"When people don’t agree with us, and when they don’t change their behaviors in the ways we’d like, we too often dismiss them as bull-headed, ignorant, or even stupid. We tell ourselves that they suffer from “false consciousness,” that they are blind to what is in their own self-interest. And so we speak louder, get more insistent, but still they don’t listen! Then, too often, we conclude that there’s no point trying to convince those who don’t agree with us and we give up"
This quote sticks with me because this is the exact mindset that makes often online activists fail in their attempts to try and educate people. It's a lot harder to accept that someone won't easily change their mind when there is a plethora of information right at their fingertips. They get super frustrated and write them off as a lost cause. While it is not your job to convince every right winger to open their eyes, it's important to not give up so easily and to pick your battles.
"We all know that marketing is manipulation. It fuels capitalism through excessive consumption, fostering dissatisfaction and destroying the Earth. But we have tremendous respect for the intelligence and artistry of marketers, despite being horrified by what the marketing industry uses these talents for. Like so much else about commercial culture, we don’t need to like it, but as artistic activists we do need to learn from it."
This is the ultimate way to stand against injustice: weaponize their tactics against them. To learn how the ultra wealthy and powerful operate is to know their every manipulation technique. You learn who is trustworthy and who isn't. Which company wants to sell a product and which wants to help the people. To educate yourself on the manipulation tactics of coorperations is one of the most important things you can do as an activist as you can break down why these tactics are so successful and how they grab your attention.
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