While checking out left organisations, one of the things to look out for is whether they try to workw with and mobilise ordinary people, at however small a level - running with issues of existing concern to them, whether it is in workplaces, suburbs, campuses.
Sure. I think it all comes down to the size of your group or grouplet, and local opportunities. You may want to throw all your efforts into a large, single-issue campaign group in your area if it does good work and draws in good people.
You also mentioned political theory. Over time activists will need to work out their positions on big theoretical and strategic issues like revolution vs reform, the role of the unions and the union bureaucracies, the nature of socialism, Stalin vs Trotsky, how to relate to progressives within the Democratic Party etc.
It is so good to see this sort of discussion and initiative taking off after the long torpor under neoliberalism.
This article is unique in its clarity. I am so grateful to you for spelling out how to respond. I agree that pervasive reactionary comments proliferating online are a giant waste of energy. As a behavior technician, I know a little BS (behavior science 😂) and we all know that mister former is an attention seeker, so it doesn’t matter what kind of attention he receives, he loves it all—positive or negative. Any attention reinforces him. I think an effective campaign against this overblown egomania would be a grand planned ignoring (a BS strategy) of him, in general. He loves to be the focus… we need to know what he’s doing, but the media too often plate right into his grabby hands. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see if a planned ignoring campaign rattled him?… especially an organized boycott of calling him by his proud anglicized name. He’s a Drumpf.
If people hadn’t been brainwashed against socialism… but many of those leftist orgs seem like they are already too diminished to start up a cohesive comprehensive response force. We need a new rainbow coalition!!
I’ve been curious about the WFP. It might be the party that could step up where the Democratic Party has let everyone down.
I appreciate the thoughtful response, I too (ironically) work in the ABA field with kiddos on the spectrum. The media definitely plays a role in reinforcing his behavior because Trump loves attention no matter what. On a different note, the left does tend to have major problems especially with its organizations. That’s why I’m for building them up and keeping them independent from big money and corporate donor influences. If not, it’ll just end up like the Democratic Party again or the Labour Party in the UK.
Hey Jae— I’m enjoying this connection— feel free to become a ghost if it isn’t working as well for you. I have a lifetime friend writing for The Nation as a regular columnist and I want to direct you to it. I shared it last night in my post: “Pay Less Attention to That Man in Front of the Curtain,” Zephyr Teachout. In it, she gives the kind of firm and kind direction left-leaning left-behinders need to comprehend. She’s a force of nature and has always been sharper than most tacks in the drawer. I think you would appreciate what she puts together in that quick read. Anyways, thanks for this meaningful chat. Behavior Science needs to guide us through the sticky wickets of this greedy stick and ball game… I’m ready for taking steps and organizing functional plans for when the current governing group inevitably collapses because it doesn’t understand that ‘to govern’ means to care.
While checking out left organisations, one of the things to look out for is whether they try to workw with and mobilise ordinary people, at however small a level - running with issues of existing concern to them, whether it is in workplaces, suburbs, campuses.
Locally involved organizations are typically best from my experience to learn what it means to organize and engage in political struggle.
Sure. I think it all comes down to the size of your group or grouplet, and local opportunities. You may want to throw all your efforts into a large, single-issue campaign group in your area if it does good work and draws in good people.
You also mentioned political theory. Over time activists will need to work out their positions on big theoretical and strategic issues like revolution vs reform, the role of the unions and the union bureaucracies, the nature of socialism, Stalin vs Trotsky, how to relate to progressives within the Democratic Party etc.
It is so good to see this sort of discussion and initiative taking off after the long torpor under neoliberalism.
This article is unique in its clarity. I am so grateful to you for spelling out how to respond. I agree that pervasive reactionary comments proliferating online are a giant waste of energy. As a behavior technician, I know a little BS (behavior science 😂) and we all know that mister former is an attention seeker, so it doesn’t matter what kind of attention he receives, he loves it all—positive or negative. Any attention reinforces him. I think an effective campaign against this overblown egomania would be a grand planned ignoring (a BS strategy) of him, in general. He loves to be the focus… we need to know what he’s doing, but the media too often plate right into his grabby hands. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see if a planned ignoring campaign rattled him?… especially an organized boycott of calling him by his proud anglicized name. He’s a Drumpf.
If people hadn’t been brainwashed against socialism… but many of those leftist orgs seem like they are already too diminished to start up a cohesive comprehensive response force. We need a new rainbow coalition!!
I’ve been curious about the WFP. It might be the party that could step up where the Democratic Party has let everyone down.
https://workingfamilies.org/get-active/
Appreciate your thorough work!
I appreciate the thoughtful response, I too (ironically) work in the ABA field with kiddos on the spectrum. The media definitely plays a role in reinforcing his behavior because Trump loves attention no matter what. On a different note, the left does tend to have major problems especially with its organizations. That’s why I’m for building them up and keeping them independent from big money and corporate donor influences. If not, it’ll just end up like the Democratic Party again or the Labour Party in the UK.
Hey Jae— I’m enjoying this connection— feel free to become a ghost if it isn’t working as well for you. I have a lifetime friend writing for The Nation as a regular columnist and I want to direct you to it. I shared it last night in my post: “Pay Less Attention to That Man in Front of the Curtain,” Zephyr Teachout. In it, she gives the kind of firm and kind direction left-leaning left-behinders need to comprehend. She’s a force of nature and has always been sharper than most tacks in the drawer. I think you would appreciate what she puts together in that quick read. Anyways, thanks for this meaningful chat. Behavior Science needs to guide us through the sticky wickets of this greedy stick and ball game… I’m ready for taking steps and organizing functional plans for when the current governing group inevitably collapses because it doesn’t understand that ‘to govern’ means to care.