Italian anarchists are very irritable because they are very conceited. Their longstanding conviction that they’re oracles of revealed revolutionary truth has become “monstrous” ever since the Socialist Party, through the influence of the Russian Revolution and Bolshevik…
I think, as with most things, you have to know your audience. I find a lot of anarchist, especially those who are new to anti-capitalist ways of thinking can certainly have it explained to them and convinced.
Sure, that’s an important point as well. It’s always important to recognize where the person you’re talking with at and to tailor the messaging accordingly. I’m mainly just cautioning against spending a lot of time on trying to convince people who don’t want to be convinced. It’s easy to get sucked down the rabbit hole of arguing with them endlessly while that time can be spent better talking to people who are actually receptive to what you’re saying.
I had to learn that the hard way. Some people just like to argue for arguments sake.
indeed
This is a very sad picture you are painting. It is like saying that if someone doesn’t know about cars and this is the first time buying you can convince them to buy a Chevy, but if they already know about cars and have had a few they will never buy one. Alternatively if they have a BMW why trade it for a Daewoo?
No, I’d say you have to look at it more like eating habbits. You won’t convince someone who’s in his 50ies and all his life only ever ate fastfood to eat healthy. It’s objectively better for them, deep down they might even know it, but the force of habbit is just to strong.
There is a best choice, but not everyone want’s to hear it. You can’t convince everyone and have to pick your battles.
But that isn’t the demographic I’m talking about. A group of people who call themselves anarchists and can be reasoned with does exist, and refusing to cooperate with them (and instead yelling what you perceive to be The Truth at them until they agree with you) will result in them becoming the inflexible, habitually wrong anarchist.
I think we both agree on that. I just wanted to point out that that does not mean every anarchist can be reasoned with.
Again I am with you on that, but no one here advocated that. If I say “they don’t want to hear the truth” I am not saying that I tell them they are straight up wrong. If I debate politics with someone I try to point out logical flaws or present my reasoning. If they don’t find my reasoning relatable that’s fine, most of the time we still agree on a lot of other points.