"We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art, and very often in our art: the art of words." - Ursula K. Le Guin
You are not alone. There are many of us, more perhaps than we allow ourselves to believe. We doubt, we fear, but we are always stronger together. Thank you for your brave words.
Right now, you personally are helping the cause of the Palestinians by being this obnoxious caricature of a Zionist. It's enough to make me think you work for Hamas, because no one could read these comments and come away with a better opinion of Israel.
Hey, you're using bigger words now! That's great. Care to explain what my affiliation with Hamas is, as an American? Aside from not wanting children to be killed.
Hey Jae, hope you’re doing alright. I’ve definitely felt similar. For me, it helps to take the good with the bad and remember that the world we want and the world we live in don’t always align.
Even then, I’ve found little anchors, small acts of effort in the community (picking up trash on the beach, working on projects, organizing small groups, etc.), or just connecting with good people, can keep me grounded. Rural life makes that tougher, but it doesn’t mean those pockets of solidarity don’t exist. Sometimes those small anchors are what keeps revolutionary optimism alive,an optimism that will break through eventually !
These are good points, it takes little effort and small actions to make a big difference. I definitely agree, thank you for that. I’m also doing well just feeling a little lost lately but nothing too crazy.
I think your last point is on to something. Marx and Engels did not develop their theory through a logical conclusion, like you said, they developed their theory because of the failures of the Revolutions of 1848, because they witnessed themselves the brutality of the Industrial Revolution and the conditions of the workers whose blood fuelled it. The Scientific Method itself was derived from people figuring things out by themselves out of a desire to learn and understand the world around them.
I think at its core, Marxism, Socialism, Communism, etc is fuelled by the anchor that is the human, emotional reaction to capitalism’s excesses. Theory simply provides the framework to analyse those excesses.
And as for anchors to follow, for me it has been my community. The comrades and loved ones around me who I know, regardless of what happens and how things are, will be there, and myself for them in turn. Obviously finding or building that is easier said than done in a rural area, so I don’t if that helps at all, but I think it’s good to remind yourself that there are others fighting the same fight as you. That you aren’t alone and that, while the world around you is small and the struggle might seem impossible from where you are, there’s a massive world of opportunity and every one of us is fighting in it in one way or another.
I’m not sure if that helps at all, I hope it does. Solidarity.
Those words did bring me comfort and I will try my hardest to live them out. I also appreciate you dropping those knowledge bombs and relating it to history, much appreciated.
I feel this in most ways. I'm in a rural area as well, and I've been trying for weeks, or maybe months now if I think about it, to find ways to bring people together to actually work towards a common goal.
It's really frustrating seeing everyone arguing about what, how, and when to do something instead of actually doing anything. People don't believe in dreams anymore. We're all beaten down and feel lucky just to make it to the next day. We need to truly talk to one another.
Social media has become a trap. It's as if anything that doesn't fit in a 30 second video or 300 characters may as well not exist.
Most of us have had the dreams drowned in harsh realities. It's literally why rural America is so depressing. These places have been intentionally left to rot by the GOP and their machinations. Fear and anger make people easier to manipulate. It makes it easier to divide us.
Honestly, I don't even know if Dr. King could bring us together like last time with how things are going. Social media just sucks.
I think you have all the answers in your piece. Your comrades recommend praxis. But you are very pushed for time. That is a question of how much time you want to allocate for your work in communism. You have the theory very firmly inscribed in you and now you know that is the way the world works you can never "unknow" it.
Are you wavering about whether liberation theology would be better for you? If so it could be because you worry about the morals of your fellow communists and their infighting over which analysis is correct - this or that revolutionary. If a person is a communist I would want to trust that they are that because they have a moral compass. Why else? How much do you disagree with other communists when you are all talking about Gaza or the Ukraine?
Then,the awful power of capitalism and its wars intimidates you. Yes. That is why the only thing anyone can do is to hasten the end of it. Its main contradiction is its exploitation of an enormous number of people whose strength is in those numbers. Shoulder to shoulder people can do anything.
Since the beginning marxists have argued about which stream is correct. What you understand deeply is what Marx himself said. There has never been a perfect Marxist or Leninist system. How imperfect is our world? How much do we need something absolutely different?
I have probably set up some contradictions of my own here. I don't know what I'd do if I were a young person. It's easy to choose when you haven't got a whole life ahead of you.
Look after your health because you won't be of use to any of us if you don't stay well. I wish you well and I do hope you'll find time to post now and then.
I turn to this quote when I feel in need of hope:
"We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art, and very often in our art: the art of words." - Ursula K. Le Guin
You are not alone. There are many of us, more perhaps than we allow ourselves to believe. We doubt, we fear, but we are always stronger together. Thank you for your brave words.
Thank you for that quote, I love it.
Says the fucking COMMUNIST
...Yes? Did you not read the room?
COMMUNISTS ARE SCUM
Also, free Palestine.
ANOTHER WHORE FOR HAMAS. The Communist scum are so predictable.
Right now, you personally are helping the cause of the Palestinians by being this obnoxious caricature of a Zionist. It's enough to make me think you work for Hamas, because no one could read these comments and come away with a better opinion of Israel.
Hey, you're using bigger words now! That's great. Care to explain what my affiliation with Hamas is, as an American? Aside from not wanting children to be killed.
Ah, the witty, thought provoking banter that brings me to Substack. Got anything else on deck? Maybe some slurs? I bet you want to say some slurs.
Yes, you are a WHORE FOR PALESTINIAN TERRORISTS
There's the slur! You did it!
Hey Jae, hope you’re doing alright. I’ve definitely felt similar. For me, it helps to take the good with the bad and remember that the world we want and the world we live in don’t always align.
Even then, I’ve found little anchors, small acts of effort in the community (picking up trash on the beach, working on projects, organizing small groups, etc.), or just connecting with good people, can keep me grounded. Rural life makes that tougher, but it doesn’t mean those pockets of solidarity don’t exist. Sometimes those small anchors are what keeps revolutionary optimism alive,an optimism that will break through eventually !
These are good points, it takes little effort and small actions to make a big difference. I definitely agree, thank you for that. I’m also doing well just feeling a little lost lately but nothing too crazy.
I think your last point is on to something. Marx and Engels did not develop their theory through a logical conclusion, like you said, they developed their theory because of the failures of the Revolutions of 1848, because they witnessed themselves the brutality of the Industrial Revolution and the conditions of the workers whose blood fuelled it. The Scientific Method itself was derived from people figuring things out by themselves out of a desire to learn and understand the world around them.
I think at its core, Marxism, Socialism, Communism, etc is fuelled by the anchor that is the human, emotional reaction to capitalism’s excesses. Theory simply provides the framework to analyse those excesses.
And as for anchors to follow, for me it has been my community. The comrades and loved ones around me who I know, regardless of what happens and how things are, will be there, and myself for them in turn. Obviously finding or building that is easier said than done in a rural area, so I don’t if that helps at all, but I think it’s good to remind yourself that there are others fighting the same fight as you. That you aren’t alone and that, while the world around you is small and the struggle might seem impossible from where you are, there’s a massive world of opportunity and every one of us is fighting in it in one way or another.
I’m not sure if that helps at all, I hope it does. Solidarity.
Those words did bring me comfort and I will try my hardest to live them out. I also appreciate you dropping those knowledge bombs and relating it to history, much appreciated.
I’m glad they can offer some comfort. Shit is fucked, some reassurance goes a long way
I know the feeling. I need time which I haven't got at this moment to think more about this. But your piece will prompt responses.
I feel this in most ways. I'm in a rural area as well, and I've been trying for weeks, or maybe months now if I think about it, to find ways to bring people together to actually work towards a common goal.
It's really frustrating seeing everyone arguing about what, how, and when to do something instead of actually doing anything. People don't believe in dreams anymore. We're all beaten down and feel lucky just to make it to the next day. We need to truly talk to one another.
Social media has become a trap. It's as if anything that doesn't fit in a 30 second video or 300 characters may as well not exist.
You said it well, it’s the age of talk but not action. I’ll check out your post.
Most of us have had the dreams drowned in harsh realities. It's literally why rural America is so depressing. These places have been intentionally left to rot by the GOP and their machinations. Fear and anger make people easier to manipulate. It makes it easier to divide us.
Honestly, I don't even know if Dr. King could bring us together like last time with how things are going. Social media just sucks.
Here's something I've been working on, that might feel a bit of hopeful anyways
https://substack.com/@thenoblebrightproject/note/p-172498656?r=69vcq6&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
I think you have all the answers in your piece. Your comrades recommend praxis. But you are very pushed for time. That is a question of how much time you want to allocate for your work in communism. You have the theory very firmly inscribed in you and now you know that is the way the world works you can never "unknow" it.
Are you wavering about whether liberation theology would be better for you? If so it could be because you worry about the morals of your fellow communists and their infighting over which analysis is correct - this or that revolutionary. If a person is a communist I would want to trust that they are that because they have a moral compass. Why else? How much do you disagree with other communists when you are all talking about Gaza or the Ukraine?
Then,the awful power of capitalism and its wars intimidates you. Yes. That is why the only thing anyone can do is to hasten the end of it. Its main contradiction is its exploitation of an enormous number of people whose strength is in those numbers. Shoulder to shoulder people can do anything.
Since the beginning marxists have argued about which stream is correct. What you understand deeply is what Marx himself said. There has never been a perfect Marxist or Leninist system. How imperfect is our world? How much do we need something absolutely different?
I have probably set up some contradictions of my own here. I don't know what I'd do if I were a young person. It's easy to choose when you haven't got a whole life ahead of you.
Look after your health because you won't be of use to any of us if you don't stay well. I wish you well and I do hope you'll find time to post now and then.
Hi Jae, for me, the closest thing to an anchor is real-life friendship — people who share your values and stand by you through hard times.
Trust the plvn
You're a FUCKING COMMUNIST
if you can accept all the worst case scenarios, you will never experience hope or hopelessness again.