Objectivism: Simple Tactics to Get Started with Online Activism

Today we heard an excellent talk from Yaron Brook about the importance of defending capitalism, and he ended his speech with a rousing call to action for the audience.  “I’m willing to put it all on the line, are you?”

People stood and clapped, but I left the room wondering whether they realize this isn’t just something that a small set of us need to do. Activism, in small and large ways, is something all of us can help with.  As much as I wish there were enough people who held the right ideas where I could hide behind “division of labor” as my argument, and just go on building businesses and being productive, here is the harsh reality: if you want to see the world change in your lifetime, you have to live in the future today.

In the most basic terms: it’s time for each of us to do SOMETHING.  I’ve been relaxing at the pool today with Trey Givens, Earl Parson, and Mark Wickens and I asked them to help me brainstorm some ways you can get involved.  If you’ve been helping advocate Objectivism for awhile, this might seem self-evident but please take a look and see if there is anything here you can add to your own playbook.

Activism in…

5 Minutes

• vote up news stories and bog posts you like on Digg.com
• add Objectivism and/or capitalism to your online profiles (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN, etc.)
• republish content that you think is good (e.g. link to an ARI op-ed from your Facebook back)
• make yourself or your car a moving billboard for Objectivism (with a shirt, bumper stickets, etc.)
• check out out the free articles on The Objective Standard (or subscribe!) and follow them on Twitter

10 Minutes

• comment on items posted on Facebook, blog posts, etc. – encourage people to keep blogging
• donate money to ARI
• contact ARI about donating money to buy books for your local high school campus club

• comment on items posted on Facebook, blog posts, etc. – encourage people to keep blogging
• comment on news stories, or even blog a full response to a news story

30 Minutes

• subscribe to other blogs that forward ideas you agree with
• call into radio shows, or television shows (or at least email them)
• write a letter to the editor
• write a letter to local or national government etc.

More Time & Other Ideas

• distribute the Undercurrent to your local schools
• share your values with non-Objectivists — for example, art at the Cordair Gallery (not just Atlas Shrugged, the Fountainhead)
• start your own blog (lot’s of good free platforms out there)
• donate money to the Undercurrent, to your local campus club
• join local organizers that you’re interested in, and influence the outcomes of their decisions
• telling stories about your own success or people that you know – about how Objectivism has helped you
• meet up with people in real life to reinforce your ideas, sharing your values, finding people you can relate to, learning new things
• join groups like Toastmasters, where you can speak about your ideas to a captive audience

More check out post from Burgess Laughlin about “in-line activism” -about being an activist within your profession