I kinda think “weird” wasn’t about persuasive power but about Democrats paying some kind of psychic wage to their supporters, finding ways for being a Democrat to provide meaningful pleasure (the way being a MAGA provides lots of pleasure to bigots).
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pleasure is moving from high tension to low tension and noticing that change
enjoyment is moving from low tension to high tension and noticing that change
and feeling the holy spirit, the vibes of multiple people in the room noticing and thus allowing oneself to relax
2. It's fun, saying it is a little rewarding.
3. It's useful, unbalancing authoritarians who want to believe their lynch-mob is "normal."
To be seen as weirdos who are at most tolerated burned them from inside hotter than Betelgeuse
Also in general I think that converting politics into psychic wage distribution instead of material distribution is why we are in this mess in the first place.
Thus can’t really say it was unsuccessful approach. It WAS fun while it lasted though!