Not sure why I got banned in the first place, but I think it was from linking to an episode of The Dollop. IIRC I got banned from /r/communism101 for saying something slightly positive about Gorbachev (sure, go ahead a call me a lib -- it was like 3 years ago). Either way it seems that the mods think that communism began and ended with Lenin.

I was going to keep poking them but Matt said something on his cushvlog about how trolling isn't praxis and I felt called out

  • EnsignRedshirt [he/him]
    ·
    4 years ago

    While I am no longer skeptical of any theory involving the CIA, I think that it’s just as likely that these people are either consciously or unconsciously engaging in what amounts to an extremely lame RPG. They aren’t doing or really even discussing politics. It’s a pure circlejerk. Hardly anyone acts like that in real life, and people who do generally end up alienating people until they either choose to knock it off or accept being loner weirdos.

    Kind of reminds me of the part in World War Z (the book, not the tedious Brad Pitt vehicle) about the Japanese hikikomori guy who became obsessed with the zombie outbreak and spent all his time online researching zombies, following the news, discussing in great depth and breadth every detail of zombie physiology, behavior, defense, etc., but never once bothered to do anything approaching addressing the real world, to the point that he didn’t even leave his apartment until his internet got shut off.

    That’s basically what these people are doing. Studying theory, discussing the details among themselves, establishing status based on their ability to prove their knowledge and adherence to dogma, but never considering reality or other people. Even if they do engage in real world activities, it must be in the context of the same adherence to dogma, or else they’d figure out that they’ll never grow a revolutionary movement, nor garner any sympathy, with this ridiculous gatekeeping and humorless militancy.

    • Budwig_v_1337hoven [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      The tried and true way of creating a mass movement is actually to alienate and repel anyone not already on board, dontcha know

      • EnsignRedshirt [he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        That’s exactly what I’m talking about. It’s not a purpose, it’s a lifestyle choice. There might be some genuine intent and real theoretical understanding, but at the end of the day it’s an aesthetic veneer.

        I feel bad for people like that. Not just the communists, but anyone who’s taken their grievance and alienation and distrust of the system and turned it inward, rather than trying to figure out how to make meaning for themselves and open up to connecting with other people.

        People mock the electoralists for being naive, but seeing a problem and taking some action to try to solve it, while actively trying to engage others to do the same, is a commendable and healthy thing to do, and is way more likely to result in finding an avenue for real change than simply adopting the persona of a revolutionary.