Obviously not the government. That is a given especially now that we see how unethical those in power truly are, but this post is meant to address the level of distrust that reaches far beyond elected officials.
There’s not many people, organizations, or groups to trust. Reserve your energy and refrain from loyalty to any group or person unless time has shown them to be consistent in their actions. Words and actions should match. Just that necessity for trust is extremely difficult to find in anyone these days. What is alarming is when you confront someone with their inconsistencies and their response is to attack and deflect. That is enough of an answer to show that this person or group was not what they say they were.
This doesn’t mean to give up on hope, or in people, just know that no group, person, or entity is above critique or scrutiny and should be held to account if they aren’t who or what they pose as. There are genuine people and groups that do make a difference, but the difficulty is finding the ones who are earnest about their actions. In actuality, trustworthy people and organizations are hard to find, but you will find them through your perseverance and what you stand for.
Have I been deceived? Yes, I have. I’m always hopeful when I discover a person or organizations that seems to be a champion for the people or nature, but it does not always end in me becoming a supporter of that person or group because I have learned a lot of these people and organizations don’t actually do anything.
With the sheer number of environmental groups and human rights groups, along with individuals who are engaged in advocacy for both, you would think that this world would be different. It should, but it is not because a lot of these people and organizations don’t take any meaningful action. A lot of people and groups simply want the attention or the optics that they appear to care and that is sufficient for them, but for me it is not. If you’re going to say you stand for change then I want to see you go out and do something to enact change, otherwise I will walk away disappointed in believing and wasting my time waiting to see that promised change come to nothing.
Just the other day someone put out a general warning about a major organization and my heart fell. They were right in sending out that warning and I appreciate their information and perspective. What this person warned about is what a lot of these big organizations often do- they accept money from the antagonists that they are advocating against and they make major compromises in legislation that waters down any positive change that could be made. It ends up benefiting the antagonist because now it seems like they worked with those advocating for change, and the end result is nothing in the way or progress or protections for people or our planet.
If you want to join an organization, my biggest suggestion is to go to meetings and feel it out. If you’re not asked to do anything, and all they want is money, you’re involved in a scheme and nothing more. Sadly, a majority of groups fall under this category. I would rather hand my money directly to those who need it than to a group that stands around and does nothing to improve things.
So what do we do to help make progress? Do the work yourself. In time you will find individuals and organizations that are aligned with what you are advocating for.
Be warned, some of these groups will try to use your own individual work as a way to claim it as theirs.
For me, instead of joining a huge environmental organization, I plan on donating my time and energy to local reserves to assist in the removal of invasive species and help with their preservation campaigns. I’m working on rewilding my yard, and working on ways to extend that into my community.
Talk to the active groups in the areas you are interested in and work together to write initiatives in your state to protect, help, or change.
Find the people who do meaningful work for this world and humanity. They are out there and hard to find, but they do exist. It’s easier to find the people who talk about it versus the people who are actively making progress because those individuals and organizations are busy taking action.
Keep your hope and fight alive. Give yourself time to find organizations, groups, and people that do take action and are more than just noble words and sentiments. Don’t give any individual or organization your money unless you see direct action from them.
Protest
Vote 3rd party
Boycott
Disrupt everything
BE UNGOVERNABLE
Please extend your time and energy to countries and people facing atrocities and genocide- Palestine, Sudan, Congo, West Papua, the Rohingyas, Armenians, and the Uyghurs.