In 1925, when fascismFascism is a far-right political belief system characterized by a glorification of violence, extreme devotion to a nation, the presence of an authoritarian, usually brutal, leader, and patriarchal power as a political ideology was just starting to rise in Italy, the German antifascist Otto Rühle wrote about how, in order to best counter fascism, people needed to gradually dismantle the authority that exists in some small way inside everyone’s soul. Without doing so, he said, it would be impossible to defeat fascism, even in theory. The sociologist Theo Adorno identified in 1950 the personality traits of people who are deferential to authority: unwavering devotion to middle class values, belief in the supremacy of people who are like them, and animosity towards those who are not. Knud Larsen and Gary Schwendiman found in 1969 that the motivations of authoritarians and their need to isolate and protect themselves spring from deep-seated insecurities. A traditional anarchist adage encourages people to rid themselves of the cop in their mind, adopted from the Brazilian methodology Theatre of the Oppressed. These historical examples are more pertinent now than ever, with genocidal attitudes and right-wing terrorism on the rise.

One of the most fundamental ways to ensure that the future is free from fascist, genocidal regimes is to build our individual self-confidence and to help others find their own courage and self-actualization. People with confidence and more fully realized selves tend to place more trust in one another and the systems that they build together, rather than in political and cultural strongmen who sow fear, aggression, nationalism, and violence.

Find ways to organize with your friends to build up the self-esteem of others. This tactic works best if it is both sincere and slightly veiled. Consider starting an organization that awards members of your community for their positive character traits, and partner with local craftspeople and artisans to donate gifts for them. Publicize the awards. Find ways to keep it non-competitive between people, and avoid "best of" categories which might completely undermine the project. Tailor the honors so that they are specific to the recipient. Explore ideas around making this something new and completely unexpected without patronizing or embarrassing the awardees.

Alternatively, explore ideas around launching a community organization specifically geared towards pleasure activism. A small victory in any organizing circle can be life-affirming for an activist through its tendency to empower and to give your life purpose and direction. It can also be a needed reminder that you are capable of learning new skills, that you possess deep compassion and solidarity, and that you are graceful and self-forgiving. But some groups coordinate their activities specifically around gratification in tactics drawn from Black feminist tradition and first outlined by adrienne maree brown.

Community organizations founded in pleasure activism might engage in many of the same campaigns as any other group, but at the center of all of it is a focus on support and wellness. It's not unexpected for street organizations to host monthly free yoga classes on their periphery, but a deeper search might uncover anything from writing workshops to community gardens and from cooking classes to political theatre. There is an infinite number of meaningful and real ways to be deeply connected with and in-tune with your fellow organizers. Take a note from human rights activist Grace Lee Boggs: “transform yourself to transform the world,” and apply her knowledge to your community.

Next: Play cooperatively