insidemanpoker
06-02-2012, 04:24 PM
I know I am new here and that may lighten my words a bit, but I really feel compelled to push a strong message of tolerance to the honest people that are not with us right now for the cause of liberty. I see far too much ridicule and vitriol towards a lot of the voting population that it's just got to be seeping into public interactions and hurting our cause. People like to act like there is some huge conspiracy and that either you are a Ron Paul supporter or you are part of the establishment and that just isn't so. There are a lot of honest people who really believe in the socialist role of the state or that the way to be safe is to try to run the world. Now, of course, I strongly disagree with these people, but the way to win hearts and minds is not through ridicule or crazy conspiratorial accusations leveled at random people. I know I am not alone in having been converted from supporting the Dems 10 years ago and being a strong supporter of RP today. A lot of people also haven't even thought much about alternatives to their preconditioned beliefs with any sincerity so you have to try to get them to genuinely consider an alternative rather than being dismissive and caught in the partisan game.
I really grew up during the 2000 presidential election and you can't really blame someone for assuming the Dems were the right path at the time. To someone who may not have been that well versed in the issues and not realizing that sometimes when you have a choice between door A and door B that door C is really the answer, it is not surprising that many my generation grew up Dems. Being a teenager and listening to GW talk was just mind blowing. His level of ignorance was just so insane that I just sort of assumed the default alternative must have the right answers. Now my path might be unique to me and other people are Dems or Repbulicans based on their upbringing or college or society, but you have to remember it is not always so obvious what is right to those who haven't truly considered the alternatives. A lot of these people believe they have it right and that they support the 'best' side. They then become extremely partisan as the parties and the media props up a pissing match between the two, and psychologically, it is unsurprising people grab onto their current beliefs.
Okay, so that was a long and rambled rant before my main point. You don't convince these people of our cause and you don't get these people to really understand liberty by just telling them how wrong they are. You need to acknowledge the good intentions of their beliefs. You need to demonstrate how you have also considered strongly what they believe and only when comparing it to the liberty alternative have you started to come to the logical conclusion of what's right. You need to avoid getting angry or heated and you need to try to be as respectful as possible. Again, it is important to show a strong understanding of their beliefs and why they have them and then slowly transition to how the liberty cause is actually the best. Our movement has a lot better chance of spreading through such methods on the ground with our peers. I am not saying we can't harshly challenge the status quo with the establishment or media, but when it comes to the real people in our lives, a softer approach based on reasoning is critical.
To give a random example off the top of my head. If you are in a discussion with a liberal about healthcare, I'm sure a lot of peoples instinct is to just rail against socialized medicine as an affront to your liberty and that very well may be true but won't touch them in the way that is needed. Instead try acknowledging that you respect that they want everyone to have good healthcare. That good healthcare is critical and that wanting it for everyone is very noble. Only after that can you then explain why the government getting totally out of the industry actually has the effect of improving healthcare and lowering the costs. You get my point, but just try to show respect and tolerance and try to be the one bringing up their own arguments for things before you then debunk them. It is a lot more successful in converting hearts and minds than trivializing people. You must remember that most people have never really even considered the libertarian message in a real way. They are totally ignorant to it and it will take a lot of time to let the ideas start to click in their heads. You can't just ridicule someone because they have not yet seen the light. Instead, just try to help them as nicely as possible.
So that was long and poorly written and I apologize but I just wanted to spread this word from a somewhat new member of the forum community. I want so desperately to have this cause be a dominating factor in the next decades and am inspired by the hard work of this community.
I really grew up during the 2000 presidential election and you can't really blame someone for assuming the Dems were the right path at the time. To someone who may not have been that well versed in the issues and not realizing that sometimes when you have a choice between door A and door B that door C is really the answer, it is not surprising that many my generation grew up Dems. Being a teenager and listening to GW talk was just mind blowing. His level of ignorance was just so insane that I just sort of assumed the default alternative must have the right answers. Now my path might be unique to me and other people are Dems or Repbulicans based on their upbringing or college or society, but you have to remember it is not always so obvious what is right to those who haven't truly considered the alternatives. A lot of these people believe they have it right and that they support the 'best' side. They then become extremely partisan as the parties and the media props up a pissing match between the two, and psychologically, it is unsurprising people grab onto their current beliefs.
Okay, so that was a long and rambled rant before my main point. You don't convince these people of our cause and you don't get these people to really understand liberty by just telling them how wrong they are. You need to acknowledge the good intentions of their beliefs. You need to demonstrate how you have also considered strongly what they believe and only when comparing it to the liberty alternative have you started to come to the logical conclusion of what's right. You need to avoid getting angry or heated and you need to try to be as respectful as possible. Again, it is important to show a strong understanding of their beliefs and why they have them and then slowly transition to how the liberty cause is actually the best. Our movement has a lot better chance of spreading through such methods on the ground with our peers. I am not saying we can't harshly challenge the status quo with the establishment or media, but when it comes to the real people in our lives, a softer approach based on reasoning is critical.
To give a random example off the top of my head. If you are in a discussion with a liberal about healthcare, I'm sure a lot of peoples instinct is to just rail against socialized medicine as an affront to your liberty and that very well may be true but won't touch them in the way that is needed. Instead try acknowledging that you respect that they want everyone to have good healthcare. That good healthcare is critical and that wanting it for everyone is very noble. Only after that can you then explain why the government getting totally out of the industry actually has the effect of improving healthcare and lowering the costs. You get my point, but just try to show respect and tolerance and try to be the one bringing up their own arguments for things before you then debunk them. It is a lot more successful in converting hearts and minds than trivializing people. You must remember that most people have never really even considered the libertarian message in a real way. They are totally ignorant to it and it will take a lot of time to let the ideas start to click in their heads. You can't just ridicule someone because they have not yet seen the light. Instead, just try to help them as nicely as possible.
So that was long and poorly written and I apologize but I just wanted to spread this word from a somewhat new member of the forum community. I want so desperately to have this cause be a dominating factor in the next decades and am inspired by the hard work of this community.