From What I've Learned, None of You Make Sense.

So, a few things before we begin:

1) Yes, it has been forever and a day since I've written anything. Apologies. I've been work's bitch.
2) To add to my first note, I've been work's bitch because I've adored my job for the most part. You'll be hearing more about that later.
3) Potatoes.

Now then, on to the fun conversation! Today's lecture will be on how I don't understand why we only do shit when it's easy or convenient.

I've been working as a canvasser on behalf of a nonprofit organization for the past two months or so, and what I've learned is this: people would much rather walk into a store and buy the same damn thing they're wearing than spend two minutes to hear about an issue that could potentially change a life. Even worse, they'll sign their name on any damn petition that is shoved in their face, but the second it takes more effort than scratching a pen around on a dotted line, they play the "let's see how far I can get my nose up in the air" game and walk away. (Side note: I'm not impressed by you. Not one bit)

Please hear me out. I come from no high horse. I see the issue in myself all the time. We as Americans are all conditioned to feel better when we buy things, so clearly I am guilty (because trust me, I have bought two types of the same shirt and justified the purchase by saying they were different colors. Sad). Therefore, I feel the twinge and the urge to walk away from complicated or intense thought-provoking issues in order to "enjoy the little things" like buying a six dollar coffee or purchasing a wallet in which I will keep what little I have left to my name.

However, a change has come around. I took my two minutes. I heard someone out. And now? I'm fucking furious with copious amounts of people.

I call out to (on an average day) hundreds of people. A small percentage of those people stop, and an even smaller number stick around to hear me out. Perhaps a gigantic reason for this is because you were taught from day one on this rock to not talk to strangers. Fair enough. However, it is not your fear of me collecting your blood or shoving you into a van that keeps you from stopping, because lord knows that when you pass the age of five it is a well understood fact that no canvasser is going to try to do that. No, no. What you're afraid of is losing your two minutes, your shirts, your coffee, or any other number of things you "need." Let me clarify for you a few things me (and most of my fellow canvassers) keep in mind on a day to day basis:

1) I get it. You have stuff to do. If you are REALLY TOO BUSY, a simple "no, thank you" will suffice. Saying snippy comments, spitting, telling a joke about our cause, screaming, holding your finger in our face, "calling" your boyfriend or laughing does not make you clever or unique in our eyes. Remember those hundreds of people I mentioned? Well, you "clever" people get pretty repetitive.

2) If you stop and are not interested in any way because the cause does not appeal to you, then thank you for your time. I will not under any circumstances try to take your money, because money as a result of coercion doesn't get a movement going. Quite frankly, it just makes us look like congress (And we all LOVE congress , right?)

3) I will not trick you, kiss your ass, or attempt to appeal to your character. If you took time to listen to what I have to say, then I'll thank you kindly. If you choose to get involved, awesome! Let's get you involved at a level you can manage and feel good about. No amount of yes-man efforts should get you to care about an issue. Either you do and you immerse yourself in the effort, or you don't and you move on.

4) We are humans. I feel as if this one shouldn't be necessary, but boy oh boy do some people adore testing this theory. We're perfectly nice human beings. Trust me, I've worked with some of the greatest individuals I've ever met. That being the case, you don't have to be mean. We can take it for the most part, but don't make it a daily habit to take out your personal frustrations on us while we're working. We don't do it to you, so don't hesitate to return the favor.

Phew! I'm hoping you're still with me on this, because I swear I'm getting somewhere. Now that we've tackled some major issues canvassers usually face, let's discuss the other reason why a lot of people choose not to do something with their time:
They just don't care.

Sorry to be blunt, but let's face it: it's just so easy in the US to buy a whole bunch of stuff and ignore the long-term issues. It's why a lot of you don't vote. It's why a lot of you don't read newspapers anymore. It's why you leave the news on as background noise. No amount of effort is convenient when it comes to problems within the government, nonprofits asking for some help, or a thorough opinion on which pieces of legislation should be passed or dumped.

Your first alternative is to look for an out. You simply find the easiest solution to the little problem named Guilt in the back of your brain. For a lot of Americans, it's Facebook. Americans LOVE "liking" shit, myself included. Be that as it may, I have awful news. You liking a Facebook page doesn't do a damn thing. It does not save a child's life. It doesn't change a harmful policy. It doesn't give an animal in danger a safe place to live. No. It simply gives you the satisfaction of liking something that someone else is doing. This kind of sucks in retrospect, doesn't it? I mean, you put all of that effort into stumbling upon a page with an amazing idea, liking it, and watching someone ELSE ultimately get the credit for the change (please tell me you found the sarcasm). True, you may be a bit more informed than  you were before, but ultimately unless you really give any one of the fucks in your pocket, it won't do a single thing.

Your other out? Your signature. I tell you truth when I say that I adore petitions, movements, and anything that presents an alternative to the issue at hand. More power to you if you can really get a movement going. The petition is not the issue. The issue (again, sorry) is most of you throwing your name around. This is not an assumption. Day after day, I speak with people who will sign ANYTHING. Literally anything. So long as it takes only twelve seconds, you're game. This is a shameful fact that makes me go home and bang my head against the wall for a solid two minutes after work. Lord forbid you read up on it, or ask me what the details are for the alleged petition. Your swift signature is no form of change. This is detrimental to any effort, because ultimately you will take no further step to follow up on it.

Your final out comes in the form of the average Americans most-loved possession: buckets and buckets of stuff. Shirts, shoes, and the latest iPhone will solve all problems! I can't tell you how many days I'm told that people can't give to an organization because of a lack of funds WHILE HOLDING over $1000 worth of stuff on their person. Once again, you are not clever. I see you. If you don't give a damn like I suggested before, then walk away. But do not sit there and tell me you can't help an organization you hold near and dear to your heat because you can't afford it. Is money the only way to help? Of course not! But let's get real: You're not about to slap on a vest and stand next to me. There's no point in lying. Feel free to leave and go buy something to get over fibbing to me. It won't work, silly.

What I can tell you is that your three short-term solutions are simply that: short-term. Your complacency  and/or apathy will get you nowhere. What will?

Action.

Get up and try something new today. Assist in any way you can. While the organization I stand for may not be one you roll with, you can still take something away from this post. I'm asking you to simply give a damn. So, give a damn. You have to have faith in something, right? Something must make you angry, happy, etc. Well, here's the truth of the matter: Anyone can believe that something is right, wrong, moral, immoral, and so on. Making "witty" comments, arguing for the hell of it, or simply following a set of posts about an issue doesn't reaffirm your belief. It takes a true superhero to ACT on that belief's behalf. So, throw on your cape and do something a little harder than your day-to-day. Take a step outside of the ordinary. Prove me wrong.