How can i not conform to capitalism

[Martyrdom Beckons]

Hey comrades, first post on here.

I wanted to know if any of you are managing to go about your life without coughing up to our capitalist pimps.

I have quit smoking tobacco as the money goes to capitalists.
I havent ate take away, brand food, consumed alcohol or had any clothes for months as most shops store products made by the likes of nestle or sony or macdonalds or nike that add to globe dominating creeps like these controlling us and burying us in a grave of consumerism , but i am not able to bypass capitalism completely.

How much do you have to hand over to capitalism, and does it bother you.

[IllicitPopsicle]

I have to hand over quite a bit.

I don't have much to give, and as they say, a prank a day keeps the dog leash away.

[Spawn of Stalin]

You can't boycott capitalism, so don't bother, it's just not worth it.

[Soldier of life]

You should wear the same clothes every day, write stuff like 'chaos' and 'anarchy' on them, and wear paper clip earrings.

[Martyrdom Beckons]

thanks for being a dick, what a great asset to marxism you must be.

[IllicitPopsicle]

You should wear the same clothes every day, write stuff like 'chaos' and 'anarchy' on them, and wear paper clip earrings.

Bahahahaha

[IllicitPopsicle]

thanks for being a dick, what a great asset to marxism you must be.

Sorry, but you are the one who came up here and listed all of the crap you were doing to keep away from capitalism.

Do you work?

[Martyrdom Beckons]

yeah, for a asshole in a cornershop

[Spawn of Stalin]

thanks for being a dick, what a great asset to marxism you must be.
You should be questioning your own Marxism, Comrade, not the Marxism of other people. Boycotting capitalism? You are not thinking scientifically, and if you are not thinking scientifically, you are not a Marxist.

[IllicitPopsicle]

yeah, for a asshole in a cornershop

Oh good for you.

I work for fucking KFC. Only job hiring when I went looking. So capitalism fucks me over doubly. I agree with motionless, you're not really looking at this in the right way.

Rather than "[email protected] b0yc0tt1n9 teh [email protected]@115mz" you should start to seek out artful sabotage, if you are so inclined.

[GPDP]

Guys, stop being dicks. Seriously.

You can legitimately criticize and engage ideas you don't agree with without acting like a complete wanker.

[cenv]

You can't escape capitalism. That's why revolution is necessary.

[the last donut of the night]

Really guys?

Here we have a member who wants to learn, is misinformed, and this is how we greet him?

No wonder we still live under capitalism. It seems we have all chosen some little sect like a hermit crab chooses a shell, and just like the aforementioned animal, we go out and pinch anybody who doesn't agree with our ideological line.

I hope the OP doesn't get the impression that the left is a little club for sectarian kiddies who hate everybody else just because they're everybody else.

[Martyrdom Beckons]

i know we all have to live with capitalism until revolution occurs, i am not new to marxism, however, i think if we all sit around playing video games, eating loads of nestle chocolate and wearing nike Ts then we dont have the determination and we wont have the heart for revolution if we cant go withjout consumerist luxuries, as far as im concerned, the less i give to capitalism the better, or maybe im stupid.
you dont see national socialists hanging around with black guys.
you dont see the government helping the working class

And we shouldnt see communists in starbucks or eating macdonalds, its principle and nothing more.
This site seems full of middle class wankers, dont think i will be on here much.

[Axle]

This site seems full of middle class wankers, dont think i will be on here much.

I imagine your initial impression of RevLeft isn't all that shining, but try to ignore the shitty welcome. This forum has plenty of value and can probably be a great resource for you.

[IllicitPopsicle]

Hey, no hard feelings?

[which doctor]

And we shouldnt see communists in starbucks or eating macdonalds, its principle and nothing more.
What exactly is this principle that should keep communists from eating in starbucks or mcdonalds? All businesses exploit workers, not just the big chains. Communism isn't about destroying brands or shifting the market one way or another, it's about putting the means of production in the hands of the proletariat.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

You can't escape capitalism. That's why revolution is necessary.

This, in a nutshell, is the inescapable, objective truth for people like us.

I don't like quoting people who I don't see as comrades, but as Stalin once said, 'We "insert your own tendency" are made of special stuff.'

Revolution is the order of the day.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

i know we all have to live with capitalism until revolution occurs, i am not new to marxism, however, i think if we all sit around playing video games, eating loads of nestle chocolate and wearing nike Ts then we dont have the determination and we wont have the heart for revolution if we cant go withjout consumerist luxuries, as far as im concerned, the less i give to capitalism the better, or maybe im stupid.
you dont see national socialists hanging around with black guys.
you dont see the government helping the working class

And we shouldnt see communists in starbucks or eating macdonalds, its principle and nothing more.
This site seems full of middle class wankers, dont think i will be on here much.

Welcome to the site. :)

I have to say - not hanging around with other races won't depress a National Socialist's standard of living. Fucking off the working class will probably increase the government's.

Trying to stay away from anything Capitalist will likely prove a mind-numbingly annoying task, reduce our standard of living and, through the mental exhaustion of weighing up every mundane action against a 'Does this benefit Capitalism' checklist, will probably damage our revolutionary spirit and ability to organise.

That is all.

[Glenn Beck]

Figure out the manner of selling yourself that makes you the least stressed and gives you the most freedom to do the shit you want to do, or else find a way to drop out for a while. There isn't a secret escape hatch, sadly.

[Che a chara]

Just try and take advantage and milk what the system has to offer, such as state benefits, compo claims (:lol:) etc.

I wear nike shoes and such big name brand type clothing (bad me), not because it looks good, but because they're comfortable and you get more wear out of them.

It's true that the majority are comfortable in their lifestyle and see no real reason to change that, but that could be blamed on that there is/was no viable alternative, especially with the recent recession.

Individual acts wont do much, it needs to be on a mass level. Though individual acts of civil disobedience.....;)

[Invincible Summer]

i know we all have to live with capitalism until revolution occurs, i am not new to marxism, however, i think if we all sit around playing video games, eating loads of nestle chocolate and wearing nike Ts then we dont have the determination and we wont have the heart for revolution if we cant go withjout consumerist luxuries, as far as im concerned, the less i give to capitalism the better, or maybe im stupid.

You do realize that at the same time you don't give money to greedy capitalist pigs, you also deprive another member of the working class their wage and means to a life under capitalism?

So, in a way, boycotting capitalism is anti-worker.


you dont see national socialists hanging around with black guys.
you dont see the government helping the working class

That's because Nazis are racist and the government is a bunch of assholes. How can Communists destroy the system without being in it? It's like trying to rob a bank without setting foot inside.


And we shouldnt see communists in starbucks or eating macdonalds, its principle and nothing more.
This site seems full of middle class wankers, dont think i will be on here much.
Funny thing is, most working class people (yknow, the ones that carry out the revolution) probably eat at McDonald's because it's cheap and fairly tasty, and if you're working 2 jobs and don't have time to cook, it seems like an inevitability that fast food will be at least one meal a day.

Despite my similar distaste for "middle class wankers," (myself being one, I suppose), Communists can come from a variety of class backgrounds, not just the working class. It's your values that make you a Communist, not just the relationship to the means of production.

[Calmwinds]

http://www.anarkismo.net/newswire.php?story_id=3664

[Stranger Than Paradise]

You shouldn't worry about trying to live outside of Capitalism or boycott it comrade. For one, it isn't possible as we live in a capitalist world and two it isn't helping to destroy the system. Don't worry about feeling guilty about buying goods that will fund the Capitalist. Everyone has to do it to survive, and enjoying yourself should not be restricted because of them. Instead you should devote your time to political activism. Try and work within your community or find a local group and try and educate people about your ideas.

[ArrowLance]

The system will not be pennied away in this sense, to what degree are you willing to do this on principle? Revolution will come from the gun, the people, and its leaders.

[scarletghoul]

Kill yourself. It's the only way.

[Invincible Summer]

Kill yourself. It's the only way.

Not cool. Especially since this guy's username is "Martyrdom Beckons" :rolleyes:

[Martyrdom Beckons]

if i killed a cop i would get life in prison have a tv nice meals be a huge drain on the tax payer and live a life of luxury, or maby the daily mail is full of right wing crazies:)

[Dr. Fish]

Grow a garden like a nice socialist. Read up on permaculture, self-architecture [which where I'm guessing you live, would mean a wigwam, a tipi, or squatting (in which case something like this zinelibrary.info/squatters-handbook or Survivaql Without Rent might be helpful)], wild plant guides.
Generally integrate DIY into your life. I'm assuming that boycotting capitalism is not so much about revolution as pride. Steal This Book by Abbie Hoffman might help you, but it's outdated from the early 70's. So Recipes for Disaster by Crimethinc would be good.
Detatching yourself from capitalism and changing your lifestyle won't change anything in the world. The bourgeoisie still rake in outgrageous profits. The best thing for this would be to douse yourself in 18th and 19th century literature and theory. Study Spanish Civil War 1936-37, the paris Commune 1871, blah blah blah...
good luck.

[Martyrdom Beckons]

is theft and armed robbery ok if it is for the purpose of taking rather than adding to capitalism:)

[Spawn of Stalin]

It's okay if you're happy with being lumpen and possibly ending up in prison. Just work, everyone has to do it and it's crap, but at least you're in a position where you are able to engage the working class, which can't be said for living a criminal life. Armed robbery is fine for revolutionary purposes, but just doing to get escape capitalism is stupid and constitutes hardcore lifestylism.

[RED DAVE]

Since you, basically, have to work for the ruling class, and you have to consume products that result in the extraction of surplus value from the working class, what is left? ("left" - get it that's a joke :D)

In my arrogant opinion, some of the best things you can do are (just off the top of my head):

(1) Don't waste your time with capitalist mass media, i.e. television, and educate yourself. There are plenty of good books to read, political and elsewise. There are good movies to see, music to listen to, museums, etc., to visit.

(2) Since we must work, try to get a union job. Then you can start organizing a rank-and-file movement, and you're on the first step towards building a revolutionary movement. If there is no union where you work, organize one. If that's impossible, look for another job.

(3) Eat a healthy diet. There's plenty of info about that. Also, I personally find meditation very helpful for peace of mind. Remember, unless you catch a capitalist bullet or a brick falls on your head, you're likely to live to be about 90.

(4) Investigate the revolutionary movement, such as it is. Read pamphlets of various groups. Practice a critical attitude. Eventually, you'll probably have to join one of these screaming sects. Keep a sense of humor about yourself and your comrades.

(5) If you can, travel to other countries, especially so-called underdeveloped countries. Your eyes will be opened, I guarantee you.

(6) Get involved. The antiwar movement, especially in the US, is sure to grow now that the liberals have sold out one more time.

(7) Love your fellow human beings. Don't avoid one-on-one relationships, romance, friendship, even, gasp, a relationship with your family of origin if possible. If you're married, have kids.

(8) Remember, if you're in this for the long haul, and it's not just an adolescent fantasy of yours, isolation, purity, self-righteousness, etc., are your enemies as much as the ruling class and its lackeys. You're going to end up working with a lot of people you don't like for one reason or another.

(9) Start writing as well as reading. Posting in places like this is a good place to start.

(10) Learn the art of public speaking. This doesn't mean orating: you're not likely to become Martin Luther King. It means learn to speak in public, ranging from one-on-one to small groups and large groups. All those "ums" and "y'knows" are not aids to communication.

(11) Never use the term dictatorship of the proletariat. The meaning of "dictatorship" has changed in the past 150 years. Besides, it inflames political types who want dictatorship -- of themselves.

RED DAVE

[eyedrop]

What exactly is this principle that should keep communists from eating in starbucks or mcdonalds? All businesses exploit workers, not just the big chains. Communism isn't about destroying brands or shifting the market one way or another, it's about putting the means of production in the hands of the proletariat.I would think shopping at those places and being thankful and respectful to the people working there would actually do more to brighten the day of the people working there, provided they are what you care about, than to boycot it.

[Spirit of Spartacus]

@ the topic-starter

Comrade, if you really want to cut yourself off from capitalism, you'd have to escape to an uninhabited part of the world and survive directly off nature. Other than that, cutting down on the few good things left in life is useless.

Your reasons for ditching alcohol, take-aways, etc are admirable, but really, I'm more interested in what you're doing to organize people against capitalism.

Millions and millions of people in the world don't have access to all these pleasures of life, simply because of capitalism. There is already a very large-scale boycott of the joys of life, going on in many parts of the world right now. Trust me, the fact that millions of people cannot afford these pleasures of life does NOT in any way harm capitalism-imperialism.

Your task, as a left-wing activist, is to create new realities within this society, so that it can overthrow capitalism eventually. Organize the working-masses, make your contribution in practice and in revolutionary theory.

And yes, if you want to enjoy a good drink from time to time, please do it, comrade. The working-masses won't really mind. ;)

[RadioRaheem84]

I don't know what capitalists expect us to do when they tell us to stop leaching off of capitalism? Live in a log cabin? Look you cannot escape capitalism. It is all pervasive. Even in so called "socialist" countries. The contradictions have just been nationalized, that's all.

The only way to live is to not give into the excesses of capitalist life. Marxism has taught me to avoid the trappings capitalism sets up for the weaker of society. It has actually helped me out for the better.

[ComradeMan]

Hey comrades, first post on here.

I wanted to know if any of you are managing to go about your life without coughing up to our capitalist pimps.

Not that easy, afterall we are all government employees when it comes to the taxes we pay.:)

I have quit smoking tobacco as the money goes to capitalists.

Although smoking is bad for your health (I should know) you could buy fair-trade tobacco or grow your own even!!!

I havent ate take away, brand food, consumed alcohol or had any clothes for months as most shops store products made by the likes of nestle or sony or macdonalds or nike that add to globe dominating creeps like these controlling us and burying us in a grave of consumerism , but i am not able to bypass capitalism completely.

Well, some of what you are saying is good for your health if nothing else. Again, stick with fair trade stuff. But find out exactly what you are doing and who you are against. But I do agree with your point, I would no more expect a person conscious of global issues to be in McDonalds as I would expect a rabbi to be seen eating a bacon sandwich... there is a conflict of values.

How much do you have to hand over to capitalism, and does it bother you.

You don't need to hand over that much if you don't want. But it does irk me when there are no choices. What irks me the most is when I buy something that is "Made in Italy" to find out that the only Italian thing about it is the label and that most of the production has taken place in a far eastern sweatshop. (Under Italian law a garment or whatever only has to be "finished" in Italy in order for it to be "Made in Italy".)

I know it sounds utopian but if all the people who were against the Iraq war had refused to buy petrol for a month, taking their bike, the train, the bus, the tram or even walking to work things might have worked out differently.

Let's not knock "tiny acts of subversiveness" like this! :)

I must say you seem rather angry about a lot of things. Anger is not a healthy emotion my friend... clouds your aim! :)

[Sugar Hill Kevis]

The point is to overthrow capitalism, not isolate yourself from it. Smoke, drink and eat good food.

[Invincible Summer]

Although smoking is bad for your health (I should know) you could buy fair-trade tobacco or grow your own even!!!

[...]

Well, some of what you are saying is good for your health if nothing else. Again, stick with fair trade stuff.

Fair trade isn't ALL that "fair."


But find out exactly what you are doing and who you are against. But I do agree with your point, I would no more expect a person conscious of global issues to be in McDonalds as I would expect a rabbi to be seen eating a bacon sandwich... there is a conflict of values.

What if I'm conscious of global issues but work for $8/hr and have a child to take care of? What if I'm working 2 jobs and don't have time to cook? Are you going to judge me because the most convenient thing for me is a Big Mac?



I know it sounds utopian but if all the people who were against the Iraq war had refused to buy petrol for a month, taking their bike, the train, the bus, the tram or even walking to work things might have worked out differently.

Let's not knock "tiny acts of subversiveness" like this! :)

Thing is, the subversiveness isn't menial and insignificant if it's actually like 80% of the population doing it, as you're suggesting in your scenario.


I must say you seem rather angry about a lot of things. Anger is not a healthy emotion my friend... clouds your aim! :)
Are you a Jedi or something? Anyways, anger can be good - it can motivate you. You just have to direct it in the right way.

[bricolage]

Anger is a very healthy emotion. If you aren't angry you aren't paying attention. If you aren't angry nothing will change.

[Искра]

I'm reading this threat and I can't believe what I see.

For idiots here who can't read: this is Learning, so when person comes here an asks a question you think it's stupid DON'T POST if you post only to insult him/her/it.

It's funny how people who actually don't have a clue about ideology they "follow" came here to make fun of new member who asked something. Are you happy now? What have you achieved? Go and read about Naxalites and write how MLM's are so active while you haven't moved your ass from computer whole day.

To OP. You can't boycott capitalism as a lot of people noticed. You can only fight to change it. You don't have to feel guilty for using products of MNC's, etc. nor you have to dumpster dive. Buying cheap clothes which is not good you aren't actually boycotting anything. Capitalism is not only about MNC it's work-capital relationship and those cheep stuff you buy etc. are also products of capitalist economy. Boycotting wont save the world, but organised struggle will.

[Mute Fox]

I wanted to know if any of you are managing to go about your life without coughing up to our capitalist pimps.I don't think any of us can manage to go about our lives in a normal fashion without "coughing up" something or other to capitalists or the government. We need food, and clothes, and a place to live, and small comforts to get through each day...and the only way for the majority of us to get these things is by becoming wage-slaves and then spending our wages on capitalist goods. It sucks, but there's no real way to "opt-out" of the system. In fact, I'd say that for you to be able to opt out, you need to save up some capital in the first place - it takes a lot of equipment and training to survive on your own in the wilderness. Who has the time and money to save up for that? (Insert: "middle-class wankers")


I have quit smoking tobacco as the money goes to capitalists.
Quitting smoking is good mostly because it's unhealthy. Even other capitalists and liberals like to bash on them for how "evil" they are compared to the rest of industry, for killing so many people with their product. The truth is, the money you spend will inevitably find it's way to capitalists, if only when the person you gave it to spends it.


I havent ate take away, brand food, consumed alcohol or had any clothes for months as most shops store products made by the likes of nestle or sony or macdonalds or nike that add to globe dominating creeps like these controlling us and burying us in a grave of consumerism , but i am not able to bypass capitalism completely.

Of course you aren't able to bypass capitalism completely - capitalism is everywhere and in everything, it's just an uncomfortable fact of life. Until the day that capitalism as a system is overthrown, there is no way to stop participating in it. I would encourage you to stop trying so hard to not sell out, and concentrate on direct action, do-it-yourself, activism, etc. And of course, don't ever neglect life's pleasures, they're all we have to keep us from going insane or burning out.


How much do you have to hand over to capitalism, and does it bother you.

I personally don't have to hand over much to capitalism, because I'm an invalid who gains his sustenance by serving as a home-maker for my friends...so I'm not the best example of working class independence. You might say I'm the worst example, outside of the bourgeoisie.

That's only my current situation, however; I have worked for wages in the past, and spent them on fast food and clothes and other sundries produced by our capitalists overlords, and it never bothered me, because I had no choice. We all do what we have to to survive. In the meantime, we need to build solidarity, and organize, and otherwise engage in what anarcho-syndicalists might call "revolutionary gymnastics"; that is, our struggles today prepare us for greater struggles tomorrow.

[cyu]

I don't see why the working class has to bypass the productive output of other members of the working class. Why don't capitalists have to bypass the productive output of the working class?