What’s Traction?

Traction is a social network of left-leaning 20- and 30-somethings who are spicing up progressive activism by throwing fun, issue-based events that inform, inspire and connect us with other savvy Gen X & Yers. Some call us the gateway drug of activism…

Is it all just about having fun?

You say it like there’s something wrong with that! But seriously, the fun is a means to an end. By creating events that people truly WANT to do and building a community with role models and positive reinforcement, we make activism relevant, hip and appealing, and foster civic participation. It’s what the academics call social learning theory. The more active among us rub off on others and we pull each other in a leftward and more active direction.

Why is Traction needed?

We keep hearing from stalwart activists that they’re tired. Can you relate? (We knew that you could.) Now think ahead. Who will take their place twenty years from now? Don’t be fooled by the 2004 uptick – civic engagement is on the decline and has been for 25 years.

Since Vietnam, no event or cause has captured our attention sufficiently to maintain momentum, let alone infuse the movement with new energy to carry the mantle. MoveOn-style point-and-click activism is not enough; we need to build community and learn to work together face-to-face. If we draw in new numbers NOW and cultivate new leaders, we survive as a movement. If not, we become history.

Any reason it’s for people in their 20s and 30s?

First of all, no one is excluded from Traction events. But since we’re serious about keeping the progressive movement vibrant over the long-term, this means enticing young-ish adults and getting some of them hooked for a lifetime. It’s an age when people are putting down roots and looking for community, and habits can still be fairly easily modified. [Note: Just like the Girl Scouts, AARP, and other groups which serve a certain age bracket, Traction relies on support from people outside that demographic who appreciate the value of our efforts and long-term approach.]

Why should I support Traction instead of a group fighting on a particular issue, or a political party?

If you want to see some immediate electoral or policy results, there’s no shortage of fantastic groups that deserve your support. But by supporting Traction, you’re making a long-term investment. We aim to revitalize the progressive movement over the long-term by turning voters into activists. Perhaps the group most analogous to Traction is the Christian Coalition. Is anyone else is taking an explicitly long-term view to the explicitly long-term problems of OUR movement?

To get an object, a human, a car moving - we need some “foothold” for the energy to be transformed into movement. If our feet do not find a surface with good grip (traction), our legs and feet could not move us forward.
From www.4×4abc.com/4WD101/definition_whytraction.html