How Our Activism Has Become a Rigged Game of Three-Card Monte

I'm tired of having to block three potential allies every day because they hit me with a tirade of profanities rather than questions. I get that everyone is on edge, but I am not your enemy.Do you want me to spell it out for you. Here you go:* I want you to have affordable healthcare.* I want your kids to get a free education.* I want you to be able to buy a house.I am not the person who is holding you back. I am not responsible for the low wages you get paid. I'm not the reason why you always get passed over for a promotion.Instead, I'm the guy who will pull over to help out if your car breaks down. Can everybody take a deep breath please? I get that everyone is anxious and frustrated, but if you lash out at the people who come to help, you only make things worse.The way I see it, a big part of the problem is that our media isn't even attempting to go through the motions of being fair. They deliberately misinterpret every event, and use it to cast blame on the innocent even as they sing the praises of the malicious.The reason they are able to do this is because we have three voter groups rather than two. If we only had two, perhaps it wouldn't be so easy to manipulate us. But we have three, so we're all condemned to this enormous game of three-card monte.Who are the groups?* Those who vote blue* Those who vote red* Those who don't voteWhat do these groups want?That's the tragic part. They all want the exact same thing.Now listen, I get it. It doesn't seem like that could be true, but it is. The problem is that a large number of our voters have been indoctrinated with fearmongering that has convinced them to think the only safety lies in authoritarianism. I don't agree with them. But this all gets easier if you understand what motivates them.The problem is that the people who want decisions to be made based on reason rather than rage or fear can't seem to get enough support. This naturally leads to frustration.One response to this frustration is that politicians are inclined to blame the voters when they lose. “If people are too stupid to vote for me, then they deserve what they get.”But the thing is, the politicians who say things like this get to go home to their mansions and their inflated quality of life after the election. Meanwhile, their supporters begin to die because they’re stripped of their healthcare and financial support.Saying, “the voters are to blame” represents a failure to learn and improve after a loss.They’re not saying, “What can I do better?”They’re saying, “I’m already perfect, so the problem must be you.”It's not reasonable.I think it's largely because of this attitude that we end up with the group of non-voters. The way the non-voters look at it, we have one group that's committed to chaos, one group that's committed to losing (which refuses to change), and a final group that wants reason but finds it's not on the menu.Meanwhile, the media exacerbates the whole thing by shifting the cards around and always making it seem like the card we need isn't even on the table.We're spun in circles while the oligarchs who run everything chortle to themselves.This is one of those games where the only way to win is not to play. What that means is we have to stop responding to our situation using the same old tactics that have never worked before.Lately, I'm seeing the same old tired lectures of “there is never going to be a perfect candidate, so you need to shut up and get behind the person we give you.”I think that argument, all by itself drives a wedge into the coalition we need before it even starts to form. The other side of this argument is that there's never going to be any “perfect” activism. We need to ramp up our tolerance and recognize how many people out there are potential allies.There are a lot more than you realize. The problem is that all three groups currently have certain ideas and personalities that they insist cannot be questioned. We have to be able to question everything. More importantly, we must all find a greater commitment to spreading a message of unity.What I propose is that we dismantle the rigged game of three-card monte. All complex tasks become more manageable when you break them down to their component parts. The problem we're having now is that we're trying to apply a universal message to three wildly different groups.Instead of doing that, we must first recognize who we're talking to and then adapt our message accordingly.Here's what I'd say to modern politicians.LISTEN to the people who don’t vote.EDUCATE the people who vote red.WORK FOR all voters instead of just donors and supporters.And never be dismissive of the hardships the American people face.The next time you come across a comment or an article that you feel inclined to rebuke, stop for a moment and reflect on which of the three groups the author is in. Then, frame your argument so it's more effective based on what that group needs to hear.The pause you take will allow you to choose words of reason rather than words that are just a response to an external frustration.Remember, there are three groups! Both the media and many of our political leaders like to represent our reality as a binary system. It's easy to hide the money card when you've convinced the mark to believe there are only two cards on the table.Yes, it's true that when you try to educate red voters, some of them will summarily reject you.Yes, it's true that when you try to convince non-voters to participate, some of them will decline.But, if you stop assuming everyone who doesn't agree with you is “an enemy,” you'll moderate your own words in a way that will bring you much more success.There's no such thing as “perfect” activism. Not everyone you talk to will align with your beliefs exactly. When faced with disagreement, take a step back and see if you can bridge the divide between your group and theirs.The sad fact is that there are absolutists in all three groups. The American public is getting played like a bunch of suckers on the street. The good news is we don't have to take it anymore.Don't play by the rules of the oppressors. It's almost as if they've turned the idea of unity into a trigger concept. It doesn't have to be.Thank you for listening! This publication is reader sponsored. Your support means the world to me. Thank you for being here, and I look forward to sharing more thoughts with you tomorrow!Upgrade at 30% offUpgrade at 40% offUpgrade at 50% offUpgrade at 60% offTwenty dollars a yearMy CoSchedule referral linkHere’s my referral link to my preferred headline analyzer tool. If you sign up through this, it’s another way to support this newsletter (thank you).I'd Rather Be Writing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to I'd Rather Be Writing at walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe