Ignorant highschool democrats

[Code]

I'm in a somewhat small high school full of Obama-heads. I proudly display my political beliefs openly but on a frequent basis I get these ignorant, brainwashed democrat kids that fill this school commenting on how anarcho-communism is apparently a "contradiction", or how anarchy mean I want everyone to die (even though I make it very obvious that I much prefer peace.)

So what do I say/do about such things? How can I convince them to move past their brainwashing.

[Spawn of Stalin]

Explain what Communism actually is, and explain why you, and many others believe that anarchism and Communism don't contradict each other. If they still disagree, point them in the direction of the nearest dictionary.

[Stranger Than Paradise]

It is very sad to come upon individuals like that comrade. I would say just talk to them and be rational. Tell them about history, point to Spain and Ukraine and show them Anarchism does not stand for chaos. Explain how Communism and Anarchism are essntially looking towards the same goal. Sadly I think some of these people will just not be open to listen with you, most of these types of people are firmly rooted in their reactionary beliefs and supposed individuality.

[Walt]

I agree that you should actually try explaining communism- that is if you want to waste time on these zombies.

Don't worry, I see stuff like this all the time where I live. Even though I voted for Obama... these people do get me angry fast.

[cb9's_unity]

Give them a strong definition of what anarcho-communism is and then quickly explain some of the history of the ideology. Essentially let them know exactly what your ideology is and then show them that you not just making it up, that it has a long and detailed history.

Naming figures of the 19th and early 20th century that were arguing for ideologies similar to yours will always beat their argument of "well i heard somewhere that anarchism is chaos". Basically just try to be more intelligent and more well spoken, a prepared argument from a superior ideology will always have the upper-hand.

[Pogue]

they wont listen, its hardly worth bothering, there are obvious answers to what they say but its just so worthless trying to get it across, people don't want to listen

[Invincible Summer]

they wont listen, its hardly worth bothering, there are obvious answers to what they say but its just so worthless trying to get it across, people don't want to listen

Depressing, but true. Even amongst "liberals," McCarthyist rhetoric has sunk in and no one really tries to understand Communism anymore... it's always about trying to find the way to social democracy (and even that is seen as "radical"... how pathetic)

[Lyev]

Depressing, but true. Even amongst "liberals," McCarthyist rhetoric has sunk in and no one really tries to understand Communism anymore... it's always about trying to find the way to social democracy (and even that is seen as "radical"... how pathetic)
Yeah it is as if it's 'sunk in'. It's as if people that have had a brief glance at communism just leave it behind. It's as if they look down upon the people that haven't grown out of it and found rationality yet. Do you know what I mean?

[Lodestar]

Depressing, but true. Even amongst "liberals," McCarthyist rhetoric has sunk in and no one really tries to understand Communism anymore... it's always about trying to find the way to social democracy (and even that is seen as "radical"... how pathetic)


Perhaps, but lest we get the impression that we are casting pearls before swine, we shouldn't give up the drive to constantly educate others on socialism and its benefits and goals. Reason prevails, and socialism is an idea that is firmly set in human reason. Rational discourse that opens minds can change minds, and we can, and must, win the minds of our peers.

[Stranger Than Paradise]

Depressing, but true. Even amongst "liberals," McCarthyist rhetoric has sunk in and no one really tries to understand Communism anymore... it's always about trying to find the way to social democracy (and even that is seen as "radical"... how pathetic)

Truly pathetic. The American propoganda campagin against USSR is so deeply ingrained that it is rare to hear of accounts of open-minded people, only stories of ignorance.

[cb9's_unity]

they wont listen, its hardly worth bothering, there are obvious answers to what they say but its just so worthless trying to get it across, people don't want to listen

To a large extent this is true but planting a seed of doubt into their ideology now could go a long way somewhere in the future. Liberals have been told that communism is an undisputed failure as an ideology. Tearing down basic falsehoods will make them think twice about communism being completely disproved.

In my experience in high school I only had limited success in changing the minds of liberals. More often then not when people asked me about communism I ended up teaching them more than debating them. When I finished telling them about my beliefs all of their original challenges to communism had already been dismissed. In the end i probably at least influenced 2 kids to become some sort of communist at my school and they were already relatively radical, open minded, and intelligent kids.

[Code]

they wont listen, its hardly worth bothering, there are obvious answers to what they say but its just so worthless trying to get it across, people don't want to listen

So then what's the point with all the "inform people to make a magical whole world uprising"

[Manifesto]

So then what's the point with all the "inform people to make a magical whole world uprising"
Maybe eventually one person will actually pay attention and learn something. The chances in America though are just so slim since Anarchists are bomb throwing terrorists. :rolleyes:

[Tatarin]

I'm in a somewhat small high school full of Obama-heads.

I think many people here find themselves in situations like this, may it be Obama or Gordon Brown, hell, even under social-democratic governments. Even in Scandinavia, in where many countries have lived through long social-democratic periods (for example, Sweden was governed by its social democratic party for almost three decades) we have recently seen a drawback to right-wing parties and even parties with heavy anti-democratic and xenophobic tendencies (Danske Folkeparti, in Denmark, who opposes immigration and especially Muslims, have around 15% of the national sympathies and is in parliment).


I proudly display my political beliefs openly but on a frequent basis I get these ignorant, brainwashed democrat kids that fill this school commenting on how anarcho-communism is apparently a "contradiction", or how anarchy mean I want everyone to die (even though I make it very obvious that I much prefer peace.)

This is the harder part, of course, and especially when you are outnumbered. That's why I always suggest to start small, like with one person like your closest friend(s). Begin the discussions small too - that communism looks good on paper but don't work in reality is known to almost everyone. Begin questioning more daily views.

Obama is now president, and he is a Democrat. How does his policies differ from the previous administrations? Why are there still troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, isn't it the Republicans who go to war? Give them the similarities between these two dominant parties. Ask them why the U.S. is always involved in some conflict. Is the U.S. really a "world police"?

Like cb9's_unity said, put doubt in their minds. Let them question the "democracy" of voting once every 4 years. If the U.S. is such a great democracy, how come the people can't vote for, say, the national health care bill? Or where the troops go, should they even go somewhere?

What about the view of other countries? Why is there such hate against small countries like Cuba and Venezuela? Do they pose a threat to the U.S.? Isn't China supposed to be the new communist enemy?

For that matter, you could probably expand to every other aspect of life. Ask why the great U.S. hasn't been on the moon for 50 years, wasn't it our destiny to reach the stars back in the 1960s?

Also, if not the first point, the questions 'should' be relevant to their lives. That people suffer everywhere is obvious, but how do they suffer?

[Kukulofori]

I'd advise against what all the idiots in this topic are saying.

The reason you're not appealing to them is because you're irrelevant. These kids don't care about your politics and it has nothing to do with their life. They don't car enough to be militiant or radical enough to do anything besides maybe vote.

Work on that. Make it relevant to them.

[cb9's_unity]

I'd advise against what all the idiots in this topic are saying.

The reason you're not appealing to them is because you're irrelevant. These kids don't care about your politics and it has nothing to do with their life. They don't car enough to be militiant or radical enough to do anything besides maybe vote.

Work on that. Make it relevant to them.

While its true that there is a problem with public apathy among american students, that's not really the issue here. The students in question here do take great interest in politics and go out of there way to argue for Obama. While they may be ignorant and misinformed, the same energy the put into supporting liberalism could be converted into supporting radicalism. We just need to battle the ignorance that keeps them from being truly progressive.

[ontheyslay]

Just let them know that Anarchism has been a set of political and economic ideas for over 200 years. Explain to them anarchy and Anarchism are not the same thing, and tell them a little bit about Anarcho-communism. I've done this before, most of the time people just end the conversation once they realize Anarchism does stand for something and it's not just all out chaos (which is, I'm assuming, what they believe Anarchism to be). If they persist, they obviously aren't interested in intelligent conversation and are probably just looking to piss you off. But I'm sure you'll be able to get through to some of them.

[Kukulofori]

anarchy and Anarchismanarchy is the absence of hierarchy, and anarchism is the philosophical belief in the lack of anarchy. Just explain that the Joker anarchism is just that, a joke.

It'd also help if you could poke out holes in the Democrats' reasoning.

edit: my blog is making this a priority, but right now there's only one post, about Obama's HRC speech. You might still find it useful.

http://kukulofori.wordpress.com/

[Stranger Than Paradise]

anarchy is the absence of hierarchy, and anarchism is the philosophical belief in the lack of anarchy.

That doesn't quite make sense. So you are saying Anarchism is the belief in the lack of absence of hierarchy?

I think what you meant to say is Anarchy is the abscence of order and Anarchism is the philosophical belief in the lack of Anarchy.

[bailey_187]

Truly pathetic. The American propoganda campagin against USSR is so deeply ingrained that it is rare to hear of accounts of open-minded people, only stories of ignorance.

Indeed, and many people still beleive the myths and slander about the USSR, even those supposedly on the left ;)

[Random Precision]

I would suggest not talking to them.

[Axle]

Try thinking up a few different ways to explain your positions clearly and congruently and then memorizing them, so you'll always have something logical and quick to come back with without sounding like a broken record.

Trust me, they'll eventually start to listen.

[Kukulofori]

er shit, philosophical belief in the lack of hierarchy. typo.