I was vocal and terrified about climate change in the 90s (although I didn't do a whole lot). I was super active in the anti war stuff during the war on terror. I said repeatedly that Iraq had no WMDs and that Afghanistan wouldn't go well. I was sorta active during Occupy. I was telling everyone not to buy crypto years ago. And I've been very COVID outspoken from day one.
This post is not to brag about how based I am. I was very slow to get on the correct side of trans issues, and I've said/done enough borderline racist and misogynistic shit. I have enough cringe memories of me being a lib. I've also just been really lazy and selfish.
Anyhow, I had hoped that the right would be so wrong, so badly, that people would wake up and warm to our side. I used to actually do organised debates with different groups at uni. I even sent a few a FB message years after Iraq went to shit (ya I'm petty). None have been like "oh fuck, you were so right want the WMDs". When I'm battling friends over COVID issues or the newest bullshit trans conspiracy theory, THEY FUCKING KNOW I was right about crypto and Elon Musk. It's like, all the Ls that the right had taken are in the memory hole and we're onto the next bullshit idea. I'm still the lone crank that's warning about war with Russia and China and telling everyone to mask when my mates were smoking weed through every horrible murderous mistake the West made.
Sorry if it sounds like I'm whinging for my own sake. I get that the right is very well funded, and that is no individual's fault. I'm just very aware that people around me find me to be a tedious crank, but they're all fucking liberals who've been eating out of the trashcan of ideology their whole lives.
most liberals won't go leftist until they actually experience some of the horrors of capitalism. my best friend since childhood used to be somewhat chuddy liberal. i radicalized in high school/college and he ended up radicalizing a year or two ago after he had some health issues and really felt his soul get crushed by his old job. i spent years and years explaining to him how capitalism fucks you. and i think when he got sick and his medical bills were piling up he was able to recognize how he was getting fucked? and now he's a leftist who texts me about how much he wants to guillotine rich people. i guess the point that i'm trying to make is that (as someone said below) you want to plant seeds so that when conditions do get worse for the people around you they can recognize why.