Vote or Die! (updated: 11/3/23)

 

In this composition I will explore my most recent position as a campaign canvasser for the 2022 midterms.   I will seek to elaborate on tactics that I utilized to stay safe while swaying the hearts and minds of those encountered on the varied political spectrum (!).  I will also explore insights acquired from the conversational phase of the endeavor.  But mostly, I will try to impart the kind of wisdom that causes you to walk a little slower in the shade and a little faster in the sun.  I have nothing but favorable feelings for those I've worked for and with during this campaign season, and it would be a privilege to serve again.

My Struggle

I found it best to map out my day the night before.  I preferred going to politically opposed or unsafe areas in the early morning--as to avoid pre-determinately doomed conversations and unnecessary bloodshed (https://youtu.be/V3GLrKfY9f8 ).  I knew how many houses that I had to visit per hour, and I planned accordingly.  Although flexible, I arrived at a location knowing what houses to hit and which route would be the safest or most efficient. 

As a rule of thumb, I deliberately avoided ringing the doorbell before 10 am as a courtesy—especially on the weekends.  Further, I liked to have at least three different areas assigned to me so that I could juggle them throughout the day--as to avoid any inhibitory factors, such as adverse weather conditions, canvassing police, or unfavorable atmospheric aesthetics (I must be at ease with my feng shui).  The night before is also a time when I would prepare other considerations to make my morning as leisurely as possible--but do I really have to tell you when to wipe (https://youtu.be/G3Dg8vY91iQ

I’m a man of routine, and routines are great—as long as they don’t lull you into complacency, because that’s when bad things happen.  With that caveat, I will say that consistent processes free your body and mind to focus on areas that require flexibility, like conversation—although we have nearly algorithmized that process too ( https://youtu.be/8mREEqCFU9Y ).  And although algorithms are great, my focus was specifically attuned to break routine interaction while going door to door, because it very rarely favors the solicitor.  To truly engage another person, the conversation must break free from convention.  I found the best way to do that is to encourage the other person to express their opinion, but to do so I first had to get past their guard (@). 

To break the ice, I would often apologize for disturbing them (Paraphrasing Chris Voss, you want to introduce yourself in a way that makes you appear human—and the funnier, the better.  With such a small window to make an impression, you’ll want to limit yourself to the apology accompanied by the “oops smile” (-%-) https://youtu.be/uCChMgTcA4o ).  Then I would state my purpose with one sentence and hit them with a” what” question, prefaced with a “if you don’t mind me asking.”  I usually used “what issues are you concerned about?”  Although I do think it comes off as more genuine if you’re able to remain adaptable—as they will detect the sincerity of your inquiry when they see that you’ve given thought before speaking.  All of this must be delivered from a strong-willed position.  But it’s a gauge, and it’s up to you to read the other person to understand what intensity to apply to the interaction.  Still, their response is contingent upon many factors, but the main goal is to leave them with a good impression and the literature that you have in-hand.  Ultimately, the goal is to find out what they care about, align your candidate with their concerns, and leave them with the literature and christen their yard with a sign. 

Remember, everything that they need to know is in the literature, and it’s your job to make them want to look at it when the door closes.  To do that you must leave a good impression.  To leave a good impression, you must make a connection.  And you can make a good connection by caring about what they care about.  Rebuttal with empathy before transitioning to a winning topic—which will be easily recognizable if you paid attention to their concerns.  If nothing comes to mind, the economic consideration is always a win-win: because with the complexity of the economy, it’s not hard to construe a winning stand on behalf of your candidate.  If all else fails, still strive to leave a good impression and act as if they’re missing out—since no one wants to feel excluded (https://youtu.be/aHYzn9y_B1M ).        

While engaged in conversation, I found it favorable more times than not to use colloquial language, just don’t go overboard (https://youtu.be/qHLxsIGNTHw).  Remember, as it is with the politicians that we represent, it is our job to relate to others to gain their favor. 

To pitch the yard sign, I found it best to use the puppy dog close.
Right before leaving, I enthusiastically asked (as if it’s the cherry on top of a wonderful conversation) if I could drop off a yard sign on their porch a little later.  Most of the time, people want you to leave with a good impression (the cherry), so they’ll consider it—as long as they don’t feel committed.  It would look like this: “Would it be okay if I dropped off a yard sign on your porch a little later?” If a follow-up is necessary, you can proceed with “to show your support…nothing major.  If nothing else, you can turn it around and write something on the back—plus it’s free material.”(JK, but seriously: The last part was only for rhetorical effect; it was never used during the op.  Every time I tried with the scripted response, it came off as salesy—and that never went well (%^).   

There was one occasion where a man tore up the literature right in front of me, and I didn’t respond the way that he wanted me to; I could tell that he had an itch to scratch.  He started apologizing and justifying his action by telling me how he felt and why he did it.  It went something like this: Angry guy: “Is he pro-X?”; me: “Mr. X did recently come out and support Mr. Y.”  Angry guy tears up the literature and I remained calm while the angry guy started to rationalize his position (I assume it’s because he saw my demurely sympathetic composure); he stated that he just couldn’t support Mr. X, and I calmly reassured him that it was okay and that I understood his position.  The angry guy says that he will throw the literature away—and that was pretty much it.  The point is that calmer heads--and a predetermined veneer--prevail.  He saw that his incitement didn’t enrage me, and seemingly made me sad.  In a paternal-like fashion, he apologized and reassured me that it was Mr. X and not me that was to blame (okay, that might not be a shared interpretation but that’s how I remember it).           

Regardless of your political stance, we must remember that we are all in this together!
[Great movie…if you haven’t seen it, I encourage you to watch it before watching this clip—or you’ll lose the wow factor] [ https://youtu.be/sy__Klfql2M ]

Homeostasis Control

To remain satiated, I would consume one Quest bar and one Nuun container of fiber-chalked almonds three hours into my shift.  Additionally, I would also have one half-gallon container of pea protein powder with water and one gallon of electrolyte-infused water (both containers would be half-frozen to counter inhospitable bodily temperatures).  As with any venture outside my abode, I would also have with me my Altoids container full of supplements and gum to ease any irritable internal conditions that may be experienced throughout the day.  

On my travels, at first I followed the "ought" path.  And the ought path is great until it meets the "is" path, and then a compromise needs to be made--which is great because politics is all about compromise!  So there was little need for a mental shift.  Besides, in my mind, there is only one party that mattered: the party of Adam.  And Adam easily made a jump in the polls when he erected one of his own: the sunbrella.  I'm referring to my abdication of the cloth mask that I carried with me for brow wiping and my substitution of it for an umbrella--which I co-opted and reinstituted as a sunbrella.  It was awkward at first, and to confirm the reality shift I saw numerous people using windshield wipers without the rain: I think I accidentally misinformed drivers on the road.  I can only hope that I did not jeopardize their existential understanding with my innovative mindset.  But I do not enact my ingenuities to emphasize my eccentricity, rather it all serves a practical purpose--in this case, it was to avoid sun cancer and a sweaty scalp (Fun fact: 90 percent of heat escapes through your head).  In fact, I think I deserve recognition for breaking the glass ceiling as the first adult man sporting the sunbrella.  No longer will Mrs. Rodriguez and the Abuela Mafia corner the market on such implementation in the Sunbelt.  Besides, I've concluded that a sweaty gross person is less convincing than one not spoiled by the sun.     

But the last thing that I would want is to be Adam Privett holding a sunbrella walking down a busy Street--that would be embarrassing.  So I found myself routinely channeling the spirits of Joco and Goggins on my predestined routes—because honestly, who is going to F’ with a Seal?  But I always kept a cool head and I didn’t let borrowed pride and stature get in the way of good decision making: in that, if I saw danger, I nonchalantly changed course and I went another way.  And to remain self-assured, I always had self-defensive measures at the ready—and my PPE, of course (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PKVmzdQGwg )

As for public perception, my banter, manners, and disposition were all ideal, so I don't think that others could confidently label me a weirdo--maybe just a madman or a genius.  Besides, anomalies are good in that they show what is possible; and most people fall outside of the cookie-cutter expectation of the "ought"—so they can appreciate subtle deviances from it.  It’s like the kid at middle school who wore blue sneakers—you appreciate his audacity, but you certainly wouldn’t do it.  

In conclusion, on the homeostasis front, I believe with proper planning and innovation, life doesn’t have to be unnecessarily inconvenient--even for a Northerner enduring a ninety-plus degree five-hour day in the Sun. 

 

Random Insights and sloppy segues

As an aside, I do believe that less is more...more of you that can be applied to other areas.  I'm not saying be inflexible to unplanned or inconvenient interaction, but I am saying that every action has a potential to siphon away energy that could be used elsewhere.  And I do believe that subconsciously we have a game plan that we would like to carry out a day, a week, or even years in advance, and any unplanned imposition is not just a stressor but also a plan detractor--in that the energy required to perform planned activities will have to be reallocated to suit new realities.  Such is life.  Perhaps this is why most people—from what I read—only use 30% of their energy when they exercise (fact check): because we know we’ll probably need reserves for the unplanned.  So don't get mad at me if I don't smile--for I might be reserving that energy for more productive action.  Although, I am pretty nice so I'll probably smile back--unless I'm under cognitive strain, in that case I might just give you a thumbs up--but I digress. 

You’ve been programmed to pay attention.  But once you perfect “good enough” your mind starts to wander.  As teenagers, pensive daydreams of love interests and future glories blanket the mind; but as an adult, it's a teeth-grinding rumination of past wrongs and vengeful fantasies concerning Larry--F' that guy. To recover focus, I'll often remember what King Lonshanks said, "A king must see the advantage in every situation." Not only do I feel empowered associating myself with a king, but I also turn a negative into a positive--remember: it can always be worse ( https://youtu.be/LItNFP7icUw).

Besides, if I remained a victim of my emotional state, all the innovative solutions that I have conjured heretofore would have never been expressed in the written word.  It's not that other people cannot or have not thought of such solutions, it's that other people engaged in such lowbrow problem solving are too busy surviving in the rat race, and they fail to see the profit in sharing the good news—since that would negate their competitive advantage.  Thus, solutions remain provincial rather than ecumenical and such is the philosophical predilection of the proletariat.  No, jk--I think I went overboard with that one ( https://youtu.be/_eRRab36XLI ) (!+). But you get the point: the common folk have too much going on in their lives to spend time writing about innovative improvements that they could or are already enacting in their measly hourly-wage position.  Besides, as I have previously noted: it would be counterproductive to give your competitive counterpart a leg up.  And in a world where your boss is your competitor, it's much easier to say it's raining than to say that you don't like their piss very much ( https://youtu.be/cBNV6k7TBh0 )

Further, with the ever-evolving world around us, I think that a lack of personal progress creates insecurity; and when you’re feeling like you’re no longer creating, producing, or contributing, you can easily feel threatened and territorial.  Thus, it’s no surprise to find that the king is usually the smartest appearance in the Court (https://youtu.be/t3V7fB3kdfs )  

Internal motivation may surpass external motivation when it comes to creative endeavors, but I suspect that whoever bashes monetary incentives has a monetary incentive to do so—or hasn’t participated in mind-numbing work and the complacency that often accompanies it.  And the campaign that I worked for understood this and rewarded/incentivized the workers towards the conclusion of the campaign accordingly. I found myself more grateful for the position, and a tad more worried that I would lose it. 

  I’ve pretty much chewed my cud, and I hoped that you gleaned something of worth from this entry.  On to my next adventure!

Notes:

! - Note: I did not state for whom or for what party that I campaigned for, since I wanted to focus primarily on the process.  Though I will tell you that prior to being aware of this job opportunity, I also received an interview request from the party that wanted me to canvass door-to-door specifically proselytizing for Planned Parenthood, and although the pay was sufficient, I had to refuse on moral grounds.

@ - A 5’10”, 215lb man-child does not inspire the timid to speak their mind—especially when it comes to contentious matters like political opinions that will change nothing and yield no tangible benefit to either conversational participant. 

If I knew what I know now, I would have imparted these words that Ed Catmul wrote to my superiors: "the act of hiring Alvy [Adam] changed me as a manager: by ignoring my fear, I learned that the fear was groundless. Over the years, I have met people who took what seemed the safer path and were the lesser for it. By hiring Alvy [Adam], I had taken a risk, and that risk yielded the highest reward--a brilliant, committed teammate.... Always take a chance on better, even if it seems threatening"

I know that it's spiritual warfare, and because of my understanding, I don’t hold grudges—and even with my understanding I still find myself being unvirtuous at times.   As Ed Catmull wrote: "Whatever these forces are that make people do dumb things, they are powerful, they are often invisible, and they lurk even in the best environments." 

P.S.  It should be noted that my team's candidate won and he is now serving us in the great state of Florida.  Of course I'm not saying that I, as a difference maker, single-handedly tipped the scales in his favor, but I certainly did my share!

*$* - It should be noted that I am the first person I've ever known to modify a political sign with a lanyard.  Where other sign wavers (officially referred to as "human directionals" or "human billboards") are burdened and therefore unenthused by constant sign waiving--some even neglecting their duty to check their phones--I was free to wave to pedestrians or give them the thumbs-up, or check my phone, without neglecting my duty to show uninterrupted support to our great leader. This is just another example of my innovative mindset in action. 

*$* - It's not soliciting if you're not asking.  You can be just another mailman when in "no soliciting" areas! 

%^ - Know your audience: people want easy, people don't want commitment.  As Michael J. Scott says: Keep It Simple Stupid.

!+ - Don't get lost in the verbiage.  What people need are daily planners, realistic expectations, and generic food brands.  Don't shop at vendors that don't cater to you.  You don't need Gucci, you need Goochee.  Buy in bulk.  Live 4-10 people in a household.  Reuse paper cups.  Be innovative.  God makes use of the character we bring to the roles we occupy.  America rewards winners, not whiners.  Don't be a bunch of whimps.  Know what you need to cope, and be amazing.  And you're not here forever, so have some fun. 

 "But Adam," you might say, "what do I do if things aren't as easy as they use to be?"  Well, you ask yourself what you were doing at the times that things were easier.  For instance, when you were in school you were probably more articulate than you are now, read and typed more effectively, and stayed active on the regular; well, do that all again, except this time you get to be more choosey, which should inspire you even more to succeed in with your chosen greatness.  And you should also consider dietary supplements that I would be ill-equipped to recommend, but Andrew Huberman on the Youtube can help you out.  Why am I typing all this?  Because I need to feel inspired myself, and this is one of my outlets to do so.            

-%- - Oops Smile