This is something of a reflection article, but since it's content are relevant to my current day activity, one I feel necessary for anyone who has doubts about me.
First off, when I say I no longer consider myself an activist, I mean I no longer consider myself an active participant any any political or social drama. I say that not out of cowardice, I will still take a stand on anything I deem to be a firm moral principle, but when it comes to being on the front lines of drama, I prefer to refrain these days.
Now, I was on the pro-GamerGate side of that little debate back when it was actually relevant. I don't apologize for it, and I don't regret my involvement. I do admit some of the decisions I made then were unwise to some extent, and perhaps I shouldn't have been so naive in some ways, but what's done is done, all I can do is keep those moments in mind for future reference.
I also have taken a step back from drama both on the Internet and real life in general, but mostly because these days, I just don't feel like getting worked up over too much. Politics will continue to be terrible in some way, social causes come and go, but I have only one life to live, and I prefer to spend the majority of that life doing more productive things than hyperventilating about topics that will be irrelevant when I'm dead and gone.
I do have to say another reason I don't wish to be active in those arenas is because, I admit it here, I have been doxed. I've already admitted my real name is Daniel Cullen, and to my knowledge, some people have managed to figure out some details about me beyond that and my date of birth. Some is rather on the mark, some is so hilariously wrong I'm still giggling at the research fail, but whatever, I have no anonymity anymore, no skin off my nose.
Honestly, I figured that was gonna evaporate around the time I confessed my name to the Internet. The fact my anon shield is gone doesn't really make me lose sleep, quite the opposite. Now I won't have to worry some poor soul will be faildoxed as me and harassed by utter psychos who need to quit acting like spastics over internet slapfight nonsense.
That said, that's not a reason why I don't get involved in activism for the most part. I'm not ashamed to put my name on causes I believe in, and if I were to be held at gunpoint and told to recant those causes or die, then I'd just tell whoever was going to shoot me to make sure their weapon was loaded and in proper working order.
However, another actual reason I don't get involved is I don't have the time. I have family I take care of, work I have to do, and I'm not getting any younger and my energy is already not as much as it was in my twenties, and I'm not wasting it on things I don't have to.
For those who are still active in some social and political causes, I do want to give them a thumbs up for gutting it out. Besides, if something is of enough conviction to you that you will expend time and effort advocating for it, then more power to you,whatever the cause may be.
As for me, I'm just taking a step back and letting those with more zeal than me have their fun, my time doing that is generally over.
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