R3G3N3R8

Category: Behind The Scenes

These blog posts discuss our group. Inspiration, direction, behind the scenes looks of what we are doing and why. How it’s going. Any wins, learning moments etc.

  • How To Combat Alienation (Take Back What Is Yours)

    How To Combat Alienation (Take Back What Is Yours)

    Every morning, before I head into the requisite eight hours of alienated labor, I try to carve out time to focus on something that actually matters. For the past year, I’ve been nursing this idea, unsure of what to do with it. What finally made me act was a deep, gut-level pain I felt for all of us—our collective “we”—as I watched the inauguration. The presence of billionaires at the forefront of our nation’s leadership underscored how money, more than anything, seems to dictate power.

    It’s hard to ignore a few simple truths most of us can agree on:

    1. There’s way too much money in politics, and it’s concentrated in the hands of a few.
    2. Greed is destroying the planet, turning its gifts into poisoned trash heaps.

    These two things have been eating away at the collective We The People. First, our labor was extracted from us and now it is our attention.

    Sign we all bleed the same color

    Recently, things hit a new level of creepy. I saw ads on youtube for a medical condition my doctor had just diagnosed me with—something I hadn’t written about or shared with anyone except my husband.

    Yesterday, after talking to a kitchen designer about pull-out trash bins, my husband started seeing posts for them an hour later.

    That was my breaking point. I decided to take back a little control. Here’s what I’ve done so far:

    1. Deleted social media apps from my phone. I’ll only use them on my computer now.
    2. Switched to ProtonMail and started using the Brave browser instead of Google.
    3. Locked down my phone settings: Siri is off, and location tracking is set to “only with permission.”
    4. Turned off every single alert except for Calendar & Texts/Calls from my favorites list. And, unfortunately had to leave Slack because of the alienated labor thing.

    What Can We Do????

    I just heard this episode on VOX about the global birthrate declining. I’d have guessed the cost of having a baby is enough to put anyone off, especially with inflation and the cost of living going up so that you have to have two employed parents., Conservatives think it’s because women are in the workforce. But, the researcher believes it has way more to do with people not meeting up anymore IRL. We’re all in our little digital holes.

    Then, a few minutes later on the same radio station I heard this woman laughing about how she used to be embarrassed for always canceling plans last minute, until she realized everyone was secretly grateful when someone bailed. She joked that people would probably wonder if she was going to flake on her own funeral. Everyone agreed. I agreed. I’m glad when someone cancels so I can stay home and what? Watch another episode of something? Not get dressed?

    After COVID, it’s just harder. Harder to leave the house. Harder to commit to anything that requires going outside. But apparently kids aren’t falling in love. They’re not building lives. They’re not having kids. And no, I’m not saying everyone needs to be popping out babies—but I am saying this level of disconnection is probably good for the planet?

    So yeah, I decided to do something I really don’t want to do. I’m going to fight for something with others—in my own community. I can be part of something that feels alive, not virtual, not scrollable.

    I’ve come to believe that the single most important thing we can do right now is look each other in the eye and make eye contact.

    Honestly? That feels like a revolution right now.

    Photo by Anna Tarazevich

  • The Power of Peaceful Protest

    The Power of Peaceful Protest

    Ever feel like no matter how much protesting you are doing, no one is listening? Ah, the sweet irony of peaceful protests—like knitting a cozy blanket while the world’s on fire. But this here blanket is made to smother the fires and you may not think anything is happening when you protest, but it makes all the difference.

    Historical Examples

    When it comes to peaceful protests, two shining examples stand out: Gandhi’s independence movement in India and the American civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. Gandhi, with his unwavering leadership spun a movement that unshackled India from British rule. His quiet resolve was mightier than the sword, demonstrating the sheer power of peaceful resistance. Similarly, Martin Luther King Jr. shared his dream, marched, spoke and led a movement that dismantled segregation and galvanized civil rights in America. 

    Why Nonviolence Works

    Nonviolence Works Because It’s Harder to Justify Repression

    Governments and institutions rely on public perception. When a regime cracks down on violent protestors, they can justify it as “restoring order.” But when they attack nonviolent protestors, it often backfires, creating public outrage and shifting support toward the protestors.

    Examples:

    • The Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. – The brutal response to peaceful marchers in Selma was televised, shocking the public and increasing support for voting rights.
    • India’s Independence Movement – British soldiers beating peaceful protestors made British rule look oppressive and unjustifiable.
    • Arab Spring (some cases) – Early nonviolent resistance in Tunisia gained massive international support, whereas later violent uprisings in places like Syria led to prolonged conflict instead of change.

    When nonviolent activists don’t give their opponents a reason to justify repression, it makes it much harder for authorities to legitimately use force without public backlash.

    Nonviolence is a Strategic Disruption Tool

    Nonviolent resistance isn’t just about “looking good.” It’s a tactical method for disrupting power structures in a way that’s hard to suppress.

    • Mass strikes shut down economies.
    • Boycotts deprive corporations of revenue.
    • Sit-ins and blockades create logistical nightmares for governments.

    This forces those in power to negotiate because nonviolent resistance creates real-world consequences without escalating into a battle they can crush with superior firepower.

    Example:

    • South African anti-apartheid boycotts – Economic sanctions and internal boycotts weakened the apartheid regime without armed rebellion.

    Nonviolence works because it’s an effective way to apply pressure, not just because it’s morally righteous.

    Nonviolence Makes It Easier to Build a Diverse Movement

    A violent revolution tends to attract young, physically capable fighters willing to risk their lives. A nonviolent movement, however, can involve everyone—children, the elderly, religious leaders, business owners, and people who would otherwise never pick up a weapon.

    A diverse movement is stronger because:

    • It’s harder to dismiss as “just radicals.”
    • It makes the cause more relatable to the general population.
    • It spreads more easily because more people can participate without fear of immediate violence.

    Examples:

    • Women and children in Gandhi’s protests – The presence of families softened public perception and made British crackdowns look even worse.
    • Montgomery Bus Boycott – Black communities were able to nonviolently cripple an entire industry by simply refusing to participate in it.

    A nonviolent movement has a much larger potential base of support than an armed uprising, which often alienates moderates.

    Nonviolent Movements Tend to Have More Sustainable Victories

    History has shown that violent revolutions often replace one form of oppression with another. Nonviolent movements, however, are more likely to result in lasting, democratic change.

    A famous study by Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan found that nonviolent campaigns are twice as likely to succeed as violent ones—and they tend to create more stable post-revolution governments.

    Why?

    • When a revolution is won through violence, the leaders are usually the ones who were best at fighting—not necessarily the best at governing.
    • Nonviolent movements require organization and coalition-building, which makes democratic governance easier after victory.