Familiar to anyone who's ever been engaged in any kind of activism. The revolution / overthrow of patriarchy/ end of white supremacy/ rights for transgender folks are always - justifiably - overdue and urgent. With time, you learn to recognise the 'heading for burnout moment' and take your foot off the pedal a bit. And to know that you're not indispensable or the only person for a specific task. And also that, damn, you're less use when knackered, so give more effectively if you take regular rest and breaks. Our climate emergency centre here in Worthing (CREW) holds regular space for people whose climate anxiety or activism burnout is making them unwell or unhappy. Activism communities need to build care for those doing the work right in to the model. Some feminist and Global Majority activist spaces offer good models for doing this. We're all doing what we can, we're all making a difference. I realise that planetary survival is of a different order of urgency, but still, some of the tools of other movements could be helpful. Oh! And watch out for people who are using activism as personal demon-exorciser and making everyone around them feel guilty because they're not as committed / driven / angry as them. There's a lot of neurosis driven activism out there. Stay free from it.
This is a great post and one quite timely for me. I had just started to realise how odd it is that climate movements talk about creating radical change, but rely on systems of work that we now know aren't really great for workers, or even that productive. I'm actually suffering through a period of burnout before starting my climate-adjacent career, from my university experience and the difficulty of finding work in this field. This post gave me some ideas on how to move forward and hopefully prevent the same happening in the future. Thank you gen dread and Cass for sharing this.
I wish you all the best, Jack. Taking care of yourself is important. Thinking long term and dosing our efforts will bring us further than burning fast in a bright blaze.
I really appreciate this and the timing of it resonates deeply. I am also self employed and recently had a major medical crisis that isn’t fully resolved yet. Even though I’m a devoted anti capitalist, my internalized capitalism runs deep because I’ve felt a lot of ambient guilt about reducing my workweek, even though I need to for my health. On an intellectual level I realize how extractive modern work practices are, but to actually implement a kinder way of working is extremely difficult.
I hear you on this, Eira. It’s a shock realizing how hard it is to admit that the machine broke down and that we need rest. At the same time, it’s also liberating, because at such cross-roads we get clarity on what is important in life. What are the bare essentials for our survival. And health is always number one.
Familiar to anyone who's ever been engaged in any kind of activism. The revolution / overthrow of patriarchy/ end of white supremacy/ rights for transgender folks are always - justifiably - overdue and urgent. With time, you learn to recognise the 'heading for burnout moment' and take your foot off the pedal a bit. And to know that you're not indispensable or the only person for a specific task. And also that, damn, you're less use when knackered, so give more effectively if you take regular rest and breaks. Our climate emergency centre here in Worthing (CREW) holds regular space for people whose climate anxiety or activism burnout is making them unwell or unhappy. Activism communities need to build care for those doing the work right in to the model. Some feminist and Global Majority activist spaces offer good models for doing this. We're all doing what we can, we're all making a difference. I realise that planetary survival is of a different order of urgency, but still, some of the tools of other movements could be helpful. Oh! And watch out for people who are using activism as personal demon-exorciser and making everyone around them feel guilty because they're not as committed / driven / angry as them. There's a lot of neurosis driven activism out there. Stay free from it.
This is a great post and one quite timely for me. I had just started to realise how odd it is that climate movements talk about creating radical change, but rely on systems of work that we now know aren't really great for workers, or even that productive. I'm actually suffering through a period of burnout before starting my climate-adjacent career, from my university experience and the difficulty of finding work in this field. This post gave me some ideas on how to move forward and hopefully prevent the same happening in the future. Thank you gen dread and Cass for sharing this.
I wish you all the best, Jack. Taking care of yourself is important. Thinking long term and dosing our efforts will bring us further than burning fast in a bright blaze.
I really appreciate this and the timing of it resonates deeply. I am also self employed and recently had a major medical crisis that isn’t fully resolved yet. Even though I’m a devoted anti capitalist, my internalized capitalism runs deep because I’ve felt a lot of ambient guilt about reducing my workweek, even though I need to for my health. On an intellectual level I realize how extractive modern work practices are, but to actually implement a kinder way of working is extremely difficult.
I hear you on this, Eira. It’s a shock realizing how hard it is to admit that the machine broke down and that we need rest. At the same time, it’s also liberating, because at such cross-roads we get clarity on what is important in life. What are the bare essentials for our survival. And health is always number one.
“Accidental capitalist” brilliant phrase! Thanks for writing about this tricky intersection.
If you listen to your heart and emotional self, witness yourself and take note
then there is hopefully a limit upon 'intense burnout'--you try to live a certain way
and guard against becoming too much like a machine, as machines are not conscious
of what they do. As soon as people achieve some self-consciousness of their activity, they
are no longer machines. Until then there in little inner unity--intellect and movement can
easily run out ahead of feeling, and certainly land you in 'burnout' mode---! alan gibbs in california
So happy you’re looking after yourself, Cass. Needed to hear this one today