Can you be apolitical in 2020?
In this month's free newsletter, we talk about toxic positivity and apoliticism in an increasingly political world.
It's been a crazy year, folks. A pandemic that brought the world to a halt, countless racial injustices, wildfires, heatwaves. It's almost impossible to have a conversation these days without politics coming up. Social media is being used as a tool to spread awareness, with educational slides replacing the traditional millennial pink aesthetic of Instagram.
Influencers and brands are now expected to take a political stand and speak out against the injustice which marginalised people, in particular, experience disproportionately. After 2020, will it be possible for anyone to opt out of politics?
Last week, the CEO of a crypto startup called Coinbase shared this - a manifesto on why the company won't be allowing political discussions or employee activism. Employees won't be allowed to "debate causes or political candidates that are unrelated to work" or "expect the company to represent our personal beliefs externally". Any employee that disagrees with the new policy will be offered a severance package.
Coinbase has essentially branded itself as apolitical. They say they are "committed to making Coinbase a place that creates incredible job opportunities and a welcoming environment for people of every age, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.". But this is an oxymoron - it's not actually possible to be both apolitical and welcoming of all backgrounds.
Apoliticism implies acceptance of the system that oppresses people of different races, genders and sexual orientations. The experience of a marginalised person is inherently political - most have had to fight for the mere right to exist, or to be granted the same basic human rights as everyone else. Silencing their voices is a surefire way to make sure Coinbase’s employee base is left majority male and white - it’s not far fetched to conclude that this is Coinbase’s intention.
Apoliticism is not neutrality, it's apathy. Being political is not easy, but the alternative - turning a blind eye to oppression - is much worse.
How can you be “neutral” in a world where coronavirus is 4x as likely to kill black people? How can you be “unbiased” when Hispanic, Asian and Black communities in the US are more likely to die from air pollution than white people? How can you be “indifferent” when those who contribute the least to climate change will suffer the most from its effects?
Neutrality in situations of injustice means choosing the side of the oppressor - it means being happy with the system, which in its current state, only serves to benefit the most privileged.
Toxic positivity and apoliticism go hand in hand. Buzzfeed recently wrote a great piece: “The Era Of Influencers Being Apolitical Online Is Over”. In a prime example of how toxic positivity and apoliticism are linked, the creator of “Skinny Confidential” recently shut down her Facebook group after the death of RBG, claiming she wanted to “try and keep a POSITIVE space,” after forbidding members from talking about politics.
Like apoliticism, toxic positivity encourages silence and an acceptance of the status quo, as well as unfairly asking the marginalised to suppress normal emotions in response to injustice and struggle.
Sorry influencers, but it’s time to acknowledge that not everyone has the luxury to look away or ignore bad news. No more ~positive vibes only~ in 2020.
No more good vibes only in 2020. Photo by Victor Garcia on Unsplash
Politics is everywhere, whether we like it or not! It determines everything - from what kind of food is available in supermarkets and how much you pay when you go to the doctor, to how heavily policed your neighborhood is, or how polluted the water is that comes out of your tap. It's even more important now for the privileged to be political and to amplify the voices of the traditionally unheard. Now more than ever, the future of our species depends on it.
What we’re….
…skimming: Should you save for a future that may not exist? 🔥
…reading: Climate Justice: A Man-Made Problem With a Feminist Solution by Mary Robinson is a great place to start if you want to understand climate change from the lens of those who will be the worst affected by it. 😔
…listening to: The 100% Solution to Climate Change to give you a bit of hope that the solutions to fix climate change are all there - we just need a bit of resolve.
…watching: The Social Dilemma which exposes the addictive and divisive dangers of social media, and Facebook’s response.
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