Weak Memes and Loser Frames

Weak Memes and Loser Frames

Why are we so bad at this?

Once again?—?IT DOES NOT MATTER IF WE ARE NONVIOLENT. Focusing on that, rather than on what we want our message to be in moral and values terms, is entirely counter productive. The fascists are going to cut to footage from another country, and claim we are violent, regardless of our actual behavior. It should go without saying, that of course, we should protect ourselves, and not start shit. Don’t be the one. But you have you know, ultimately, it doesn’t matter how peaceful we are?—?they don’t want peace. They ARE going to start violence. ICE is already violent?—?it’s already started. They ARE ALREADY claiming WE are violent, despite all the evidence to the contrary. Our behavior does not factor in to their plans.

This meme does kind of sort of, in an extremely weak way, get around to something like a message?—?but it’s a counter message, stated at the end, when it’s already too late to frame anything. A proactive statement— would be “Constitution or bust”?—?a better phrase, which the weak as shit Democrats would caution against might be New Hampshire’s state motto, “Live Free or Die”?—?the lawyers?—?100% of the Democratic Party, and 90% of the problem?—?would probably caution against using language like that, basically, the reason we’ve already lost.

I can think of a few other slogans:

• Trump, go fuck yourself
• Republicans are Fascists, and so are (centrist) Democrats
• #waitingforwar
• Let’s maybe try civilization
• Billionaires are the problem, you fucking nitwits
• No peace without Economic Justice

The problem is, this is all so reactive. They have a simple, describable plan to fix the problems real people are feeling. Their plan is abhorrent, but they have one. We have a reaction against their plan, and little else. The right wing has already rigged all 3 branches of government. They have already grabbed power?—?they aren’t grabbing power, it’s done. The “not right wing” (that’s everyone else, all dozen other sides, generally arranged in a circular firing squad) has no social contract on offer, so it’s hard to even come up with slogans to promote whatever the fuck we want.

We end up just defending the status quo, like shutting down the entire government to defend a Medical Insurance subsidies?—?read that again. It’s literally what Democrats are defending. You can’t make this level of utter incompetence.

The status quo is broken. It’s not breaking down?—?it has already broken down. Until someone other than the right-wing has a social contract to offer?—?which yes, includes a defined model of authority, and defined set of rules for civil order?—?then we literally just lose by default. But whatever, keep singing Kumbaya in the street. That’ll work.