Our Collective Political Imagination

Mark Fisher’s Capitalist Realism‍ ‍is a book that has been very influential to me. Not just because of the core idea of “capitalist realism” but because, in making his broader argument, Fisher posits that one of the things holding society back from moving beyond this destructive form of capitalism is a lack of imagination. He argues that it is our very lack of belief in a post-capitalist system that inhibits our ability to ever get there. This part of Capitalist Realism shaped how I see Newton’s attitude towards politics. Newton’s lack of political imagination manifests differently than the subject in Capitalist Realism. Here, the Newton resident lacks the imagination to envision a more progressive city. This is not necessarily their fault. The country around us is going up in Neo-fascistic flames, and on the streets of Newton, there is no doubt that our community is diametrically opposed to the beliefs and values of our president. In times like these, it is difficult to look inward and identify a problem. The conditions of Newtoners mirror those of groupthink, which is defined by Psychology Today as “a phenomenon that occurs when a group of well-intentioned people makes irrational or non-optimal decisions spurred by the urge to conform or the belief that dissent is impossible.” The news media is dominated by talk of Trump and his affiliates. There is a feeling among many that something big is happening. Perhaps the deep state is being exposed, perhaps we are in a dictatorship, perhaps our country is taking a turn towards Nazism. All of these things are important to think about, but one must ask oneself: Why are most protests in Newton about federal issues when the issues we have the most control over are local? Could it be because we have been taught not to expect political change? Could it be that those among us who really do care for our community lack the imagination to envision any sort of local political movement?

There is a feeling of hopelessness that has clouded my generation. A feeling that nothing will ever change. But this feeling is only true if we believe it, and a material change in Newton is very possible. Newton residents have the privilege to build a real political movement. I remember my mom telling me about how she became politically jaded. She, too, grew up in Newton. She used to go to socialist protests and marches—something that no longer exists in Newton. Now, she laughs at her past self. There has been real change on a federal and international level in her lifetime. But Newton has stayed relatively the same. There is still a lack of affordable housing. It is still liberal and wealthy. And there is a racism that, though manifesting in different ways, still runs through the city. Knowing this, it is tricky to imagine any true progressive movement in Newton. But this lack of imagination is unfounded. Just because Newton has not changed in many years does not mean we do not have the ability. We are a wealthy city, one that considers itself to be progressive. There is no better time or place to start a more progressive local movement. Real political change requires focus and the ability to imagine a better society. It might sound inconsequential but a healthy political imagination is the first step in building a progressive movement in Newton.