how do you raise your kids so they don't turn into the next Pete Buttigieg?
Can’t speak for Buttigieg, but for a start, don’t be an obnoxious leftist.
I have met so many people in leftist circles over the past 30 years of my life as a leftist that are so arrogant, stubborn and obnoxious that I’m not surprised at all why infighting is so common among the left. Usually people who are obsessed with politics are kinda like that regardless of their political orientation, and they wonder why normal people stopped inviting them to parties. But in their minds, it only vindicated their superiority as someone who have read this or that political theory and can see the world better than anyone else! No one can understand me, you see.
And that’s people I’ve met in real life (used to be deep in organizing in a previous life until I burned out), and terminally online leftists are ten times worse than that lol.
Instead, be a good role model. Don’t even bring up politics at all. Let your kids discover that their cool mom/dad reads Marx. If they’re curious about it and have trust in their parent to give good guidance in matters they don’t understand yet, they’ll ask you about it.
My mom gave me a bunch of communist medals she had gotten from her party and didn't want anymore so I got to use them on my clothes. I was blinged out with lenin and che on my backpack. Worked pretty well.
I'm not shy at home about my political beliefs, I just find it much more useful to work with my kid on building a strong relationship than to browbeat her with the difference between labor and socially productive labor if she's taking too long to get out of bed, say.
I burned out on organizing a long time ago too but the same principles that got any org I was involved with any wins seem to work pretty well at home too. Maybe I effortpost about it sometime.
There're different levels. Sure, maybe eating a potato chip is political, but it's not the same level of political as telling your child how to conduct themselves.
Can’t speak for Buttigieg, but for a start, don’t be an obnoxious leftist.
I have met so many people in leftist circles over the past 30 years of my life as a leftist that are so arrogant, stubborn and obnoxious that I’m not surprised at all why infighting is so common among the left. Usually people who are obsessed with politics are kinda like that regardless of their political orientation, and they wonder why normal people stopped inviting them to parties. But in their minds, it only vindicated their superiority as someone who have read this or that political theory and can see the world better than anyone else! No one can understand me, you see.
And that’s people I’ve met in real life (used to be deep in organizing in a previous life until I burned out), and terminally online leftists are ten times worse than that lol.
Instead, be a good role model. Don’t even bring up politics at all. Let your kids discover that their cool mom/dad reads Marx. If they’re curious about it and have trust in their parent to give good guidance in matters they don’t understand yet, they’ll ask you about it.
My mom gave me a bunch of communist medals she had gotten from her party and didn't want anymore so I got to use them on my clothes. I was blinged out with lenin and che on my backpack. Worked pretty well.
I'm not shy at home about my political beliefs, I just find it much more useful to work with my kid on building a strong relationship than to browbeat her with the difference between labor and socially productive labor if she's taking too long to get out of bed, say.
I burned out on organizing a long time ago too but the same principles that got any org I was involved with any wins seem to work pretty well at home too. Maybe I effortpost about it sometime.
please do
I would read that effort post
Guidance is political
everything is politics
There're different levels. Sure, maybe eating a potato chip is political, but it's not the same level of political as telling your child how to conduct themselves.