WHAT IS POLITICS?
Interview: Fight Like an Animal / Arnold Schroeder
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Resistance movements often face suppression from liberal power structures, hindering their effectiveness.
- Hierarchical narratives limit the achievement of goals in activist groups by prioritizing power structures over more militant tendencies.
- Acknowledging innate variations and embracing fundamental human nature can foster stronger alliances in resistance movements.
- Building a healthier resistance culture that embraces collaboration and understanding leads to more effective and inclusive movements.
- Understanding the psychological predispositions and motivations of different online groups is essential for organizing people through digital means.
Deep dives
Revolutionary Potential at Standing Rock
Standing Rock had a revolutionary potential with a mass of motivated people confronting the power structure. There was a sense of resolve and readiness to fight, with the potential to spread resistance beyond the pipeline construction. The diverse group included native land defenders, native youth, grassroots activists, and white supporters. However, the resistance was eventually suppressed by liberal power structures, the same dynamics seen in other movements.
Hierarchical Narratives in Activist Groups
Hierarchical narratives often infiltrate activist groups and limit their ability to achieve goals. Liberal narratives prioritize the power structures and representatives, suppressing more militant tendencies. This has been observed in indigenous movements, where tribal governments exert control over radical actions. The same dynamics are also seen in other movements, where dissenting voices are marginalized by those in power.
Understanding Human Nature and Perception
Traditional left social constructivism often erases the differences between individuals and groups, hindering the ability to form shared projects based on common interests and perspectives. Acknowledging innate variations, even within different groups, allows for a more inclusive and effective resistance. Embracing the universals and fundamental human nature can foster stronger alliances and enable resistance movements to challenge power structures effectively.
The Decline of Resistance Culture
Resistance culture in the 1990s had a stronger sense of resolve and a culture of collaboration to shift trajectories. However, in recent times, the culture of resistance has become more influenced by divisive narratives and extreme tendencies. Building a healthier resistance culture that embraces valid assumptions about collaboration and understanding can lead to more effective and inclusive resistance movements.
Importance of Organizing in the Digital Landscape
Organizing people in today's society has shifted towards online platforms and niche identities. This requires understanding the psychological predispositions and motivations of different groups in order to effectively communicate with and bring them together. The podcast aims to create a foundation for understanding how to gather and organize people through digital means.
The Power of Group Identity and its Influence on Behavior
Humans have powerful evolved mechanisms for group identity, regardless of the content of that identity. Research studies, such as the minimal group paradigm experiments, show that people exhibit favoritism towards their own group over others, even when the groups are arbitrarily assigned. This understanding of group dynamics can help in building solidarity and cohesion within different online communities.
The Need for Social Connectivity in a Changing World
Loneliness and social isolation are significant contributors to psychological distress among individuals today. The podcast explores the importance of creating participatory social structures that meet the basic needs for connection. By finding ways to communicate and connect with different online tribes, it is possible to foster a sense of belonging and unity within diverse communities.
The importance of belonging to a meaningful group
The podcast discusses the significance of belonging to a group that provides a foundation for identity and a sense of belonging. The speaker emphasizes that movements or political participation should offer people an opportunity to make friends, be part of something meaningful, and address their psychological need for social connection. By creating a fun and engaging social club-like atmosphere, political engagement can become more appealing and attract a wider audience.
The dynamics of group critique and its similarities to cults
The podcast explores the dynamics of group critique within activist groups and draws parallels to cult-like behaviors. The speaker highlights the disorienting and psychologically distressing effects of group critiques, where individuals face criticism from a large group. This type of critique can lead to conformity and absolute adherence to group norms. The speaker relates this experience to their personal involvement in a cult and highlights the similarity in language and effects on the critiqued individuals. They suggest that understanding and challenging these dynamics is essential for effective communication and collaboration across different perspectives.
Interview with Arnold Schroeder of Fight Like an Animal, a wonderful and endessly fascinating show that looks through 20 years of experience of hardcore climate activism, at why left political movements are so weak and ineffective and how to change that, and which covers everything from history, to political psychology, to anthropology, psychiatry, animal behaviour, religious cults, and much more.
I highly recommend everyone check out his show, and dig deep into the extensive bibliographies for every episode, which in and of themselves are a gold mine.
And look for my interview on Arnolds show in the coming days
All music is by me.
What Is Politics Video Channel (video version of this interview and all episodes can be found here plus other stuff)
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