Have you by chance or by choice any incorrigible unreachable acquaintances stuck in their anachronistic political ways? The world changes but they remain steady. Say, by way of example, dead set and quite ossified, petrified, in inflexible political opinion? Say, by way of extending this example opinion formed in their callow youth and left unchecked and through blithe intellectual laziness left unchallenged as life goes on even so long as through their middle age? And even up to their senior years? And say, by comparison then, so stuck and so rock hard loyal as an average Bronco football fan or an average Red Sox baseball fan, or worse, both, harboring an ironclad sorely displaced loyalty so irrational that it can be characterized by and understood as prideful human stubbornness pure and simple? Resolutely unteachable?
Don't we all? And isn't it frustrating, maddeningly infuriating?
Of course it is.
Be of good cheer, there is a way out. For yourself, not for them. There are means to strike back. There are ways available to chip at the rock.
The idea is subversive.
Arizona Highways showed photographs of the petrified forest and gave me this idea. I did not think this up on my own. I awoke from a dream that told me to do this.
What happens is the ground underneath the petrified logs erodes over time and the rock trees cannot support their own weight so they break into pieces. *ding* Dig underneath.
Nothing you can say will change your acquaintance's mind. The knowledge you hold is met with their impervious hardened stubbornness, a matter of personal psychological pride that is actually strengthened and hardened by challenges. Such is human nature. They actually grin and smile with assurance your attempts are feeble compared to their proven record. You are contributing to their record and that gives them irrational pleasure.
"Here they go again, and here I go again."
It is possible even that they happen to be too thick to read on important matters and politically carry on as children while maturing otherwise, and behaving sensibly in all other areas. So they are shown to be reachable, shown teachable, but not by you and not on political matters. They will read seriously only the things they select for themselves that conform to their particular selected political ... geology.
They will not read Clinton Cash if you sent them a copy. Too many words, and too hard of a task for something they don't select for themselves. But they might flip through a comic book sent them anonymously. And Amazon allows you to do that.
Here's how.
Buy an
Amazon e-gift card for yourself to your own email and in excess of the amount of the book and send the graphic novel to them as a gift.
To do this precisely, first add their mailing address to your Amazon list of addresses. To get the precise amount needed, on the Amazon page for the book check add the book to your cart and process part way, most of the way, to the point where Amazon calculates shipping and tax then back out and delete the book from your cart. So now you know the full amount needed for your new e-gift card specific for this purpose. Even if you already have a gift balance, you will now have a new one with a new code, although the amount is added to your total.
*warning* If you underestimate the amount then Amazon will automatically draw from your credit card and your cover may be blown (or maybe not). Best to make sure you have the full amount covered so that no additional information appears.
Amazon will email you confirming your purchase of eGift card.
Amazon will email you again with the number of the gift card. This is the number used for payment.
Go back to the book page on Amazon.
Check the tiny unobtrusive box "This is a gift"
Click "Add to Cart" and process the order.
A new page appears, click "Proceed to checkout"
You'll be prompted to send the book to your own address at the top of a list. Change it to the new address that you added at the bottom of the list. Click "Use this address."
A new page appears with their address at the top. Make sure this is so or else the book will be sent to you.
On that page you'll be prompted to pay the usual way. Instead use the box with words inside it "Add a gift card or promotion code" Enter the card number that Amazon sent you in their second email.
A new page appears confirming this information. Lower on the page a new box appears "Add a gift receipt" Click it and a message appears
Hi _____
Enjoy your gift!
From your name.
Erase the message. Unless you decide to change it to something like "Flip through this you silly dummkopf" or something similar in your own words. Maybe best to erase it and leave the message blank.
Amazon will email you again telling you the order is processed. Check it to make sure all is right by you.
The idea of this gift option at Amazon is to avoid having a receipt printed and shipped with the gift amount printed on it. While your interest may be to not print the sender. Not because you are mean-spirited, rather, because you know in advance information from you on political things will be automatically rejected by petrified stubbornness. It's a way to chip at the block. Who can resist at least flipping through? And it's likely to fail. But at least it will make you feel a little bit better.
Better living through modern psychology. That is all. This whole thing is actually a gift for yourself to make you feel a little bit better. Not for them. If they manage to get anything out of it then fine. But don't expect any real changes when your history with them shows that is not possible. At least you gave it a shot. In fact, Amazon might blow your cover and your acquaintance might become cross with you. But who cares? Let 'em, when they've been pissing you off all along. This is just a technique to counter obstinacy.
A bit of psyops, as it were. And that's all.
