TIPS
Simple, easy, and effective ways to teach freedom to the people in your life who know you and like you and trust you. Your family, friends, and co-workers; the people you do business with on a first name basis; the people you socialize with.
1. Appetizers. Find short appetizer pro-freedom essays. Convincing and
compelling essays. Essays that would wake you up — if you weren’t already an
advocate of small government and individual liberty.
2. Offer these appetizers to a few people you are trying to educate. Don’t make
a big deal about it. Just say, “I read this interesting essay. It only took me four minutes to read, but it really got me thinking. I liked it so much, I wanted to share it with you.”
3. Request. Ask them, “Will you do something for me? Will you read the essay,
think about it for a few minutes, and tell me what you like best about it?”
4. Let them simmer, stew, and steep themselves in the idea for a day or two.
Then ask them: “What did you find most interesting about the essay? What did
you like best about it? What parts were you skeptical about?”
5. Do NOT pressure or push them. Do NOT interrogate or intimidate them if they
don’t immediately understand and agree with you. Be as gentle and patient as
the best teacher you can imagine.
6. Listen to them. Totally and completely listen to what they say.
7. Talk with them. Tell them what you liked best about the essay the first time
you read it. What you found interesting. What you were unsure or skeptical
about. Let them respond.
8. Leave them wanting more. End the conversation before everything has been
asked or said. This will often leave your friend thinking about it after you’ve left.
9. Repeat the process with another essay. Several times. Once every week or
two. This will often whet their appetites for a longer essay or book.
Suggest the best you can find.
This is how most freedom ideas were spread just before and during the American Revolution. This is how Ayn Rand’s philosophy was spread in the 1950s and
1960s. This is how the modern libertarian movement was launched in the early
1970s.
This is a simple, easy, and effective way you can bring others to individual
liberty and small government, a way to do your share of waking up Americans to
the cause of freedom.
When you do this, the people you teach will teach their families, friends, and
co-workers about freedom.
When the people in your life know what you know about freedom, they (may) do
what you do for freedom.
* * * * * * * *
From Michael Cloud, author of “Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion” available exclusively from the Advocates: http://www.TheAdvocates.org/secrets.html.
[Edited for format.]