by Nathan Smith

Glad I caught you. There’s not much time, I can already hear the helicopters.

You told us about wanting to become a player rather than a volunteer, right? The note was something about being sick of doing the same things over and over, expecting different results, slowly turning you insane. I get it, believe me. Politics is entertainment, and it is certainly entertaining. But you want to evolve, to mature, and do something that works, that really moves the dial. You’re nodding. Then I’ll be as brief as possible.

I count three maybe four helicopters. Concentrate. First, here’s the good news: this world has rules. The system operates in expected, defined parameters because humans built it, and humans hate arbitrary power. Kill one god and we invent another before sunset. Don’t ask me why, it’s hardwired. All I know is that for humans to live in this world it must at least have the pretence of being ordered. Like I said, this is good news for you.

In a system based on rules, leverage is the language of power. If you don’t have leverage, you have nothing. Listen to me: the people will not just wake up. They will not just do the right thing. People will not “just” anything. If you want something to happen, take fate by the throat and make her submit. Leverage is not posting on Twitter. It’s not attending a rally. It’s not even voting or writing a strongly worded email to your local politician. Those are volunteer activities. You want to be a player? Start thinking in systems. Since the language of power is leverage, players must learn how to speak power.

We’ve noticed that you’re interested in a few Bills presently before Parliament. That’s fine. But I want to ask, why are you interested in them? Why do these Bills bother you so much? When did you hear about them? Who told you about them? Why do these issues worry you now? Why these issues specifically? Think hard, it’s important. I can hear uniforms rustling. They’re outside now.

Of course you don’t know the answers to these questions because you are always reacting to someone else’s agenda. All your efforts are the thin edge of someone else’s wedge. You aren’t in control of your own mind. There’s no agency in your activities. That’s amongst volunteers. But you want to become a player. A player knows why he does things. A player has a strategy. Volunteers think they have a strategy, but they are just blindly using tactics chosen by those who actually do have a strategy.

One example, then I have to move on. Not that long ago it was unthinkable for homosexuals to be married. Marriage was between a man and woman. But a handful of people decided to spend their life on this single issue, ignoring everything else, until they changed the law to give homosexual marriage the same rights as normal marriage. They didn’t deter. Nothing could distract them. Other issues were of no interest to these determined people. They picked a goal and they worked every day to achieve it. Don’t argue. Memorise it.

Players need a goal. What’s your goal? Choose something concrete. Don’t just say “freedom.” That’s too abstract. By choosing a concrete goal, then you can start working backwards on how to achieve it. The key is to pick one goal and not get distracted. No matter how boring your goal appears to others, or if everyone else moves on to other issues, you must stay focused, listen to me – you must stay focused for as long as it takes. That could be years, decades or long after your own death. Being a player is a 24/7, 365 sort of thing. You’ll have to trust me on this.

Did you hear that? Sounded like metal on metal. Got to be quicker. Ok, once you have a concrete goal, you can move from politics to policy. This is what maturing looks like, and things ironically become much easier when you do this. Remember, the system has rules. When you have a specific policy change in mind, you will automatically be involved in the machinery of state. This is the civil service and, more importantly, the extended civil service (things like media, NGOs, universities, big corporates, etc.). You will be playing as a player in the world of rules. Actually… no, I can’t tell you the next part. I’ve already crossed a line.

Ok, write this down: you’re not unique. Again, that’s a good thing. If you have a concrete goal, chances are other people also want that same goal. Your mission is to gather as many like-minded people as possible into a network and use these volunteers as the thin edge of your own wedge. I need to stand a bit closer to the window so I can hear any footsteps. I’m not ignoring you. This next bit is critical. Only the player is the leader. Everyone who joins the network is a volunteer, and volunteers follow orders. The reason this is so critical is because discipline is the secret ingredient of leverage.

With a concrete goal, a strategy and a network, you can pick a target politician. Tell this politician in no uncertain terms that your network is ready to vote, but only for a politician who furthers your goal. Your leverage is selling thousands of votes to the highest bidder. But their agreement is not enough. A few of your people must be also on the politician’s team as advisors and your agenda must be an explicit part of his platform. Those are the conditions for your support. And if he does not follow through on your goal once elected, your network will make his political existence a living hell.

Don’t threaten the politician. That’s illegal. There are plenty of other thin necks to squeeze. If you want to make a politician do what you say, keep an ear out for any local business acting counter to your goal. When the opportunity arises, send your army of volunteers to protest that business. Make a very, very loud noise. Shine a spotlight and force that company to alter its practices. Use your leverage. Then every other board notices. Every CEO asks the same question: ‘How do we avoid becoming next?’ Now you’re using businesses as your proxies. Shh, I can hear doors opening.

This is the part no one understands. Businesses today fly rainbow flags because they are always searching for the path of least resistance for making the maximum amount of money. Corporates don’t care about “Gay Pride.” But the homosexuals made a lot of noise and caused enough financial pain that now every company loves the gays. In fact, businesses love gays so much that they used their own money to lobby governments to pass anti-discrimination legislation. The maths was simple: the activists made it clear that supporting their gay agenda was the path of least resistance, so businesses did all the political heavy lifting to change the laws. Thin necks = squeezed. Agenda pushed. Job done. There’s another rule, but if I tell you that one…

Once you understand leverage, politics never looks the same again. But none of this will work if your volunteers all think they are players. Their opinions are irrelevant. Their cultures are irrelevant. Their postcodes are irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that when you tell them to jump, they turn up outside a local dentist’s clinic and make a loud noise until that business changes its policies to support your goal. And then you say they should vote for this or that politician, there can be no argument. Volunteers must do what they are told or the whole thing falls apart.

I’ve got maybe thirty seconds. The helicopters are circling now. Focus. Focus. If you have enough people, you can get away with anything. When those people have the same goal, they have a uniform. And if you have a uniform, you have an army. Show them you can move the ratchet towards that goal one step at a time. Show them that you aren’t distracted by what’s cool or trendy. Show them the future will be better if they follow your instructions. Footsteps on the stairs.

Listen, without leverage, you have nothing. These are the rules. Don’t like the rules? Then stay in wonderland as a volunteer. But don’t cry when you get the same dismal results.

Time’s up. They’re in the hallway. I need an answer. What will it be? Player or volunteer?

Originally published on The Good Oil.