How to "Enlighten the Masses"?

[Kosakk]

What's the best way to "Enlighten the Masses"?
To make the people achieve "a necessary revolutionary conscience"?

Propaganda? Agitation? Study groups?
Demonstrations? etc.

This has bugged me for some time, I have no clue how to do it!

[Red And Black Sabot]

What's the best way to "Enlighten the Masses"?
To make the people achieve "a necessary revolutionary conscience"?

Propaganda? Agitation? Study groups?
Demonstrations? etc.

This has bugged me for some time, I have no clue how to do it!

Absolutely none of that. If we're stuck being so concerned with educating the masses and waiting till their ready, we'll never make any progress toward socialism. Two of my former room mates had their doctorate in community psychology and they argued that consciousness raising is the least effective tool in our box and I agree. No rally, or workshop or peaceful march on the side walk will get us where we want to be. People don't care about our politics no matter how good it sounds. People, I feel, are smarter than that. They want to see results. They want to be where they see shit happening. They want to see the alternative not hear about it. I'm not saying that education is entirely pointless but that it has to be directly tied to direct action with tangible results, uncompromising resistance, public and downright open defiance, a willingness to fight and defend what were asking people to work for. Otherwise what do we have to show them? What do we have to educate them about? A groovy idea? I think way to many leftists are so preoccupied with making their message palatable to comfortable liberals that they've forgotten everything but how to walk the fence.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Unrelenting activist work-direct action preferably.

[CommieTroll]

From my experience you can't ''enlighten'' someone they have to obtain class consciousness on their own terms but unfortunately for most people that day will never come

[Kosakk]

Absolutely none of that. If we're stuck being so concerned with educating the masses and waiting till their ready, we'll never make any progress toward socialism. Two of my former room mates had their doctorate in community psychology and they argued that consciousness raising is the least effective tool in our box and I agree. No rally, or workshop or peaceful march on the side walk will get us where we want to be. People don't care about our politics no matter how good it sounds. People, I feel, are smarter than that. They want to see results. They want to be where they see shit happening. They want to see the alternative not hear about it. I'm not saying that education is entirely pointless but that it has to be directly tied to direct action with tangible results, uncompromising resistance, public and downright open defiance, a willingness to fight and defend what were asking people to work for. Otherwise what do we have to show them? What do we have to educate them about? A groovy idea? I think way to many leftists are so preoccupied with making their message palatable to comfortable liberals that they've forgotten everything but how to walk the fence.

Simply put: more show (direct action), less talk?

I agree. Leftists has tried for decades to get their message out, and we're nowhere near socialism.
But then, what is " ... directly tied to direct action with tangible results, uncompromising resistance, public and downright open defiance, a willingness to fight and defend what were asking people to work for"?
Maybe I'm not getting your point here, but isn't what you're basically saying demonstrations and strikes?

[Kosakk]

… they have to obtain class consciousness on their own terms …

Agreed. Peolpe have to see it for themselves.
One can't walk around and tell people "you're being opressed".

I became a socialist through my own experiences

[Sentinel]

As has already been explained, actions speak louder than words. Socialists have to constantly get involved in and initiate worker's struggles, and combat reactionary policies. This not only shows that we do more than talk, but also gets people involved in the process.

For instance, just this year our (Swedish CWI) involvement in the struggle for asylum rights (against deportations of refugees) and our starting and taking part in local fights against cutbacks and austerity measures have resulted in a multitude of people joining the party, even more valuable contacts being made, and our popularity increasing in the neighborhoods we work in.

It keeps us a healthy and growing organisation, as opposed to some sects that confine their activities to meetings in basements and mayday marches.