Beyond Political Labels: An Era of Real Action
Action-Based Activism. Not Label-Obsessed Cults
The past couple of decades have seen online anti-kyriarchy factions divide themselves into various political categories, some of which are: leftists, anarchists, Marxists, and (perhaps a less flattering term) social justice warriors. Most of their activity is restricted to online platforms, and involve repetitive, predictable and impuissant (to those with real political or economic power) interactions. These people self-identity as members of the left or far left due to the political ideology and beliefs they claim to align with.
Once they’ve settled into their self-appointed identities, they usually spend their days affirming their self-asserted and cult-reinforced political rhetoric with others. This occurs in established online spaces shared by those who agree that they detest oppression, white supremacy, the patriarchy, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and other forms of systemic oppression. Their daily schedules hold very little variety: each day typically involves folks sharing posts such as: memes expressing an accepted (among leftists) political statement about capitalism being evil, a screenshot of someone complaining about men and their roguery or follies, or perhaps a two sentence post written by someone reminding us that all cops are bastards. While collective reassurance that others share these convictions is important, I think we should evolve past this rudimentary stage of political engagement to something more effective. We are in a time of much needed action and community building.
I have witnessed social justice warriors mull over what label to associate with. Should they be a feminist? A leftist? Everyone shudders at being called a liberal! It might be more offensive than being called a moderate. In 2024, I think of what good it does for someone to self-label as a “radical” while sacrificing nothing and taking virtually no risks. There is nothing radical about someone sitting comfortably at home while hiding behind a computer screen, flinging diatribes at a stranger who didn’t read the cyber-bully’s mind so they could know what they said was problematic.
What will matter more, and what could potentially even save lives, is folks easing off of self-labeling and focusing their energy and efforts on well-planned and meaningful actions. We will need a society of radicals and leftists who actually live their politics and become more like the people who helped shape radicalism. It does activism no good for any person to call themselves a radical and proceed to commit zero radical acts. Bantering about throwing a Molotov cocktail is an empty remark if the speaker has never thrown one. There is little menace or constituent force if one balefully brings up guillotines and billionaires in the same sentence. Malcolm X was an actual radical who earned the designation of radical. He made the ultimate sacrifice and lived a courageous, authentic and noble life.
Michael Collins had a bounty on his head and spent time in Sligo Jail. At one point when he was on the run, he slept in a different bed every night to evade capture. He was audacious, crafty, wily, brilliant, and dedicated to seeing Ireland shift away from British imperialism in his lifetime. He was assassinated at 31 years of age. I cannot imagine any social justice warrior deserving to be placed in the same tenacity bracket as these remarkable men.
What matters most of all is what these authentic radicals did for their communities, and ultimately, for marginalized people everywhere. They taught us how to resist and stay true to the cause. They taught us that things worth fighting for carry a price that someone must pay. They showed us how to be brave, how to live with integrity and honor. Their dedication, commitment and everlasting legacies are infinitely more valuable than any self-proclaimed leftist care-reacting a social media post or sharing a meme.
We will never get free if people don’t focus on what they can do instead of what to call themselves and others. Society and its infrastructure are crumbling. The sea levels are rising, the planet is warming faster and faster. Wars are ruining nations and destroying lives. People cannot afford housing, groceries, and medicine. All of these catastrophic events need solutions. They also need minds and hearts willing to radically change so that we can evolve into people who offer productive and applicable initiatives. Perhaps then we can finally get things done. We must start somewhere. Start with yourself. If you are a radical or a leftist, ask yourself when was the last time you sacrificed anything for your politics? If someone paid a steep price for upholding far-left politics…was it you?
© Christina Zamir 2024
Christina Zamir is a writer and mental health advocate based in NYC. Her eclectic and personal writing can be perused at Writer in Reverie. Her other ventures include content creating at First Sky Studios and soapmaking at Duchess of Soapshire. You can subscribe to her future published works here.
