I'm sure he's well aware that he's been given the same "conspiracy of silence" treatment as Marx during his writing career, but the leveling power of the internet has exposed thousands of people to his political theory. I know that Anglophone Internet Communists is maybe not the most representative grouping of people, but among them, it's hard to find someone who hasn't read his books, listened to his lectures, or had both of the above recommended to them by multiple people.
The yellow lecture has gotten over 300k views in 9 years, which may not be a lot for Spider-Man and Elsa Murder Mystery Mukbang Gone Sexual?! but is kind of incredible for an hour and a half lecture by an Italian-American Communist from 37 years ago.
All of this is to say: Michael Parenti has been extremely important to my political development and that of many others, and I think his influence will only grow. I respect him tremendously and I hope he knows that he's helped build a brighter future.
Wolff is a pretty uncharismatic dude though, often pretty tedious. Parenti was an inspiring and lovable polemicist, like he had :ture-fist: energy. Imagine you didn't agree with Wolff fundamentally already and he was trying to convince you with his droll, condescending lecturing nature.
IDK Wolff has his place, his Economic Update is good praxis, but if he's the best we have (which he might be) were in a dark place.
I think Wolff has charisma.
Imagine everything about him was the same, but he's a neoliberal - how much innate power do you think he'd have to shake you from your communist beliefs?
I think he has avuncular charm, but that's just me. It's okay to not like someone. Charisma is like attractiveness---in the eye of the beholder.
I didn't say I don't like Wolff, he does his part. I just don't think he's very convincing, and definitely no :party-parenti: