This is particularly concerning to me because leftists are supposed to be able to bridge the gap between the (presumably) uneducated or ignorant working masses and the fairly esoteric intellectualism of leftist theory.
I have never been able to do that before, ever. I can understand all these Marxist concepts myself, about workers democratically owning MOP, about what socialism or barbarism means, about the purpose of the state, about anti imperialism, but if Im talking to someone who’s totally apolitical or even just a woke liberal I have no idea where to begin bridging the gap and radicalizing.
Im sure a large part about getting regular people on your side relies on community building and mutual aid projects that demonstrates to average people that an alternative is possible and that the party is better at working with and meeting the needs of the people than the state/market is.
But lets say your just talking casually to your average non-redpilled friends. Im not trying to sound edgy but whenever the conversation switches to something inane, superficial, or material (particularly when it comes to consuming something or engaging in consumerism, which dont get me wrong I enjoy partaking in all the time) I just feel like cutting my head off. The world is fucking dying and burning all around us, we’re already past several “points of no return”, injustices are being perpetrated at all times everywhere, and the most important thing we find to talk about is some material shit that doesnt even matter?
At the same time though, thats what makes normies the normies they are, and I cant help but feel envious of their carefreeness. And its up to us to introduce them concepts within leftist theory. So how do you do that?
Don't make politics into your entire personality, and it isn't that hard. You shouldn't be dividing people up anyway by reddit logic of the "redpill" example you used. There are a number of hobbies and past times that could be considered apolitical. Sports should be one, as should most music.
It's supposed to be leftists' jobs to educate people. And you do that by offering them a spoonful of information about why things are not OK. It's actually pretty easy to do with coworkers, as you can find solidarity with most of them over the fact that our bosses are screwing us and they're overworked with 40+ hour week shifts and struggling to live pay check to pay check. But you get there by giving them a spoonful of information, not by screaming "DEATH TO AMERIKKKKKKKKKKA, READ SETTLERS" or some other edgelord shit like what is on here. Don't even use words like "Marxism" or "Communism" or "Proletariat" when you talk to the average worker. The key point is to not make them feel like shit or smugly talk down to them the way liberals do.
Your best bet is to actually talk to them about things that would benefit them. You're not going to get anywhere trying to convince them that they should give a shit about China or something "anti-imperialist" cause that isn't something that really effects our lives on a day to day basis. Most of the support with M4A happened this way. It's something that working people can benefit from, and therefore it's easier to get them on board there. Talks about how we deserve more and we're underpaid, exploited and taken advantage of - you'll get somewhere with that. Defunding the police is an overwhelming popular point with the poor, cause most of them can give you a story about how scared they are of dealing with law enforcement.
One of the biggest issues with leftists today is that most of them don't want to talk to people in the real world for examples with this post. There's no unity or real push for it when we just divide everyone up with petty infighting, usually over identity politics. Which is how it ends up being a subculture of socially alienated people, smug former liberals, and edgelords. We need to get over this notion about being scared of "normies" and start talking to people, cause I can tell you right now, we are going to be in for a rough ride if we don't get a working class movement together in the next few years. We are counting down the days that the GOP pushes a competent fascist and if we don't figure this shit out soon, it's game over.
ew normies