I recently read an opinion piece in The Guardian titled “I Study the Resistance Against the Nazis.” It resonated with me for a couple of reasons, as I try to figure out my role and routine in the world nowadays. Part of my now-years-long transition away from being a full-time academic to full-time…um…artist?!

The author, Luke Berryman, uses his analysis of stories of little known people who resisted the Nazis to provide some insight into how people in the US can resist far-right authoritarianism and fascism. He describes how the resistance hasn’t worked well so far, proven by the fact that Donald Trump was elected a second time, even though he made his authoritarian goals and fascist methods quite obvious.

Before I outline Berryman’s critiques and advice, I want to connect them to my internal transition and decisions about my life and work. (I realized I’m writing this essay backwards, but it seems important for you to know this article resonates with me, first.) Seeing and making these connections is both encouraging and slightly embarrassing for me.

Berryman’s insights are encouraging to me because I’ve come to similar critiques through my decades-long study of American pragmatism and Buddhism. Berryman’s article is also encouraging to me because his advice aligns (pulls? nudges?) in a direction that I have been wrestling with whether to go in, particularly as it relates to marketing and sharing my art. That direction is exemplified by my decision to leave Instagram and other social media platforms. And also to take inspiration from folks like Seth Werkheiser and Kening Zhu, who have committed themselves to a slower, more organic, more decentralized, more personal approach to marketing and sharing, as well as art entrepreneurship, by building their own digital worlds, rather than relying on big tech platforms and the advice of content creation influencers.

My taking this personal connection from Berryman’s analysis is a bit embarrassing because it feels disproportionate for me to see my situation and decisions I’m processing as in any way similar to the type of people Berryman uncovered and the situation they resisted. However, it’s only a bit embarrassing because I know that I have the privilege to make resistance more feasible for myself, and I think it’s also a moral obligation. Additionally, as Berryman notes, significant resistance can emerge from the interconnection of ordinary people’s small actions in relatively mundane situations.

So, what are Berryman’s critiques of the majority of the resistance to authoritarianism and fascism in the US? The overarching theme is that resistance is not focused enough on making changes in one’s own life and the sphere it directly affects. Specifically, I noticed these critiques:

1. Performative over practical: Resistance is often performative, rather than practical. It focuses on visible displays (hats, signs, trolling) that get attention but not immediate change, no matter how personal, small, or inconsequential. And when the performative becomes negative or violent, it can directly help MAGA’s cause.
2. Judgmental and mocking: Resistance seems to come with calling out, judging, and mocking actual MAGA supporters and people simply caught up in the disenfranchisement that MAGA has leveraged.
3.  Lack of self-reflection: This belies either a lack of self-reflection or making the change that reflection points to. Change can’t happen without awareness, insight, and following a personal path to change. If everyone who spends energy calling out and mocking others shifts that energy to changing their own views, intentions, speech, actions, and livelihoods, enough other people would be inspired by their path to do the same and manifest the big change that we need.
4. Projection of moral superiority: This lack of insight, lack of personal change, and framing our situations as the fault of others (rather than an outcome of our collective participation or acquiescence in our daily lives or simply universal conditions). It creates a real and perceived holier-than-thou attitude.
5. Not open to reconciliation: Then, just as Trump and MAGA (and others) want, resisters are not open to reconciliation with people caught up in MAGA, and, yes, even those behind MAGA, such as Trump. Outside of conquest, there is no path to peace and equanimity if we aren’t open to embracing everyone who realizes they’ve been deceived or lied to or who made an understandable decision in the face of no obviously good choice (sorry, old guard Democrats)

I don’t see these critiques commonly internalized by people who resist Trump and MAGA, even if they are commonly held or common sense (not saying they are, but guessing some may react to reading those critiques that way). It’s something I’ve tried to embody to varying degrees of success. I often don’t, because I want to fit in with others — yeah, maybe a cop-out, but the desire for social belonging is a well-known driver of behavior. Laying out behavior similar to the critique. I have fallen into each of those five traps, whether intentionally or not. I’m sure Berryman would admit the same. But it’s a matter of degree and intent matters. I have no problem saying I have been trying to move away from those five behaviors that Berryman points out are helping to sustain the momentum of authoritarianism and fascism in the US.

What does Berryman recommend in light of his critiques? He doesn’t make a specific list. Rather, he briefly recounts stories of Nazi resisters he uncovered that exemplifies what he thinks are effective. Maybe he’d make a list of advice like this one:

1. Focus on concrete change over attention: Prioritize improving your life and that of others in measurable ways, no matter how small.
2. Work without fanfare: Don’t worry about slogans, outfits, flags, or even naming your group – just focus on the work itself. Skip the branding and publicity – just focus on the work itself.
3. Build practical support systems: Provide direct, hands-on assistance to those who are currently being harmed.
4. Practice rigorous self-examination: Spend more time scrutinizing your own behavior and privilege than judging your opponents.
5. Maintain shared humanity: Connect with others through empathy and understanding of common struggles and suffering. Find common ground through universal human experiences.
6. Think long-term reconciliation: Prepare and position yourself to welcome and embrace former MAGA organizers, supporters, and adherents when they realize what MAGA is creating. Organize for a future that is better for literally everyone.

Okay, so how am I applying this advice to myself and my work? Or, I guess, more honestly, how is this advice reinforcing directions and decisions I was taking?

I’m trying to redouble my efforts on personal growth, rather than getting involved in campaigns or causes. Many folks will see that as a cop-out or a justification for laziness. But if I imagine a huge proportion of people in the world focus on personal stillness, insight, and growth, I see a much better world—a kind I want to live in. While I support the goals of many campaigns and causes, I’m not convinced that the common attitudes and methods will end the suffering and damage we seek to alleviate—perhaps, as Berryman points out, they might even contribute to the suffering and damage.

I’m stepping away from social media. I’m giving myself permission not to worry about marketing, sales funnels, lead generators, and promotion. I am letting go of thinking about likes and focusing on growing my audience and increasing site visits. (It’s a process, not a destination.) Instead, I’m focusing on creating more and creating more for myself, but in an open and public way. In other words, I’m producing the things that nourish me each day and sharing them on my website for the world to discover. Those few who find it and connect with it will add so much more value to my life and the world I’d like to see than hundreds of likes and comments (okay, tens is more likely).

I suck at building and maintaining community. I’ve put that out there. Now I’m going to let go of that identity. (Don’t worry, I’ll grasp it again and will have to let go again. And again.) I feel unsupported in my life more often than I feel supported. Trying to gain fame, notoriety, prominence, virality, followers, influence—the things I read and we’re told are key to success in business and art—are not things that are going to give me real support or even feel supported. It makes much more sense to spend time and energy building my support systems than worrying about being seen and increasing my numbers (whatever those numbers may be). So I’m focusing more on local connections and community, even if it’s a bit anxiety-inducing for me and seemingly slower (i.e., no stories of instant viral success). An example is my upcoming workshop at Recreational Psychoacoustics Lab—a studio and community that I feel blessed to have discovered (because of my change in priorities).

I do not fucking suck at self-examination. You probably figured that out already. I have memories of deliberate introspection from my early childhood. I’ve asked, read about, and written about the big questions since junior high. I can never go more than a month or two without reading a self-help, philosophy, spirituality, or theoretical book or article. And recently, I’ve become even more focused on and committed to Buddhist teachings and practices. My decades of self-examination don’t make me feel like I’ve done enough; they make me want to do more. And I will.

I think that self-examination helps me to connect with others through empathy and understanding. That might sound in conflict with my thinking that I suck making friends and finding community. But I think (and many Buddhists, too) those are different things. We can empathize and maintain a shared sense of humanity, regardless of who we interact with or how much. It’s similar to the difference between aloneness and loneliness. With empathy and shared humanity, loneliness is unlikely, even when alone. And of course, when you do interact with people, it’s in a deeper, more compassionate way that, like Berryman hopes, that in the long term will counteract the fear, hate, greed, and exploitation.