Notes on Anarchist Marketing: Embrace Empathy to Touch Hearts and Change Minds
Anarchists aren't just philosophers. They are marketers. They are vying to make change in people and in society at large. That is marketing, and it requires more than just proselytizing ideas. It requires selling them, and this is no simple task. People want to buy; they want to embrace new considerations, but the anarchist must tell their stories with passion and love in order for people to buy their pleas for freedom.
If the anarchist just argues with people; slaps them around; makes them cry, and flexes their own ego, anarchism will fail to spread. Anarchists should work on their empathy, communication, public relations, and networking skills. The anarchist must be a master of human relations, because it is through empathy that anarchist culture spreads and grows.
Plant the seeds; nurture the ideas; speak peace; preach love, and embody what it means to peddle the anarchist dream. Then the liberty community will experience the nourishment of cultural reciprocation. Certainly some people respond to the coldness of raw argument, but most people respond to to the warmth of sheer connection.
Connection Marketing: "People Like Us, do Things Like This"
This goal of connecting is at the heart of marketing. Anarchists should understand that connection marketing is primarily their business. Anarchy is the business of selling ideas to people too afraid to entertain them. So instead of always seeking to break a lowly opponent through syllogistic argument, instead try to connect with a fellow human on a fundamental level.
These connections will build culture, and if the anarchist knows this, then the game is on. Seth Godin, a respected master of modern marketing, says that creating and spreading a culture is essential to skillful marketing. He said, "people like us, do things like this," and if we demonstrate anarchic culture as a culture of love that embraces a variety of people, our philosophy becomes a showstopper, causing the masses to stop and gawk at it in awe.
Don't be afraid to embrace the art of anarchist marketing. It's what we do. Before we are philosophers, we are marketers. Anarchism is not like an obscure metaphysical doctrine --- it's a living, breathing idea; constantly evolving, constantly growing, and it is not to be left in the hands of armchair philosophers and academician dinosaurs. If we don't allow the ideas surrounding anarchism to grow, then people will not see it as a viable idea for future generations to adopt, and the anarchists will continue to fail at their mission for generating mass adoption of the philosophy.
Be marketers first, and philosophers second.
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I find anarchy is a tainted word that is difficult to use correctly these days. I find is I explain my views in layman's terms as it were people following and can see my point. As soon as I mention anarchy or agorism them I loose their attention. It's almost as though people have been programmed to avid certain words.
Planting the seed is the key to it all though, allowing people to connect the dots. Then when you mention something they suddenly click this is all related, this is the way forward to change the paradigm. Forceful scaremongering is what the propaganda do like to think I am different to this; people need to find their own way 💯🐒
Great read and I agree empathy and thoughtful communication will achieve more than insults and arguing. Although, one approach might work for one and not work for another, arguing for example might not work for many but it could work for some and I've seen people who use that approach be successful with it. Though, perhaps they might not have been as successful as those who've had a more diplomatic approach. When someone newly embraces the msg of freedom though, I don't really care so much how they got there. Sadly, often anarchists aren't even capable of convincing their own friends and families of their beliefs on liberty but they might be gifted at attracting others to the idea outside of their inner circle because what works for one to entice might obviously not work for another. I am thankful that the messengers of freedom are so wildly diverse😄
love this!