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[Toast]

what are good ways to help the world and meet like minded people? the local punk scene is just a place to get drunk, at least in my experience

[pronetoaccidents]

save a kitten in a tree

[BlakeK]

Depending on the band, you could talk to band members about organizations they support instead of trying to depend on audience members.

As far as your community goes, I think it would be productive to figure out exactly what one or two issues are most important to you. "Doing something" is very broad and it is hard to get anywhere unless you narrow it down. I'm sure an online search for groups pertaining to your interest will lead you to a meeting or at least a phone number to find out how you can help.

As I've gotten older, gotten a career, and started a family, I feel like I don't have time to do anything other then work and family related stuff. I'm glad I have a job where I get to help a wide variety of people. I feel like that's a small contribution to helping my community. I also feel like raising children with certain values is also beneficial. While I don't feel useless, I would like to do more. There's a youth group for LGBTQ kids called Prism where I'd like to offer my help and support.

What do you feel most passionate about?

[comet]

- first: deconstruct yourself (socialization, gender, influence that capitalism has had on your thoughts, patriarchy, white supremacy culture, internalized homophobia, etc)
- get mad at the injustice. fucken MAD
- let the anger fuel your actions (cuz no revolution ever happened without people who were angry)
- be the change you want to see in the world
- make a zine and trade with zinesters in the mail


the only thing we have total control over changing in this world is our own selves. The world can be "helped" when we first heal/educate ourselves from however we've been indoctrinated/socialized/lied to by our toxic culture. so working on oneself is always a good step if you want to participate in building a positive society.
There is way more activism to be done in your local community than you think (does the high school still have a racist "indian" mascot logo? is there a safe sober place where kids can hang out? Is there a weekly queer meet-up?) If you start organizing on an issue in your town, you might eventually meet people who are thinking the same thing. and they might be way older or with different class backgrounds than you
Networking is important. Go to the closest anarchist bookfair with your new zine and give it to everyone and make trades. Writing to zinesters is a great way to make connections with people, even if they live far away.

If the punks are just getting drunk, fuck em and fuck punk. Networking on social justice issues happens across all kinds of backgrounds of people, so you might find an ally where you least expect it (like the library, perpahs?)

[pronetoaccidents]

i need to do more to help myself before i can be of any use to the world.

i think. might be wrong but that's what therapists and the likes usually say whenever i mention how i want to help someone..

[BlakeK]

i need to do more to help myself before i can be of any use to the world.

i think. might be wrong but that's what therapists and the likes usually say whenever i mention how i want to help someone..

Something like that only said more positively. I know you can help people and not address your needs. The problem is you will never get better if you spend all of your time helping others and not yourself. Eventually you will get to the point where you cannot help anyone due to feeling so overwhelmed by trying to meet everyone else's needs while struggling to meet your own.