Constantly trying to thread the needle of "my target audience is not other communists but “vibes based” leftists, punks, skaters, goths, etc.
Yet I am definitely not afraid to speak my mind, to be openly and unapologetically political. Yet I fear this will only end up alienating more than it will agitate or educate. We lack time, we lack will, so we need space, we can’t build will without space. Space means culture, culture has been entirely co-opted by the system, thus you need to create a line of flight to the space (Deleuze), we can do this by working towards deterritorizing the “underground” (counter culture). In this way the ‘brand’ super structure itself can be detourned, re-worked into a rhizome, ergo “HOUDINI”.
But thats all pretty heavy shit and I worry that the openly political nature of the detournément will alienate before the rhizome can grow. For example someone I consider to be one of the most important voices in the gaming space as it relates to the medium as an art form, that person offered to write some articles for the brand, to grow the rhizome so to speak.
This person is not openly political and I wonder to myself, does he not see the level of political discourse I attempt to engage in? If not, will learning of that push him away, limiting the growth and shrinking the space, thereby lowering the will?
I have found that leaning into being openly what and who I am has worked to at bare minimum create a softening effect on opinions. Wearing a “Mao hat” most of the time while out and about, and have a hammer and sickle pin that says “Equality, Brotherhood, and Liberty” while at work (I work at a big box electronics retail/services national chain where I fix computers). Being really honest and most importantly I try to be as helpful while interacting with customers and try to take time when they need it.
They often don’t see the pin right away, and already see how much I actually try to fix or explain in less technical ways where possible. Even folks that have some kind of American flag on are maybe a bit puzzled at actually interacting with a communist in a positive way. If asked about the pin (or the hat for that matter), I first say that I am extremely pro-worker and try to just feel out the interaction. Not going out of my way to push anything outside of saying that I stand with regular ass people and even take very light jabs at libs if the person is obviously conservative. I have even helped one guy that is not at all very tech literate over the past few years here and there. Dude is still a conservative, but one day he came in after I started wearing the hat and pin. He said the hat was nice, and asked about it. I said I am very pro-worker and a socialist, and just really hate how little working people get. Dude even asked if I ever get flack from my co-workers for it in a actual concerned way like he was willing to step-in and chew them out. So not only has he actually started trying to learn modern stuff like his PC, but is excited to tell me how he now uses some streaming apps. But he knows I am a real person that likes to help.
My reasoning (aside from liking them) for being visibly open about being a socialist/communist is that the majority of people haven’t physically met one of us in person. All they know is what they have been told via media and political leaders or whatever. Which is all that we are evil, hate freedom, want to take all their shit, idiots, and/or the peak versions of all the worst parts of US liberals (since they are also taught that Dems are actually somehow communists). It is extremely easy to hate/fear something/someone if you never actually are in a position to interact with the thing/person. Which I took from hearing multiple instances of former WW2 and Vietnam vets when saying how they only first met a POC after enlisting or while deployed. And how spending time with them showed how all the shit they were told about them was wrong. That they are just regular people just trying to live.
It also helps that I do truly try my best to find things that we might agree on to some level as a starting point when a conversation starts up with co-workers. It is only through being willing to actually talk with people and find how they best communicate by actually showing empathy and listening to them. Then you can find out how to convey what is and isn’t socialism. Because they don’t actually know what it is and what is actually bourgeoisie liberal capitalism (liberal liberal or conservative liberal) or fascism for that matter. Shit is not always easy and can get beyond heated. But it is needed and can help you see where you might need to learn more about if unsure in the moment. Major thing is to do everything to show that you are speaking in good-faith and hearing them.
On a less “softening to have a better opinion of socialism” and more just fun level. The hat has also been really interesting for random interactions. I have gotten into very positive conversations with US/US allied Vietnam vets that are jazzed to see it. One guy that was in the Thai military for the war almost scared me with his getting my attention to tell me he liked it and had saved one to keep from back then. There was some language barrier, but I believe he was on the US allied side. But was just very excited to see it and ask me if it was Soviet or Chinese. Even just interacting in Asian restaurants gets older folks excited to say they like it. Not really about changing their minds about communism. But still really nice to have interactions I wouldn’t have had.
This is my reasoning for being extremely open, I like to think I’m one cool cat, and if I’m open about my principles, that makes it easier for others to be like “damn bro is a commie? kinda based actually”. Not going to compromise my principles in the face of the abyss