this post was submitted on 09 Nov 2024
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askchapo

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Hit wall trying to persuade my friend (hexbear.net)
submitted 2 months ago by znonymous@hexbear.net to c/askchapo@hexbear.net
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One of my oldest friends is a borderline anarcho syndicalist, but is reluctant to even consider a total rejection of capitalism because the alternative is something his entire world has convinced him is an equivalent immoral totalitarianism that is just another set of rich wankers enslaving people.

Anyway. I recently let him know that after Gaza, I consider the entire US state to be a bunch of psychopathic anti-humans, and that I think we have always been the bad guys, and the Soviets had the right idea, and their collapse was an epic tragedy for humanity.

He definitely was not receptive.

Now I think I have been dropping counter propaganda into our Signal chat too frequently, and I got some pushback from him after the election. Not sure what to make of it. Kinda worried I might have strained our friendship. He has firmly stated he is not interested in my Commie takes at all.

Gonna try to back off and chill out. But now I am kinda paranoid. Like, the US really has tried to ruin the lives of anyone who tries to have anything to do with Communism. What if the next four years starts some kinda new Red Scare? There's no way my friend will risk getting caught up in that, just to humor my ideological journey.

We both have kids to worry about. Both of us got raised in right winger families. His traditional US nationalists. Mine Evangelicals.

It's gonna be tough if I don't get to talk to one of my best friends about materialism and anti-imperialism.

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[–] Barx@hexbear.net 6 points 2 months ago

A powerful way to get people to be receptive is to get them to like you and consider you a font of wisdom. This does not require pushing them, just being available and usually correct and a person they enjoy spending time with. I would recommend honoring their wishes and reading more so that you're ready when questions do come down the pipeline.

Also you don't need to convince them all by yourself as a first step. You could try to get them involved in events they would find worthwhile instead and let the radicalization happen socially. If they are borderline anarcho-syndicalist then maybe they'd want to support a picket line, for example. Maybe there are people looking for help on projects your friend would find interesting.