t the end of your movement or your ideas. New avenues will be obvious. There will be other things to try and other efforts to make. Being too focused on one fight can leave you defeated by a significant setback. When you’re focused on what you can create, setbacks are just awkward parts of the journey.
Don’t define yourself by what you’re in opposition to. Frame it in terms of what you are in favour of. Talk about what you support, and what you envisage. It makes sense sometimes to focus on particular issues in specific ways, but don’t make that the heart of how you do things. Build your vision and your inspiration so that you can bring people with you.
If you are feeling weary from the relentless fights, step back and take time to replenish yourself. Remember that the heart of all good social change is kindness. The heart of all environmental change needs to be kindness, too. We need to live gently, softly and lightly. We need to live with care and respect for each other. This is the basis of true peace. Sometimes it is necessary to fight for that, but never let what you are up against distract you from what you are for, and where you want things to be heading.