I thought about this yesterday when I was trying to explain the difference between socialism and communism. Even such a simple question requires so much foundational information. I couldn't just say they were different stages of society, because communism is really more a vector of transformation for societies, and to even understand how these societies transform you have to understand dialectical and historical materialism. So I'm revising my post to explain what a dialectic is and I realize I'm already in my third paragraph. Not only is no layman going to read this because its just boring philosophy mumbo jumbo, but I've wasted the last 20 minutes writing out this thing that I eventually just end up deleting anyway.
What we need is a streamlined way of propagating theory for a new online age. The Communist Manifesto was supposed to be the quick and dirty version of theory to propagate, but people don't even read 10 pages anymore. What we need are children's book versions of these ideas, summarized in an easily spreadable copypasta format. Not only do they have to be simple and succinct, but entertaining as well. Getting someone hooked has never been harder, because with so much information at our fingertips, its never been easier to ignore it.
I also think they should be modular, rather than longer masterposts. Someone who asks a simple question shouldn't have to read an entire essay, but if the question requires it we should be able to plug-and-play with additional information. This is the hard part, having separate copypastas for each topic that can work with each other while still being understandable independently. It's hard, but I think its necessary in order to bring editing down to a minimum and increase spreadability as much as possible.
Edit: oh cool I got featured lol
Doing this kind of thing, translating theory into simpler jargon, always hits a brick wall because part of theory is disentangling mainstream ideology from one's own physical reality. It eventually gets so broad that it becomes impossible to simplify further.
Also Engels already did something like this with the publication of "The Principles of Communism."
The easiest method I've always found is to be as direct as possible. "Your boss is an asshole and your landlord is robbing you." If they don't have some gut level agreement with that statement, they're going to need some kind of personalized treatment or some larger organization that can provide something to them. Like I was able to get a lot of chud types on board with unionizing because they wanted a higher paycheck and healthcare. They could give a damn about any of the ideological implications, those crept in later unknowingly to them because the circumstance became bare to them. Unionize and get a higher paycheck, the boss is against you, so we're in the same boat as workers. Opening up that conflict with them was more instructive than any sort of introductory theory. The chuds even started to spout vaguely leftist things completely on their own. That's the point at which theory would get through to them I think.
The principles of communism is a good place to start for someone who’s already open to communism and wants to actually read theory, but I think even that’s become too complicated for the average American. Our education is that bad.
I guess this copypasta idea is meant to be in between your direct approach and the principles of communism. It’s meant for someone who is already open enough to ask questions, but not educated enough to understand the complex answers. Also it’s definitely more meant for online, where copypasta thrives.
Yeah I think leftists have been struggling to come up with what you mean for a long while now. I think the most effective route here was actually cultural, like when the Wobblies did songs or when the Soviets did agitprop trains. Transmission of the basic ideas through something they're already familiar with could do it if they're already at a point where they're asking questions.
So I think I might have come to the horrifying conclusion that memes might be the thing you're looking for.
:troll: interesting
only the Zoomers can save us now