I talk about public housing alot when it comes to discussions of affordable housing, and things like that. however its still difficult getting suburban white kids to support public housing. Their vision of that is the black segregated ghettos. So its like, things that are beneficial to the poor dont get support. because to take advantage of them you must go live in the ghetto. Yes they support homeless shelters and public housing “in theory” but they would never live in one. So very often I hear talk about rent control, which I believe they mistake for some kind of program that forces landlords to keep rent low in really wealthy neighborhoods in NYC or something, when they find out rent control is more about preventing seniors from being evicted, the affordable housing discussion fades away. They seem to just lose all enthusiasm and interest, because they can only imagine some obscure long term scenario where after many decades of subsidizing housing for the very poor, housing costs for everyone will go down, which they aren’t all that excited about. I really think it will take some new and unheard of ideas. Maybe something directed at the youth like “free apartments for 20 year olds”. but even then in their imaginations it would be just be back in the projects, next door to the homeless drug addict fresh out of jail from his multiple rape convictions. I mean we can’t even get them to support public transport because the poor on the bus are so gross. So they vote no on buses but they atleast still vote yes on electric cars… but there’s no electric car solution to housing is there?.. tiny homes?
To add to your good points, part of the problem is the framing: the idea that housing is ‘an investment’ and not simply a well-built shelter in which to live and grow. When housing ceases to be considered as an investment, all of those other points lock into place.
its still difficult getting suburban white kids to support public housing
Class interests. You won’t get petty bourgeois to act against their own class interests. Do not bother with them, it’s like asking a leech to stop sucking blood. If you’re trying to get support for pro-worker or socialist policies, talk to proletarians, the people whose class interests directly align with our policies, the ones who will be directly benefited by public housing. These are the people who can be radicalized the most effectively because what you’re saying is consistent with their material reality. Socialism is for them, they just don’t know it. And don’t bring up scary words early on because it will trigger their lib indoctrination, rather work slowly to find common ground and untangle their confusion.
In other words, ask yourself: would this person benefit materially from socialism or would they lose some of their comfort?
I’ve realized this is key to know who to talk about communism to and who not to.
Even Stalin said how the highly-trained petty bourgeois workers tried really hard to sabotage the socialist project at first, so they had to let them keep all their privileges while the state trained tons of new professionals under socialism.
Also I know historically there’s been some very worthy exceptions where petty bourgeois individuals become communist class traitors, but I think spending all your time trying to find them is like searching for a needle in a haystack. The most fervent support you’re gonna get is from people whose class interests align perfectly with the socialist project.
I talk about public housing alot when it comes to discussions of affordable housing, and things like that. however its still difficult getting suburban white kids to support public housing. Their vision of that is the black segregated ghettos. So its like, things that are beneficial to the poor dont get support. because to take advantage of them you must go live in the ghetto. Yes they support homeless shelters and public housing “in theory” but they would never live in one. So very often I hear talk about rent control, which I believe they mistake for some kind of program that forces landlords to keep rent low in really wealthy neighborhoods in NYC or something, when they find out rent control is more about preventing seniors from being evicted, the affordable housing discussion fades away. They seem to just lose all enthusiasm and interest, because they can only imagine some obscure long term scenario where after many decades of subsidizing housing for the very poor, housing costs for everyone will go down, which they aren’t all that excited about. I really think it will take some new and unheard of ideas. Maybe something directed at the youth like “free apartments for 20 year olds”. but even then in their imaginations it would be just be back in the projects, next door to the homeless drug addict fresh out of jail from his multiple rape convictions. I mean we can’t even get them to support public transport because the poor on the bus are so gross. So they vote no on buses but they atleast still vote yes on electric cars… but there’s no electric car solution to housing is there?.. tiny homes?
To add to your good points, part of the problem is the framing: the idea that housing is ‘an investment’ and not simply a well-built shelter in which to live and grow. When housing ceases to be considered as an investment, all of those other points lock into place.
all well and good but how exactly do I bring that up for referendum at my next city hall meeting?
Class interests. You won’t get petty bourgeois to act against their own class interests. Do not bother with them, it’s like asking a leech to stop sucking blood. If you’re trying to get support for pro-worker or socialist policies, talk to proletarians, the people whose class interests directly align with our policies, the ones who will be directly benefited by public housing. These are the people who can be radicalized the most effectively because what you’re saying is consistent with their material reality. Socialism is for them, they just don’t know it. And don’t bring up scary words early on because it will trigger their lib indoctrination, rather work slowly to find common ground and untangle their confusion.
In other words, ask yourself: would this person benefit materially from socialism or would they lose some of their comfort?
I’ve realized this is key to know who to talk about communism to and who not to.
Even Stalin said how the highly-trained petty bourgeois workers tried really hard to sabotage the socialist project at first, so they had to let them keep all their privileges while the state trained tons of new professionals under socialism.
Also I know historically there’s been some very worthy exceptions where petty bourgeois individuals become communist class traitors, but I think spending all your time trying to find them is like searching for a needle in a haystack. The most fervent support you’re gonna get is from people whose class interests align perfectly with the socialist project.