[reaperducer]

Something needs to be done.

The "something" is for normal people to get involved.

Start going to public meetings. Start speaking when public comment is requested. Eventually... maybe... possibly... run for office and take the place of the people you think are making bad decisions.

Yes, the chances are slim. Yes, the process is hard. But as long as people sit around and say things like "something needs to be done," nothing will be done.

There is a framework for change in many countries. But these days too often it's only the fringe who have the time and energy to take advantage of it, while the rest of us make excuses. And, as we see, the fringe are most certainly taking advantage of it.

The whackjobs in office didn't get there by playing video games, whining on social media, and making viral TikTok videos for the lulz.

[pjc50]

There's a lot to be said for this; personally I outsource this by giving money to the Open Rights Group, and encourage people in this thread to do the same. You've got to organize.

> The whackjobs in office didn't get there by playing video games, whining on social media, and making viral TikTok videos for the lulz.

I dunno, we've already seen the first Twitter President, and there's a whole coterie of people who seem to have managed to post their way to prominence out of nothing, usually as a grift and towards suspicious ends. But that's a more than full time job.

In any case, it's more or less useless appealing directly to the Tory politicians backing this stuff. You've got to work through (or against) the media they answer to.

[reaperducer]

personally I outsource this by giving money to the Open Rights Group

Or you could do both, and have double the impact.

I dunno, we've already seen the first Twitter President

Only if by "twitter president" you mean someone who engaged in traditional politics and supplemented with a little bit of online engagement.

He didn't get to be president by sitting in a basement and posting on Twitter. He went outside and met people. He shook hands. He spoke to millions of people at thousands of events. He told people face-to-face what he believed in.

As much as people like to pretend that social media is all powerful, it isn't even remotely close to being the only tool required to assume political office.

it's more or less useless appealing directly to the Tory politicians backing this stuff. You've got to work through (or against) the media they answer to.

This is exactly the sort of defeatist hopelessness excuse that keeps good people out of office. "I'd like things to be different, but I don't think I can make a difference, so I'm not even going to try. Pass the Doritos."

[tacon]

This. Can I contribute to your campaign somehow?

[reaperducer]

Who knows. I moved recently, so I'm still getting a handle on how my new city works.

In previous cities where I've lived, I went to city council meetings semi-regularly. You might be surprised how quickly or how often an idea goes from "some rando speaking into a microphone at a meeting" to "ordinance passed."