I saw some threads about free time and desire for community on my feed earlier and I found that slightly relatable.
Commenters in the latter thread were quick to point out that openly identifying oneself is not a good idea which means community must be formed by other means.
So what I’ve been doing is being friendly with everyone and asking for their opinions on things and trying to discern people’s political orientation in casual normal conversation. It’s a pretty painful process because most people have awful takes and it’s hard to convince people without being preachy.
The goal isn’t even to convince people, after all, the goal is to connect with people with similar views. And this strategy only works if you can find tons of willing people whose opinions you can discreetly interrogate.
Just by observation I find the best way to meet random people is to play sports, e.g. there’s always people playing basketball at the park.
Also I’m awful at sports. No one cares what you have to say if you can’t play their game. It turns out staying home and reading is not a good way to make friends. After this realization I’ve been working out and exercising more. So with this awareness I think it makes sense to say that playing playing sports and exercising are revolutionary activities. I could have the most eloquent arguments and the most beautiful speeches but those conversations are imaginary if I can’t get people’s attention. And because the society we live in doesn’t value studying as much as sports that’s just the game we have to play.
So what sports do you play? What are the best sports to play in this context?
This reminds me of Albert Woodfox, the Black Panther, member of the Angola 3(named after the Louisiana prison, he was not Angolan) and the LONGEST held prisoner in solitary confinement, a 40+ yr period in which he was confined for 23 hrs each day. Albert Woodfox recently passed away from Covid-19, may he rest in peace. Albert Woodfox, Robert H King and Herman Wallace of the Angola 3 used to pretend to play football 🏈 and they’d play catch with each other on the field while speaking politics with each other and people from their cell blocks. Without the knowledge or help of the guards, he was able to convince all the men in his block to join an anti-Rape coalition and fight tooth and nail against rape in prison. They convinced people by talking to them on the field(and obviously in the cells too) They said it was a way to not get caught, a way yo engage others in politics, and a fun way to keep in touch with others and stay healthy. So in honor of the Angola 3, my official answer would be to play Football, but in some places football is more reactionary than others and therefore tougher to broach politics
That’s very inspiring. How lucky he was to meet Panthers on the way to prison! Fate is very powerful.
Yes, they were blessed by fate for sure. If not for meeting black panthers in prison and making good friends, Woodfox would have been illiterate, as he never learned to read or write as an impoverished black youth in 50s Louisiana. His story, despite being so heavy and painful is full of so much hope. I plan on reading his book as well, he speaks about how solitary confinement is torture and how he lived through it without going mad like he’s seen before.
It’s sad that everyone talks about Solzhenitsyn but this is the first time I’ve heard about the person that’s served the most time in solitary confinement.
Well, longest serving solitary confinement within the US. I remember that being said multiple times, not sure who did the most time but he did the most in the US. And next thing after he was released, he’s on Democracy Now speaking his truth, he had so much to say and his world was so different from when he entered Angola prison and when he left. I don’t mean to compare someone’s real existence with a trivial movie, but it really brought Shawshank Redemption to mind. When Brooks is released from prison and he sees how much the world changed and how it seems that everything he took for granted, everything that used to be a fact to him, had passed him by in his years in prison
I just watched that video. Albert did everything he could to improve the people around him in prison. Even after he left prison he said he would dedicate his life to improving humanity. The sad irony is that his youth was stolen from him and he would die soon after. That prison is cursed. I don’t know if any movie can be more tragic than real life. Thank you for sharing this lesson with me.
Yea, I learned it from “Democracy Now!” They may be a bit liberal, but every once in a while they have spectacular interviews or investigative pieces
Sports are incredibly valuable. They’re 1. fun 2. A great way to stay in shape and 3. A great way to meet people and make friends.
As you might have noticed by my profile, I love hockey. I’ve met a lot of people and made many friends through it. If you’re good at the game, people respect you and listen to you. I’ve definitely had a lot of political conversations with freinds I’ve made. Maybe I didn’t convert them to communism lol but I’ve certainly given people a new perspective and pushed them more left. Talking to people about politics is a delicate process, I know, but you just got to be patient. Especially when as I’ve noticed in the US, being too invested in politics is associated with being weird or crazy. So you have to be very subtle about it and it sucks.
And hey, If any of y’all are looking for a sport to get into, there are dozens of different websites and social media groups you can find where people organize meetups to play. Obviously details on that depend on where you live. I got on a bush league team just by being active at my local rink, meeting a couple guys who were part of a team and they invited me to their Facebook group (I know, gross) and to play with em. I have some freinds that do the same with baseball too. And obviously, as you mentioned, basketball is pretty easy to get into as there’s always people on the court playing. It’s important to join a team sport though, as you aren’t going to get that community experience by playing a more individualistic sport like golf or tennis or whatever.
But I’m glad you’re doing well, best of luck to ya!
Thank you for sharing your successful experiences. This gives me hope!
It’s funny, because I socialize in other ways, so the most physically active thing I do is literally hike and climb…which isn’t exactly a social event lmao. It’s just what’s available in these woods and hills I’m surrounded by. Great if you can take other people though, although it can become very taxing physically.
That being said, a bunch of people locally made a kickball club where they drank a little and played. They seemed to have a blast. Most folks aren’t as fit as more hardcore athletic-oriented people, so these lower impact games will have more reach if you establish them yourself.
It’s also worth considering socializing by watching sports. I have gotten into a few positive encounters simply based on giving someone else’s favorite pastime a go. I tend to enjoy watching soccer (I played for years growing up) and MMA myself, but I will watch basketball. If someone has like a Super Bowl party, I will also still show up without caring so much for the game itself.
EDIT: I don’t know how you feel about the environment and drinking, but bars also have pool, darts, and cornhole often. Arcade bars have video games and board games, sometimes other things like large Jenga on patios. Casinos also have card games. None of these are as physically taxing but instill the same competitive nature, as well as being super conducive to conversation. Plus, they’re all massively social places in and of themselves by merit of being a bar/casino. Take this advice with a grain of salt, I’m both assuming the ultimate goal is community (and not just to mix socializing with physical activity) and I’m super extraverted and thrive in these places myself so YMMV.
That’s really interesting insight. Thank you. I’ve never considered bars and games but it seems games in general are conducive to conversation.
hike and climb
bruh that shit is fun
Sure is. Last time we went out, some woman dropped a water bottle down the side of a steep hill in front of a small waterfall and I scaled that shit to get it back to her. Full-on spider monkey. My friends don’t like doing it, so I end up feeling like I’m showing off, but it’s literally just so fun.
why do people do that honestly, just keep it in the pockets until you see a trashcan!
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He was also a talented basketball player https://youtube.com/shorts/-dFqGbVd-Zs?feature=share
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Yup, Castro says basketball develops skills necessary for abetting a Revolution, so excuse me while I work on my Dengist Dunks, Bolshevik Bounce Passes and J Sakaihooks
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I have hEDS so I can’t do anything high impact. I will begin attending Tai Chi classes soon and I’m really excited for it, but I think I will be surrounded by arthritic geriatrics lol. Not much room for radicalization there, but maybe I will be a curiosity that they’ll like to talk to as a much younger person with joint problems.
I’m sorry about your joint problems. I hope Tai Chi improves that for you. Your health is more important radicalization!
Thanks comrade.
I used to play football and honestly it was pretty fun but I only played for one year of high-school so I don’t think I have brain damage but who knows.
There’s this atheist channel on youtube whose name escapes me now, that goes in parks and plazas and politely engages people in conversation. He doesn’t try to preach to them. He just asks them what they believe, asks them to clarify and then just has a civil discussion with them. Most of them will return after a while to talk with him again. I’ve tried that on and off for a while and it’s definitely a lot harder to discuss political ideology than faith, but it works. Most people like opening up if they feel you aren’t trying to convert them.
Cool that’s like atheist Steve Crowder. If you remember who it is I’d like to check it out.
Hey, yeah I remembered the channel. It’s Street Epistemology.
Cool I’ll check it out thank you
I’ve been learning tennis for a few years, and I’m only just beginning to be okay at it lol.
That’s awesome! I hope you had more time to play tennis!
Rock Climbing, lifting brah, Hikes, and swimming :). Quite a lot of down time in all of those sports, and they’re usually in settings where you have some level of cover in terms of other people hearing your convo.
Hiking and swimming seem like solitary activities? I’m already doing lifting and want to start rock climbing! When I go swimming I usually don’t interact with anyone.
Not if you go with other people! People occasionally do stop me to have momentary conversations with me. I remember this sweet old woman who I crossed paths with stopped me to let me know there was a nice sunset ahead! The trails I frequent are well traversed, so that helps.
I’ll occasionally pick a spot along a trail and read a book! I have a Lenin shirt I wanna wear on a hike and read some books. It’s potentially dangerous, but I feel comfortable enough to do it in my area :,). You’re bound to get a few interactions!
Thank you for sharing. Good luck and be safe!
