Ask HN: What can we do to support change in the US with our skillset? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: What can we do to support change in the US with our skillset?

3 pointsNotAnOtter5 comments

At this point I'm convinced we're headed towards more extreme humanitarian crimes. I already consider the current administration's posturing on Climate Change to be humanitarian & ecological terrorism (from both parties; but of course, emphasis on the GOP). I also believe we are headed towards a genocide against hispanic & trans people, the only variable is to what extent.

I don't care much to debate these facts & predictions; I will if you want, but this isn't really the forum for that conversation. What I'm here to ask is what to do about it. I'm willing to go stand in the rain and protest but I feel like there should be something more productive I can do as an engineer. Charity projects? Making data more accessible somehow? Or easily digestible? Any ideas? Fact checking systems?

Anything?

[In addition to all the cool ideas...]

I love this quote from The Hobbit: "...it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love."

In today’s world, those with technical knowledge have an edge over others. One of the most significant things we can do on a personal level is to resist contributing to harmful changes driven by greed. And that doesn’t require the hurdle of alignments, just an internal shift.

https://runforsomething.net/

Find office you're interested in running for and run for it. Code is of less leverage than votes and being in positions with control and authority in these matters.

One example is something like this: https://trumptracker.github.io/

I'm hoping for things more impactful than yet another dashboard but something is better than nothing

Seriously: stop watching the news. Love the people close to you deeply, take care of your neighbors. Anything beyond that and you risk becoming a pawn in struggles beyond your control.

I agree this is the best route for my own personal happiness. But I'm just not really willing to be complacent anymore

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