Philosophical Activism

[Jakethehuman]

Hello I am wondering about people's thoughts and advice on public philosophical activism, a few signs, maybe a screen playing a short presentation, in a good location and just interacting with people as they walk past. 

 

The reason I have thought of this is because in my personal life I have nearly zero impact on others lives after having withdrawn from the people I used to know over the years, for various reasons, and so feel my knowledge, and the truth stuck in my brain, is not going to much use besides in my own life, and sadly that is not enough. I tried facebook but no one is interested, how else can I spread the good word to as many as possible? Would I be putting myself in danger? Does anyone want to help?

[RichardY]

Hi Jake, what country are you in? I'm in England.

I'm thinking signs might be effective, but they have to be short and stating truths so self evident that people barely have to think in my opinion, you could add a website for further infomation. Interacting with people as they walk past might not be the best option, perhaps a more direct way on engaging people door to door might be more effective.

[AccuTron]

People in general don't listen.  To liars yes, to truth no.  Not convenient.  So I'd expect you'd be utterly appalled, however educational that would be.  

 

Somewhat dangerous, as the SJW has no moral code to follow except belligerence.  

 

In my experience, it's only, and it's a very small number, it's only people that I've known a long time who will even listen, and even of those, mostly they just clam up and mentally run away.  Having challenging careers, or "best people" on the outside, is irrelevant.  

 

I tried to believe that people would appreciate being fed high value truth with a silver spoon from a silver platter, whilst merely sitting onst der butt, but I was wrong.  That's the take-home lesson for me:  people don't like being honest, it's a large percentage, and I think it's much about breaking ranks with others.  And ego, how could I forget that one?

 

You may eventually find one who listens, and that may be enough reward for you.  Perhaps the following will help---

 

 

 

This is a good place to report...glad I was sitting down...Callooh!  Callay!  I met a woman who listened today!

 

This is not a dating thing.  This woman works where I often get my BBQ, for those of you who’ve seen that mentioned in my dietary posts.  

 

To not keep you waiting for punchlines, she got the spiel and the URL about FDR, and should be visiting soon.  It gets better.

 

I had my usual non-red meat turkey sammich, noticed it was surprisingly quiet, tho’ a lovely sunday.  I acted upon my desire to share with these people the contents of a recent FDR forum about red meat and health.  

 

I spoke with the woman who had taken my order dozens of times.  A wonderfully long time passed, and I sat within easy conversational distance, only a few interruptions, and mostly she was able to listen to what I was saying with rapt attention.

 

 

I first gave details re meat/health, and in doing so introduced FDR.  She was completely on board with the few things I said, or at least her body and facial language seemed fully so.  She told me that her double major is nutrition/psychology, which was the clanging bell right answer for needing to know about FDR.

 

I was going to let it rest at that great achievement, but nobody was coming in, and I cautiously started to tell about my discovery of AGW fraud.  I was able to describe a great deal of material, gave instructions to FDR for more, and some online search terms to further open her eyes.  Hurrah for FDR forums!  

 

(Cultural note — if I were to tell you what fateful quirk caused my accidental discovery of AGW fraud, mixed with another forum thread about generational name recognition, then I report that this twenties something didn’t know who Annie Oakley was.)

[Jakethehuman]

Hi Jake, what country are you in? I'm in England.

I'm thinking signs might be effective, but they have to be short and stating truths so self evident that people barely have to think in my opinion, you could add a website for further infomation. Interacting with people as they walk past might not be the best option, perhaps a more direct way on engaging people door to door might be more effective.

 

Hey Richard I live in Australia and I must say I am quite affectionate towards England, unlike many of my countrymen, although it seems you guys have taken a turn for the worse of late. 

Anyway I agree it would have to be really catchy, the problem is the simpler you make it the more simple minded people will be drawn to you. Door to door is an interesting idea! It would be such a change from the familiar Mormon and Jehova types we are used to, a bit of truth straight to your door! I want to try it I think a tablet with a slide show of certain facts and stats and some pamphlets. 

People in general don't listen.  To liars yes, to truth no.  Not convenient.  So I'd expect you'd be utterly appalled, however educational that would be.  

 

Somewhat dangerous, as the SJW has no moral code to follow except belligerence.  

 

In my experience, it's only, and it's a very small number, it's only people that I've known a long time who will even listen, and even of those, mostly they just clam up and mentally run away.  Having challenging careers, or "best people" on the outside, is irrelevant.  

 

I tried to believe that people would appreciate being fed high value truth with a silver spoon from a silver platter, whilst merely sitting onst der butt, but I was wrong.  That's the take-home lesson for me:  people don't like being honest, it's a large percentage, and I think it's much about breaking ranks with others.  And ego, how could I forget that one?

 

You may eventually find one who listens, and that may be enough reward for you.  Perhaps the following will help---

 

 

 

This is a good place to report...glad I was sitting down...Callooh!  Callay!  I met a woman who listened today!

 

This is not a dating thing.  This woman works where I often get my BBQ, for those of you who’ve seen that mentioned in my dietary posts.  

 

To not keep you waiting for punchlines, she got the spiel and the URL about FDR, and should be visiting soon.  It gets better.

 

I had my usual non-red meat turkey sammich, noticed it was surprisingly quiet, tho’ a lovely sunday.  I acted upon my desire to share with these people the contents of a recent FDR forum about red meat and health.  

 

I spoke with the woman who had taken my order dozens of times.  A wonderfully long time passed, and I sat within easy conversational distance, only a few interruptions, and mostly she was able to listen to what I was saying with rapt attention.

 

 

I first gave details re meat/health, and in doing so introduced FDR.  She was completely on board with the few things I said, or at least her body and facial language seemed fully so.  She told me that her double major is nutrition/psychology, which was the clanging bell right answer for needing to know about FDR.

 

I was going to let it rest at that great achievement, but nobody was coming in, and I cautiously started to tell about my discovery of AGW fraud.  I was able to describe a great deal of material, gave instructions to FDR for more, and some online search terms to further open her eyes.  Hurrah for FDR forums!  

 

(Cultural note — if I were to tell you what fateful quirk caused my accidental discovery of AGW fraud, mixed with another forum thread about generational name recognition, then I report that this twenties something didn’t know who Annie Oakley was.)

 

Oh yeah people don't like the truth! They either get angry, laugh it off, or worse, act as if you hadn't spoken at all. I sent my brother a link to an FDR Trump video and a long message explaining why he isn't the worst thing to happen to the planet since Hitler, it's been 2 days no reply, like Stef says, I've tried and if people won't even engage with you then they earn their fate.

 

Thats a great story man it is so special when you come across someone out in the wild at random and find they are actually logical and rational! I'm sure there is something wrong with her though, has to be 

Why not a dating thing?

 

I had a similar experience recently where I spoke to someone who could listen and reason and I even convinced them that it is never ok to hit kids, they started with the idea that some kids just need it, and after 15 minutes and a follow up "facts about spanking" video he was convinced. Sadly within a few days(he was a new co-worker) it came out that he is religious and whats more an evolution denying creationist! Man my radar was way off with that one really thought i was onto something 

[Torero]

Trying to convince a statist with philosophical arguments he's supporting immorality is harder than trying to convince a religious person that atheism is a more rational way of looking at the world which is already a very difficult job to accomplish.

 

The statist is in a delusioned state that statism is (pseudo!-) rational, while the religious person knows his or her beliefs are irrational.

 

Fighting pseudo-rationality (backed up by the enormous propaganda spread by the media, "education" system and peer pressure) with real rationality is a virtuous yet almost impossible task.

[A4E]

Many years ago, a friend printed out large quantities of copies with information regarding the Gardasil vaccine, at a time when teenage girls were pressured into accepting it. Drove to a nearby city and put copies into as many mailboxes as he could find.

 

About a month later, someone had arranged a protest against the Gardasil vaccine in that city.

[AccuTron]

"Why not a dating thing?"

 

40 year age difference.

"Man my radar was way off with that one really thought i was onto something   :laugh:"

 

I also got a dose of reality.  The next day I came back with better starting links for FDR, re AGW, for the woman who listened.  She wasn't working that day and a different woman was there.  Even tho' this second woman heard about the huge amount of research I did, she wasn't interested.  Oh well, it's just giant crime, a girl can't be expected to vote and be moral at the same time....

[Guest Gee]

Hi Jake. Just an idea but you could search out self selected groups who might be primed for an aspect/topic covered by FDR and introduce them via that topic?

 

Say if you found a group expressing frustration at the media bias and vitriol at Trump, you could infiltrate the group and introduce the group to the FDR media pushing back against such bias. By doing so you would be providing such group with value and introducing them to FDR and thus philosophy as having value in their lives.

 

Same goes for other groups/communities.

 

Philosophical capitalist ninja

 

Edit* FDR has a bit of this in its history, there are some podcasts where Stef talks about the bait and switch, start with libertarian issues, government etc and slowly switch to peaceful parenting and voluntary family.

[Jakethehuman]

Many years ago, a friend printed out large quantities of copies with information regarding the Gardasil vaccine, at a time when teenage girls were pressured into accepting it. Drove to a nearby city and put copies into as many mailboxes as he could find.

 

About a month later, someone had arranged a protest against the Gardasil vaccine in that city.

I'm leaning towards a flyer approach with possible follow up door knocks, it is a good way to get a lot of people talking as a they might end up mentioning it to friends and neighbours.

"Why not a dating thing?"

 

40 year age difference.

 

"Man my radar was way off with that one really thought i was onto something :laugh:"

 

I also got a dose of reality. The next day I came back with better starting links for FDR, re AGW, for the woman who listened. She wasn't working that day and a different woman was there. Even tho' this second woman heard about the huge amount of research I did, she wasn't interested. Oh well, it's just giant crime, a girl can't be expected to vote and be moral at the same time....

Nothing worse than when a person will listen and understand and still decide they don't care.

 

I had to vote on Saturday (Australia sucks) people were in general really pissed, besides the party affiliates handing out "how to vote" cards with giant fake ass smiles, everyone hates it yet still won't accept that it is immoral

Hi Jake. Just an idea but you could search out self selected groups who might be primed for an aspect/topic covered by FDR and introduce them via that topic?

 

Say if you found a group expressing frustration at the media bias and vitriol at Trump, you could infiltrate the group and introduce the group to the FDR media pushing back against such bias. By doing so you would be providing such group with value and introducing them to FDR and thus philosophy as having value in their lives.

 

Same goes for other groups/communities.

 

Philosophical capitalist ninja

 

Edit* FDR has a bit of this in its history, there are some podcasts where Stef talks about the bait and switch, start with libertarian issues, government etc and slowly switch to peaceful parenting and voluntary family.

I went to a Philosophy meet up run by a philosopher/therapist and they do weekly meet ups and discuss different topics, it was really structures and he always pulls people back to the topic, he even has weekly class notes, overall not a bad experience, however he has his mind made up on life and on how his classes will be run so not much room to introduce new ideas and besides it is $10 a session.

 

In general it's a great idea I will have to have a bit more of a look for groups of people like you mentioned, always wanted to be a ninja!

[Jer]

Have you heard of Street Epistemology? Anthony Magnabosco has a youtube channel where he posts videos of Socratic dialogues with strangers. He is usually discussing religion, but his method (from A Manual for Creating Atheists) is useful for evaluating all sorts of beliefs and I'd love to see it adapted to discussions of statism.

 

here's an example:

[Jakethehuman]

That dude was horrible to watch kind of useless talking to someone with such a low iq, like you know what I mean?