I'm not kidding. Urban areas with a high density of population are always more left-wing than rural areas. Lonely losers are the ones who become incels/groypers and shit. Workers who worked in small businesses with few colleagues were the most likely to support the literal NSDAP in the 30's. The more people you talk to the more likely you are you support left-wing ideas. I just have to make a shit ton of friends and the revolutionary spirit will bring about communism. Wish me luck comrades. Also
I totally get where you’re coming from OP, but bear in mind that as stupid as this may sound…touching grass is a privilege in the cool zone.
You’re right that cities are awesome, but no one knows this better than rich people: hence why they decided living in a city should be a luxury and all us poors have to fuck off to the suburbs in bumfuck nowhere. It’s a lighter, more subtle form of ghettoization and ghettos are a breeding ground for useful idiots for reactionaries. I say this as someone who’s never been able to leave the sticks. While it may not be nearly as violent as good ol’ fashioned ghettoization, but suburbs do have their negative impacts on the working class who call it home: absolute isolation, nonexistent community, promotes consumerism, car dependency, and not only is it a “jobs desert”. It also serves as a “culture desert”. The sticks are just that soullessly boring and you end up missing out on some really good experiences.
TL;DR: I agree with your main idea, but remember that porky REALLY doesn’t want you or me touching grass. I should write an effortpost about this tbh
What about small cities/large towns? There are lots of these all over the country, they're way more affordable than the big cities, in many cases they simply are not large enough for a big class dividing line, there are lots of people you can meet and organize with, and there's usually mass transit or relatively short driving distances to the big city for pretty much anything short of regular in-person employment.
You can touch grass far easier: the edge of town is much closer, the center of town is within easy biking distance, you have a lot more in common with everyone you're likely to bump into, and it's easier to exert an influence on city politics.
The only point I disagree with you on is that I don't think it was done with intention. That is, getting people into the suburbs wasn't an intentional conspiracy. I'd argue that if there is intention, it came after people started settling into the suburbs.
They used to be more vibrant, with libraries that have since been defunded, and sidewalks that don't get built or maintained anymore, and a greater selection of local businesses that have since been driven out by Walmart and chain restaurants.
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Yeah, we always complain about the piles of corpses Dracula leaves in his wake, but we never give him any credit for how much longer vampires live!
I fully agree in fact, I think it'd be the biggest challenge to overcome, socializing despite how hard capitalism made it to. The vanguard party needs to organise socialising for the masses. We need mutual aid that directly consists in bringing people together
Back when there was a substantial labour movement socialising was absolutely a part of their strategy. They didn't just organise strikes or hold political meetings they also organised dances, social events for pensioners, night classes, bands, scouting associations — the works.
All of this soft cultural work was not only helping workers to make the best out of the current conditions under capitalism, it helped to build class consciousness and solidarity. I believe that a future successful proletarian movement will need to incorporate these elements as well.
That does remind me. If we are going to organize, part of the strategy should be to make the left the fun side.
There’s actually an article about it, although it was written by a liberal doing electoralism: here