At BPI and especially in Morning Feature we often talk of ways to talk with Fred, the apolitical median voter. It is a key strategy for building grassroots support for progressive ideas, policies, and candidates.
I am an introvert and my favorite interactions are one-on-one conversations where I can ask questions and explore what is really important to someone. Most people love to give you their ideas and opinions, so really listening is my gift to them in a world that is often too busy, too loud, and too disinterested. I may ask questions to clarify what the other person cares about, the values at the heart of the matter.
This from NCrissieB’s excellent series on Fred Whispering:
Fred is a “different-information voter” who gets most of his information from talking to friends, co-workers, neighbors, and other people he meets. We progressives must join those discussions, or Fred will get only conservative input. In Morning Feature we call joining those discussions “Fred Whispering,” and it starts with listening so we can better understand Fred’s values: what matters most to him and why. Because as we saw yesterday, facts and logic won’t matter unless they appeal to Fred’s values.
In this story Fred is really Bob, a man with whom I had a series of conversations at the laundromat starting last summer. Back then he was a ruby red conservative, but in a discussion at the laundromat a few days ago, much to my surprise, Bob took over the conversation … as a true blue progressive.
When it rains up in the north woods many of us head into town to the laundromat. It becomes an instant community center filled with rich second home/cabin owners, camp hosts and counselors and camping families. It’s a microcosm of society.
One day last week, it rained off and on all day and the laundromat was a busy place. One woman I recognized from last summer as the one who said basically that health care was only for those who could afford it and let the rest just die. Some of the young camp counselors were present last summer and we tried to talk to her without budging her an inch. The young women were tenacious and blunt, and Right Wing Woman – I’ll call her RWW – spouted one talking point after another.
Last week a young counselor said to RWW, ”I remember you, you wanted to let the uninsured die last summer. What’s your gripe this summer?” While this is not a good Fred Whispering technique, I did smile at the directness of the question.
RWW replied, “For a start, giving more Pell grant money to ungrateful kids like you pisses me off. Why don’t you just work for your tuition?”
Bob looked up from his laptop and said, “Whoa.”
I asked him what he thought of the Pell grants and the stimulus and he replied, “I think it was a good idea and too small. People everywhere need help and if this country doesn’t stand together, we’ll fall apart.”
RWW said, “Bob you used to be a strong Republican, what the hell happened to you?”
Bob replied, “I started talking with [me] last summer and realized that I wasn’t as mean and hateful as the Republicans have become. It’s a question of my values. Sure I’d like a better business climate but not at the expense of letting people die or be made homeless.”
He then rose, came over to me, and put arm around my shoulders. He told RWW, “This fine woman listened to me and helped me find my heart again. She didn’t yell at me, RWW. She wasn’t spouting policy points or putting me down. She cares about people and helped me realize that deep inside I do too.
I can’t just vote to protect my money anymore and that’s all you want to do, RWW. It’s damn selfish.”
RWW picked up a magazine and sulked while the rest of the laundry doers jumped into the conversation. The gist of it was that tough times required help and compassion. The people talked about their individual compassionate acts, but noted that some help could only come from the government. Everyone had a story of someone who was hurting. Bob told folks to get involved. He’s a CEO and knows how to command a room and hit the key points. He pointed out that his business and others are interdependent with the middle class as employees and customers. To devastate the middle class doesn’t serve business at all. To ignore the needs of the elderly, the unemployed and children is to destroy America.
Last summer my 3 or 4 conversations with Bob were one-on-one and pretty deep. In Fred Whispering we must accept planting seeds of thought, and may not know or be there when those seeds blossom. I had no idea that Bob had moved so far. By last week, he had begun Fred Whispering. That is a ripple effect we should not ignore.
Fred Whispering links:
Morning Feature: Fred Whispering, Part I – What Did You Hear?
Morning Feature: Fred Whispering, Part II – Listen for Values
Morning Feature: Fred Whispering, Part III – Attitude and Technique
Morning Feature: Fred Whispering, Part IV – Fred Speaks
Morning Feature: What Americans Want, Part III – Sharing with Fred
Please share your Fred Whispering stories below. Asking people to talk about what is really important to them can help clarify values and often recruit more Freds to the progressive cause. And please do whatever you can to GOTV.
Crossposted from Blogistan Polytechnic Institute (BPICampus.com)