Appeal for Objectivist & Libertarian Messaging
Gentlepeople,
A majority of Gulchers share many common objectives: freedom, smaller government, government fiscal responsibility and personal responsibility. Daily we post messages inspiring variously: applause, boos, reactions, thought and argument. I personally enjoy argument. It helps forge the right position in a crucible of a diversity of opinions, and Gulchers are an intelligent bunch.
However, unless we convince others, we are just drinking our own bathwater. We’ll be condemned to complaining about the slick media and celebrities convincing the mainstream lemmings progressivism is “nice”, must be further instituted in Government and {corporations, guns, freedoms not employed by artists, personal responsibility} must be severely chained.
I seek messages to compel others to think about the difficult seven-moves-ahead game of chess the world play, rather than the three-move-ahead progressive promise (e.g. He has less. You have more. You should give him some. He needs it). Our (capitalist) system works, even better uninhibited. However, it is difficult for many people to understand something as simple as least means squared optimization in a monotonic, even multivariable, system (always finds the maxima). Clearly, those that enjoy be on the take, will never comply. We need messages to compel those willing to think and understand.
We have an enormous, well-educated resource here. This has to be our priority, unless we are really going to the Gulch, abandoning the US, or considering a revolution.
Messages could be tailored by audience:
Mainstream Progressives – Perhaps these people are unreachable. I am not so sure. We have common ground in social freedom. In addition, these people consider themselves intelligent, and with this self-evaluation comes some degree of arrogance. They can be compelled to engage, thinking they will defeat foolish, neanderthal capitalists. This engagement is an opening to be exploited, either to convince them, of discredit them in front of others who can then be convinced.
Mainstream Conservatives – These people should be easy, except for their pet government institution, social security, defense, or legislation to take away “scary” social rights. In my mind these people need to be convinced the first fight is individual responsibility and small government, and that the social issues they are so afraid of are either irrelevant or for later… I mean you don’t want a gay guy taking away your gun, so why take away his partner. How cool would “Gays for Guns” be?
Moderates – These people are on the fence, and simply need to understand the real process governing the overall economy.
Young People – These people care nothing about social security, and are easily swayed by bambi-themes. I think fairness and equality will appeal to these people greatly. However, fairness must be expanded. A simple message to assert that it must be equality of opportunity, not just equality, should be an easy sell. “Ok, young woman, equality in all things or equality in opportunity? All things? Ok, then why don’t you date this little computer scientist troll here? He’s ugly, like the PC guy in the commercial? Yes, but what about equality? Now, what if he beefed up (choice), cleaned up (choice) and listened (choice)? Ahhh, now its ok. So you individually are interested in his choices, and would offer some degree of equality there, but not unilaterally. You have arrived. Now what about economic, education, discipline choices”…I think this is the most ready group, and such arguments crush the celebrity clowns, who get all their media access from beauty.
Every law is really a social experiment with a problem, hypothesized solution, and expected outcome. I believe part of every law should be an expected, measurable outcome and timing as part of what is voted on. If this outcome is met, the law stands. If it fails, the law is void. It is simple and executable.
What do the Gulchers think about ways to approach non-believers? (shooting them not allowed)
A majority of Gulchers share many common objectives: freedom, smaller government, government fiscal responsibility and personal responsibility. Daily we post messages inspiring variously: applause, boos, reactions, thought and argument. I personally enjoy argument. It helps forge the right position in a crucible of a diversity of opinions, and Gulchers are an intelligent bunch.
However, unless we convince others, we are just drinking our own bathwater. We’ll be condemned to complaining about the slick media and celebrities convincing the mainstream lemmings progressivism is “nice”, must be further instituted in Government and {corporations, guns, freedoms not employed by artists, personal responsibility} must be severely chained.
I seek messages to compel others to think about the difficult seven-moves-ahead game of chess the world play, rather than the three-move-ahead progressive promise (e.g. He has less. You have more. You should give him some. He needs it). Our (capitalist) system works, even better uninhibited. However, it is difficult for many people to understand something as simple as least means squared optimization in a monotonic, even multivariable, system (always finds the maxima). Clearly, those that enjoy be on the take, will never comply. We need messages to compel those willing to think and understand.
We have an enormous, well-educated resource here. This has to be our priority, unless we are really going to the Gulch, abandoning the US, or considering a revolution.
Messages could be tailored by audience:
Mainstream Progressives – Perhaps these people are unreachable. I am not so sure. We have common ground in social freedom. In addition, these people consider themselves intelligent, and with this self-evaluation comes some degree of arrogance. They can be compelled to engage, thinking they will defeat foolish, neanderthal capitalists. This engagement is an opening to be exploited, either to convince them, of discredit them in front of others who can then be convinced.
Mainstream Conservatives – These people should be easy, except for their pet government institution, social security, defense, or legislation to take away “scary” social rights. In my mind these people need to be convinced the first fight is individual responsibility and small government, and that the social issues they are so afraid of are either irrelevant or for later… I mean you don’t want a gay guy taking away your gun, so why take away his partner. How cool would “Gays for Guns” be?
Moderates – These people are on the fence, and simply need to understand the real process governing the overall economy.
Young People – These people care nothing about social security, and are easily swayed by bambi-themes. I think fairness and equality will appeal to these people greatly. However, fairness must be expanded. A simple message to assert that it must be equality of opportunity, not just equality, should be an easy sell. “Ok, young woman, equality in all things or equality in opportunity? All things? Ok, then why don’t you date this little computer scientist troll here? He’s ugly, like the PC guy in the commercial? Yes, but what about equality? Now, what if he beefed up (choice), cleaned up (choice) and listened (choice)? Ahhh, now its ok. So you individually are interested in his choices, and would offer some degree of equality there, but not unilaterally. You have arrived. Now what about economic, education, discipline choices”…I think this is the most ready group, and such arguments crush the celebrity clowns, who get all their media access from beauty.
Every law is really a social experiment with a problem, hypothesized solution, and expected outcome. I believe part of every law should be an expected, measurable outcome and timing as part of what is voted on. If this outcome is met, the law stands. If it fails, the law is void. It is simple and executable.
What do the Gulchers think about ways to approach non-believers? (shooting them not allowed)
Unfortunately, you are talking about not only approaching others, but doing several other, related things. You're asking them to listen and think. You're asking them to consider the world as if were different than it is now. That is almost impossible. Sometimes, you're asking them to do something.
It's a mountain of effort. That is not to say it should not be done, it is to say it's a hard job. Many of us had a good time wearing John Galt t-shirts of various types and passing out the WIJG cards [version 3 is in the works]. It's a natural conversation-starter.
I have had the best conversations with people who are already halfway there - bikers, gun owners, property owners, parents......it really comes down to jumping on an opportunity when it comes along and going with it. again and again and again.
I had many good conversations with my students [ages 10 - 14]. Kids, even up into their 20's, are natural libertarians, if they have someone around to give them a boost now and then. They see the natural unfairness of taking something that belongs to them, and giving it to someone else. Then you can build on that. How do you get to kids if you have no easy in - if you're not a parent, a teacher, a janitor, etc. It used to be the coffee shop. Maybe now it's the hookah lounge. hmmmm.