Or some of them are gonna ride that bus to a certain point and get off! Then those folks develop a spear of their own and start pointing it at you… before long everybody is pointing spears at everyone else.
This is what's always bothered me about the mindset that they try to instill in American schools, that everyone has to be a "leader" and no one should be a "follower." If everyone is a leader then who the hell are you leading?? It devalues teamwork when everyone is taught to be a leader.
@@one_smol_duck So right Laura! In addition to developing leaders, we need to work just as hard to teach how to be a good follower. Followers don't need to be perceived as blind sheep. It's important for followers, like the spear shaft, to know when to move, stand still, change direction, etc to actively support the leader in keeping the momentum, and questioning our building the leader accountable to the group when necessary.
I'd call the people that just show up to take a selfie "bees" Bees don't pollinate flowers on purpose. They're just there to eat nectar and make noise. In doing so, though, they spread the pollen to places it wouldn't reach otherwise.
*nectar - bees are after the nectar, not the pollen. The pollen just hitches a ride on the bee. To further your analogy, the selfie folks are there for the likes/street cred (nectar), the political message (pollen) gets spread as a secondary effect...
Very good metaphor tho I think it would technically be "pollinate" not "germinate." Germination is the process of a seed beginning to sprout so it seems a couple steps out of pace with the rest of the imagery. Still a fantastic metaphor though!
Let's not forget those who supposedly don't do anything, but who shell out 10 or 15 or 20 dollars when the call goes out for contributions. Money is important.
Yes ... thank goodness for those who are willing to donate money, when means allow and those who donate other stuff (like mittens or blankets) or who sometimes simply do the drudge work that often goes unrecognized. 😊
Before demonstrations I always thought the committee that composed leaflets was important. We thought about how to succinctly explain the goals, purpose, & means to those less informed and who had not considered the struggle. Getting the ideas on paper narrows the focus & strengthens the effort.
Agree 100%. I have tried to frame this to very progressive people, who are off-putting in their absolutism, and have never had a good way to say it until this video. It is an absolutely perfect analogy and is a perfect way to weed out who is actually a real progressive and who is just taking these positions as an "i'm better/smarter than you" elitist stance.
Purity tests, sacrificing the good for the perfect, cliches for a reason. Our diversity is a large part of our strength, not just diversity of color & race, but ideologies as well.
Yeah, that's a good take. It's okay to have differing level s opinion. Infighting won't help. Most people want the ideas progressive s have. It just have to be presented as such.
Diversity is the key to unity. You can't have one without the other. For a political or social movement to be successful it must have a core of believers in its ideology to at least support and bankroll the vanguard, those at the point. This usually means accommodating a diversity of opinions aligned to the same goal. When the spearhead becomes so 'pure' ideologically that it turns on it's own base then the whole project fails. Tax the rich is a great slogan to adorn the dress of a progressive politician. " I don't believe that rich people should exist" is even better. I don't believe that poor people should exist is a more salient. There a wide range of approaches to any problem. To be blinded by ideology and not open to a broad range of perspectives is self defeating. A spear tip without it's shaft is just an opinionated prick.
I was always against purity tests on the left. To me it is counterproductive and chase's good people away from progressive causes. Just because someone doesn't see eye to eye with you on every issue does not make them the enemy. Too many times I have seen people on the left attack each other over slight differences of opinion. This needs to stop. We need to be unified and accept that there is a diversity of thought on the left. Moderate liberals and Communists should be able to sit at the same table together without tearing each other apart. That's just my two cents worth.
Ona, you sound like a teacher. Years ago when I was an intern to be a school band director my supervising teacher said, "Make sure you always stay on good terms with 2 people in your school..." I could tell by the way he was talking that the Principal (Head master) was not on that list. Yes, it was the janitor and secretary. That's one of the best lessons I learned from him.
I have a similar philosophy, for me it is security team, cleaners and IT. Same reasoning. I explained to one of our cleaners two things 1) When the CEO took a fortnight off no-one noticed, when a cleaner takes a week off we all notice! 2) The brass details look so much nicer now - having a nice environment makes the building better to work in!
Medical device and hospital labs: your staff's needs are more important than yours. F with them, I borrow Beau's sword. ( What the hell has he used it for?)
I hit this on the same point. I saw that and said what Beau ? Please don't go off the rails. Thank you Beau for never walking away from steady grounds.
@@Jay-ho9io why label Marines like that ? They are the biggest racist government organization in America. But their are true Americans within their ranks. I'm one and paid the price for standing up to the racists. When you fight with other races they are your brother's, sisters. Do not fuck with my people.
This may be one of the best analogies i've seen Beau make in a while. And i'll be borrowing it for use it in the wild. Rejecting the shaft turns the spear into a knife, giving up a lot of it's effective range. Not to mention the mass behind the movement.
And if the knife keeps at it, it can reduce the shaft to kindling. It may not be against you, technically, until someone else comes along and sets it on fire, but the knife doesn't have any say in what the fire burns.
@@aosagi79 I know die-hard Bernie supporters who went Trump when Sanders didn't get the Democratic presidential nomination. Those people were looking for change and a way out of the mess politics as usual brought them. They had good impulses, but they needed change in the worst way. Trump offered them change of the worst kind, and some of them jumped headfirst into that fire. I lost quite a few friends that way, and some of them are dead of COVID now as well.
I remember the day I broke my Gramma's brain by using Andy Griffith to show her the issues with modern policing. I said, "all these cops think they're Andy. They're not. They're Barney. Do you want Barney to have a gun? With no Andy around?" She just looked at me. She's at the butt end of the spear but at least she's on it now.
Safest way to move in a sword fight (or any kind of fight, even ideological) is forward. The point of the sword may be the "business end," but if you don't have good footing, a good base, you're not moving forward. I'm picking up what you're laying down, I think, Beau. Right now, I'm probably towards the shaft of the spear end, I'm older (with a young one I'm personally responsible for, read; single parent) but "logistics" and "supply chain" are not ignoble. I can put good ideas out on social media, I vote. Drawing people like me is not a bad idea. I can help push everything forward. Maybe I can pull a few people along with me too. Not as elegant as Beau, but I think I got this
Parents are (or at least can be) one of the most important groups of people to accomplish social change in the long run. Things like systemic racism, capitalist elbow mentality and lack of care for the environment can only be overcome when new generations learn better values than those taught to previous generations. I wish all parents listened to Beau. Respect to you and other parents doing the same.
Absolutely. If you can hold a hammer and nails, if you can hold a sign, if you can hold a conversation with someone who's curious or confused or lonely, you can help.
In the event things break down, it is the interpersonal connections on a neighborhood and community level that will matter most. Having a skill, especially being able to look after the younglings, is invaluable. Get to know your neighbors, join any Neighborhood Emergency Response Teams, begin to barter and trade independent of the system in case the system breaks, and you become the literal supply chain and logistics division. Performative displays are worth less than actual connection and mutualism.
@@bretthoomana2541 They aren't about, they're just a particularly damaged nut job. When you get any kind of popularity in any kind of environment, you attract a certain number of "unhealthy fans" and they're one for Beau. 🤷🏽♂️
this is a big thing, newt gingrich understood the importance of a long spear, which is how he got republicans in a lot of local positions that can manipulate things. the left often has basically a seax, lotta blade, no shaft. as beau suggest, we need pikes, not daggers.
I have been on a 150 foot soapbox my whole life, taking issue with the performativity of all of it. I grew up squatting, riding freight trains, deeply entrenched in modern American anarchist life. Food Not Bombs, Guerilla Poetry, Earth First, SHARP, you name it. I have been the biggest gate keeping bastard out of probably anybody I know. Most people I forgot, because they couldn't tolerate my elitism. I didn't see it as elitism. I saw it as authenticity, drive, maybe "wrathful compassion." I am literally wiping away tears right now, because I may have hurt way more than I ever helped. I still bristle with antagonism at the idea of giving credence to the part-timers, but I will work on it. To anybody who has felt put off by shitheads like me, thanks for all you do. I will try to see that more often.
In the USAF during Vietnam, I served, but have been told by a lot of folks who never served, that I wasn't a "combat veteran." I worked in intelligence, mission planning, targeting, and mission assessment (wash, rinse, repeat). If it wasn't for my group of intel types, the pilots would have no mission and nothing to frag. Amazingly, not one pilot or air crew member ever trashed us, but many others, who didn't know, did. This is analogous to the things you speak of here, because battle, whether physical or social, is still battle...and the support troops keep those at the tip of the spear at their best. It may not take a village, but it definitely takes a team.
Tomorrow 9/18, we just need to let the right wingers have their gathering and match around with their signs (with the,Nat Guard on alert). Who cares what they shout. It's the best way to show them that they aren't really accomplishing anything.
In the eighties I was president of an environmental group Called Auburn society for environmental protection In Auburn Alabama. Often we would use bands for fundraising And A lot of people did not care that it was a fundraiser ,they just wanted to watch the band. They all helped more than they'll ever know.
I'm not a teacher although I have been in teaching situations. Teaching a human mind is a complex endeavor. It not only challenges your knowledge on the subject matter, it challenges your ability to transfer that to others. This is an idealized scenario. I've never had to be patient. You can foster hunger for learning. These are fleeting moments, not sustained. Much is fighting what they have learned. At college level sometimes humor delivered the message. We, collectively, don't care about our children. When my students are better than I am, I succeeded.
There are as many teachers as there are ways to learn. Lots of things and people can be teachers. Sometimes the teacher is karma and she's definitely patient 🤣.
@@comfortablynumb9342 No. Teaching is an art and skill. That's why our system is falling apart. Our system doesn't recognize this. In teaching, we need an apprentice approach.
Beau you are an example of the positive hope for humanity. You think and realize your reality at a level unfortunately very rare in our human existence. I admire your clarity of vision because I know it is extremely difficult to know that our fate lies in the simpleton majority that surrounds and out numbers us!
Some people organize community clean up days and a larger group goes around to pick up the trash. An even larger segment doesn't litter in the first place because they recognize it's a problem. They do make the job easier for the first two groups, even if they don't actually attend the clean up.
Beau is definitely one of the more rational reasoned critical thinking speakers on you tube. He offers information and opinions and leaves it up to his followers to decide what they think about what he said.
1:54 As it comes to social-political movements, the tip of the spear are organizers; the spearhead are people who show up, spread the message, donate time & money. The spearshaft are the voters: when social-political movements become mainstreamed to the point of gaining supermajority polling support, the spear is strong.
AOCs dress. I love they way that so many regular working class people were claiming that they know how things work among the wealthy when they simply don't, they cannot even distinguish between old money and nuveau riche. edited to add, this was a business deal, paying AOC's ticket got the designer publicity, and all the critics gave her 100s of millions of publicity, you just can't buy that much ink.
Yeah, technically AOC isnt even the Nouveau part. She's the first generation in her family to make a six figure income, which is not the definition of wealth.She's just plain upper middle class/rich. Wealth involves inheritance of money that exited before you were born.
If you find that lots of people call you a Nazi, the problem is probably you. You're the one common denominator in every interaction you have, after all.
Holy cow. I have watched your content when you has less than 50k followers. While I have always either agreed or said, huh that’s something new. This is the first time I have ever done a 180. I have always looked at the “butt of the spear” IG photo person with distaste. I won’t do that anymore. Diversification of tactics. 🙌
As soon as you mentioned spears, I knew you were gonna talk about "that's just the tip of the spear" people often forget all the logistics of the military.
Fantastic analogy breakdown !! I went my entire military service as support in logistics and attached to combat engineers or infantry and they just didn’t get that without 7 others, they couldn’t do what they do.
My father was a master Sargent in Korea, engineering. Roads, bridges, etc. He never drove after he came home. No one ever told me why. My beloved Uncle was a sniper. He never touched a weapon after he came home. My father wanted us to be Junior NRA. That lasted 3 seconds. His gun cabinet had a glass front so he could lie in bed and admire his collection. I got irked one day, went to his toolbox he built, with the hinges on the OUTSIDE, used a previously acquired screwdriver to acquire the glass cutter and a hasp and file. The glass was gone and disposed of safely when everyone came home. I returned from college late that night, one hour bus ride, thank you labs. No one had noticed. Until the dog pawing at the guns.....well, the insuing noise and police presence woke up the whole neighborhood. My father always discounted me "she's stupid". IQ of 142 in junior high = not stupid. My mother knew I did it, asked me where the glass was. Just shook my head. In a dumpster at college. Damn good thing no nanny cams in those days. On the other hand, cell phones would have stopped a lot of child abuse in my house.
I've been thinking about it as "diversity of tactics" - just because I think something is "performative" as long as it isn't actively hurting someone, why would I complain about someone on my side just because they're doing things differently than I would?
Used to be the tip. As I get older I’m moving further backwards down the spear. Not quite on the handle yet….but as my physical abilities diminish I’ll probably end up there as far as showing up for big demonstrations, etc. are concerned. Lol. But, hey, at least I’m on the spear!
watched yet again after you plugged it in "4 messages and colleges", and a thought occurred to me to connect it to that xkcd comic on being in the "lucky 10,000"... To apply it to this: Why denigrate someone for not being "on point", when you could instead delight in the excitement of showing them why you are.
People forget the point isn't to destroy/hate the mainstream, it is for our ideas to become the mainstream. I have met to many people where being oppressed isn't the problem its their identity entirely, weirdly its usual those who are the least actually oppressed by the current system.
I absolutely adored AOC's performative dress...which was created specifically for her and gifted to her to wear literally in the wealrhy's faces. Which she did so flawlessly. ❤
I try to “agree” people a bit further left. Basically, find something I can agree with, then rephrase it in a way that just a little more left. And build from there. But having that base to build on is imperative. If they think you’re someone who shares their beliefs, they’re far more likely to listen to you. And if you can just ever so slightly change the position that they view the problem from, then that’s progress. Maybe use a term that’s a bit more progressive/leftist, but that does mostly comport with the things they were already saying.
Much like people who accuse others of virtue signalling- they’re technically doing the same thing. Though, contradicting myself here, I do have an issue with how the term is used by most people these days. I don’t think signalling one’s beliefs or virtues is a bad thing. The issue only comes when people signal them, but have no follow through or who are straight up lying about having said virtues. And I do believe that this was the original meaning of the term- to signal a virtue, doing absolutely nothing else to support it, yet expecting kudos for saying that you have said virtue. But, much like many terms, the meaning has been watered down so much over the years that it’s now more water than booze.
I'm a brief attendee at protests. I have arthritis and sensory processing differences and social anxiety. I still think it's important to go: I tell my friends and colleagues I'm going, ask if we'll see each other there. Yes I also put it on my status if I take a pic. I talk to people about the event. All of these things make people discuss it and make them realise that a normal-ish person in their circle is invested in the issue. Some of us doing what we can, where we can, just ... isn't any more than that.
Thanks for explaining the tip of the spear analogy for the military. In my experience most people have no idea who is in the military or why they are there. Seal Team Six are pretty damn impressive. But they couldn't do shit without the mechanics who keep the ship running, the ordinance officer who ensures their weapons work, the radio operators that keep them in contact, the cooks who feed them, and the clerks who make sure they get paid. It ain't all runnin' and gunnin'.
I have been going about it wrong. I have been thinking that we at the front are dragging along everyone else to get where we need to go. This means getting frustrated and pulling it against the people who were 'not moving'. I will try and incorporate the spear analogy going forward.
Thank you for bringing common sense to Leftist critique. I needed to hear this because I'm definitely guilty of being the theory-reading armchair Leftist
I grew up in an incredibly conservative environment. As a teenager I listened to Rush Limbach almost every day. It took me 25 years to move from I'm a republican through libertarianism to actually being able to say that I agree with the left. I was wrong about a lot of things and if someone wanted to tell me I was wrong about those things they would have been entirely right to do so. But what they would have been missing is that I struggling to get where they wanted me to be. I just had a lot of lies I had to unravel and each one took effort and time. What would have been far more useful than what happened, was if someone would have actually helped. I wouldn't have been open to everything, and it still would have taken time, but perhaps instead of taking twenty five years it only would have taken ten or fifteen. A lot of people say they want to change things, or they want to change the world. The actual change always has to be in people and there are people, even people on the wrong side, who are willing to change.
as someone who identifies as a Christian all it took me was Revelation 11:18 (and Matthew 23:9) i had to be shown from the book itself edited to correct typo of 11:20 to 11:18
@@briansmutti I just looked those up, and chapter 11 of revelations only goes up to nineteen verses, at least in my Bible. And I don’t quite understand what Matthew 23:9 would have taught you either. I’m sure you have an earthly father too, as well as a heavenly One.
I'm the moral consideration guy. I honestly am not a progressive (not yet but I see no other solution in decades to come) but I'm well aware of the danger Trump poses and thus will not consider anyone that doesn't rebuke Trump.
Maybe an analogy of a battering ram: Those doing the work to drive the movement are the soldiers, but they need a big heavy chunk of something to get through. The 'selfie takers' etc are the heft. Increasing numbers, increasing spread, increasing the "weight" of the idea.
👋🏾Add: So everyone has a role? I like!!! Add2: Also, when I joined this channel 4+ years ago, people were so frustrated with how ignorant I was. But that’s why I subscribed: to learn; to grow; to change!!! Why would you make fun of someone who is doing that???
Sounds like the old Linux forums in the early 2000s. I got so many RTFM responses I just quit going there. So much has changed. Now people are actually willing to help.
It’s important to act as if social movements are about gathering popularity in the culture, and to avoid acting as if it is about “suffering for our art.”
@@rylian21 My theory is that those "some people" simply lack the tools to sell these ideas effectively, and have become frustrated and disillusioned. Heck, that's where I'm at half the time. I get very frustrated when logical arguments and facts aren't enough, because I got some kind of weird hangup that that's what's "supposed to work". I try to avoid namecalling and screaming, but I can't promise that I'm not an insufferable asshole sometimes. I think those "some people" are doing their best. And that yelling at them that they're doing it wrong will be exactly as unhelpful as yelling at those fellow citizens. People, in general, respond pretty badly at being called assholes…
Alot us that are "the shaft" of the spear look up at the tip and say "hey, I've been living the ideals you seek my whole life" I've been here supporting you with the way I live all along
This one kind of broke my brain. I sort of feel like the frog who gave the scorpion a ride across the river, except I didn't get stung, and we both made it to the other side of the river. Pride has never been a boon in my world.
My favorite video of yours. I often feel guilty that I am usually not at the "tip of the spear". I could do more, but often don't. For now, maybe I need to give myself some credit that I am at least helping to provide some forward progress. Thank you, as always, for being out front and for teaching the rest of us how to get there.
Thank you, Beau. I think I might be one of your non-tip folks. I'm trying, and I do a lot of showing up and listening and helping as I can around the edges. I know I haven't read the same books; I was raised by fundies and taught a lot of toxic things that I'm working on unpicking now. I don't have all the answers, and honestly most of my friends are far more conservative than I am, so I'm often the ambassador for ideas like "maybe the Republican party isn't all good people" and "the police don't make everything better". When you mentioned repairing trucks and doing paperwork, I thought, "Wow, that sounds like an analogy for a job I could do. Wonder what it is!" I'm sure I annoy the shit out of the spearhead, what with my looking like someone's suburban aunt and asking dumb questions. But I really do want to make the world a bit better if I can, and if you hand me scutwork I'll do it. When the George Floyd protests hit, I sewed all the masks I could and handed them out to local marchers; I figured we need those protesters to keep breathing. I'm trying, here in the haft. And I'll have your back.
@@Cheryl_in_TX Thank you. I try. But I also get a lot of blank stares and "you are too old to have never read a book, you've got to be trolling" reactions. I promise I've read a lot of books; it's just that everyone's got a different reading list and I haven't been at this forever. Thus, making masks and feeding people and whatever else practical I can do. I definitely can't meet everyone's contradictory standards of ideological purity, but I can keep some humans alive, and somebody has to do that anyway.
@@onbearfeet The best any of us can do is to do our best. It’s really just that simple. I’d like to share a couple of my favorite quotes with you. These, in particular, help me to remember that as overwhelming and busy and crazy and complex life can often be, the fundamental principles of life and humanity are really pretty simple. 😊 “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others, and if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” -Dalai Lama “To leave the world a little better than you found it. That’s the best a man can ever do.” -Paul Auster
As someone who works in marketing I appreciate your analogy. Where I work we had to fight to get resources because people were so focused on "results" they neglected to realize the role awareness and marketing plays in that. It's funny (sad) to see advocates doing the same. It's a fine line between when gatekeeping is helpful vs harmful, but the more harmful aspects definitely turn allies away. Fear of being dumped on for imperfection has definitely stopped me and I know it has others.
Beau, thanks for getting me thinking about this more seriously. I've heard this sort of thing before, but it's a take I've always associated with people acting in bad faith--people who want to hang out in leftist spaces but don't want to stop being racist, sexist, transphobic, etc. I know you well enough by now to know you aren't one of those people, and you've phrased it in a new way that makes me take it more seriously. It's like you made it for me. Keep doing what you do.
Also worth noting - sometimes when you're way out in front, it's because you're lost. We have to be willing to admit when we're wrong too. The tip can't change direction without the spear. The tip can't pull back to strike again without the spear.
Biggest REALLY COOL thing that got overlooked in all the AOC hubbub was Billie Eilish who really did make an immediate difference. Billie was asked to wear Oscar de la Renta’s gown and she refused because they carried fur in their designer line. She said she would wear their dress if they quit selling fur. They quit! She wore their dress. Immediate results!
Wow. Just... WOW. Thank you for redirecting me back to this one. You really shone a light on a part of the effort to create social justice that I never considered, but rally, really should. I need to think about my own behaviour around this: HAVE I been one of the judgemental ones up front? Quite possibly I have, and should really keep an eye on this in myself going forward. Thank you.
Even if we accept the premise that the dress was performative on it's face, we're still here talking about it, and that conversation is what drives the idea that made the dress so controversial into acceptable discourse.
Forming, Storming, Norming; Forming - take an idea for a change and get the ball rolling, Storming - Create interest and a big push towards that change, Norming - that change is now the accepted norm by the bulk of the population. All are equally important to systemic change.
Hey man being a advocate for Reparations and Redress for what America 🇺🇸has done to the slaves and their Descendents for generations 🇺🇸 The discussion on using soft language an this one being the tip of the spear and understanding the staff of the spear was very helpful ,thany you 😀
Queensland, Australia just approved assisted dying for terminal patients. As an average person I first heard about the push for it, 30 years ago in the 90s. For 30 years it just became more and more a normal part of political discussion. It won when it became considered morally right to to be on the side of approval, by the average voter.
My goal has never been to attack someone with different views, but educate. I always try to share resources where they can learn for themselves. I agree, the discussion is what drives a movement forward. Thanks for the analogies. I always appreciate them.
I just remembered today while working out I was thinking about AOC met gala and performative activism and I just couldn’t get the right reason despite my gut telling me so. Thank you for putting the ideas I had a hard time knocking in.
Yikes! Retire to favorite chair with favorite chilled beverage STAT, lol! Have a few, paramedics are tied up with unvaxxed people with a death wish, so you might be waiting awhile!😁
Thank you for continuing to give us great material to deprogram fanatics and bring "Maximum Freedom for Mamimum People with Maximim Cooperation" closer each day to reality.
Love the metaphor, especially the selfie-takers (4:00)! And yes, reading *theory* is vital (10:30)! Only one suggested edit: There are MANY tips of "the" spear, each pointing in (more or less) different directions. Which is a good thing!
Not sure what it is about your profile pick. But if that is u. U look awesome. U look like somebody I wish I had as a buddy. And by your comment, u sound awesome too
I was USMC Infantry. It was, and still is my view that the entire purpose of the US military is to have an Infantryman raise the US flag over the other country's capitol, preferably while standing on their leader's neck. However it takes another 11 other people to keep each Infantryman in the field. I was 17 when I went in and full of testosterone and devoid of Wisdom, and so I thought the others in the service wanted to wear the uniform but not shoulder the risk. If there are any Veterans reading this I want to Sincerely apologize for my arrogance. I know a lot of Veterans don't want to hear "Thank You for your Service" but I'm going to say it now because it's 40yrs late. Yeah, I'm looking like I'm apologizing to ease my conscience, but I am saying actually saying this here so that others will see it. After 4yrs of a traitorous orange buffoon who belittled all of us it's about time we stand together.
Former Army HR here- Thank you. I don't disclose my MOS often in public because I was told too many times while serving how I'm not a "real veteran" despite being one of the cogs keeping people paid and orders processed. Combat soldiers are critical, but the government runs on its paper-pushers.
Dude. This. Soooooo much, this... I’m having a bad vocabulary day so I can’t express how important this message is. But this HAS GOT to get out there. I’m sharing everywhere.
Excellent, Beau! It IS A MESS. When I was in the Army, I was told: "You are Not on a Mission. You ARE the Mission." But we knew. Nobody moves without a mechanic, or a cook. Nobody lives without a radio communicator or a technician. Nobody survives without a flight engineer or a jump master. All of them - *the Heavy Part - behind that Tip* is the Drive! That is why we have BACK-UP!
Honestly I'll admit I've talked bad about performative protestors. Think in the future I may go easier on them because your right. They get the message out even if they arnt truly ideological.
@@BeauoftheFifthColumn they can but, going back I can remember in high school when I started and was kind of one of them. And I got friends and classmates moving and asking me questions that I then had to go learn the answers to so I could answer. It's been a while but my mom always said something that applies here, "to many parents forget what it was like to be a kid". I think many who are out and ideologically driven forget where and how they started. Going to have to do some rethink in my approach to new folks.
@@BeauoftheFifthColumn Yeah, but what to think about those who are right of Eisenhower and call themselves Dems??? They may not be part of the spear at all but just wearing the label to destroy the movement. Infiltrators! We suppose to play nice with them?
Thanks, Beau, for boiling it down to an excellent analogy. No progressive ideology will succeed if it does not somehow also advocate the moral and ethical obligation to care about ALL people.
He has the most thoughtful, well spoken messages of anyone on the internet.
Agreed. His calm, his nuanced analogy, his passion for justice.
He is awesome. Settle down.
$1000 what is a jewel 💎?
@@ingni123456 If you have something to say, try backing it up. Start by identifying yourself.
@@ianpatrick3589 Person may be a woman who may have been stalked online and abused. Ask me how I know.
We all can't drive the bus but that doesn't mean we don't want to make the trip.
Or some of them are gonna ride that bus to a certain point and get off! Then those folks develop a spear of their own and start pointing it at you… before long everybody is pointing spears at everyone else.
This is what's always bothered me about the mindset that they try to instill in American schools, that everyone has to be a "leader" and no one should be a "follower." If everyone is a leader then who the hell are you leading?? It devalues teamwork when everyone is taught to be a leader.
@@one_smol_duck So right Laura! In addition to developing leaders, we need to work just as hard to teach how to be a good follower. Followers don't need to be perceived as blind sheep. It's important for followers, like the spear shaft, to know when to move, stand still, change direction, etc to actively support the leader in keeping the momentum, and questioning our building the leader accountable to the group when necessary.
I'd call the people that just show up to take a selfie "bees"
Bees don't pollinate flowers on purpose. They're just there to eat nectar and make noise.
In doing so, though, they spread the pollen to places it wouldn't reach otherwise.
I like this metaphor
Good analogy.
*nectar - bees are after the nectar, not the pollen. The pollen just hitches a ride on the bee. To further your analogy, the selfie folks are there for the likes/street cred (nectar), the political message (pollen) gets spread as a secondary effect...
@@AndrewAMartin aight. I'll fix it. thanks.
Very good metaphor tho I think it would technically be "pollinate" not "germinate." Germination is the process of a seed beginning to sprout so it seems a couple steps out of pace with the rest of the imagery. Still a fantastic metaphor though!
One of the most thought provoking analysis on the progressive movement I have ever seen. Full stop.
Let's not forget those who supposedly don't do anything, but who shell out 10 or 15 or 20 dollars when the call goes out for contributions. Money is important.
Yes ... thank goodness for those who are willing to donate money, when means allow and those who donate other stuff (like mittens or blankets) or who sometimes simply do the drudge work that often goes unrecognized. 😊
Before demonstrations I always thought the committee that composed leaflets was important. We thought about how to succinctly explain the goals, purpose, & means to those less informed and who had not considered the struggle.
Getting the ideas on paper narrows the focus & strengthens the effort.
@@soularddave2 Yes! That's a really vital thing and it takes real skill to be able to do it! Thank you for mentioning it. 😊
Agree 100%. I have tried to frame this to very progressive people, who are off-putting in their absolutism, and have never had a good way to say it until this video. It is an absolutely perfect analogy and is a perfect way to weed out who is actually a real progressive and who is just taking these positions as an "i'm better/smarter than you" elitist stance.
Purity tests, sacrificing the good for the perfect, cliches for a reason. Our diversity is a large part of our strength, not just diversity of color & race, but ideologies as well.
Yeah, that's a good take. It's okay to have differing level s opinion. Infighting won't help. Most people want the ideas progressive s have. It just have to be presented as such.
Diversity is the key to unity. You can't have one without the other. For a political or social movement to be successful it must have a core of believers in its ideology to at least support and bankroll the vanguard, those at the point. This usually means accommodating a diversity of opinions aligned to the same goal. When the spearhead becomes so 'pure' ideologically that it turns on it's own base then the whole project fails.
Tax the rich is a great slogan to adorn the dress of a progressive politician. " I don't believe that rich people should exist" is even better. I don't believe that poor people should exist is a more salient.
There a wide range of approaches to any problem. To be blinded by ideology and not open to a broad range of perspectives is self defeating. A spear tip without it's shaft is just an opinionated prick.
No true Scotsman fallacy. Yup.
I was always against purity tests on the left. To me it is counterproductive and chase's good people away from progressive causes. Just because someone doesn't see eye to eye with you on every issue does not make them the enemy. Too many times I have seen people on the left attack each other over slight differences of opinion. This needs to stop. We need to be unified and accept that there is a diversity of thought on the left. Moderate liberals and Communists should be able to sit at the same table together without tearing each other apart. That's just my two cents worth.
One thing I learned over 40 years in my profession is to be on VERY good terms with the secretary and the janitor.
Ona, you sound like a teacher. Years ago when I was an intern to be a school band director my supervising teacher said, "Make sure you always stay on good terms with 2 people in your school..." I could tell by the way he was talking that the Principal (Head master) was not on that list. Yes, it was the janitor and secretary. That's one of the best lessons I learned from him.
Remember Obama fist bumping the janitor. I love that picture.
I have a similar philosophy, for me it is security team, cleaners and IT. Same reasoning.
I explained to one of our cleaners two things
1) When the CEO took a fortnight off no-one noticed, when a cleaner takes a week off we all notice!
2) The brass details look so much nicer now - having a nice environment makes the building better to work in!
@@thiskamg And janitors read waste baskets and can fix stuff and secretaries can make you look like a genius or an idiot.
Medical device and hospital labs:
your staff's needs are more important than yours. F with them, I borrow Beau's sword. ( What the hell has he used it for?)
"we're gonna talk about spears" ...... you have my attention
I hit this on the same point. I saw that and said what Beau ? Please don't go off the rails. Thank you Beau for never walking away from steady grounds.
@hognoxious But consider, the bill!
Fucking Marines.... 😂
@@Jay-ho9io why label Marines like that ? They are the biggest racist government organization in America. But their are true Americans within their ranks. I'm one and paid the price for standing up to the racists. When you fight with other races they are your brother's, sisters. Do not fuck with my people.
@hognoxious F your halberd, behold my Zweihander!
This may be one of the best analogies i've seen Beau make in a while. And i'll be borrowing it for use it in the wild.
Rejecting the shaft turns the spear into a knife, giving up a lot of it's effective range. Not to mention the mass behind the movement.
And if the knife keeps at it, it can reduce the shaft to kindling. It may not be against you, technically, until someone else comes along and sets it on fire, but the knife doesn't have any say in what the fire burns.
@@mackenziedrake Very true indeed. And to make matters worse, those who both knife and shaft would oppose are pretty adapt at setting stuff on fire.
@@aosagi79 I know die-hard Bernie supporters who went Trump when Sanders didn't get the Democratic presidential nomination. Those people were looking for change and a way out of the mess politics as usual brought them. They had good impulses, but they needed change in the worst way. Trump offered them change of the worst kind, and some of them jumped headfirst into that fire. I lost quite a few friends that way, and some of them are dead of COVID now as well.
...Not to mention, leverage. ;)
Thanks
I remember the day I broke my Gramma's brain by using Andy Griffith to show her the issues with modern policing. I said, "all these cops think they're Andy. They're not. They're Barney. Do you want Barney to have a gun? With no Andy around?" She just looked at me. She's at the butt end of the spear but at least she's on it now.
Ohhh, well done! Let's us know where she ends up on the spear, though where she's at now is perfectly fine :)
Mayberry is in the south but there are almost no black people there.
65 years old and constantly getting an education here. Thank you, Beau!
Ditto for me at age 70
Same here 😎
Safest way to move in a sword fight (or any kind of fight, even ideological) is forward. The point of the sword may be the "business end," but if you don't have good footing, a good base, you're not moving forward. I'm picking up what you're laying down, I think, Beau. Right now, I'm probably towards the shaft of the spear end, I'm older (with a young one I'm personally responsible for, read; single parent) but "logistics" and "supply chain" are not ignoble. I can put good ideas out on social media, I vote. Drawing people like me is not a bad idea. I can help push everything forward. Maybe I can pull a few people along with me too. Not as elegant as Beau, but I think I got this
Parents are (or at least can be) one of the most important groups of people to accomplish social change in the long run. Things like systemic racism, capitalist elbow mentality and lack of care for the environment can only be overcome when new generations learn better values than those taught to previous generations.
I wish all parents listened to Beau. Respect to you and other parents doing the same.
Aye! We may not have the time to be out in front, but we can raise the next generation and keep spreading the word!
Welcome to the spear. We’re better now that you’re with us.
Absolutely. If you can hold a hammer and nails, if you can hold a sign, if you can hold a conversation with someone who's curious or confused or lonely, you can help.
In the event things break down, it is the interpersonal connections on a neighborhood and community level that will matter most. Having a skill, especially being able to look after the younglings, is invaluable. Get to know your neighbors, join any Neighborhood Emergency Response Teams, begin to barter and trade independent of the system in case the system breaks, and you become the literal supply chain and logistics division.
Performative displays are worth less than actual connection and mutualism.
A good term for the folks on the shaft of the spear (among others) is "voters."
Exactly what I was thinking as well - they're the ones that need to be convinced in order for that political idea to come to fruition.
@@crystalgiddens7276 You know that "Vote Often" won't fly (Chicago grl, here).
"Vote every chance you get" works better.
@@karenjohannessen8987 wow, she is a 'bot? (Or what ever).
@@bretthoomana2541 They aren't about, they're just a particularly damaged nut job. When you get any kind of popularity in any kind of environment, you attract a certain number of "unhealthy fans" and they're one for Beau.
🤷🏽♂️
this is a big thing, newt gingrich understood the importance of a long spear, which is how he got republicans in a lot of local positions that can manipulate things. the left often has basically a seax, lotta blade, no shaft. as beau suggest, we need pikes, not daggers.
I have been on a 150 foot soapbox my whole life, taking issue with the performativity of all of it. I grew up squatting, riding freight trains, deeply entrenched in modern American anarchist life. Food Not Bombs, Guerilla Poetry, Earth First, SHARP, you name it. I have been the biggest gate keeping bastard out of probably anybody I know. Most people I forgot, because they couldn't tolerate my elitism. I didn't see it as elitism. I saw it as authenticity, drive, maybe "wrathful compassion." I am literally wiping away tears right now, because I may have hurt way more than I ever helped. I still bristle with antagonism at the idea of giving credence to the part-timers, but I will work on it. To anybody who has felt put off by shitheads like me, thanks for all you do. I will try to see that more often.
Dis n***a is spittin' 🔥🔥🔥
Free education on RUclips, courtesy of Beau! You rock, man
In the USAF during Vietnam, I served, but have been told by a lot of folks who never served, that I wasn't a "combat veteran." I worked in intelligence, mission planning, targeting, and mission assessment (wash, rinse, repeat). If it wasn't for my group of intel types, the pilots would have no mission and nothing to frag. Amazingly, not one pilot or air crew member ever trashed us, but many others, who didn't know, did. This is analogous to the things you speak of here, because battle, whether physical or social, is still battle...and the support troops keep those at the tip of the spear at their best. It may not take a village, but it definitely takes a team.
It's so refreshing to find something that actually makes you stop and think . Thank you very much.
Man, it feels like you made this video for me specifically. Note taken, I will try to change my behavior to be more productive.
Tomorrow 9/18, we just need to let the right wingers have their gathering and match around with their signs (with the,Nat Guard on alert). Who cares what they shout. It's the best way to show them that they aren't really accomplishing anything.
In the eighties I was president of an environmental group Called Auburn society for environmental protection In Auburn Alabama. Often we would use bands for fundraising And A lot of people did not care that it was a fundraiser ,they just wanted to watch the band. They all helped more than they'll ever know.
Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Can't all be spear tips/leaders.
Just tips with no shafts doesn't do much good 🙂
(Why is it so hard to talk about spear parts without sounding juvenile? 😅)
A good plan right now is better than the perfect plan to late
Was just about to write this...
Heard that in a discussion about political correctness. I eavesdropped the ENTIRE conversation. 🤔
@@Ash__Adler Thank you, I was thinking the same thing myself. Now, back to the analogy. 😁
Being a teacher requires patience. Haven’t we admired school teachers for their patience? Well, there are many different kinds of teachers.
Exactly, there's no I in "team" it's teamwork
@@annebruce5135 But there is an m and an an e=me..........
I'm not a teacher although I have been in teaching situations. Teaching a human mind is a complex endeavor. It not only challenges your knowledge on the subject matter, it challenges your ability to transfer that to others. This is an idealized scenario. I've never had to be patient. You can foster hunger for learning. These are fleeting moments, not sustained. Much is fighting what they have learned. At college level sometimes humor delivered the message. We, collectively, don't care about our children.
When my students are better than I am, I succeeded.
There are as many teachers as there are ways to learn. Lots of things and people can be teachers. Sometimes the teacher is karma and she's definitely patient 🤣.
@@comfortablynumb9342 No. Teaching is an art and skill. That's why our system is falling apart. Our system doesn't recognize this. In teaching, we need an apprentice approach.
Reframing the performative. This might be the most important idea you have taught me.
yes i needed this too
Yes I agree.
Agreed and glad to see more people getting on. As Beau puts it...Diversity of tactics - all of it matters. All of it. :)
Beau you are an example of the positive hope for humanity. You think and realize your reality at a level unfortunately very rare in our human existence. I admire your clarity of vision because I know it is extremely difficult to know that our fate lies in the simpleton majority that surrounds and out numbers us!
as the bumper sticker said "we can't all be heroes, some one has to sit on the curb and clap"
Some people organize community clean up days and a larger group goes around to pick up the trash. An even larger segment doesn't litter in the first place because they recognize it's a problem. They do make the job easier for the first two groups, even if they don't actually attend the clean up.
Ooh! What a cool analogy. The even-larger segment's continued growth is what would actually eliminate the problem... I'm going to think about that!
Beau is definitely one of the more rational reasoned critical thinking speakers on you tube. He offers information and opinions and leaves it up to his followers to decide what they think about what he said.
1:54 As it comes to social-political movements, the tip of the spear are organizers; the spearhead are people who show up, spread the message, donate time & money.
The spearshaft are the voters: when social-political movements become mainstreamed to the point of gaining supermajority polling support, the spear is strong.
AOCs dress. I love they way that so many regular working class people were claiming that they know how things work among the wealthy when they simply don't, they cannot even distinguish between old money and nuveau riche. edited to add, this was a business deal, paying AOC's ticket got the designer publicity, and all the critics gave her 100s of millions of publicity, you just can't buy that much ink.
You can buy ink in bulk now. Thanks, internet!
@hognoxious I kneau, rite?
Yeah, technically AOC isnt even the Nouveau part. She's the first generation in her family to make a six figure income, which is not the definition of wealth.She's just plain upper middle class/rich. Wealth involves inheritance of money that exited before you were born.
@@Billkwando Thanks for the giggle. 😊
@@jenvicinity9143 My pleasure. It's my way of being the butt-end of the spear. 😊
Thanks Past Beau!
One of the things I really like about this channel is that you are respectful to all people.
@John Smith reactionaries deserve nothing less than condemnation.
@John Smith if you wanna coddle Nazis go right ahead 🤷♂️🤷♀️🤷
@John Smith ok Nazi
If you find that lots of people call you a Nazi, the problem is probably you. You're the one common denominator in every interaction you have, after all.
@John Smith Oh no, you're trolling a youtube channel. That's never happened before 😂🤦
Holy cow. I have watched your content when you has less than 50k followers. While I have always either agreed or said, huh that’s something new. This is the first time I have ever done a 180. I have always looked at the “butt of the spear” IG photo person with distaste. I won’t do that anymore.
Diversification of tactics. 🙌
As soon as you mentioned spears, I knew you were gonna talk about "that's just the tip of the spear" people often forget all the logistics of the military.
Don't discount the spear carriers. They also serve who just show up.
I thought he was gonna talk about Britney and the change in her conservatorship.
I am an old guy now. Perspective with time, TIP tenacity +innovation +patience = social change. Good point 👉
@@bdf2718 HI again, I getting in some good stalking, lol! 🥰😘
@@laurajarrell6187 Wow! I didn't expect you to find me here. You're getting good at this.
You are a good teacher.
When a thousand people whisper the same thing it becomes a voice.
Or a cult.
@@coldwynn Or a susurration.
Wow, that's great.
Like a murder of crows can become the screams in heavy metal music 🎶
Auditory hallucinations + paranoia =
Fantastic analogy breakdown !! I went my entire military service as support in logistics and attached to combat engineers or infantry and they just didn’t get that without 7 others, they couldn’t do what they do.
Thought of that myself! As an engineer equipment repairman, that support part of the services is always in the background.
My father was a master Sargent in Korea, engineering. Roads, bridges, etc. He never drove after he came home. No one ever told me why. My beloved Uncle was a sniper. He never touched a weapon after he came home. My father wanted us to be Junior NRA. That lasted 3 seconds. His gun cabinet had a glass front so he could lie in bed and admire his collection. I got irked one day, went to his toolbox he built, with the hinges on the OUTSIDE, used a previously acquired screwdriver to acquire the glass cutter and a hasp and file. The glass was gone and disposed of safely when everyone came home. I returned from college late that night, one hour bus ride, thank you labs. No one had noticed. Until the dog pawing at the guns.....well, the insuing noise and police presence woke up the whole neighborhood. My father always discounted me "she's stupid". IQ of 142 in junior high = not stupid. My mother knew I did it, asked me where the glass was. Just shook my head. In a dumpster at college. Damn good thing no nanny cams in those days. On the other hand, cell phones would have stopped a lot of child abuse in my house.
I've been thinking about it as "diversity of tactics" - just because I think something is "performative" as long as it isn't actively hurting someone, why would I complain about someone on my side just because they're doing things differently than I would?
Damn but hearing this is a relief, for I believe everyone has their place, and this is the map to understand where each person is.
👋
😃
👋🌺🌺
@@d123mahesh2 hi D. How are you?
@@neeleynonea Hello my dear! Doing well; you?
@@d123mahesh2 doing well. Had my grand daughters for a few days. I'm exhausted
You never cease to amaze me with your ability to explain a topic so well.
yes
this man is a genius
and needs a bigger platform with a veeeeerry hefty salary!!
Used to be the tip. As I get older I’m moving further backwards down the spear. Not quite on the handle yet….but as my physical abilities diminish I’ll probably end up there as far as showing up for big demonstrations, etc. are concerned. Lol. But, hey, at least I’m on the spear!
Glad I watched this again. Thanks, Beau.
watched yet again after you plugged it in "4 messages and colleges", and a thought occurred to me to connect it to that xkcd comic on being in the "lucky 10,000"... To apply it to this: Why denigrate someone for not being "on point", when you could instead delight in the excitement of showing them why you are.
People forget the point isn't to destroy/hate the mainstream, it is for our ideas to become the mainstream. I have met to many people where being oppressed isn't the problem its their identity entirely, weirdly its usual those who are the least actually oppressed by the current system.
I absolutely adored AOC's performative dress...which was created specifically for her and gifted to her to wear literally in the wealrhy's faces. Which she did so flawlessly. ❤
The impact at the tip is relevant to the force within the body of the entire object.
Straight Physics
Brilliant vid beau
10:27 I have several friends who have abandoned social media because of this chilling effect you described.
I just love this guy. He has a way of making you think 🤔. I’ve even started saying after speaking my mind on a matter. It’s just a thought.
I'd say the number one detriment for "The Fringe" is fear of becoming "The Establishment".
Oh yeah. That's definitely a real fear.
@@BeauoftheFifthColumn Did the opposition just do that in Afghanistan?
@@BeauoftheFifthColumn As in that's what the fringe should fear , or as in it's an impediment ?
"I've spent my whole life stickin' it to the man...I don't think I can be the man."
-Brig. General Jack O'Neill, Stargate Command
@@DrTssha
"It's allergies"
-Daniel Jackson
Holly shit. I never thought of it that way. (Gulp) And I may be doing it wrong. Thank you Beau.
AOC’s dress was literally wearable art! That’s LITERALLY PERFORMATIVE art! ❤️
I LOVED her dress 👗
The most I do to further leftist ideology is hide bits and pieces of my beliefs in my daily conversations.
same
The "cheesy" handle is somewhat of an anathema for my franco-brit taste but I do less than you since my conversations aren't daily occurrences.
I slide reminders of the technology we use into mine. So many people don't think about how we commonly used check books at the supermarket.
And ask questions that cause people to questions inhumane beliefs.
I try to “agree” people a bit further left. Basically, find something I can agree with, then rephrase it in a way that just a little more left. And build from there. But having that base to build on is imperative.
If they think you’re someone who shares their beliefs, they’re far more likely to listen to you. And if you can just ever so slightly change the position that they view the problem from, then that’s progress. Maybe use a term that’s a bit more progressive/leftist, but that does mostly comport with the things they were already saying.
I absolutely loved this analysis. He is SPOT ON!
Trashing the "performative" members of a community is almost always a performative exercise.
🎯
yep
Much like people who accuse others of virtue signalling- they’re technically doing the same thing.
Though, contradicting myself here, I do have an issue with how the term is used by most people these days. I don’t think signalling one’s beliefs or virtues is a bad thing. The issue only comes when people signal them, but have no follow through or who are straight up lying about having said virtues.
And I do believe that this was the original meaning of the term- to signal a virtue, doing absolutely nothing else to support it, yet expecting kudos for saying that you have said virtue. But, much like many terms, the meaning has been watered down so much over the years that it’s now more water than booze.
@@katherinemorelle7115 Beau has a video on exactly that iirc
I'm a brief attendee at protests. I have arthritis and sensory processing differences and social anxiety. I still think it's important to go: I tell my friends and colleagues I'm going, ask if we'll see each other there. Yes I also put it on my status if I take a pic. I talk to people about the event. All of these things make people discuss it and make them realise that a normal-ish person in their circle is invested in the issue. Some of us doing what we can, where we can, just ... isn't any more than that.
Hey! I have that Beatles T! Yay!
Thanks for explaining the tip of the spear analogy for the military. In my experience most people have no idea who is in the military or why they are there. Seal Team Six are pretty damn impressive. But they couldn't do shit without the mechanics who keep the ship running, the ordinance officer who ensures their weapons work, the radio operators that keep them in contact, the cooks who feed them, and the clerks who make sure they get paid. It ain't all runnin' and gunnin'.
I have been going about it wrong. I have been thinking that we at the front are dragging along everyone else to get where we need to go. This means getting frustrated and pulling it against the people who were 'not moving'.
I will try and incorporate the spear analogy going forward.
I am now imagining a vast army of spear armed penguins... 😶
@@Jay-ho9io We are many!
Thank you for bringing common sense to Leftist critique. I needed to hear this because I'm definitely guilty of being the theory-reading armchair Leftist
Thank you, Beau. 💙
I grew up in an incredibly conservative environment. As a teenager I listened to Rush Limbach almost every day. It took me 25 years to move from I'm a republican through libertarianism to actually being able to say that I agree with the left. I was wrong about a lot of things and if someone wanted to tell me I was wrong about those things they would have been entirely right to do so. But what they would have been missing is that I struggling to get where they wanted me to be. I just had a lot of lies I had to unravel and each one took effort and time.
What would have been far more useful than what happened, was if someone would have actually helped. I wouldn't have been open to everything, and it still would have taken time, but perhaps instead of taking twenty five years it only would have taken ten or fifteen.
A lot of people say they want to change things, or they want to change the world. The actual change always has to be in people and there are people, even people on the wrong side, who are willing to change.
Love this message. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Awesome 👏👏👏👍🤙✌️
as someone who identifies as a Christian all it took me was Revelation 11:18
(and Matthew 23:9)
i had to be shown from the book itself
edited to correct typo of 11:20 to 11:18
@@briansmutti I just looked those up, and chapter 11 of revelations only goes up to nineteen verses, at least in my Bible. And I don’t quite understand what Matthew 23:9 would have taught you either. I’m sure you have an earthly father too, as well as a heavenly One.
@@relayniedarcy
i’m so sorry
it was a typo
Revelation 11:18
I'm the moral consideration guy. I honestly am not a progressive (not yet but I see no other solution in decades to come) but I'm well aware of the danger Trump poses and thus will not consider anyone that doesn't rebuke Trump.
Good point Beau, pun intended, but it's a sesame street lesson for "adults" Clever. Best from Scotland
Do you even watch the videos you absolute bellend?
@@crystalgiddens7276 but Beau is doing a mr Roger's style information, bringing us along to understand (dare I say it) his "point!"😁
@@crystalgiddens7276 Edgy, pretty heavy. Izzat an up or down? Peace
@@todddavis1768 that'd be a "no."
@@crystalgiddens7276 Yeah, I saw that "coming"
Maybe an analogy of a battering ram: Those doing the work to drive the movement are the soldiers, but they need a big heavy chunk of something to get through. The 'selfie takers' etc are the heft. Increasing numbers, increasing spread, increasing the "weight" of the idea.
This video involved much less stabbing than I had hoped. 7/10 :-)
Here you go:
ruclips.net/video/afqhBODc_8U/видео.html
Good point 🤣
7 for incisive wit.
👋🏾Add: So everyone has a role? I like!!! Add2: Also, when I joined this channel 4+ years ago, people were so frustrated with how ignorant I was. But that’s why I subscribed: to learn; to grow; to change!!! Why would you make fun of someone who is doing that???
Hi😸🖐
@@denisecorzette1676 Hellooooo! 🙂👋🏾
Dang, I thought I was old school! Three years next month for me. Think he had around 5k subs.
Sounds like the old Linux forums in the early 2000s.
I got so many RTFM responses I just quit going there.
So much has changed. Now people are actually willing to help.
@@d123mahesh2 I thought it was 5000, but could be mistaken. That was many beers ago. Lol
Part of changing society means we need to sell our ideas to fellow citizens.
Some people clearly think we sell these ideas to fellow citizens by screaming at them, calling them names, and being insufferable assholes.
It’s important to act as if social movements are about gathering popularity in the culture, and to avoid acting as if it is about “suffering for our art.”
@@rylian21 My theory is that those "some people" simply lack the tools to sell these ideas effectively, and have become frustrated and disillusioned. Heck, that's where I'm at half the time. I get very frustrated when logical arguments and facts aren't enough, because I got some kind of weird hangup that that's what's "supposed to work". I try to avoid namecalling and screaming, but I can't promise that I'm not an insufferable asshole sometimes.
I think those "some people" are doing their best. And that yelling at them that they're doing it wrong will be exactly as unhelpful as yelling at those fellow citizens. People, in general, respond pretty badly at being called assholes…
Alot us that are "the shaft" of the spear look up at the tip and say "hey, I've been living the ideals you seek my whole life"
I've been here supporting you with the way I live all along
This one kind of broke my brain. I sort of feel like the frog who gave the scorpion a ride across the river, except I didn't get stung, and we both made it to the other side of the river. Pride has never been a boon in my world.
My favorite video of yours. I often feel guilty that I am usually not at the "tip of the spear". I could do more, but often don't. For now, maybe I need to give myself some credit that I am at least helping to provide some forward progress. Thank you, as always, for being out front and for teaching the rest of us how to get there.
Absolutely, @green527 - you deserve as much credit as the next person. {{{Hugs}}} NO GUILT required.
Thank you, Beau. I think I might be one of your non-tip folks. I'm trying, and I do a lot of showing up and listening and helping as I can around the edges. I know I haven't read the same books; I was raised by fundies and taught a lot of toxic things that I'm working on unpicking now. I don't have all the answers, and honestly most of my friends are far more conservative than I am, so I'm often the ambassador for ideas like "maybe the Republican party isn't all good people" and "the police don't make everything better". When you mentioned repairing trucks and doing paperwork, I thought, "Wow, that sounds like an analogy for a job I could do. Wonder what it is!"
I'm sure I annoy the shit out of the spearhead, what with my looking like someone's suburban aunt and asking dumb questions. But I really do want to make the world a bit better if I can, and if you hand me scutwork I'll do it. When the George Floyd protests hit, I sewed all the masks I could and handed them out to local marchers; I figured we need those protesters to keep breathing.
I'm trying, here in the haft. And I'll have your back.
No question that seeks to become educated is a dumb question.
@@Cheryl_in_TX Thank you. I try. But I also get a lot of blank stares and "you are too old to have never read a book, you've got to be trolling" reactions. I promise I've read a lot of books; it's just that everyone's got a different reading list and I haven't been at this forever. Thus, making masks and feeding people and whatever else practical I can do. I definitely can't meet everyone's contradictory standards of ideological purity, but I can keep some humans alive, and somebody has to do that anyway.
@@onbearfeet The best any of us can do is to do our best. It’s really just that simple.
I’d like to share a couple of my favorite quotes with you. These, in particular, help me to remember that as overwhelming and busy and crazy and complex life can often be, the fundamental principles of life and humanity are really pretty simple. 😊
“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others, and if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” -Dalai Lama
“To leave the world a little better than you found it. That’s the best a man can ever do.” -Paul Auster
@on bear feet, I love your message and your way of describing it.
As someone who works in marketing I appreciate your analogy. Where I work we had to fight to get resources because people were so focused on "results" they neglected to realize the role awareness and marketing plays in that. It's funny (sad) to see advocates doing the same. It's a fine line between when gatekeeping is helpful vs harmful, but the more harmful aspects definitely turn allies away. Fear of being dumped on for imperfection has definitely stopped me and I know it has others.
Beau, thanks for getting me thinking about this more seriously. I've heard this sort of thing before, but it's a take I've always associated with people acting in bad faith--people who want to hang out in leftist spaces but don't want to stop being racist, sexist, transphobic, etc. I know you well enough by now to know you aren't one of those people, and you've phrased it in a new way that makes me take it more seriously. It's like you made it for me. Keep doing what you do.
Also worth noting - sometimes when you're way out in front, it's because you're lost. We have to be willing to admit when we're wrong too. The tip can't change direction without the spear. The tip can't pull back to strike again without the spear.
Biggest REALLY COOL thing that got overlooked in all the AOC hubbub was Billie Eilish who really did make an immediate difference. Billie was asked to wear Oscar de la Renta’s gown and she refused because they carried fur in their designer line. She said she would wear their dress if they quit selling fur. They quit! She wore their dress. Immediate results!
Wow.
Just... WOW.
Thank you for redirecting me back to this one. You really shone a light on a part of the effort to create social justice that I never considered, but rally, really should. I need to think about my own behaviour around this: HAVE I been one of the judgemental ones up front? Quite possibly I have, and should really keep an eye on this in myself going forward.
Thank you.
One of your best lessons yet Beau
@@crystalgiddens7276 Yes, Justin teaches a lot of things that many of us should have learned long ago...I can think of at least one, off hand.
@@crystalgiddens7276 Justin is Beau's legal first name 🙂. Beau is a pseudonym.
@@crystalgiddens7276 thank you! I stumbled upon it on Pinterest a few years ago.
This is an amazing analogy. Appreciate you and the work you put in.
Even if we accept the premise that the dress was performative on it's face, we're still here talking about it, and that conversation is what drives the idea that made the dress so controversial into acceptable discourse.
Forming, Storming, Norming; Forming - take an idea for a change and get the ball rolling, Storming - Create interest and a big push towards that change, Norming - that change is now the accepted norm by the bulk of the population. All are equally important to systemic change.
Hey man being a advocate for Reparations and Redress for what America 🇺🇸has done to the slaves and their Descendents for generations 🇺🇸
The discussion on using soft language an this one being the tip of the spear and understanding the staff of the spear was very helpful ,thany you 😀
Queensland, Australia just approved assisted dying for terminal patients.
As an average person I first heard about the push for it, 30 years ago in the 90s. For 30 years it just became more and more a normal part of political discussion.
It won when it became considered morally right to to be on the side of approval, by the average voter.
My goal has never been to attack someone with different views, but educate. I always try to share resources where they can learn for themselves. I agree, the discussion is what drives a movement forward. Thanks for the analogies. I always appreciate them.
Mine too, but some people are so set in their views, they can't see anything else.
Follow-up I just remembered:
80% of Sun Tzu's magnum opus could be best summed up as "Logistics wins wars."
I just remembered today while working out I was thinking about AOC met gala and performative activism and I just couldn’t get the right reason despite my gut telling me so. Thank you for putting the ideas I had a hard time knocking in.
👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Well said, sir!!
This video needs to be on the "theory reading list" of a lot of very visible progressives...
It puzzles me that polls can show around 70% of people liking the idea of M4A but they don't vote for the person who could help to push it through.
Confused why they ignore
Instructions unclear,
Spear is now stuck in foot, who were the ones to get it out?
Yikes! Retire to favorite chair with favorite chilled beverage STAT, lol! Have a few, paramedics are tied up with unvaxxed people with a death wish, so you might be waiting awhile!😁
😂👍🏽
😂
This is a concise answer to something I've be wondering for a long time. Thanks as always.
Incredibly good analogy. Remember no handle no spear!
Thank you for continuing to give us great material to deprogram fanatics and bring "Maximum Freedom for Mamimum People with Maximim Cooperation" closer each day to reality.
Love the metaphor, especially the selfie-takers (4:00)! And yes, reading *theory* is vital (10:30)!
Only one suggested edit: There are MANY tips of "the" spear, each pointing in (more or less) different directions.
Which is a good thing!
This is where truth, lodging, and reason are so Important.
Not sure what it is about your profile pick. But if that is u. U look awesome. U look like somebody I wish I had as a buddy. And by your comment, u sound awesome too
@Richard Burden - I think "lodging" isn't quite the word you intended, there?
Lodging?
I was USMC Infantry. It was, and still is my view that the entire purpose of the US military is to have an Infantryman raise the US flag over the other country's capitol, preferably while standing on their leader's neck. However it takes another 11 other people to keep each Infantryman in the field. I was 17 when I went in and full of testosterone and devoid of Wisdom, and so I thought the others in the service wanted to wear the uniform but not shoulder the risk. If there are any Veterans reading this I want to Sincerely apologize for my arrogance. I know a lot of Veterans don't want to hear "Thank You for your Service" but I'm going to say it now because it's 40yrs late. Yeah, I'm looking like I'm apologizing to ease my conscience, but I am saying actually saying this here so that others will see it. After 4yrs of a traitorous orange buffoon who belittled all of us it's about time we stand together.
Former Army HR here- Thank you. I don't disclose my MOS often in public because I was told too many times while serving how I'm not a "real veteran" despite being one of the cogs keeping people paid and orders processed. Combat soldiers are critical, but the government runs on its paper-pushers.
Dude. This. Soooooo much, this... I’m having a bad vocabulary day so I can’t express how important this message is. But this HAS GOT to get out there. I’m sharing everywhere.
Beau, you yet again gave me a lot to think about and reflect on. Thank you for sharing this message and this video. I appreciate it.
This is really excellent and I'm sending it to some fellow protesters. Thank you!
Excellent, Beau! It IS A MESS. When I was in the Army, I was told: "You are Not on a Mission. You ARE the Mission." But we knew. Nobody moves without a mechanic, or a cook. Nobody lives without a radio communicator or a technician. Nobody survives without a flight engineer or a jump master. All of them - *the Heavy Part - behind that Tip* is the Drive! That is why we have BACK-UP!
Thank you 🙏🏽 the goal is to change minds.
Honestly I'll admit I've talked bad about performative protestors. Think in the future I may go easier on them because your right. They get the message out even if they arnt truly ideological.
Don't get me wrong they can be really annoying at times.
@@BeauoftheFifthColumn they can but, going back I can remember in high school when I started and was kind of one of them. And I got friends and classmates moving and asking me questions that I then had to go learn the answers to so I could answer. It's been a while but my mom always said something that applies here, "to many parents forget what it was like to be a kid". I think many who are out and ideologically driven forget where and how they started. Going to have to do some rethink in my approach to new folks.
@@BeauoftheFifthColumn dont hate on the POGs
@@BeauoftheFifthColumn Yeah, but what to think about those who are right of Eisenhower and call themselves Dems??? They may not be part of the spear at all but just wearing the label to destroy the movement. Infiltrators! We suppose to play nice with them?
Thanks, Beau, for boiling it down to an excellent analogy. No progressive ideology will succeed if it does not somehow also advocate the moral and ethical obligation to care about ALL people.