#Political Resistance

Doing Nothing as Resistance to Productivity Culture

Odell’s argument also hinges on attention: productivity culture is sustained by continuously capturing and directing our focus. If your attention is always routed toward tasks, metrics, or platforms that monetize engagement, then your inner life becomes an extension of an economy. Consequently, doing nothing can function like reclaiming territory. By letting attention drift—toward boredom, observation, or unstructured thought—you step outside the channels designed to turn every moment into measurable performance. [...]

Rest as Resistance in a Culture of Exhaustion

Moreover, Hersey’s statement suggests that rest has a communal dimension. If only a few people can rest while others are forced to grind, then rest remains a privilege rather than a right. A culture that respects rest must ask who is denied it through low wages, precarious jobs, caregiving burdens, or discrimination. When rest is protected collectively—through boundaries, fair labor practices, and mutual aid—it becomes a form of shared liberation. In that sense, resting can be both personal healing and a quiet solidarity with others who are fighting for the basic conditions to breathe. [...]

Poetry as Key and Shield for Freedom

Therefore, turning metaphor into motion requires venues and tactics. Host open mics where testimony meets data; publish multilingual zines in clinics, shelters, and bus stops; curate found-poem exhibits from city budgets to demystify spending. Start translation circles so neighbors hear each other’s stories across languages. Pair readings with voter registration or mutual-aid drives, as many community arts centers already do. In doing so, poetry stops at no threshold: it names the lock, fashions the key, and then holds the door while others walk through. [...]