Submitted by RedRider in MentalWellbeing

It has been almost two years since I watched news or any shows on broadcast or cable television. I have been active building a seed bank, helping others grow medicine, and cultivating mushrooms.

My friends say I need to become more involved with local politics. I feel politics is worthless because I can see the people who I help and I am involved with their struggles. Holding a banner, marching and shouting is not my style.

AITA for only caring about the things on my radar?

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emma wrote

Nah. If your friends are attempting to guilt-trip you into getting involved with politics, they're the assholes.

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lettuceLeafer wrote

Honestly the only reason I know anything about American politics is raddle tbh. I don't vote so it's not super important. So I just know enough to know the news ways I get restricted mostly.

Tho I do occasionally browse stuff for the interest of understanding other places rather than "staying informed". I think most of keeping up with politics is more like tabloids tbh

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ikk wrote (edited )

to me it sounds like you are involved in local politics by growing medicine, etc. holding a banner to ask our rulers to please be less ruthless is maybe seen as political but i dont necessarily see how it'd be any more effective than voting.

shouting is definitely not my style either, and maybe if your friends really wanted you to come along, they're obliged to accommodate for non-shoutiness in their activist activities. If you run Food, Not Bombs or empathetic vegan outreach or similar, then it's usually really chill, and bringing homegrown plants is extremely appreciated.

i think it's good to break the bubble sometimes, as we can perhaps all see the danger of being too self-absorbed e.g. with mindfulness / wellness / health, but you are totally not wrong for not wanting to attend protests not colored in your vibe.

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rot wrote

I've been consumed by work and finance issues so you're doing better than me as far as i can tell

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ikk wrote

cultivating mushrooms > politics

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catachresis wrote

You’re not an asshole for not doing something you don’t want to do.

Even if you weren’t helping people, but spent ur time watching anime and painting warhammer figures you still wouldn’t be an asshole.

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Majrelende wrote (edited )

No. You would probably be less pleasant to be around if people batter you into doing things you don't feel are useful or fulfilling; that is just more of letting yourself be ruled, letting your life be stolen.

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ghost wrote

Helping people grow medicine in a capitalist society is political af.

You are so not the asshole here.

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