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Aug. 7, 2024

884: Why Don't People Listen to Libertarian Ideas?

Libertarians must break free from their echo chamber, learn to effectively communicate their ideas to a broader audience, and handle real-world objections if they hope to advance liberty beyond theoretical discussions and make a tangible impact in society.

Are libertarians falling into the trap of groupthink? In this thought-provoking episode of Brian's Briefing, host Brian Nichols challenges the libertarian movement to confront its own echo chamber. What happens when those who pride themselves on being "the adults in the room" fail to engage with opposing viewpoints effectively? Nichols shares a revealing encounter that exposes the cracks in libertarian discourse and questions the movement's readiness to face real-world objections.

 

 

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Dive into a candid exploration of the irony within libertarian circles. Nichols recounts his experience in a libertarian Facebook group discussing LGBTQ+ issues, where he witnessed firsthand the emotional and irrational responses to legitimate challenges. This episode serves as a wake-up call for libertarians who claim to champion free thought but struggle to handle diversity within their own ranks.

 

The conversation takes a critical turn as Nichols addresses the crucial skill of persuasion. He emphasizes the importance of being prepared to answer questions and handle objections from those outside the libertarian sphere. Are libertarians truly equipped to sell their ideas to a broader audience? Nichols argues that without effective communication strategies, even the most principled positions will fail to gain traction in the real world.

 

Practical advice takes center stage as Nichols offers a challenge to his listeners: engage with those who disagree, practice addressing common objections, and learn to communicate libertarian ideas in accessible terms. He tackles a listener question about engaging without compromising principles, providing valuable insights on finding common ground and focusing on practical applications of libertarian policies.

 

As he wraps, Nichols calls for serious self-reflection within the libertarian movement. He urges listeners to break out of their echo chambers and get serious about communicating ideas to a wider audience. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in political discourse, persuasion techniques, and the future of the libertarian movement. Don't miss this critical examination of groupthink and the path forward for effective advocacy of liberty in the real world.

 

 

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Transcript

Brian Nichols  0:00  
Welcome to Brian's briefing part of the Brian Nichols show. I'm Brian Nichols, and in these focused episodes, I dive into key issues, ideas and principles that shape our world. No frills, no fluff, just straight talk on matters that count. Now let's get started. Today. We're going to talk about something that I'm sure you've all seen, and that is the dangers of groupthink, and specifically the dangers of getting stuck in an echo chamber. But also, I want to talk about the irony, the irony of libertarians trying to get other people to become libertarians, when it's libertarians who end up finding themselves getting stuck in this very groupthink. So let's dig into this. I always hear and see libertarians, quite often, going out of their way, saying we're the ones who are the adults in the room. We're the ones who do things differently. We're the ones who will lead why? Because we are the ones who are principled, and with these principles, we will use them to guide us. But then I go on to libertarian Facebook groups. And in this specific case, it was a libertarian Facebook group that was arguing about libertarians and social issues, specifically LGBTQ plus issues. It was relating to the whole Olympics opening ceremony controversy. And I see libertarians there who are just full throatedly defending the regime. Now I'm using the word regime here, in this case, to outline more or less the accepted viewpoint, like the secular viewpoint from a global perspective. So when I go into that Facebook group and I'm challenging people, instead of these folks being confident in their ability to not just stand firm on these ideas and principles, but to understand how to effectively bring these ideas and handle objections that will inevitably be coming from folks like me in the real world, these libertarians in that Facebook group were entirely unprepared. And not only were they unprepared, they became defensive, they became emotional, they became irrational, and then they let the mask slip. And by that, I mean they put on this great persona, the we are, the adults in the room. We're better than all of this. We're talking about the issues that really matter. That's the perception, but without an understanding of what the real issues that really matter to real people who need to be able to be convinced in order to win their vote. That's where libertarians have been dropping the ball, see, and this is the part where libertarians are either just playing dumb, or they are dumb, or there's something nefarious here at play, because they like to be dumb in actual tactics, it seems because they don't want to actually grow the movement, like some folks just want to stay in this little echo chamber, like You're gonna get challenged. That's the whole point of libertarians going out and having these conversations. You're going to get challenged. And if you're going to sell libertarianism to folks who aren't already libertarian, guess what? You're gonna get hit with objections. You're gonna get hit with concerns. You're gonna get hit with questions. And if your knee jerk reaction, and instead of actually answering those questions or handling those objections before they come up in value statements, is just to simply react with your emotional knee jerk reaction, where you just look at folks and call them irrational, or call them bigots, homophobes, transphobes, you know, you call them all the names in the book, right? If that's your reaction when somebody asks you a question or challenges you on an idea, you're gonna lose. No doubt about it, you are going to lose because you need to be able to sell your ideas. And this is the part where libertarians drive you crazy because they have this belief, and it's a foolish belief, a misguided belief, that just because their ideas, their principles, are, quote, unquote right, that people will buy these ideas, that people won't ask questions, that people won't give them objections. Again, going back to the past two topics we've discussed over the past few weeks here on Brian's briefing, the non aggression principle in action in reality, and then the rights of children in reality as it pertains to a libertarian society. Not everyone is libertarian. Not everybody is a good person. Not everybody thinks like libertarians, meaning there are going to be folks who, yes, will agree with you, but there's going to be a lot of folks who disagree, and for different reasons, some of those reasons are valid, and other reasons not valid. But it's up to libertarians to be able to be prepared and to respond to those objections, to respond to those concerns. Returns like I saw somebody in that Facebook group that I'm referencing here who was tossing their hat in the ring like a month or so ago when the Libertarian Party was holding their convention, saying they should have been the vice presidential candidate with Chase Oliver, who is the current nominee for the Libertarian Party. And that exact person, that very person they saw my posts in the group got upset, got so upset, so mad, that they put a lengthy comment about how wrong I was and how it's not a fair question for me to ask, and then they went out of their way to unfriend me. Now, just imagine if that person had in fact been the vice presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party, and had gotten asked a question much like the question I raised, that was a valid question, but got asked that question by somebody who's, let's say, a potential voter, or maybe they got that question by somebody who's, I don't know, part of the news. And what if that person gave that emotional, completely tone deaf and frankly, stuck in this fantasy world perspective when they respond, you don't think that that would speak volumes to that potential voter, that that would speak volumes to the newsperson or the folks watching the segment To show how completely out of touch libertarians are. So here's my challenge to you this week, folks, I want you to go out there and actually engage with somebody who doesn't agree with you, but disagrees with you, and don't just argue, but try to understand where they're coming from. Practice addressing those common objections to libertarian ideas. Think through how our principles apply in complex, real world situations, and for crying out loud, learn how to communicate effectively. That means study some persuasion techniques. Learn how to listen to people and actually hear what they're saying. Figure out how to explain libertarian ideas in a way that makes sense to regular folks who don't give a shit about Austrian economics or the nuances of the non Aggression Principle. Alright, now let's take a question from one of our loyal listeners. This question comes from John from Texas, and he asks Brian, how do we engage with people who disagree without compromising on our principles? That's a great question, John. And here's the thing, engaging with people doesn't mean you have to compromise on your principles, but instead it means learning how to explain those principles in a way that makes sense to other people. That means meeting people where they're at. So start by finding some common ground. Most people value freedom and fairness, even if they define those things differently than we do, and use that as a starting off point. And then, instead of getting all theoretical focus on practical stuff, how would libertarian policies actually make people's lives better? Remember, it's not about watering down your message. It's about translating it into terms that connect with people's everyday concerns. So let me leave you with this. The next time you're tempted to call someone a statist or retreat into your libertarian bubble, take a second and ask yourself, Am I really advancing the cause of liberty here, or am I simply stroking my own libertarian ego? Are we as libertarians really being, quote, the adults in the room, if we can't handle tough questions or engage with people who disagree with us? Are we really champions of free thought if we can't handle a little diversity in our own ranks. It's time for some serious self reflection in the libertarian movement, meaning it's time for us to challenge our own groupthink, to break out of this echo chamber, and to get serious about actually communicating our ideas to a wider, more broad audience, because at the end of the day, that's what really matters, not winning arguments on Facebook, not having the most principal position in libertarian theory, but actually increasing liberty in the real world. And that, my friends, requires a lot more than just being right. It requires being able to persuade to build bridges and yes, sometimes to make some strategic compromises. So let's step up our game libertarians, and let's get better at talking to people, better at listening and better at actually advocating for real liberty in the real world. Let's stop playing politics and start doing the hard work of actually changing minds and influencing policy. Because if we don't, and if we just stay content in our little ideological bubbles, then all of our grand principles and lofty ideas, they won't amount to anything in the real world. And that folks, that would be the biggest betrayal of libertarian principles of all.

So this is Brian Nichols signing off, or. Remember, ideas are great, but it's what we do with those ideas that really matter until next time, keep thinking, keep questioning, and, most importantly, keep working to actually make Liberty a reality in the real world. We'll see you next time here on Brian's briefing. Part of the Brian Nichols show. Thanks for listening to the Brian Nichols show. Find more episodes at Brian Nichols show.com.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai