it’s because a ton of people both here on hb and elsewhere online shouldnt be describing themselves as “revolutionary communists” but as sympathizers. copy pasting something i said in another comment: i dont think it’s actually right to call myself a marxist/communist/revolutionary, i am not really educated nor dedicated enough, but i generally agree with the ideas so i call myself a sympathizer. i wish more people would do this online, because i see way too many arguments about very basic shit from people claiming to be marxists that need to stop distorting the term
Nobody is expecting you to be the next Che Guevara, or dedicate your entire life to the cause - that’s absolutely fine, doesn’t stop you being a communist. I’m not saying everyone’s response should be “I WILL JOIN AN ORG NOW” (grand as that would be).
My issue is with people sitting around and just saying how doomed and unsaveable everyone is WHILE being presented with objective evidence that there’s desire for change. That’s even more harmful than standard doomerism.
Nobody is expecting you to be the next Che Guevara, or dedicate your entire life to the cause - that’s absolutely fine, doesn’t stop you being a communist
i think we should be. that is the level of dedication we need from communists to actually win, and if you cant give that, it’s absolutely fine like you said, just dont pretend to be a communist and muddy the waters. call yourself a sympathizer, a fellow traveler, etc. this doesnt mean don’t organize either! that is what mass orgs are supposed to be for, people who are sympathetic to the cause but cant dedicate themselves to becoming true communists. say what you will about PSL, but like i think that is why their stuff like PYM is brilliant because it’s actually attempting to have mass orgs for people to work with.
I think “dooming” is stupid yes, but this is again because most people doing so arent actually communists attempting to do serious analyses
Well then, I heartily disagree in terms of the labels.
The Communist Manifesto was written to be so short and easy to read because it was aimed at poorly-educated workers. Because a communist party is a party of communists - poorly educated workers and theory-laden party leaders alike. A Communist is someone who believes in and argues in favour of communism. I would very much reject the idea of a ‘True Communist’.
Either way, I equally denigrate ‘dooming’ from Communists and so-called "Sympathiser"s alike, I have no differing expectations of the two.
it’s because a ton of people both here on hb and elsewhere online shouldnt be describing themselves as “revolutionary communists” but as sympathizers. copy pasting something i said in another comment: i dont think it’s actually right to call myself a marxist/communist/revolutionary, i am not really educated nor dedicated enough, but i generally agree with the ideas so i call myself a sympathizer. i wish more people would do this online, because i see way too many arguments about very basic shit from people claiming to be marxists that need to stop distorting the term
Nobody is expecting you to be the next Che Guevara, or dedicate your entire life to the cause - that’s absolutely fine, doesn’t stop you being a communist. I’m not saying everyone’s response should be “I WILL JOIN AN ORG NOW” (grand as that would be).
My issue is with people sitting around and just saying how doomed and unsaveable everyone is WHILE being presented with objective evidence that there’s desire for change. That’s even more harmful than standard doomerism.
i think we should be. that is the level of dedication we need from communists to actually win, and if you cant give that, it’s absolutely fine like you said, just dont pretend to be a communist and muddy the waters. call yourself a sympathizer, a fellow traveler, etc. this doesnt mean don’t organize either! that is what mass orgs are supposed to be for, people who are sympathetic to the cause but cant dedicate themselves to becoming true communists. say what you will about PSL, but like i think that is why their stuff like PYM is brilliant because it’s actually attempting to have mass orgs for people to work with.
I think “dooming” is stupid yes, but this is again because most people doing so arent actually communists attempting to do serious analyses
Well then, I heartily disagree in terms of the labels.
The Communist Manifesto was written to be so short and easy to read because it was aimed at poorly-educated workers. Because a communist party is a party of communists - poorly educated workers and theory-laden party leaders alike. A Communist is someone who believes in and argues in favour of communism. I would very much reject the idea of a ‘True Communist’.
Either way, I equally denigrate ‘dooming’ from Communists and so-called "Sympathiser"s alike, I have no differing expectations of the two.