Depending on your perspective and your environment, there might be a hopeless amount of bad things going on. Things like war, potential war, increasing income disparity, fascism, capitalism, big tech taking over, AI bubble, etc. etc… So how does one pull out someone who is exposed to an unhealthy amount of negativity like this, and motivate them to work towards something positive that is within their sphere of influence?
Myself, I think I’m gifted/cursed with stubbornness: I refuse to back down just because there is a huge statistic showing we’re f#@ked, when I know there are things I can do to counteract the negative situations. Every little bit helps, everything from providing free educational support for individuals (counteracts ignorance), to tending to my garden (counteracts climate change), and buying the slightly more expensive local products in the store as long as I can afford it (counteracts monopolies).
There are plenty more small things, but the ultimate question I’ve had on my mind for a long time, is simply how to make others think like me? I am a happy individual despite my small sphere of influence in this world, and I wish for others to have that same happiness.
P.S.
If you, or someone you know, would like to discuss mindsets and how to approach the world with determination, my DMs are open.
There are some people that low hanging fruits and are much more prone to change. These will be the ones who already agree with some basic aspect of the view your trying to show them. For example, say you’re trying to show people veganism is the way to go. Then you try to outreach people who agree with the pillar of the idea: needlessly exploiting animals is wrong. If the person disagrees with the cornerstone of the idea you’re trying to instill, is worthless to continue the conversation. There will be plenty more agreeable people.
Investing your time on these targets will make much easier to change the Overton window and from there, with enough activists, some sort of snowball effect should start occurring. Like the civil rights movement or the suffragists in the US.