Don't You Dare Give Up Now

[@theiabodium]

After rewatching I feel the need to make a clarification about something I said. I mentioned it is foolish to put hope in people "like Kamala Harris" in no way did I mean that as black women, the "like her" was referring to democratic party politicians and leaders. The way I phrased that was weird as hell, and I apologize if it came off as directed towards black women.

[@Disaster-Piece]

I don’t believe it came off as that at all and but I think it’s great that you addressed it anyway, good work! (Also a bit off topic but do you have a social media of some kind can’t remember if I had ever asked before)

[@theiabodium]

Off topic is always welcome, and not currently. When I create my new channel I have been thinking about making a tiktok to post clips from my video essays, or getting other social media, but I don't really use them. I do have a Theiabodium instagram by that same name, I just don't post on it anymore

[@chrisshep7564]

First time viewer. From Detroit, Michigan, one of the blackest cities in the country by population and percentage. The only state with a Palestinian Congresswoman. An all-blue state, in terms of legislative representation. I'm black as hell and gay as fuck. I'm let down every day by the country around me, and this election was unfortunately no different. So many people forget voting locally-voting at all-is better than doing nothing. The options haven't been extremely helpful toward marginalized groups for several elections, but there are always "less incorrect" answers. I watched most of the material you referenced and I'm very proud there are still voices like yours. I'm in disbelief of, but sympathize with, the fatigue with the political landscape; LOTS of people chose not to vote because they weren't well-informed enough, and some even voted directly against their own greater communities. But what they fail to realize is that if we keep fighting, some may fall regardless. But if we stop fighting, we all lose. Not just these racial/gender/sexual minorities, but the United States as a whole. Please, keep up the good work.

[@theiabodium]

Thank you very much, and I'll do my best to keep this kind of stuff up. I very strongly agree, if we give up, then the struggles people are dealing with will keep happening and likely get worse. But if we keep taking every chance we have to fight against it, then even if things dont get better fast, things will still change. And every small amount of progress is still progress. I hope you are doing well, and can stay safe after this election. I am confident rhat many more aggressive trump supporters and hateful people in general will be emboldened by this election, so I'm glad to hear you are in a hopefully safe city for you.

[@Disaster-Piece]

This is all very well put, I am also apart of the crowd that put a lot of hope into voting, when we should all be putting hope and effort into building up our communities and stirring up changes there rather than waiting on miracles. Massive support for you and your future videos! Excited to see that video essay when it comes out as well!

[@theiabodium]

Thank you! And I hope you have been doing well. Im glad to hear from someone who has previously watched the channel. So far, as I predicted, most of the people who I know personally that watch my videos (which is most of my audience) have not been very happy with this video, so it means a lot to hear from you. I also was hopeful, but was also starting to realize thanks to creators like F.D Signifier and Elliot Sang talking about it that either way not much would change, and there are so many more impactful things we can be doing and hoping for.

[@katzhunter3627]

This election season has been a wake up call for many regardless of party. Personally, I feel like I woke up in a world more hostile which means I have to adapt to survive. Together we stand, divided we fall. Commenting to stir the algorithm

[@theiabodium]

I definitely agree, and thank you. I hope you are doing well out there

[@depressed4809]

I'm not American, I have never lived in the US and I have never been to the US also As an outsider and seeing how people in my country react, I don't think any of us is shocked by this outcome. We have expected this, some people even go as far to say that they highly highly doubt that Kamala will win, and it's true based on this election. She didn't. Orange man won. I was one of the person who was sure orange man will win, not because I loved the man (to us he's nothing but a clown entertainer) but because it's just expected like so. Someone even straight up told me that theres no way America will let a woman of color win the election and I agree, it's stupidity to believe that it will happen especially during these time I think America as a nation needs to be more self-aware. Given how the nations have continuously fail its people and the entire world, turning so concerningly backwards despite the protests from many, why is it a shock that THIS MAN won? Why is it a shock that Kamala is swept under the rug? The nation's misogyny, racism and colorism run deep and its even deeper than people realized

[@theiabodium]

Agreed, and we had somewhat of a wake up call when trump won the first time, and yet nothing really changed. So here we are again.

[@stupid_g0th]

First time viewer, as a trans person, I unfortunately saw this coming a mile away. When we started hearing more about project 2025, and how many anti trans bills were being heard and passed I decided to move to a blue state and find a support group there last year. I’ve grieved for this day to come and the days that may be coming. Now that I have a definite answer that my chances of my rights getting taken away and my safety being at stake have spiked now, the grief and fear that I felt for 1-2 years have left my body. Instead I now feel the need to fight back. In my support group, we’re talking about learning to protect ourselves in multiple ways. I’m going to start going to the gym to get absolutely shredded to let out my anger and I know I’ll have a daily reminder of what I’m fighting for. The only thing I regret is that I haven’t learned self defense sooner and I hope it’s not too late for me. For anyone reading this, I hope the best for you. Try to learn to protect yourself. Find community in your town and keep each other close as we will online. May peace be with you

[@theiabodium]

Thank you very much for this comment, I know I needed to hear this. I wish you the best for you as you try to keep yourself safe. Things will get harder, but if we fight back I genuinely believe we can not just survive but enact change to make it safer for people who come after us.

[@AlphabetMafiaShotgunmessenger]

We need now more than ever as humans to be united and not divided, The Right globally always capitalise on division, whether it be Racial, Gender based or economic. We need to educate people on empathy and how to spot misinformation. all of this is just some of what we need to do, we just need to keep trying.

[@theiabodium]

I very much so agree. We're headed into a difficult time but I think we can come together and find ways through it. I hope

[@EstrelaMorta]

first time viewer here, i'm brazilian so kinda distant from the direct issue but yet i want to say that is very brave of you to come foward with your experience and opinions even facing against people in your own life, congratulations in coming out i really really hope everything comes out just well, I can only sense the anxiety it took as a still closeted trans girl, but yeah, keep it up your head is in the right place and the gesture by itself to help the community around you and encouraging others to do the same is already very good and worthwhile. i also thought it was relevant to mention that I really thought that you were exaggerating when said that you know most of your subscribers individually, needless to say I was flabbergasted when saw your subscriber ammount because the quality overrall of your vid was truly professional, keep it up! good luck, never kill or allow your empathy to be killed - kris

[@theiabodium]

Thank you very much, and I hope that when or if you decide to come out it goes well. I know either option, staying closeted or coming out, are both terrifying in there own right. So I wish you the best. I struggle to accept that this video is brave personally, because I've spent so much of my life being apolitical I feel like I'm just making up for lost time as best as I am able, that being said it was also terrifying to make this video, so seeing you say that is very helpful. I hope you are safe out there

[@neonmidnights]

Such a wonderful video and I can't wait to see more from you. Subscriber well earned!

[@theiabodium]

Thank you!

[@sinexus]

What a beautiful video. I'm very grateful this came up on my algorithm. I am not American but this election shook me to my core. I have pages upon pages of writing dedicated to my thoughts on it. As a generation, and especially as young men, we are losing our grasp of empathy, and to see you speak so empathetically brings a tear to my eye. Yes, it is reasonable, as you say, to want to give up hope now. I love how you are validating of these feelings, especially with how candid you are in this video. I am usually an optimistic person. The idea that things will work out because they have to is something I have to live by. It's a privileged outlook to have from someone who hasn't lived a privileged life. The Trump victory was the first thing in years that made this outlook wain. It's very hard to be optimistic right now. But maybe hope isn't about optimism anymore, maybe it's about continuing to act even when optimism fails us. Thank you for making this video. I don't believe in failure, really. It's okay to feel like giving up. That's not a moral failing. We don't have to be strong. But we have to stay alive, and stay together. We are all that we have. The individualism that comes with capitalism is extremely corrupting to the social and community structures that us minority groups rely on. We can't lose faith now. Don't we dare give up now.

[@theiabodium]

Your comment is beautiful as well. I dont remember who described it this way, but I heard optimism described as an unfounded assumption that things will be okay, and of course pessimism is the opposite, but hope is imagining a better future, even if you aren't optimistic of what is to come. As Dr. Fatima talked about in her video essay, "A Practical Guide to Systemic Change" (I highly recommend), it may feel foolish to imagine a better world, such as a world without capitalism, when it feels impossible to get there. But getting there is a slow, step by step process, and we cannot stick to it and keep trying if we cannot also foolishly imagine the world we want to make. And that perspective of hope doesn't sound foolish at all to me.

[@WarpPotato]

So it boils down to "We need to hold out for 4 years and next election we'll get them". Good job America, have you heard what insanity is? What a pathetic privileged position you all have to not look into economy and be only about identity. All that talking about empathy and no empathy for broken workers. Disgusting

[@theiabodium]

The point I was trying to makebwas quite the opposite, waiting forbthe nexr election, and doing nothing in between elections, is not and never has been enough. However the focus of this video was, a lot of people feel like shit after this election, so lets all touch base for a moment and check on eachother while we start to organize to do things that will help people, including people suffering due to terrible work conditions and classism. I did fail to discuss classism in this video however. America as a whole is indeed privileged, and identity does matter, because issues of race, gender, gender queerness, and disability all cause many people to have less privilege than others, and makes the issues of poor working environments even worse for those people. Economic disparity is very much so on the mind of marginalized people