How dogs inspire us to be politically active in our everyday lives
Our dogs are many things. They are our best friends. They are our stinky sidekicks. They are a reason to get outside and move our bodies. They are a friend to keep us company. They are a space heater when it’s cold out.
They’re also our inspiration for being politically active, whether we know it or not.
VALUES
Dogs help strengthen our values by mirroring and teaching core principles like empathy, responsibility, and living in the present moment. They can be hyperaware of what is happening at any given moment. Sometimes they come over to you if you’re crying or stressed. Sometimes they embody an emotion we’re feeling. And, sometimes they feel like they need to perform a certain role depending on the emotion. Whatever it is, they teach us the value of living in the moment, reading the room, and acting with empathy. Without these three aspects, political activism can feel like an uphill battle.
O-U-T-S-I-D-E
We have to go outside with our dogs. We let them out to GO POTTY and we go on walks with them.
Sometimes, this will take us into nature (city parks included) where we can remove ourselves from the blue screens in our pockets and notice the blue sky above us. It allows us to rest our minds, think for ourselves, and give a moment of reflection. With a moment of quiet and a break from getting too many answers from social media, Google, and AI, political activism feels easier without the chatter taking from our cup.
Going outside also may serve as a social catalyst. Daily walks provide an opportunity to interact with our communities, serving as ice-breakers and encouraging conversations with new people. Political movements are nothing without neighbors. We keep us safe.
PLAY
Embracing joy and absurdity acts as a tool of resilience and dissent. It flips power dynamics and turns shame into defiant joy. Think about how you feel when your dog gets the zoomies. Think about how it feels to have a silly interaction with your dog while on a walk. Think about how it feels when your dog picks up the biggest branch on a walk. Nothing else matters. You become ungovernable. Play moves us forward. Play allows us to be unexpected. Play is resistance.
BOREDOM
Dogs embrace inactivity, allowing us to be inactive at times too. Perhaps you are resting. Prioritizing rest allows for physical and mental recovery, is essential to immune support, and is a willful defiance of capitalistic systems that keep us in a loop of constant productivity. That is political activism in of itself.
Perhaps you are embracing your dog’s hobbies, like staring out the window or sunning outside. This allows for mental reset, fosters creativity, and is beneficial for our problem-solving capabilities. It also allows for a new perspective on life. What is my dog looking at and why?
THE PACK
Dogs give us an excuse to hang out with groups of people. Group outings with like minded community members (group walk, dog-friendly patio hang, backyard bonfire, state park, etc) strengthen our communities by opening up lines of communication that keep us safe.
And, they encourage us to shop local and small. Stopping in your local dog-friendly stores and swapping purchases from big corporations functions as a form of community investment, directing your dollar towards value-driven businesses + your local economy.
Again, political movements are nothing without neighbors. We keep us safe.
DOGS = POLITICAL ACTIVISM
Enjoy the time and moments with your dog. They do so much for us and, in such small ways, change the world for the better. They remind us to keep doing what you can, when you can, with what you have.