Democratic and Republican parties, which represent two formations of middle-class nervous breakdown around the dying American dream
This part alone really gave me something to think about. And I really liked the part about the goo - sometimes I don't enjoy listening to Matt when he's in one of his defeatist moods (any more doomer shit in my brain is really just unhelpful), but he can be pretty good when he's delivering a call to action.
Edit: Also, turnout for the 2020 election was like a record high and still, a third of the people who could vote didn't; and I'm certain that one-third skews younger and working class. And in non-presidential election years turnout is way lower. Something like 45% of workers pre-pandemic were making like $10.50 an hour or less. A majority of Americans do not have as much as $1,000 saved (also pre-pandemic). I'm not saying that all these circles here are perfectly concentric, but I do believe there is a very large segment of US society that operates entirely outside of the two-party electoral system. And since electoralism is seen as the only valid form of social expression not just political expression, this segment is ignored by everyone. A working class segment, even if they don't quite see it that way yet. It's my hope, my longshot hope, that this segment of society is what can be activated with class consciousness.
That's good stuff, thanks for sharing. The one thing I might push back on Matt with is how he's seemingly making these statements global. I think he's spot on as this applies to the US; and it still certainly applies to non-US societies to an extent. But I don't think the situation is quite as dire in the global south. I have to hope one day the global south will break the current relationship with the imperial powers, which would necessarily force change on the imperial countries. That, or all out global war...
This part alone really gave me something to think about. And I really liked the part about the goo - sometimes I don't enjoy listening to Matt when he's in one of his defeatist moods (any more doomer shit in my brain is really just unhelpful), but he can be pretty good when he's delivering a call to action.
Edit: Also, turnout for the 2020 election was like a record high and still, a third of the people who could vote didn't; and I'm certain that one-third skews younger and working class. And in non-presidential election years turnout is way lower. Something like 45% of workers pre-pandemic were making like $10.50 an hour or less. A majority of Americans do not have as much as $1,000 saved (also pre-pandemic). I'm not saying that all these circles here are perfectly concentric, but I do believe there is a very large segment of US society that operates entirely outside of the two-party electoral system. And since electoralism is seen as the only valid form of social expression not just political expression, this segment is ignored by everyone. A working class segment, even if they don't quite see it that way yet. It's my hope, my longshot hope, that this segment of society is what can be activated with class consciousness.
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That's good stuff, thanks for sharing. The one thing I might push back on Matt with is how he's seemingly making these statements global. I think he's spot on as this applies to the US; and it still certainly applies to non-US societies to an extent. But I don't think the situation is quite as dire in the global south. I have to hope one day the global south will break the current relationship with the imperial powers, which would necessarily force change on the imperial countries. That, or all out global war...