The collapse of the American empire would benefit almost every other country. I am starting to feel that since I live in America I should want to accelerate the collapse (or make sure one happens if things start to go back to business as usual). Can someone tell me why this is a bad idea so that I don’t make a mistake here.
As @[email protected] said, accelerationism isn’t particularly useful, and risks desparation from the reactionaries plunging the world into war. Without working class organization, there is nothing to resist that meaningfully.
I think a common pattern with your posts is that they tend to fall into desparation and confusion stemming from a lack of theory. In your case, I think reading theory would be immensely clarifying and comforting. I made an introductory Marxist-Leninist reading list, but many others out there exist as well. I recommend you give that a try!
I just feel like it’s almost impossible to make changes in America with how everyone is afraid of communism and how many still fall for western propaganda. I can’t even convince my own dad that capitalism is the problem. (even if I read theory I don’t think it would be able to convince him). America is the number one blocker of all progress towards a better future. Is there even any hope for a revolution in America or do we just have to hope the collapse causes a civil war so that America can’t lash out at other countries.
Not trying to dump on you but its a common misconception of people without good habits to think good habits wont help. This is called learned helplessness and it preserves the status quo.
Remember that you need to accept being wrong as a marxist. That is a core value.
I fucking love that quote “you need to accept being wrong as a marxist.” Somebody put that shit in the communist quote rotation. Fallibility is a lost art in the imperial core.
Yep, westerners take any failings as deep moral failings. It’s why AES not being “pure” and free of sin immediately loses support. That’s also why parties endlessly split, there isn’t a focus on unity because accountability means admitting failure.
To be fair I linked my dad good sources like this one for US imperialism and he says it’s “too biased” https://github.com/dessalines/essays/blob/main/us_atrocities.md#pervasive
Also these videos on debunking myths of communism and the other one is the death count of capitalism. https://youtu.be/BeRjTtKFlVM
https://youtu.be/Q5LMxXC8qWg
As much as these are impressive, you will be much more convincing once you have a solid base.
Without being able to explain on a moments notice the reason why people should believe you and not some other rando (materialism), why they should consider an alternative narrative (dialectics), why it is easy to use thinking stoppers (e.g. the words biased or propaganda) to keep people in the thought prison, and how the world begins to make much more sense after leaving it, you wont get through to people. You need this theoretical base to convince people. Otherwise you will always scream into a void and get increasingly desoerate about it. That you are proving by asking for more drastic measures. It is the same as someone asking for an injection to make them loose weight, make them stop smoking, make them be more outgoing or whatever. Its always asking an external force to handle your problems. Asking for a shortcut.
There are no shortcuts.
Read theory. Stop with the rest.
Now go and read state and revolution, foundations of marxism leninism and questions of leninism.
They are really short and well written.
After that you can find the theory list on here pretty easily.
Don’t stop there. Also get organized and put the theory into practice. You cannot develop one without the other. As Mao puts it “knowledge begins with practice, and theoretical knowledge is acquired through practice and must then return to practice”
Nah, I dont think that is a great idea. As lenin said: there is no revolutionary practice without revolutionary theory. People have lives. They need to put regular reading into their day, not running around in “leftist” circlejerks. I speak from experience.
But then youre absolutely right. Once a strong theoretical core is set, it is time to act. Were talking weeks, not years.
I think that learning theory without something to apply it to is essentially useless. And that is something I learned from experience as well. I was studying theory for about a year without any organizing experience, repeatedly telling myself “okay, once I understand this stuff, I’ll start organizing.” But I didn’t really understand it because I had very little to relate it to. It wasn’t until I started organizing and studying simultaneously that things really clicked
Again, turning to Mao, “The dialectical-materialist theory of knowledge places practice in the primary position, holding that human knowledge can in no way be separated from practice and repudiating all erroneous theories which deny the importance of practice or separate knowledge from practice.” Lenin also says “Practice is higher than theoretical knowledge, for it has not only the dignity of universality, but also of immediate actuality.”
The Marxist Theory of Knowledge holds that rational knowledge depends upon perceptual knowledge, and that perceptual knowledge must be developed into rational knowledge. That is to say, knowledge begins with practical experience and must be deepened with theory. Then it must once again be practically applied.
To put the Mao quote I used earlier into full context: “From the Marxist viewpoint, theory is important, and its importance is fully expressed in Lenin’s statement, ‘Without revolutionary theory there can be no revolutionary movement.’ But Marxism emphasizes the importance of theory precisely and only because it can guide action. If we have a correct theory but merely prate about it, pigeonhole it and do not put it into practice, then that theory, however good, is of no significance. Knowledge begins with practice, and theoretical knowledge is acquired through practice and must then return to practice.”
I know you’re saying you should start applying it within a couple weeks, and applying it is certainly the most important part. But it is a major error to discredit the fact that knowledge must begin with practice, with perception, with matter. The first step of knowledge is and must be coming into contact with the very things you’re trying to change through practice. How can you understand the challenges of organizing without experiencing them? How can you understand what is an ultra-left or rightist error in your specific conditions without witnessing the effects of those incorrect theories? How can you meet the masses where they are at without meeting the masses? You can’t. Not in any reliable sense. The rational is only reliable insofar as its basis in the perceptual. Theory can only progress our knowledge if it is being used to elevate our perceptive knowledge, to rationalize it
I think we are digging in on nonissues now.
I’m right and you’re right too but we can’t agree on it.
I really enjoyed reading your text.
I found YouTube links in your comment. Here are links to the same videos on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:
Link 1:
Link 2:
These feelings are valid, but ultimately stem from a lack of theory. You don’t need to worry about convincing people capitalism is bad, if people’s material conditions aren’t in a place for them to be susceptible to such ideas. Further, reading theory better helps you explain why capitalism is unsustainable. The US is the number one block, but as imperialism crumbles the chance for revolution raises. We must organize the working class to do so.
Read theory! You’ll be happier for it.
You have to realise that Americas revolutionary potential is nil the only way to advance socialism is to collapse the nation (i.e intensifying the culture war and damaging America’s social cohesion, setting up networks and groups that grow to replace and or invalidate the federal government, setting up militant groups to fight off cops very late stage though)
Don’t we want a non nuclear war?
What we want is a socialist revolution in the heart of the Empire, led by an organized working class with indigenous Americans and other oppressed nations within the imperial core at the forefront. This is feasible, increasingly so, as imperialism crumbles and the treat printers run dry.
while we’re on the topic, i meant to ask you what you think of the mlreadinghub.org reading lists? if you have any thoughts at all.
also big shoutout for the reading list great work!
I’ve followed this before! I feel like it was quite helpful, and I took what I liked from it and added it to mine. It’s valid as a starter list. I also like the Deprogram starter list as well, I intend on following it too as there’s a lot of stuff I haven’t read on it.