There is no more tired cliché than Mark Twain’s quote “history rarely repeats itself, but it often rhymes”.
  • haui@lemmygrad.ml
    14·
    2 months ago

    This is a very interesting perspective. So at the same time, global reaction is rising (other post) and unipolarity seems to crumble.

    How do we utilize this on a local level?

    • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆@lemmygrad.mlOPM
      21·
      2 months ago

      In my opinion we’re at a stage where we have to build education and organization. People are becoming disenfranchised and start falling out of mainstream politics, this makes them open to new ideas. Our goal should be to make sure they move to the left instead of the right. Unfortunately, the right has been far more effective at attracting people in the west so far.

      • haui@lemmygrad.ml
        10·
        2 months ago

        I’ve been reading stalins dialectical materialism since i’ve had a particular discussion recently and am today reading mao’s on contradiction.

        So far I would assume that the (actual) marxists in the west have a huge set of contradictions to solve. The first ones i see so far is the relative wealth of the nation and its proletariat and their lower portions getting into increasing trouble, then the contradiction of “western marxists” existing but being firmly rooted in idealism or opportunism, then the contradiction of being either imperialist our outright settler colonialist, then the massive degradation of living standards and the massive media manipulation machine, defeatism or dogmatism in the parties, etc, etc.

        From what I’ve grasped so far is identify the primary contradiction and resolve that. No idea how to do that yet though.

        • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆@lemmygrad.mlOPM
          13·
          2 months ago

          Both are excellent texts to ground yourself in. Stalin’s piece is the my favorite intro to dialectics, and Mao’s expansion on the principal contradiction builds on his analysis. You’re right to see a tangled web of contradictions here in the west. It can feel overwhelming.

          Idealism and opportunism are symptoms that stem from the primary contradiction. As you note, they arise from the material conditions of imperialism that gave rise to the labor aristocracy. This creates a social base for opportunist politics and idealist deviations, which focus on identity or discourse in a way that never fundamentally challenges capital’s ownership.

          So the primary contradiction, as you pointed out, remains the capitalist mode of production itself. The private ownership of the means of production and the media machine are the root problems. We can’t resolve the principal contradiction without dismantling the ideological hegemony that naturalizes capitalism and promotes defeatism. Teaching dialectical materialism is the core of this because it’s an effective antidote to mainstream narrative. Once a person internalizes dialectical method, they become immune to the tropes we see the media trot out. We can look at it like a vaccination campaign.

          The big question is how we make these ideas easily digestible for people who are just falling out of the mainstream. We have to think of ourselves. Most of us came to this through a combination of material experience and then exposure to theory. These ideas clicked in our heads and gave us a new perspective. The task is to systematically connect the daily contradictions people experience to theory. The development of class consciousness is the prerequisite for everything else.

          • haui@lemmygrad.ml
            10·
            2 months ago

            What helped me break free and has hekped me break others free somewhat was (sadly)/the gaza genocide. People in germany look strange if you ask them what they have thought when they found out that this is not reported. You cant use donbass yet but that one is cruel too from a german perspective.

            From there, one can be taught how to see these things through dialectic materialism. But i’m not very good at piecing it together while i take care not to lose the other person. Likely it is going to take time. I will have to make videos in german as english is a huge barrier for the working class in germany.

          • RedMace@lemmygrad.ml
            42·
            2 months ago

            Can we use idealist vehicles to teach class consciousness? Punctual and guided agitation in idealist realms to capture the interest for those falling out of the mainstream?

            • Maeve@lemmygrad.ml
              3·
              2 months ago

              I will be immensely interested in hearing your thoughts, since we USians seem milkfed on idealism. Maybe I can translate it to materialism. If you feel comfortable to share your thoughts, of course.

              • RedMace@lemmygrad.ml
                4·
                2 months ago

                I think the basic question is how can we mobilise more masses and prevent the right to constantly co-opt our topics and use it for their own agenda. Or: How to praxis?

                • Maeve@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
                  7·
                  2 months ago

                  It sounds like you and @haui@lemmygrad.ml have parallel tracks of thought, maybe you can get together in the magazines they created and brainstorm together?

                  I was thinking about the differences between materialism and idealism a few nights ago, before sleeping. I don’t think it’s either or, I think the shape materiality takes is akin to water, in that it assumes the shape of the vessels. And the shape of the vessels is dependent on external and internal conditions, frame of mind, mental health, capacity and training to think carefully and critically; and also availability of time, money, and necessary resources. This isn’t to say that people who haven’t been trained to think critically have nothing of value to offer, if they can’t offer much time, money or other resources. They may be the ones to dream up ideals which can then be shaped by others in the collective who do have the resources, from each according to ability, etc.

                  I’m not sure if this is going to be cogent as it seems when writing. I’m kind of in a personal situation that needs solving, so that’s running in the background.