Is it Even Possible to Red Pill People?

 

The Survival Podcast's 2860th episode asks an important question - Is it even possible to "wake people up" at this point?

Jack's answer is no...and it never was.

As you know the Red Pill concept has its many variations depending on the subgroup & subject being discussed. While our most common use of the Red Pill is in reference to intersexual dynamics Jack is a survivalist and an anarchist and uses it in more of a social & political sense.

His perspective is still valid.

It is impossible to wake people up to any idea or perspective unless they are already in a receptive state.

You can put out feelers. You can lay breadcrumbs. You can ask leading questions. Whether or not you are successful is dependent on the other person.

We can all point to a person in our past who has changed our minds about something. That person spoke to something we were willing to hear or answered a question raised by some event or cognitive dissonance originating elsewhere. He didn't change your mind. You did.

It is impossible to change people's minds. The most you can do is be a useful resource to those who are at a point where they are willing to change their own minds.

What to Do About It

If we can't can't people's minds what can we do? The rest of this article is composed of my thoughts only.

In my experience people don't spend much of their lives at the mental inflection points where they are in a place to make real changes. Most of our "thinking" is just the event-specific realization of existing beliefs. The inflection points take place on their terms & schedule, not ours.

That doesn't mean we make no difference, just that it's not under our control. We cannot dictate events but we can affect them.

How?

Be Available

Since people reach mental inflection points on their terms it is useful to cast a wide net by being available.

This can take the form of increasing your presence in other people's lives or going to where inflection-point people have a higher presence.

Increasing your presence doesn't mean spending more time. Quality is what is important but as someone once said, quantity has a quality all its own.

The goal is to be available when people are being thoughtful.

Establish Presence

If you are going to be available in a setting where inflection-point people gather it is important to establish a presence in a way that matters to them. Lurking for years and then jumping out at candidates counts for nothing. You don't have to be the red-pill guy but don't be a stranger either.

It is inevitable that other people peddling other ideas will show up at the same places. Don't let them have exclusive presence or ownership of the space.

Establish Credibility

Just as you wouldn't take life advice from a stranger you wouldn't take it from someone who has no experience with the matter being discussed.

You don't need to demonstrate bona fides with a specific subject but simply being a serious, reliable adult with a long-term stake in the community will set you apart from the pack. People listen to that.

Provide Cognitive Dissonance

You can't change people's minds but you can provide the seeds of change.

Show people real examples of things that contradict the narrative.

Do it casually. Do it non-confrontationally. And for goodness sake make it a small part of your relationship. Nobody likes a monomaniac.

I will say it again: be non-confrontational when providing cognitive dissonance. You don't want to provoke a mental immune response that seals off or dismisses what you say. You want to be a resource, not an adversary. Plant the seed and move on. Let them water it if they choose to water it. If not it was not meant to be in the first place.

Let the Seeds Grow

Yes you are excited about your subject. Yes it is important for people to understand.

You cannot change people's minds. It's not up to you.

People have to grapple with things on their own timeframe. A person can take years of chewing before he is ready to swallow and idea. That is just how it is.

You may never see the results of your work. That's okay.

Do a good job and move on to the next prospect. If someone wants to come back and discuss things further later that's fine, but don't try to rush the process.

To quote 1 Cor 3:6, I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

If you are looking for something to listen to, give TSP episode 2860 a shot. He's a good teacher and you may learn a new mental frame for communicating ideas to others.