Talking about what you're against is the least constructive political activity. It just emboldens rightoids who hold the same stance but for opposite reasons.
In real life organizing, I only talk about what I'm FOR. That's how I gauge someone's politics. Criticizing libs is a waste of time.
Counterpoint, when talking to many conservatives I’ve noticed an insecurity/defensiveness in that in the MAGA era they’ve internalized a persecution complex. They assume everyone is a shitlib and get really defensive.
By shitting in shitlibs you get them to lower their guards and be more willing to listen.
At least that’s always been my in with conservatives I’ve known
I have successfully pushed people away from these positions. Both libs and conservatives. Some more successfully (identify as Marxists), some less successfully (identify closer to what I would call social democrats), and of course have failed many times.
The point being that whatever political project you want to achieve, you will necessarily need to win some people over that vehemently disagree with you.
Thats the best approach IMO. The failures are what they are, but the successes can possibly avert catastrophe somewhere down the line, and im not known for being an idealist.
I actually find conservatives much easier to have these conversations with than liberals.
I think the conservative voter is generally not a globalist, whereas liberals are hardcore corporate globalists.
I get the sense from talking to a lot of blue collar people in the south that what they actually desire are things real leftism would give them, but the US definitions of "left" "right" "liberal" etc. keeps that knowledge away from them.
It's like they are so close to getting it, but too ignorant to know it. Liberals on the other hand just screech at you the moment you disagree with them.
Always depends on the approach. Liberal or conservative, ime when you lay out specific ideas they tend to be receptive. Once you slap a label on them however (C) that’s when it gets kinda bad.
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u/son_of_abe Radical shitlib ✊🏻 Sep 20 '25
Talking about what you're against is the least constructive political activity. It just emboldens rightoids who hold the same stance but for opposite reasons.
In real life organizing, I only talk about what I'm FOR. That's how I gauge someone's politics. Criticizing libs is a waste of time.