How to Actually Influence People.

It's not through political discourse. It's not by having the best studies and rational arguments. That will never work, and here's why.

Regardless of what you’ve been told, people are NOT rational creatures. We don’t make decisions rationally, nor do we behave rationally the vast majority of the time. And yet when it comes to influencing others, we forget this simple fact and try to win people over by presenting scientific studies and logical arguments, only to be surprised when this only does not help at all, but actively prevents people from coming over to our side.

It’s true that the world is divided. I have no idea how it was in previous generations because I wasn’t there, but now, today, it truly feels like there’s just two gigantic sides fighting a massive war. A spiritual one, in Tyler’s words. But it’s true. Yes, there’s some nuance, but I think you know what I’m talking about too. There’s a clear divide between degeneracy and virtue. Between those seeking pleasure and those seeking true fulfillment. Between those actively looking for damnation and those looking to be saved.

Point is, we’re in the middle of a cultural war, and our side has been too passive for too long. Lately though, there have been more efforts to pick up the fight and actively try to win those sitting on the sidelines to come over to our side.

You see this in the rise of conservative content online, in the massive impact that people like Jordan Peterson and Andrew Tate are having in young men. Regardless of what you think of those examples, the important thing is that people are looking for a different message, and are now starting to find it.

A crucial mistake many aspiring leaders make is to believe rational arguments will convince people to change sides. I see all these conservative YouTubers presenting “data” and “facts” about feminism, transgenderism, Christianity, or whatever the hot topic of discussion is. And not surprisingly, the resulting discussion is more divisive, and usually not fruitful at all.