I'm one of those people who think in phrases not single words. Also, I can never decide on just one phrase. So, here goes:
- Protecting Democracy Through Community
- Activist innovation (kind of a play on disruptive innovation because we are the "disruptors" for those trying to destroy democracy.)
- Or, as my friend Finale Norton likes to say: "Democracy is more than a word: It's the songs you sing, the dance you do, the rap you say, the book you read, the love you give."
I am fine with the word you use to describe yourself: activist. As in, not sitting on my behind waiting for somebody else to do something. It's not perfect, but works for me. The one thing I'd add is that it is not enough to just act: we are required to deeply explore our reasons for acting, to make sure that what we are doing is truly in the interests of the society we are trying to create. Otherwise, ego too often becomes a driver for our actions. If someone can come up with a word that includes that element of insight (into one's own motivations as well as awareness of what other people perceive as needs), that would be perfect.
I use the word work. I don't get paid, but in every other respect, I consider that it is my job. So conversationally it translates to statements like, "I'm very busy with work," "I work 60+ hours a week," etc. Words like avocation don't seem to do it justice in my mind. One poor guy called it my hobby and lived to regret it, lol. If called upon to describe my work, I say that I am a political organizer.
I thought of myself as an activist in my younger days of marching, protesting and sitting-in and still think so today although my actions shifted to post carding, letter writing, texts and contacting representatives. Things I love about grassroots activism are the variety of ways to participate, the creativity and spirit people bring to their tasks, and the accepting, engaging, lifelong learning community of volunteers who turn out. I am happy that groups are connecting with each other, but caution against too much effort to create alignment, shared mission, or efforts to do strategic planning that inevitably lead to institutionalization...and disengagement. We must embrace the messiness and unpredictability that comes from our grassroots origins to benefit from the innovation and volunteer spirit that make the outcomes so wildly successful.
We are building a juggernaut, defined as a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force or institution. Therefore, we are "juggernauting"! (Also, the majority of us are women.)
I have often thought about what I should call what we do. I call it work, but then wonder if that's right. Those who know me say it sure looks like work. (I still have not been as good as I want to be at finding the joy in what we are doing.) I think of Simon Rosenberg's "Do More, Worry Less" aphorism. I try to keep my head down and keep plowing ahead. Maybe we're Democracy Farmers? Democracy Gardeners? Democracy Tenders? I also think of Jessica Craven's allusion to everyone bringing their own drop of water so that together we form a powerful stream that can carve stone. What we do, we do in community with others, whether we work directly with others or not. We do want we can and trust that others are contributing to the effort. It sure seems like whatever we call what we do, it should have some powerful super hero allusion. "Juggernauting" sounds pretty powerful. I think I may try that out for awhile.
Although I won't outright shun the term Activist to describe who I am and what I do, I find some folks react negatively to it. So I typically refer to what I do as Community Building. But in my heart and mind the metaphor that best fits what I seek to do each day is plant seeds. I look for ways to germinate ideas in the public square and help people connect with others in ways that allow them to sow their own creativity into the fertile ground that is the basis for a democratic and pluralistic way of life.
That said, in an attempt to find just one word that gets closer for me to solving the Vocation vs Avocation question, I think Advocation can fit some of what I understand of the means and ends of how I seek to live my life and how that informs what I do. Per my rusty high school-level grasp of Latin, etymologically speaking the prefix "ad" suggests movement toward, and the verb "vocare" means to call.
In the Christian faith - which I espouse - the concept of Calling is a powerful claim on Christians to live in accordance with what produces the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, kindness, faithfulness, self-control etc.
So I think of advocation as a way of extending a call to others to join our voices in support of a common cause for the common good.
I'm not Christian although I have great respect for many rituals and traditions I've attended to support Christian friends (and family) and that I've attended also out of an abiding curiosity for all paths we bewildered humanity born into unsolvable mysteries and tragedies in progress without benefit of any operators' manuel take to with regard for telling right from wrong in any given situ. Phewwwwwww.....
Having said that the Secret Woyd I'd choose is one that a very formative Professor of Communication I took as a mentor when he visited the school I was attending and chaired a community panel discussion at our invitation returns to regularly in his works. In his work and in his talk and his patient way with Q&A he softly noted the centrality of the off-limits since our 20th Century Cold & Hot Wars over the related word and barely formed concept of communism. That secret word would be Commune as a verb or noun that becomes a root word and Communion as a worthy if perhaps lofty aspiration.
An interesting point! There are certainly a lot of words that could describe it. If ever I’m talking to someone about my political involvement, I suppose I tend to refer to it as “extra curricular activity”! Avocation does seem well suited though.
So that would make us all juggernauters! I feel stronger already.
Grassroots juggernauters ?!?🤣
I'm one of those people who think in phrases not single words. Also, I can never decide on just one phrase. So, here goes:
- Protecting Democracy Through Community
- Activist innovation (kind of a play on disruptive innovation because we are the "disruptors" for those trying to destroy democracy.)
- Or, as my friend Finale Norton likes to say: "Democracy is more than a word: It's the songs you sing, the dance you do, the rap you say, the book you read, the love you give."
I am fine with the word you use to describe yourself: activist. As in, not sitting on my behind waiting for somebody else to do something. It's not perfect, but works for me. The one thing I'd add is that it is not enough to just act: we are required to deeply explore our reasons for acting, to make sure that what we are doing is truly in the interests of the society we are trying to create. Otherwise, ego too often becomes a driver for our actions. If someone can come up with a word that includes that element of insight (into one's own motivations as well as awareness of what other people perceive as needs), that would be perfect.
I would give this 10 hearts if I had that option.
Thank you, Martha. That means a lot to me.
Disciple. Apostle. Democrat. Believer.
I’m partial to “citizen.”
I think of myself as an organizer. I help people from blue areas take effective action to build a government aligned with our values.
I use the word work. I don't get paid, but in every other respect, I consider that it is my job. So conversationally it translates to statements like, "I'm very busy with work," "I work 60+ hours a week," etc. Words like avocation don't seem to do it justice in my mind. One poor guy called it my hobby and lived to regret it, lol. If called upon to describe my work, I say that I am a political organizer.
I thought of myself as an activist in my younger days of marching, protesting and sitting-in and still think so today although my actions shifted to post carding, letter writing, texts and contacting representatives. Things I love about grassroots activism are the variety of ways to participate, the creativity and spirit people bring to their tasks, and the accepting, engaging, lifelong learning community of volunteers who turn out. I am happy that groups are connecting with each other, but caution against too much effort to create alignment, shared mission, or efforts to do strategic planning that inevitably lead to institutionalization...and disengagement. We must embrace the messiness and unpredictability that comes from our grassroots origins to benefit from the innovation and volunteer spirit that make the outcomes so wildly successful.
We are building a juggernaut, defined as a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force or institution. Therefore, we are "juggernauting"! (Also, the majority of us are women.)
Guardian(s)!
I have often thought about what I should call what we do. I call it work, but then wonder if that's right. Those who know me say it sure looks like work. (I still have not been as good as I want to be at finding the joy in what we are doing.) I think of Simon Rosenberg's "Do More, Worry Less" aphorism. I try to keep my head down and keep plowing ahead. Maybe we're Democracy Farmers? Democracy Gardeners? Democracy Tenders? I also think of Jessica Craven's allusion to everyone bringing their own drop of water so that together we form a powerful stream that can carve stone. What we do, we do in community with others, whether we work directly with others or not. We do want we can and trust that others are contributing to the effort. It sure seems like whatever we call what we do, it should have some powerful super hero allusion. "Juggernauting" sounds pretty powerful. I think I may try that out for awhile.
I agree with the term activist/ activism. I describe myself as a full-time activist.
I call myself an “climate actioneer” - maybe that’s because I live in Silicon Valley, lol.
Although I won't outright shun the term Activist to describe who I am and what I do, I find some folks react negatively to it. So I typically refer to what I do as Community Building. But in my heart and mind the metaphor that best fits what I seek to do each day is plant seeds. I look for ways to germinate ideas in the public square and help people connect with others in ways that allow them to sow their own creativity into the fertile ground that is the basis for a democratic and pluralistic way of life.
That said, in an attempt to find just one word that gets closer for me to solving the Vocation vs Avocation question, I think Advocation can fit some of what I understand of the means and ends of how I seek to live my life and how that informs what I do. Per my rusty high school-level grasp of Latin, etymologically speaking the prefix "ad" suggests movement toward, and the verb "vocare" means to call.
In the Christian faith - which I espouse - the concept of Calling is a powerful claim on Christians to live in accordance with what produces the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, kindness, faithfulness, self-control etc.
So I think of advocation as a way of extending a call to others to join our voices in support of a common cause for the common good.
I'm not Christian although I have great respect for many rituals and traditions I've attended to support Christian friends (and family) and that I've attended also out of an abiding curiosity for all paths we bewildered humanity born into unsolvable mysteries and tragedies in progress without benefit of any operators' manuel take to with regard for telling right from wrong in any given situ. Phewwwwwww.....
Having said that the Secret Woyd I'd choose is one that a very formative Professor of Communication I took as a mentor when he visited the school I was attending and chaired a community panel discussion at our invitation returns to regularly in his works. In his work and in his talk and his patient way with Q&A he softly noted the centrality of the off-limits since our 20th Century Cold & Hot Wars over the related word and barely formed concept of communism. That secret word would be Commune as a verb or noun that becomes a root word and Communion as a worthy if perhaps lofty aspiration.
Mitch Ritter\Paradigm Sifters, Code Shifters, PsalmSong Chasers
Lay-Low Studios, Ore-Wa (Refuge of Atonement Seekers)
Media Discussion List\LookseeInnerEarsHearHere
An interesting point! There are certainly a lot of words that could describe it. If ever I’m talking to someone about my political involvement, I suppose I tend to refer to it as “extra curricular activity”! Avocation does seem well suited though.