Activists

Unemployed Keyboard Warriors who wanted to be the part of the change.

The Activist’s Guide to Changing the World (While Avoiding a 9-to-5)

Ah, activism—the noble art of wanting to change the world, one Twitter post at a time, preferably from a cozy basement far from the harsh glare of reality. You know the stereotype: an "activist" without a steady income, a single place to call their own, or perhaps even a functional pair of pants that isn’t sweatpants. Yet, somehow, these self-proclaimed changemakers believe they're society's torchbearers, enlightening the rest of us from their keyboards and protest signs. If only they could figure out how to save themselves from student debt, much less the entire planet.

Free Labor for “The Cause”

Activism is often touted as “free labor for the greater good.” But let’s be honest here: it’s also free labor because, well, it’s unpaid. Our intrepid activists, after all, are too busy changing society to think about pesky things like paying rent or funding their hobbies. Instead, they graciously leave the practicalities of life to their beleaguered parents or supportive friends with real jobs.

Ironically, for people so dedicated to social improvement, activists rarely join the workforce in any form that might actually allow them to contribute. Imagine if these folks brought the same enthusiasm for waving signs and shouting slogans to, say, a company, or even (dare we suggest) a nonprofit that pays its employees. That might involve something too dreadful to contemplate: structure, expectations, and, heaven forbid, deadlines.

มือไม่พายแถมยังเอาเท้าราน้ำ: The Thai Idiom in Action

In Thailand, we have an old saying for this phenomenon: มือไม่พายแถมยังเอาเท้าราน้ำ, which roughly translates to "not only do they refuse to row, but they’re also dragging the ship with their feet." It’s the perfect way to describe our activist friends who refuse to contribute to the economy, yet somehow manage to make waves wherever they go. They’re the person at the back of the boat who refuses to row, convinced that their refusal itself is a form of resistance.

Instead of joining the workforce or contributing to society through traditional means, they’ve positioned themselves as watchdogs, “holding the line” against imaginary tyrannies. But while they’re busy “raising awareness,” it’s those putting in the hours in their day jobs who are actually holding society together, and paying for the internet connection that keeps the activists going.

The Art of Taking Without Giving

In a beautifully paradoxical twist, many activists rail against capitalism while comfortably living off the support of a capitalist system. They criticize “wage slavery” yet live with a level of privilege that allows them to participate in full-time activism without ever needing to, you know, work.

Activists are quick to point fingers at the greed of the wealthy, but when it comes to their own self-sustenance, they’re often the most enthusiastic recipients of financial support. After all, someone has to fund their noble mission, and that someone is usually anyone but themselves. It’s a unique brand of irony: denouncing the system while quietly benefiting from the very structures they claim to dismantle.

Why Not Join the Workforce?

If activists were to dip a toe in the job market, they might learn a few things about how society actually functions. They could experience the highs and lows of productivity, grapple with deadlines, and maybe even gain an appreciation for those they frequently criticize. By contributing to the economy, they’d be able to see firsthand the impact of their efforts and, perhaps, redirect their energy into initiatives with measurable outcomes. But that would mean losing the romantic image of the “struggling activist”—an image that, ironically, many seem to cling to as tightly as any stock portfolio.

For those truly intent on making a difference, the job market provides endless opportunities to influence change. From environmental work to community-based social services, there are plenty of fields where one can be both an activist and a wage-earner. Yet, joining such professions requires commitment, discipline, and a willingness to take responsibility—all qualities that are often at odds with the “free spirit” of modern-day activism.

Conclusion: The Path of Least Resistance

In the end, it’s much easier to critique society than to contribute to it. Activism offers the allure of high-minded moral purpose without the hassle of accountability, the satisfaction of resistance without the grind of personal sacrifice. To be fair, there are activists who truly put in the work and contribute meaningfully. But for every committed activist, there are dozens who’ve taken the easier road: pontificating on society’s failings while comfortably lodged in someone else’s basement, secure in the knowledge that their “awareness-raising” is the highest form of contribution. And if they never get around to fixing society? Well, at least they never had to deal with a paycheck.

Why are activists often unemployed?

Short answer: Conflict of Interest.

Picture this: You’re an up-and-coming marketing specialist for a big corporation—say, the kind that produces *exactly* the kind of single-use plastics your activist friends love to post angry Instagram stories about. By day, you're writing campaigns to sell even more of these shiny, pollutant-laden products, while by night, you’re joining Zoom calls with activists plotting how to convince the world to ditch plastic for good. Sounds like a two-headed snake situation, right?

Now imagine your face accidentally pops up on the news during a local protest about waste reduction. You’ve got your sign, your hoodie, and a lot of righteous anger—totally unrecognizable, you think. Until your manager, sipping his morning coffee, watches the news and raises an eyebrow. “Isn’t that...?” Suddenly, there you are, a proud defender of the environment *and* an employee of a company known for plastic waste. Not the kind of synergy anyone’s looking for.

This is why, for many, the activist life and corporate identity are like oil and water. Publicly aligning with any cause can mean openly challenging the very companies that pay your bills. As soon as you step into the protest line, it’s as if you’re wearing a metaphorical sign that reads: “I’m here to dismantle the same system that signs my paychecks.”

So, many activists simply choose to go all-in for the cause, leaving the corporate world behind in pursuit of freedom from brand loyalty and reputation management. No conflicting interests, no censoring oneself, no balancing act. Just pure, unfiltered activism—where they can critique, protest, and post without worrying that the company Slack channel will be buzzing with their boss's frantic messages about "brand integrity." And for those truly dedicated to “changing the system”? Well, freedom from a job makes it easier to shout at the system without biting the hand that feeds them.