There is a lot of answers but if I'd say just one it would be rejecting the current institutional power. At least right now in our time period. Fully rejecting the imperial state, no matter how much they potentially benefit from it seems like a solid transition
we are all lib so let's not gatekeep what leftist™️ actually is. I guarantee you were a lib once too(still are, but once too.)
I had maybe three months of being a liberal after college when I told myself it was "time to grow up and accept reality as it is." That ended as soon as I started working in an office.
But that's not because I was too clever for liberalism or something - I just always hated people who acted like they had all the answers. If anything, my distaste for them was a little reactionary. I called myself an "anarchist" as a teen, but that really just meant I didn't like cops and I thought voting was dumb. I didn't really hold any true political beliefs back then.
But my tipping point was having to do unethical work during unpaid overtime hours. It was pretty immediate - I think I found r/cth through people complaining about y'all, and that is when I first found a tribe where I could talk about these things and work my beliefs into something more coherent. So yeah, I guess technically I got radicalized by a podcast I never listened to.
I'll also add that I've been somewhat disillusioned with leftist communities lately, as well. There is so much anger and distrust towards the American political establishment right now, and all we do is make fun of these people for being "so close" without figuring it out.
We all ought to spend more time in communities where people don't share our beliefs. Be open about the fact that you're a communist, but don't argue when people complain about it and don't announce it at the start.
I've found a surprising amount of support when I make Marxist takes in plain language. Usually after several people agree, some guy will be like "uh that's communism," and that's your opportunity to say, "Yes, I'm a communist. You're absolutely free to disagree with my views. I just think that the current system is pitting us against each other so a few rich guys can get even richer. " Emphasize the division rhetoric because libs eat that shit up.
For some reason, the person typically sees this non-confrontational response and can't help but go on an 800 word rant hitting every major anti-communist trope. Don't take the bait. If you have to respond, just smile and shrug with an "Agree to disagree!"
Congrats, you've just shown everyone else in the room that the communist is the civil one. I've been playing with this tactic a lot lately and it is amazing how quickly people turn on the aggressor. Libs really care so much more about how you deliver the message than the substance of the message. That's all it takes to get a foot in the door.
From there, you've gained the credibility to start propagandizing in earnest. You never want to seem like you're trying to convince anybody - like the liberals, you have to pretend that simply holding the right moral beliefs is enough. Talk about the material conditions, but use moralism to hammer your points home. Use lib-friendly quotes from your favorite works of theory, and when they ask about it, offer to lend them a book. If someone picks up on what you're doing, it's back to step one: "Whoah, I thought we were just having a conversation. I know I'm not going to change your beliefs and you're not going to change mine, so why don't we move past this?"
Basically, I think that we need a new set of dirtbag tactics that rely less on edgy comedy and more on Machiavellianism. Never talk to these people in good faith, but always keep up the appearance. Earn their trust. Once they come to you with questions, then you can start a more honest dialogue.
How does one not take the bait, especially when the bait is very annoying? How do I learn this self control?
You think how much you would annoy them by appearing just nice human bean, with a plus of being nice human bean
:bean: