Once becoming class conscious what old beliefs did u let go that surprised u the most

[R_P_A_S]

I'm 29 years old and It wasn't until I was 25 that I started to think differently. By this time I was so embedded and in debt with the system that I found it very difficult to completely let go of some old fashioned traditions and beliefs after I realized that they were harmful to our progress not only as a class but as humanity in general.

Before now I would consider my self a center-left democrat.. But most of all an emotional driven person and very proud of being Mexican. Now 4 years later I can't believe that was me and I'm very surprised on how that Mexican pride has gone away as has most of my emotional driven beliefs like; abortion, afterlife and 9-11 to name a few.

What are some things you had to part ways with that you are surprised about?

[Raúl Duke]

Religion, maybe...

IDK

[R_P_A_S]

Religion, maybe...

IDK

I let go of religion but then I found my self filling in that gap with other "isms" that the left offers and we all know there are tons of those! never again though. I know better.

[GPDP]

I used to be pro-gun control, against the legalization of drugs other than perhaps weed, pro-capital punishment, somewhat pro-life except in cases of rape or when the mother's life is in danger, was Catholic-in-name-only, and thought the U.S. was justified in hunting down Islamic extremists. Out of those, perhaps the one I really shake my head at the most is my support of U.S. imperialism in the ME outside of maybe Iraq.

[The Grey Blur]

i was a pretty fierce irish nationalist with no concept of class politics but socially i was always liberal. then again i've been a marxist since age 15.

[EvilRedGuy]

None. Unlike you guys i have allways been perfect. Communist that is

[HEAD ICE]

I used to give a lot of attention and took pride in my ethnic heritage(Irish and Italian).

[praxis1966]

I'd say religion, but I don't think my recess in faith had very much to do with leftism. Apart from that, I'd definitely have to say belief in party politics. I first began to break with mainstream politics when I was around 16 or 17, but it took me another 7 or 8 years to finally change my registration from SPUSA (which I had been registered as since about the age of 19) to non-partisan/not affiliated.

[Fulanito de Tal]

I started being really cheap. Like I don't buy toilet paper, paper towels, condiments, bottles, etc. I live in Florida and don't use AC. I stopped watching tv. I still watch some shows over the internet like SNL, The Office, and Futurama, but I try my hardest to block commercials through muting and looking away.

Aaaaand, I stopped believing what US news and politicians say. Alan Grayson is the only one I respect. When I read/watch US news, I do so to figure out what the new agenda is in US politics. That's it. I take none off its opinions seriously. They are misguiding on purpose.

[communard71]

I remember growing up surrounded by people who were certain of everything because God was in his heaven and conservative politicians were in control or struggling against evil. Sometimes I miss that cozy, Christmas-Eve feeling that everything is supposed to be a certain way and that nothing good ever really changes. Since childhood though, I’ve seen the bleak reality that most people’s lives are by and large extremely difficult, uncertain, and even dangerous and that ignoring segments of reality to create a traditional reality is criminal. I revel in the world I now see, but it can be depressing.

[Bright Banana Beard]

Stop watching CNN and religion.

[bailey_187]

I started being really cheap. Like I don't buy toilet paper, paper towels, condiments, bottles, etc. I live in Florida and don't use AC. I stopped watching tv. I still watch some shows over the internet like SNL, The Office, and Futurama, but I try my hardest to block commercials through muting and looking away.

Aaaaand, I stopped believing what US news and politicians say. Alan Grayson is the only one I respect. When I read/watch US news, I do so to figure out what the new agenda is in US politics. That's it. I take none off its opinions seriously. They are misguiding on purpose.

oh thats nasty

[Nuvem]

I gave up Taoist philosophy, but not religion. I never adhered to the Taoist religious practices, I just followed its original philosophical and mystical origins which essentially were primitivist and preached inaction. The concept of "the world is perfect and if you try to improve it you will only harm it". Of course that was back when I was a depressed little pubescent asshole and hadn't learned to stop pitying myself. I pretty much knew nothing about actual politics at that time.
I've been a Socialist ever since I actually came to care about or be educated in politics and I believe that Taoist philosophy is the only thing I lost in the transition. Everything else that was dropped from then to now was from a process of aging and maturation and unrelated to my philosophical evolution.

[EvilRedGuy]

I started being really cheap. Like I don't buy toilet paper, paper towels, condiments, bottles, etc. I live in Florida and don't use AC. I stopped watching tv. I still watch some shows over the internet like SNL, The Office, and Futurama, but I try my hardest to block commercials through muting and looking away.

Aaaaand, I stopped believing what US news and politicians say. Alan Grayson is the only one I respect. When I read/watch US news, I do so to figure out what the new agenda is in US politics. That's it. I take none off its opinions seriously. They are misguiding on purpose.

This is the best suggestion ever.

[¿Que?]

I noticed the OP talks about traditions and beliefs. I have changed my beliefs frequently, and I will continue to do so, as I learn new things.

But the real important thing to consider is the traditions since that ties directly into behavior, which itself ties directly into praxis.

I have a lot of bad behaviors I can't seem to shake, in spite of becoming class conscious. I am not a model employee anywhere I go (even if I actually like my job). Why is that? I know that to organize a work site, I have to be a model employee and work twice as hard as everyone else. Why can't I do that? I mean, I know it has to be done. I understand why, how, and even when it is/isn't appropriate to escalate the level of antagonism. But I never reach that level, because I can never live up to the necessary goals to achieve a successful movement.

Who knows?:confused:

[Ele'ill]

I let go of the idea that I am a piece of shit who did something wrong in my life to end up in the various situations that I did.

[Rusty Shackleford]

I dropped american exceptionalism
respect for the police(being class conscious also helps you become aware of the many cases of brutality)
blind love for the military, i replaced it with anti-officers pro-enlisted(class basis, and not for reasons of national interest but revolutionary potential)
Apple pie. i really dont think i have had apple pie in the 2 years i have considered myself a socialist. coincidence?
stopped saying B!tch.
i wasnt really racist or homophobic beforehand though.

[NecroCommie]

My views stopped contradicting each other. It was really scary to notice how batshit insane I had been in the past.

[Quail]

I used to be somewhat pro-life (apart from in exceptional cases) until I realised that everybody finds abortion distasteful and difficult, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing that should be banned. I've obviously also lost any respect for and faith in the police.

I can't remember ever thinking drugs should be banned, or having any trust in mainstream politicians though.

[Comrade Wolfie's Very Nearly Banned Adventures]

I stopped using the word 'u' instead of 'you'.

[Invincible Summer]

Once I stopped being a bigoted fascist I really believed in state-capitalism. I thought it was the best political system and that capitalist gov'ts nationalizing industries was the tops for progress and fairness.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I think I took a lot of frivolous things much more seriously - maybe it was also part of being younger and wanting to "prove" myself. So I had some soft-lifestyleism ideas and kind of an identity politics view of being a worker. I also was much more elitist about culture - you know, bands couldn't be "sell-outs" and movies couldn't be too Hollywood.

Becoming an activist and a radical helped give me some perspective - literally, a historical perspective on things - so I could let go of some unimportant things (like worrying about if a band is a sell-out or not).

[the last donut of the night]

i live in the middle of the oaxaca woods, wear all black, have a mohawk, listen to dead prez, and eat the blood of capitalists

[Obs]

I started being really cheap. Like I don't buy toilet paper,
That how you got your name?

[Invincible Summer]

That how you got your name?

Buy yourself a donut or something that was good

[Fulanito de Tal]

I remember growing up surrounded by people who were certain of everything because God was in his heaven and conservative politicians were in control or struggling against evil. Sometimes I miss that cozy, Christmas-Eve feeling that everything is supposed to be a certain way and that nothing good ever really changes. Since childhood though, I’ve seen the bleak reality that most people’s lives are by and large extremely difficult, uncertain, and even dangerous and that ignoring segments of reality to create a traditional reality is criminal. I revel in the world I now see, but it can be depressing.

I agree. The celebrations that I found to be fun, exciting, and warm when I was young are not anymore.

Here's some psychology for you. If you ask a bunch of people, "Is your self-esteem above average?" a large majority will say yes. How can 70-90% of the population have above average self-esteem? To make sense, the perceptions would have to be near 50%. The theory is that to prevent ourselves from becoming sad and worried all of the time, we come up with self-illusions. We trick ourselves into thinking everything is fine and things will turn out okay. So, some other guys asked a bunch of realistic people, those without self-illusions, some more questions. It turned out that those without self-illusions tend to have more depressive symptoms.

Basically, people that aren't depressed are tricking themselves. Those that are realistic, are depressed. Hence, "ignorance is bliss."

[A Revolutionary Tool]

When I started becoming class conscious(Not communist but class conscious) I stopped using words like "nigga" and "*****"(although I still use that one from time to time) and "gay". My views on social things changed. I mean I used to be one of those fools who used to shout the loudest about how we should nuke Iraq and how stupid it was to be a liberal. Once I gained class consciousness I got a different perspective on the ghettos/inner cities, on race, and on religion.

Now some things seem so trivial. For example when Senior pictures came up and I missed them everybody was freaking out. If I went back to when I was a kid I would have punched myself in the groin for not caring, I really wanted to show my kids my Senior portrait, and my cool Senior quote. But now it's like who fuckin' cares.