First, my story. As a teenager I used to believe that just letting everyone “do whatever the hell they wanted” (whatever that means) was the best way to build a state, even if that meant letting people’s freedom be taken away by others. I didn’t think that stuff because I was right, but because people who believed it were really good at making me feel like they were making a reasonable point.
Now, as a Marxist-Leninist, I feel exactly the opposite. I feel I’m more critical and better informed than ever, but a lot of you (sorry) are terrible at conveying that. Ideologies don’t just exist in a vacuum, they need to be consistent and understandable from the highest level of logic to the lowest primal instincts they seek to evoke. Nobody should have to read a truckload of theory just to think “oh, ok, they aren’t lunatics”.
I feel this is something we should really dive into and discuss as a leftist community. I insist that people ultimately only want to feel like they’re doing good stuff, and what that exactly means is affected by their material conditions. At a bare minimum, we should try to be kind to others (and especially to other comrades!), even if we don’t wish to go the extra mile to hear their opinions or explain ours to them.
I really wish we can one day see more people posting here… We’re fortunate enough to have come across what leftism is all about, so we should not keep that truth as a secret to ourselves, as a reason to look down upon others and divide the working class, but as a common good that can be spread, a hard, undeniable fact to unite us against oppression.
Please tell me what you think about this. And note that this rant is not related in any way to the Wolfballs events, I just wanted to let this out for a long time.
Yours sincerely, your comrade @pancake <3
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Definitely agree. I joined here pre-theory, and when I say pre-theory, I mean it. I was literally just getting into GenZedong and then like a month or two later it got shut down. Made my way over here and was encouraged by you all with the help of some great reading lists. I myself would discuss with liberals more often, and genuinely want to try to save some of them from that self-destructing ideology, but every single time I try to discuss or something comes up it turns into atrocious take after atrocious take. Throw in some racism and condescending remarks regarding our/my intelligence and bam, you’ve got a summary of almost every liberal interaction I have had.
As for the left being snobbish, I never really got that impression from any leftist I have interacted with outside of liberals calling themselves leftists. Perhaps it is because I am the snobby one…
Lol. I make an effort not to, so hopefully that isn’t the case.
Thank you, I really appreciate your response, I was curious whether I was the only one feeling this. I just don’t want to look intimidating to non-leftists, both in an intellectual and emotional sense; we act in good faith, and I’d like to get that across as deep as possible so hopefully more people hesitate to believe the bullshit they say about us.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but in my situation, the intimidation came entirely from propaganda. I always thought it would be a cesspool of mean, hyper-intelligent psychopaths that have no feelings and would crucify me if I didn’t read every one of Lenin’s works. This is, of course, not true. It is just because of what I was told my whole life. Don’t ya know, COMMUNISM=EVIL!
I used to be a liberal… oh, the days.
This is a very interesting paragraph (2) because in my ML experience, I have come across nothing but well-mannered, intelligent, concise, wonderful people (yourself included!) and have felt very welcomed in my leftist journey. I agree, nobody should have to read boatloads of theory just to realize that, although I think what Bobbycostner said was very true. Much of the reason people come in so combative is due to external factors that are beyond our control. It’s just our job to be productive and polite to those trying to learn. As long as they are being genuine and aren’t one-hundred-and-fifty percent brainwashed by western bullshit, we really don’t seem like lunatics. Socialism really is for the benefit of the majority, they can’t deny it once they get an understanding of what it is.
I wish to see that, too. I am trying on Reddit to direct some comrades lost in the sea of liberal infiltration over here with an account just called Lemmygrad and a link to my profile. I just comment my usual additions to conversation on the regular (sort of) left-wing subs and hope someone decides to head on over.
I feel like we’re doing a pretty good job based on my experience but I can’t say for sure. Always room for improvement.
Thanks, that means a lot to me. And you’re right, maybe I’m exaggerating on the point that we can intimidate other people, but well, at least it’s always a good time to remind our comrades that we should be welcoming too.
Good job, btw. Really impressive that you’re actively recruiting leftists to here. When I feel sleepless I go on night-long debating sprees on PCM, hopefully to help tone down the liberalism there a bit.
Good! I hope everyone on this site knows I genuinely wish the best and care for them. And oh, no. You’re definitely not. I think I elaborated on the intimidation piece in another comment in this thread. It is definitely there; I am simply saying it isn’t fair or warranted (based on the way I was/have been treated/treat others, at least).
Thanks! It’s the least I can do, and I am not even sure anyone has even joined because of it yet. I’m trying, though. I am still working up the mental strength to actually get out and organize + agitate, but until then I will find ways to help as much as I can.
Wow, I wish I had the strength for that. My blood pressure gets sent through the roof on that sub. Fighting the good fight, we are.
