I’m not sure if this question makes sense, but as someone fairly new to leftism, it seems a lot of time that far leftists and especially communists often don’t like non-leftists in any way and don’t want to interact with them, but that’s just what I’ve seen on the internet and I have no idea how it is in terms of real life friendships. I personally don’t know any other confirmed hard-line leftists in real life (I don’t know a lot of real life people at all TBH because I’m pretty introverted and suffer from social anxiety). What do you think? Do you have friends that are non-leftists and/or liberals? Should we?

  • Star Wars Enjoyer
    6•3 years ago

    I try not to be friends with people who’re too far right to have a decent conversation with. The furthest to the right I’m friends with is a couple’a social-democrats, but I’m not quiet about my politics, so I assume they’re not the shitty kind of socdem. Most of my friends are either communists or apolitical with an acceptance towards my politics, and imo if you want to make friends with communists just find the time to visit the communist organizations in your area, or join the (probably fed infested) online groups for your area. I’ve met so many wonderful humans at party meetups and online, and IMO the best part about being on the left (which I say as someone who was semi-active on the right pre-radicalizing) is most people tend to try to understand mental health and social anxiety, and will go through extra lengths to make sure comrades who prefer to not be social aren’t feeling unwelcome. As well, I’ve found that getting active in the left, over issues that matter to me, has done a lot to change how I look at social situations and “take me out of my shell” as the slightly-ableist would say.

    another note about online leftist groups, if you can find groups for your area - even if you live somewhere very rural - that’s a good first step towards forming a small leftist organization. If that’s just a book club, or a fully-fledged political organization’s up to you, but that’s just a great place to start if you don’t already have people to get things going with.

    • Muad'DibberM
      2•3 years ago

      if you want to make friends with communists just find the time to visit the communist organizations in your area, or join the (probably fed infested) online groups for your area. I’ve met so many wonderful humans at party meetups and online, and IMO the best part about being on the left (which I say as someone who was semi-active on the right pre-radicalizing) is most people tend to try to understand mental health and social anxiety, and will go through extra lengths to make sure comrades who prefer to not be social aren’t feeling unwelcome.

      This is so key, (ignoring covid), there are a lot of groups / hobbies you could get into, but none have been as supportive and gave me the feeling of community I’ve had as with leftist organizing.