A few thoughts on this fandom and current events (my opinions)
This is something that has been on my mind for a while. Anyone that knows me has seen that I have been frequently less active in the fandom for a while now and there’s reason behind that. Not only has my life continued to improve and get busier, but I have also been increasingly more active and “radical” in my own social activism and education. This has all led me to being more focused on other things and to having less of an interest in this space in general.
I still like hetalia. It’s corny, but engaging in this fandom has really shaped who I am. It has given me so much personal inspiration and comfort and led me to meeting many amazing people. I don’t plan on leaving the fandom entirely (who can?), but I don’t plan on making a sort of comeback. Of course, I’m not that big in the fandom anyway so it’s not that influential of me to say, but if I can get one message out to the fandom it would be this:
You need to become socially conscious and active in your own community now. It sounds cliche and maybe daunting, and I’m not going to get into the gritty details of why, but if you aren’t already organizing in some way now, you need to as soon as you can.
You can find local chapters and groups to join online through social media or even a quick look through a search engine. Don’t be afraid to shop around or start one. You need to become familiar with and become a part of local organizations and communities because that is all we have. If we are going to make change in any substantial way it is going to be through the power of us as a collective, not sitting by maybe posting a think piece on social media or reposting whatever quotes that come up on our feed we agree with.
You need to get uncomfortable with your place in society because, frankly, if you’re able to take the time and energy to make a post on hetalia you come from a place of privilege (not a bad thing at all). It’s what you DO with that privilege that matters. And of course I’m not saying don’t indulge in your hobbies or what makes you happy, we need that too. Hell, I’m posting this on a hetalia fan account. To tell you to stop being interested in these silly little gay men would be hypocritical. But for the love of everything good, take a bit of that time and effort and put it into some social cause or positive change.
There is a Holocaust happening in the Middle East and human rights violations across the globe playing out in real time, and the powers that be expect us to be complacent in it. It’s easy to do that, and a lot of us do, and you’re not entirely to blame. It’s stressful, scary, and not what we’re made to handle. But if we simply do nothing, in short, what is there to gain?
As Simone De Beauvoir says, “Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay.”
Activism and taking action in your life in whatever way you can isn’t just for societal benefit but for your own self preservation. Do you really want to live in a world like this? Do you really want to continue to suffer from the consequences of others? Are you really going to sit back and let others take your power and the rights you have left from you?
I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t scared or worried or don’t know what to do or say half the time when it comes to this. No one does. But that’s the thing, no one does. We are all connected in that aspect. Together we can figure it out, even if that’s just by reassuring ourselves that we have support.
Please continue to be kind and generous to each other and strive to be better each day.
