Political considerations with regards to wingnuts, ostensibly "radical" cults, etc.

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

So, his arm is around my shoulder, and he's handing me some pamphlets. Right. Anyway, I'm doing translations in my head as he goes, and the subtext I'm reading is something like, "I'm an anarchist, by which I mean that the world should be ruled by a clique of benevolent engineers who control everything."
Of course, this guy is the leader, so why bother? As far as I'm concerned, the really committed wingnuts, the preachers, the ones with radio shows: they're write-offs. However, here I am, standing in a room with not just this one wouldbe revolutionary from a bad scifi novel (never end up alone with these people), but probably ten other kids who are probably sincere and not stupid, but stoned and being duped.
And for what? Of course the immediate programme of the party of wingnuts is sending charasmatic "Action Heroes" to take videos of "traditional dancing" and do "development work" in Uganda. Ha.
Anyway, back to the well-meaning hippies, how do you show them that there are methods of self-organization for an immediate project against empire? How do you lay bare the truth that weird registered charities trying to dismantle the New World Order with the power of love is strategically non-sensical for every reason?

[RedSonRising]

You outdo them by competing with a better political platform instead of rolling your eyes and not vying for a position of effective leadership or contribution within an organization yourself. These people are painful but a reflection on the sad state of the anti-government/anti-capitalist scene.

If everyone tried to politically compete one-up every shit approach to popular mobilization they encountered, we'd have had a revolution ten years ago. Unless someone picks up the ball in terms of promoting revolutionary ideas and organizing meaningful events, petty third party protests are as far as the left is going to get in the United States at least.

[Leninade]

You outdo them by competing with a better political platform instead of rolling your eyes and not vying for a position of effective leadership or contribution within an organization yourself. These people are painful but a reflection on the sad state of the anti-government/anti-capitalist scene.

If everyone tried to politically compete one-up every shit approach to popular mobilization they encountered, we'd have had a revolution ten years ago. Unless someone picks up the ball in terms of promoting revolutionary ideas and organizing meaningful events, petty third party protests are as far as the left is going to get in the United States at least.

Setting a better example is one of the best ways to get people to follow you. It's... harder than it sounds though. I've got a group of anarcho-capitalists who I literally can't be nice to anymore.

I find myself throwing little insults that they don't understand and think are supporting their positions just to stay sane. I guess I'm a bad human.