It’s kinda weird to have tons of huge portraits of just 1 person instead of art celebrating the masses or many different people or whatever.

I understand the impulse but now that we know enough to know that great man theory is a harmful way to think about events, how do we prevent large populations from falling into that hero worship mindset in future communist countries?

  • Tofu_Lewis [he/him]
    ·
    2 years ago

    If you read about Stalin's efforts to prevent a cult of personality forming around him you learn that it's nearly impossible because symbolic figureheads allow individuals to distill emotional resonance into singular focus. Another good example would be Commandante Marcos, who REALLY went as far as possible to avoid a cult of personality, to greater, but still limited, success.

    • Ideology [she/her]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Everyone forgets he changed his public name to Galeano too.

      • Tofu_Lewis [he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        Yep - he really went all the way with it - Commandante Marcos is now a historical personality.