Input | Output |
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Link | YouTube |
Published | 2021/05/04 |
Theme | |
Status | article incomplete |
Beau says:
A friend seeks help in explaining socialism without history, politics, or ideology; Beau uses a powerful poem to debunk misconceptions easily.
Educators, Activists, Students
Exploration of the impact of using poetry as a tool for addressing misconceptions in political history.
#Socialism #History #Poetry #Education #Misconceptions #GeorgeOrwell
Well howdy there internet people, it's Beau again.
So today
we're going to talk about
a seemingly impossible challenge
and poetry.
uh...
A couple of weeks ago
one of y'all reached out and said, hey I need some help.
I have a friend
who just is utterly terrified
of socialism
because the bad guys during World War II were socialists.
He doesn't know anything about politics or history or ideology so all he knows
is that the word socialist
was in the party name.
But because he doesn't know anything about these subjects
using them to talk to him isn't going to be helpful.
Can you give me a way to explain
that they weren't really socialists
without using
history,
politics, or ideology?
Sure, I will
try to come up with a
way to
talk about a historical political party
with ideology in the name without using history, politics, or ideology.
Challenge accepted, you know.
It's been two weeks
and I had nothing.
Couldn't come up with anything.
And then last night one of y'all asked for a video on quotes by George Orwell.
And I already had one.
When I went back to
find it
and
clicked on it
to be able to share it, it started playing.
And it started playing
at a part where I am quoting a piece of poetry.
It's a poem everybody knows.
First they came for the Jews and I said nothing because I was not a Jew.
The thing is
that's not actually
how it goes.
First they came for the socialists
and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak up because I was not a Jew.
came for me and there was no one left to speak for me." There you go. Your answer is in poetry.
If they were socialists, they probably wouldn't have come for the socialists. Now, to be clear,
there are multiple versions of this. One, I think, starts with, first they came for the communists,
socialist is always in it, in every version that I've seen. So, there's your answer.
It's not history-based. It doesn't have to require a whole lot of knowledge of different ideologies.
It doesn't have to do with politics. It's something simple and easy that you can point to
and say, if this is true, then why would they do this? And that seems like the level of
conversation you're looking to have. So, anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.
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