When I joined ACR, during the depths of a difficult winter, I was feeling very hopeless about the world. Trump had just been comfortably returned to the presidency, war continued to rage through Gaza and the Middle East, and Keir Starmer, who many of us hoped would break away from fourteen ruinous years of Conservative austerity, instead chose to uphold the status quo, introducing cuts that have inevitably hit the poorest in our country the hardest.

I was also at a low ebb personally, struggling to find meaning in an increasingly meaningless world, lost in a constant news cycle of doom, gloom and fear, and feeling increasingly powerless to do anything to change things. Sadly, many of our world leaders still seem hell-bent on petty rivalries and thoughtless destruction of people and planet. By getting involved with ACR, however, I regained some optimism about the future.

When, six pints into a night of apathetic hedonism, I saw an ACR sticker in the toilets of the Avalon Café in Bermondsey and scanned it, I didn’t really know if I’d follow through. At the time I was probably more interested in whose round it was. Even after I received a Whatsapp message from Simon Hannah, one of the organisation’s founders, it took me a couple of days to work up the courage to get involved.

I was worried about whether I was knowledgeable enough to offer anything of use, about whether I’d be judged if my views didn’t align exactly with people I came across, and if it would really help myself, or others, if I were to join. Anyway, I went ahead and arrange to talk with Simon over the phone, and when we spoke my fears were assuaged. Not only did we have an interesting discussion, touching on the hopelessness and anxiety that lots of young people feel today in the face of the increasing alienation of modern life, but I also found Simon to be a very friendly, open and accepting man. 

So I took the plunge, and joined, still not knowing really what to accept, but glad that I was, at last, doing something. Ahead of the first meeting I attended, I was, again, anxious about saying or doing the wrong thing, and of how I might be perceived, but once more I found that my fears were unfounded. Although I kept quiet during the discussions, preferring to listen and learn, I was fascinated by how different things seemed to the fractious, contentious nature of mainstream political discussions. People spoke, and they were listened to. Opinions were raised, and debated calmly by others. Vitally, I was made to feel very welcome by everyone there, and we went to the pub afterwards to continue our discussions over a few warming pints.

Living in the world today, but especially in a sprawling city like London, I think it’s very common to feel a bit lost or adrift, and difficult to make meaningful connections with others. London is also an anxious place to live for other reasons, as the rising cost of living makes money worries a constant anxiety, while continuous cuts to public services mean that a growing number of people feel disenfranchised, unsupported, and alone.

Getting involved in a group where there’s not only a generous community spirit, but also a real drive to address the problems that have left so many people feeling unhappy, has done a huge amount of good for my mental health over the last few months. As my involvement has increased, and the more I’ve noticed others striving to bring about positive change, the more I’ve felt empowered to try and do the same.

Over the last few months, I’ve been on several protests, including one opposing the far-right, that have underlined to me just how many people want to fight for a better world. While there’s a great deal to be done in order to create a more positive society for all, I’m far more hopeful now that, by working together and opposing inequality and hate, we might just get there. What’s important is that we all keep trying.

I think for lots of people, most of whom rely on large capitalist corporations to earn money and survive, there’s a real fear of expressing opinions, in case they’re judged, or worse, find themselves out of work. Too often, surrounded by a media that promotes wealth, opulence and aspiration, people turn inwards, and blame themselves for not being rich enough, or successful enough, whereas for most people with lots of money, it’s a case of having been lucky enough to be born into generational wealth, or to attend elite private schools with access to far greater resources.

It’s been revelatory to find an environment, within ACR, that gives people an outlet for their frustrations, and has helped me further understand the inherent unfairness of our current system.

As someone who has always had a deep concern for the environment, I’d long been frustrated about the lack of progress being made to combat climate change, angry and confused at the way people continued to ignore, or prevaricate over, what is an existential threat to humanity. What I understand now is that, regardless of how many people care about our planet, or want to stop its blind destruction, nothing concrete will ever be done unless there’s we can alter the disastrous nature of modern capitalism. It has, over the centuries, brought humanity forward a great deal, increasing life expectancies and standards of living the world over. However, the emphasis on constant growth and profit has led to exploitation and destruction all over the planet.

I’d known that something was wrong for a long time, but the clarity and understanding I’ve gained from joining ACR has opened my eyes further to the deeply entrenched problems we all face. It’s also given me hope that, by continuing to work and fight for a brighter future, we might just get there. Next time you feel as though you want to live in a better world, please don’t think everything hopeless and retreat, as I’ve done, into apathy or hedonism to try and escape it all. You are not alone, and if you try and fight for what you believe in, you’ll be glad you did.

If you would like to join ACR, then get in touch with us here

NB Featured image: Anticapitalist Resistance large banner in red with lettering in white and yellow in background and three smaller flags in white with red and black lettering