I think activists who become popular often have a "dark path" choice to make.

1. Care about stuff, maybe because it happens to you or people like you, or maybe just because you care about stuff
2. Communicate your caring in posts, podcasts, articles, book, speaking events, or whatever
3. Your communication resonates with a lot of people so you do it more
5. Now you can't pay rent without money from your communication activism so all your communications include a plea for audience members to pay for your communications

I am not saying #5 is bad (I contribute to a few). I'm saying this is a thing that happens, and it can potentially corrupt the activism. Just like literally anything else, when you get money for doing something there will always be motivation to do the thing primarily for the money.

I think some of the "best" popular activists have managed to at least partially insulate the content of their communications from the money motive, somehow. I also think I've seen several people shift into something like "faith healer" or "quasi cult leader" mode because of the money.

#vaguepost #activism #money #cycle #capitalism

@DamonCrowley No question this is extremely interesting and Calhoun sounds like a brilliant person.

However

"a chilling mirror for human society"

There's a good jump from mouse social behavior to human social behavior. A lot of work would be needed to make those connections.

"a warning that even abundance cannot save us if connection, purpose, and balance are lost."

I didn't notice connection, purpose, or balance being assessed in the description so far. As written, it seems that abundance led to the collapse, though without a control group etc. it's hard to know if that was the key factor.