It's not that he's wrong or cynical or the wrong kind of doomerpilled or whatever

It's just that he's pointing out problems without offering anything better. Criticizing people for being mad online but even admitting no real other solutions exist.

I really don't know what to do about that besides stay mad. :(

edit:

https://twitter.com/Solidarity_Star/status/1356820922485903361

Matt is Bashir and we're all Rom in desperate need of a Chief O'Brien to help up bridge that gap between good theory and good practice.

I am not sober right now.

  • CyborgMarx [any, any]
    ·
    4 years ago

    I thought his solution was to log off and try to focus on more meaningfully interacting with your personal social circles and or local organizations in a way that materially builds towards class consciousness.

    It would be a good take if it wasn't for the fact the pandemic is still raging, and its also very urban-centric, if you live in a rural setting or a sprawling suburban desert there are no "local organizations" worth engaging with

    • Eldungeon [none/use name]
      ·
      4 years ago

      Good point. Geography is a real political divide especially in the US. It's definitely not the idea political terrain but that's also a point in his critique. That we have to interact in our community. If we are serious in building a better socialist world as a political project we must interact with the world. Sometimes could be helping the community and base building other times could be challenging conservative sensibilities.

    • RedLeg [he/him,any]
      ·
      4 years ago

      if you live in a rural setting or a sprawling suburban desert there is no “local organizations” worth engaging with

      then you have to start them. if you don't who will?

      • Chutt_Buggins [he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        there was a nice handbook for rural anarchist that i think is still useful for communists to examine

        https://enoughisenough14.org/2018/06/11/new-zine-anarchy-in-a-small-pond/

        I have used a bit of it to guide some things in my town of less than 4,000 to some ok results, but I might be spoiled because we already had an indigenous south american anarchist and like 3 open MLs in town.

      • ant9 [he/him,comrade/them]
        ·
        4 years ago

        But this ends up right back at the problem. Weak ineffective groups spread out.

        I kinda feel like people just don't have any real new ideas so we just sort of circle around and pine for the good old days of unions to come back (they won't, not unless you fundamentally change something to make them immune from the attacks that already killed them).

        We need someone who can form a real socialism with American characteristics (not racism. god damn't it's gonna be racism).

        But really we need to completely turn away from reformism and the idea that we can just pressure the system into turning into what we want when we want it.

    • ComradeMikey [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      local organizing could be anything it doesn’t have to be DSA it’s seeing an issue in your community and uniting people with common solidarity to fix it. its not always unions and organized meetings.