Progressive Politics

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/28103966

Generated Summary below:

Main Topic: How to engage in productive conversations with Trump supporters and introduce them to new ideas.

Key Points:

• Despair as a Foundation: Totalitarian movements, including Trump's support base, are built on despair. Addressing this despair is crucial.
• Rational Argument Ineffectiveness: Rational arguments are unlikely to change the beliefs of Trump supporters.
• Focus on Material Concerns and Empathy: The best approach is to address their immediate material concerns and express empathy for their suffering.
• Micro-Level Organizing: Organizing around specific issues, like workers' rights at a Walmart, can be more effective than broad political arguments.
• Acknowledging Real Suffering: The suffering and disenfranchisement experienced by many Trump supporters are real and should be acknowledged.
• Irrationality and Pain: Trump support is rooted in irrationality, pain, dislocation, and disenfranchisement, not rational thought.

Highlights:

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the despair and suffering that drive support for Trump.
• The speaker suggests focusing on immediate, tangible issues and injustices in people's daily lives rather than engaging in abstract political debates.
• The speaker uses the example of organizing workers at Walmart to illustrate how to connect with Trump supporters on a practical level.

About Channel:

Chris Hedges, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, author and commentator provides compelling story telling, archive interviews & show content covering US foreign policy, economic realities and civil liberties in American society.