Empowerment of Macedonians

[julie]

The Macedonian Cause as defined by the MTO

The empowerment of Macedonians to undertake a moral revolution and to instil and/or reinvigorate within themselves a deep-rooted national, cultural, linguistic and historical dignity;

empowerment
Wikipedia - Empowerment refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social, or economic strength of individuals and communities. It often involves the empowered developing confidence in their own capacities.

For us, the direction of change from a passive state to an active one. The process brings about an integration of self-acceptance and self-confidence, social and political understanding, and a personal ability to take control


I am an advocate for empowerment. Fyrom, and the ventilator I abhor
I am against the interim accord and the erosion of Macedonian sovereignty.The treasonous government is not acting on the will of the Macedonian people

For there to be a moral revolution amongst the Macedonian people we must empower them

I am hoping for some constructive input in how we can empower Macedonians worldwide

[Vangelovski]

Julie,

Good topic! I'm of the view (though I could be wrong) that empowerment (and in this context I'm referring to political empowerment) is something that only individuals can do for themselves. A realisation leading to a changed mindset and a determination, commitment to do things differently. But before individuals do this I think they need to want to do it. I think they need to realise that it is a better option than what they currently have - political disenfranchisement and passive acceptance of oppression. I think the best way to help individuals come to a realisation and a changed mindset is to show them clearly what is wrong with how they do things now and how it can be done better.

[julie]

Julie,

Good topic! I'm of the view (though I could be wrong) that empowerment (and in this context I'm referring to political empowerment) is something that only individuals can do for themselves. A realisation leading to a changed mindset and a determination, commitment to do things differently. But before individuals do this I think they need to want to do it. I think they need to realise that it is a better option than what they currently have - political disenfranchisement and passive acceptance of oppression. I think the best way to help individuals come to a realisation and a changed mindset is to show them clearly what is wrong with how they do things now and how it can be done better.

I agree, and thank you Vangelovski. I have been deeply doing a lot of thinking recently on what needs to be done to promote action amongst Macedonians to effect change.

Self confidence comes into this and for individuals to feel empowered, they do need to come to a realisation and changed mindset in what is wrong and how that can be done better

Constructively, how can we show Macedonians , the best way, with the situation Macedonia is in with the ventilator, as an example, how to do this better.
What I am trying to achieve here is action amongst the passive situation where are in, and brainstorm steps in how to empower Macedonians to begin changing their mindset and rejecting all forms of capitulation, detrimental to our sovereignty, with baby steps, so they may be receptive psychologically to the message we are trying to get across

[Helvetia]

I am all for the empowerment of our people. We just need to do it in a way that doesn't make us look too extreme or foolish. We need to come off as moderates who are in love with our country but wouldn't go so far to alienate other peoples living in Macedonia nor show symbols of hatred like Fuck Greece posters I've seen. We don't really need to stoop to Greece's level, we are better than that!

[Risto the Great]

Reality: Black

Alternative reality: White

Question: Will I ever be able to convince anyone that White is Black? By offering them an alternative view that they do not want to hear, how will they be empowered?

Julie's signature:

"The moral revolution - the revolution of the mind, heart and soul of an enslaved people, is our greatest task."__________________Gotse Delchev

Julie, do you believe our people are still enslaved? If they are truly free, there is nothing we can tell or empower them with.

[julie]

RTG , Macedonians are enslaved, which is why we are in the mess we are in.
Most reject the situation we are in, but feel helpless to do anything about it. They have no idea what to do to change the situation they are in and the government has done nothing but enforce their slavery
For there to be a revolution, we need to empower people. Give them alternatives, and show them what needs to happen
The ventilator, as an example, they should refuse to fly the flag, stop using it , and was happy to see the kutlesh sonce been flown in front of businesses within Macedonia

To empower them , to actually do something, reject the governments treasonous policies, gather in groups and start that process, we are in dire straits and in the midst of losing everything
The government must declare the IA null and void. The government wont do this whilst the people are passive, we need a revolution, like countries recently doing this, like minded people that have had enough of the capitulation and brainwashing strategies by the government
HOW do we do this? for something like a revolution to happen, we need to show them how

[Vangelovski]

I agree, and thank you Vangelovski. I have been deeply doing a lot of thinking recently on what needs to be done to promote action amongst Macedonians to effect change.

Self confidence comes into this and for individuals to feel empowered, they do need to come to a realisation and changed mindset in what is wrong and how that can be done better

Constructively, how can we show Macedonians , the best way, with the situation Macedonia is in with the ventilator, as an example, how to do this better.
What I am trying to achieve here is action amongst the passive situation where are in, and brainstorm steps in how to empower Macedonians to begin changing their mindset and rejecting all forms of capitulation, detrimental to our sovereignty, with baby steps, so they may be receptive psychologically to the message we are trying to get across

What I have found to be most effective over the past 4-5 years is to explain that the ventilator is treason and why it is treason. I then explain why the sonce (or other freely chosen symbol) should be used instead. Though, there is only so many times one can do this before realising that the other person either does not care, does not understand or simply agrees with Greece and Macedonia's vassal politicians that Macedonians should not be free. Further, I never use the ventilator myself.

I am happy to hear about others' thoughts on what they think would be effective or have found effective in practice.

[julie]

encouraging all Macedonians, friends, family members, organisations to reject the ventilator is a start

[Risto the Great]

encouraging all Macedonians, friends, family members, organisations to reject the ventilator is a start

Doing that causes people to get upset strangely enough

[julie]

Once people are made aware of the ramifications of the acceptance of the ventilator, a reasonable person would cease to use it, its about educating the ignorant, ill-informed and the ignorant

[blackcactus]

It's really a marketing and education exercise

We want to educate using the tools of marketing because of the size of the group (a whole country), cost and effectiveness are high considerations

What we often see in countries like Australia to get idea's across to so many people is advertising campaigns on TV, Radio, Internet and News Papers, preferably all at once. This could come at a considerable cost. Lower cost options are also available with creativity

Any campaign in RoM should be about the positive education on the old flag, NOT one focused on the negatives of the current flag, doing this too early could run the risk of alienating the public to what they may see as extremest views, and once that happens we have lost any future capital, we will then most likely see an active resistance to our ideas develop from amongst the population making the job much harder

The reality is that people already support the current flag, if we think that after we insulted their current flag we will get much sympathy for our ideas, then I believe we are seriously out of touch with the reality on the ground, it's self defeating to be appear extremist to the general public

Remember any campaign like this will be scrutinised by the media in RoM they will eventually find this forum and dredge through MTO which is in the public domain, if we appear like a bunch of hard-liners happy to treat the general public like idiots they will burn our campaign with it, a level of maturity and moderation is required in public by everyone

In explaining ideas when marketing, or even just talking here a few points that need to be considered, there are others but this will do for this discussion

1: Keep in mind others point of view
2: Listen and respond to questions
3: Avoid talking over people’s head
4: Avoid talking down to people
5: Focus on benefits
6: Use analogies to make concepts clearer
7: Compare new concepts to familiar ones

Cheers

BC

[Vangelovski]

BC,

I think you need a reality check on what constitutes 'hardline' and 'extreme'. So do many other Macedonians across the world. We are trying to defeat the slave mentality, not accomodate it.

[julie]

It's really a marketing and education exercise

We want to educate using the tools of marketing because of the size of the group (a whole country), cost and effectiveness are high considerations

What we often see in countries like Australia to get idea's across to so many people is advertising campaigns on TV, Radio, Internet and News Papers, preferably all at once. This could come at a considerable cost. Lower cost options are also available with creativity

Any campaign in RoM should be about the positive education on the old flag, NOT one focused on the negatives of the current flag, doing this too early could run the risk of alienating the public to what they may see as extremest views, and once that happens we have lost any future capital, we will then most likely see an active resistance to our ideas develop from amongst the population making the job much harder

The reality is that people already support the current flag, if we think that after we insulted their current flag we will get much sympathy for our ideas, then I believe we are seriously out of touch with the reality on the ground, it's self defeating to be appear extremist to the general public

Remember any campaign like this will be scrutinised by the media in RoM they will eventually find this forum and dredge through MTO which is in the public domain, if we appear like a bunch of hard-liners happy to treat the general public like idiots they will burn our campaign with it, a level of maturity and moderation is required in public by everyone

In explaining ideas when marketing, or even just talking here a few points that need to be considered, there are others but this will do for this discussion

1: Keep in mind others point of view
2: Listen and respond to questions
3: Avoid talking over people’s head
4: Avoid talking down to people
5: Focus on benefits
6: Use analogies to make concepts clearer
7: Compare new concepts to familiar ones

Cheers

BC

Awesome Black Cactus
Am in total agreeance with all of this.
Communication and using effective communication to get the message across is in learning the skills to do this. By focussing on positive benefits of what we want to achieve in empowering Macedonians, it eliminates negative outcomes such as the current state of apathy or helplessness. Self confidence is boosted and pride, and people will be more receptive to the message.
It also gives them the tools they will need in enlisting others in getting that message across
To promote this in how we get our message cross we need to communicate effectively, in what our desired outcomes are, which are apparent to us, and that is in empowering Macedonians to change their mind sets and to take steps into achieving true sovereignty
Once unity is achieved, then action can be taken, without bloodshed

[julie]

BC,

I think you need a reality check on what constitutes 'hardline' and 'extreme'. So do many other Macedonians across the world. We are trying to defeat the slave mentality, not accomodate it.

Another way of saying this - Vangelovski, with respect

BC< define hardline and extreme, so we may defeat the slave mentality and not accommodate it

This exercise is in getting everyone to provide an input constructively without alienating them, so that we may all contribute to changing that horrid slave mentality to effect change

[Vangelovski]

Another way of saying this - Vangelovski, with respect

BC< define hardline and extreme, so we may defeat the slave mentality and not accommodate it

This exercise is in getting everyone to provide an input constructively without alienating them, so that we may all contribute to changing that horrid slave mentality to effect change

Fair point. My apologies.