I have spent 42 years trying to understand what the hell is going on as I knew something was not right. I learnt from many ( Richard Dawkins, Darwin, Einstein, and many more and now Peter) and can see clearly so I can now explain to others. But who can we get to join the movement who have been singing our song? I have just let Dawkins followers know about us! Who else? I will tell everyone I know but we need great speakers who see the truth to tell their followers we are here! Extinction rebellion followers will get it, the’re already half way there! Who else?
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Hi @Jay131278! Welcome to the forum. Those are indeed interesting like-minded organizations. I also message municipalities and political parties here in nl. There are some interesting efforts going on here which come close to what we want to achieve. Such as circular economics and such. Who knows, maybe your municipality is also working on interesting stuff. Also don’t forget hacker spaces and fab labs. They do awesome work and are basically in part already in an RBE world 
You don’t really need too push people to join “the movement” per se. I’ve found it pretty hard during all this years to even keep the people that were already convinced to remain and do their stuff. Instead I now focus on relaying parts of the train of thought whenever possible and applicable - mostly to authorities and scientists I can reach. The whole train of thought is so vast and complex, and frankly unpleasant to hear, that people will just run if presented with the whole idea at once, or sometimes ever… Only thing I can think of that I’ve found people been more repulsed from has been the blunt truth like full message of Extinction Rebellion (it’s awful, we all die), and not far from it the Collapsology studies (lots of collapsonauts embrace RBE).
It’s just that I think we need to do our job and try to get any help we can preparing stuff for when the system won’t hold any more. And while preparing we will hopefully forge some friendships and some tools with which we will build a better, or at least bearable tomorrow. Perhaps under different banner? Perhaps under something resembling RBE?
Also I never admit I’m from a movement unless it’s my friends or close ones. Just present the train of thought to avoid labelling. Why? The main problem with TZM is that many people took the first movie way too seriously and people being simple creatures wouldn’t stand up to the intellectual challenge and just like that brand anything they don’t really understand as crazy, or stupid. I never link to the films and stuff. It never worked for me. Ever.
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Cheers buddy. Good points. I’m rubbish at articulating myself and communicating. As you say it’s so complicated and such a big subject it’s hard to get points across. What tips do you have? What parts of the train of thought are best to share first and how do you explain them?
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It really depends on the situation. But the basic concepts people are quite likely to grasp are that and agree on is that:
- We live in a finite planet and our economic system is based on infinite growth. It cannot continue. Something has to change. Have they considered what it can be? How would sustainable world look like?
- Unless they are outright suicidal at that point and cannot imagine anything but capitalism or death (happens way too often which I find gruesome), you can try and wonder what one could do to make it happen. Identify their skills and connections and encourage them to do just what they have envisioned as their little piece of input for a better world. Appreciate them and call them heroes for doing so. It works better than you’d think.
- Also you might try the other approach. You might try to shame the money hoarders by openly, publicly calling them by their name. This antagonizes people and polarizes them. It forced my friends and family’s hand on my side and has given me a handful of enemies (They have sued me implying I’m out of my mind for criticizing them and they are now trying to take my children from me on that very basis - mean bastards!). But it was totally worth it. People that for years wouldn’t listen to me and who would rather die than consider anything but mindless conspicuous consumption, virtuous under capitalism, now help me one way or another and openly criticize the system and people whom I have shamed as money hoarders.
Here is one lecture on communication I have translated at some point. The thing on shame was I think on one of the talks in “Revolution Now!” podcast if I recall correctly.
Hi. Thanks again. Yes, PJ mentions the shame thing. I like it as it replaces the anger (and the conditioned feeling of enve) I have been feeling. Seems you have knowledge of my new beginnings. Could we chat somemore on your experiences? Need as much reassurance as possible at this scary time!
I strongly recommend you try Zen approach to life. It helped me treat life as a kind of game and treat it less seriously. Not that I don’t give a shit about people, because I do. I’m just no longer stressed and scared of everything. Like 9 years ago had a serious nervous breakdown over the state of the world. Then recurring episodes of depression. It’s gone since I have this approach. I just do my thing. Work for the community when I want to work for the community. Eat when I want to eat. Sleep when I want to sleep. And when it’s time I’ll go in peace. Nothing to worry about too much. Just doing my best, and not pushing anything. Wu-wei!