"College Pseudo-Revolutionaries:" A Benefit or a Hindrance?

[AlienatedLabor]

If you've been involved in left-wing politics and activism for a while, than I think we can agree that there are two types of people who get involved. On the one hand, you have genuine Socialists/Communists/Anarchists who are part of the movement out of true conviction, principle, and a belief that revolution is necessary to ever truly improve the lot of the people.

On the other hand, there are what I call "pseudo-revolutionaries," and you generally see a lot of them on Western university campuses. They're the middle-class or rich kids who wear Che T-shirts not because they know who he was or what his beliefs were, but because he looks like a hippy rock star and they feel cool and rebellious when they wear it. The ones who call themselves Marxist or Anarchist without ever having read more than one piece of literature (usually only the Communist Manifesto, because everybody knows that), but take the label to look cool and counterculture and impress people of the opposite sex. The types who consider themselves fighters for change because they vote Democrat and go to a few protest marches, and who imagine revolution as little more than some fun, Quixotic, heroic quest where they stick it to the bad guys and maybe someday get their own face on a T-shirt, rather than hard, serious work that would require major sacrifices from everyone involved and isn't about personal glory.

I know I'm generalizing quite a bit, but only because there are quite a lot of young, self-proclaimed leftists who are like this. My question to this board is: how useful are these kids? Are they beneficial, because they raise awareness of leftist causes that could lead to serious revolutionaries joining the cause? Or are they a hindrance to revolutionary movements, because having a bunch of bourgeois kids who couldn't tell you the difference between Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Mao cheapens the cause and makes the revolutionary left look like the domain of Quixotic, immature idealists?

[Victus Mortuum]

The existence of these individuals is largely the fault of the old new left and of the left independent media. At least they are open to radical ideas. The solution is to direct them to resources to allow for them to be properly radicalized. But first you need to have an organization to do that. Thankfully, the SDS is experiencing a comeback, with a more radical tinge - at least it seems.

[Aurorus Ruber]

Better a pseudo-revolutionary than a counter-revolutionary in my opinion. These people obviously have a long way to go, but at least they sympathize with the cause which puts them way ahead of the millions who believe we are planning on destroying civilization and enslaving the world. We ought to introduce them to more substantial works and lines of thought and help them cultivate their left leanings instead of writing them off so hastily.

[Amphictyonis]

Better a pseudo-revolutionary than a counter-revolutionary in my opinion.

But then they graduate and join the well paid work force and "grow up". Seven times out of ten. I've been around a while, seen it happen many times. Then seven times out of ten lower paid wage slaves hold onto right wing positions. At least in America. It's all upsidown and backwards in America. I want out. England maybe France. A tropical Island?

[¿Que?]

In fact, I would say that the fact that they're demonstrating and marching and active in real struggles, makes them more useful than some pedantic blowhard quoting Marx, Engels, Lenin, Mao or whomever, but can't even get off his ass (or high horse) to attend a single speaking tour, demo, march, meeting or what have you.

Sure, you have to kind of know what you are marching for, but so long as they stay away from the press, they're useful.;)

[Raúl Duke]

Either which way, pseudo-revolutionary activists and real revolutionary activists in many cases haven't really done much effective work in my opinion. They both haven't been widely successful here in agitating the masses per se.

The only problem a pseudo-revolutionary would have is putting out a wrong image. But than again, even some real radicals put out an off-putting image so there's a similarity to the damage they do.

However, like Vagoneta said, hey at least they're doing something rather than nothing like some Marxist/etc armchair ideologues do; whether it's effective or not is another question.

[Zanthorus]

I have never even heard of these 'Che T-Shirt wearing pseudo-revolutionaries' outside of people on Revleft complaining about them.

[Magón]

I know I'm generalizing quite a bit, but only because there are quite a lot of young, self-proclaimed leftists who are like this. My question to this board is: how useful are these kids? Are they beneficial, because they raise awareness of leftist causes that could lead to serious revolutionaries joining the cause? Or are they a hindrance to revolutionary movements, because having a bunch of bourgeois kids who couldn't tell you the difference between Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Mao cheapens the cause and makes the revolutionary left look like the domain of Quixotic, immature idealists?

I don't know if you're in Uni, or have been to a Uni campus, or have been to a University where the students have staged protests and sit-ins, but at my school, these pseudo-revolutionaries do actually get things done. Maybe not in the way that we'd like, but there have been plenty of protests and sit-ins at my school, over many things. It's all a matter of whether the Left can reach them, and push them farther into believing that radical actions (or what the administration would see as radical action), is the way to get things done. For example, sit-ins and protests are seen by some school administrations, if not all, to be radical actions that cause them problems and the like.

I think it's pretty unfair that you did generalize seeing how I've gone to a pretty laid back and active when it needs to be school, and student climate, but that's just me. And believe me, if you've ever met a university student, they're hardly middle class rich kids. Most of them are going through student loans and scholarships that weren't paid by their families (unless you're talking Harvard, Yale, etc.), nor are they probably getting school money support from their families, but probably food money since school does take a lot out of your wallet, and leaves little for food.

[gorillafuck]

This whole idea of college kids and the type of people you're talking about not being as "real revolutionary" as other people is basically made up. The actual problem in my opinion among the activism scene (in the United States at least) is that class struggle is often sidelined. Not some made up boogeyman of pseudo-radicals.

[The Idler]

Charlie Gilmour pictured 'trying to set fire to Supreme Court ... (http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CEQQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farti cle-1338187%2FCharlie-Gilmour-pictured-trying-set-Supreme-Court.html&ei=INs9TctKn5KEB87YyLkK&usg=AFQjCNEzh9LZ8FVPqbQIsJMxzkrKvZG-mQ&sig2=RWKOXnsZUg6Nlx20AbvV7g)

[¿Que?]

Charlie Gilmour pictured 'trying to set fire to Supreme Court ... (http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CEQQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farti cle-1338187%2FCharlie-Gilmour-pictured-trying-set-Supreme-Court.html&ei=INs9TctKn5KEB87YyLkK&usg=AFQjCNEzh9LZ8FVPqbQIsJMxzkrKvZG-mQ&sig2=RWKOXnsZUg6Nlx20AbvV7g)
Welcome my son. Welcome, to the machine!!!

[Widerstand]

Look at these fucking pseudo-revolutionary college/university brats just being in it for the chicks:

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/11/10/article-1328385-0C00D6C9000005DC-687_634x414.jpg

http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/nov2010/ademonstratorkicksthe022_1.jpg

http://www.hdg.de/lemo/objekte/pict/KontinuitaetUndWandel_photoTodBennoOhnesorg/index.jpg

http://ais.badische-zeitung.de/piece/00/ed/10/5b/15536219.jpg

http://www.nrhz.de/flyer/media/11909/APO1968_GZint.jpg

http://www.planet-wissen.de/politik_geschichte/deutsche_politik/studentenbewegung/img/notstandsgesetze7_g.jpg

http://www.welt.de/multimedia/archive/00514/ostern_12_kudamm_DW_514817p.jpg

http://www.paz-online.de/var/storage/images/paz/peiner-land/lokalnachrichten/stadt-peine/attentaeter-mit-neonazi-kontakt-in-peine/4428905-1-ger-DE/Attentaeter-mit-Neonazi-Kontakt-in-Peine_ArtikelQuer.jpg

Not doing real, serious work like proper working-class revolutionaries:

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/pic/medium/2/2668.jpg

[Hoipolloi Cassidy]

It is interesting that, even as this discussion goes on, the "privileged" students at the University of Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico being a colony of the United States) are on a long-lasting strike which has led to massive police violence against the students themselves and against reporters...

[Magón]

Look at these fucking pseudo-revolutionary college/university brats just being in it for the chicks:

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/11/10/article-1328385-0C00D6C9000005DC-687_634x414.jpg

Pfft, Those chicks aren't doing anything. They're just watching, getting all hot and bothered by that guy kicking in the glass, who's clearly doing it to impress them. Why would they, of all the other women students, want to get involved with student problems and really try to make a difference for their future? That's just stupid.

[AnarchoCommunistEyepatch]

derpderpderp i can't even post the links from someone elses post

Dear lord. Trying to set fire to the doors with a lighter and newspapers, obvious cheap shot jokes about the SWP aside, has anyone ever considered removing the restriction on posting explosives information just so that such a pathetic attempt is never seen again, plus he might have blown himself up, which clearly would not have been a great loss in this case.:p

[smk]

I think you are missing the point, Staatsfeind. There are huge amounts of genuine leftists and revolutionaries who are 18-25, college age kids. In fact, I wouldn't doubt that they make up a majority of the population of leftists. However, I have seen the pseudo-revolutionaries in action as well. Example:



Political Views: ComMuniSm!! :lol:

They distract people from the realities of socialism, anarchism, or whatever they claim to be. They make it in to a bit of joke.
On the other hand, they could be doing much worse things.
So I am neutral on them.

[Amphictyonis]

This whole idea of college kids and the type of people you're talking about not being as "real revolutionary" as other people is basically made up. The actual problem in my opinion among the activism scene (in the United States at least) is that class struggle is often sidelined. Not some made up boogeyman of pseudo-radicals.

There's no connection between workers and students. Students need to organize and show up for worker struggles more often (in America). I don't see this happening on any meaningful scale. Older more accomplished intellectuals also need to meld with workers, sacrifice some of their silly social position and join the labor force or at least socialize with actual service/industry workers rather than have pat on the back wank fests where there's largely white middle class people voicing their opinions.

[AnarchoCommunistEyepatch]

There's no connection between workers and students. Students need to organize and show up for worker struggles more often (in America). I don't see this happening on any meaningful scale. Older more accomplished intellectuals also need to meld with workers, sacrifice some of their silly social position and join the labor force or at least socialize with actual service/industry workers rather than have pat on the back wank fests where there's largely white middle class people voicing their opinions.

That's a pity, in britain or at least in my bit of britain we often see unions marching with our student protests and the students have been known to join union pickets and send messages of solidarity during occupations.

[Amphictyonis]

That's a pity, in britain or at least in my bit of britain we often see unions marching with our student protests and the students have been known to join union pickets and send messages of solidarity during occupations.

The last I can remember here (as far as huge action) was the WTO protests. There's obviously many small cases to point out but all in all the service and industry workers in America are fractured from the socialist movement. There's no real bond. The capitalist MEDIA system is hard to beat in a 'manufacturing consent' sort of way.

[ComradeAV]

If you've been involved in left-wing politics and activism for a while, than I think we can agree that there are two types of people who get involved. On the one hand, you have genuine Socialists/Communists/Anarchists who are part of the movement out of true conviction, principle, and a belief that revolution is necessary to ever truly improve the lot of the people.

On the other hand, there are what I call "pseudo-revolutionaries," and you generally see a lot of them on Western university campuses. They're the middle-class or rich kids who wear Che T-shirts not because they know who he was or what his beliefs were, but because he looks like a hippy rock star and they feel cool and rebellious when they wear it. The ones who call themselves Marxist or Anarchist without ever having read more than one piece of literature (usually only the Communist Manifesto, because everybody knows that), but take the label to look cool and counterculture and impress people of the opposite sex. The types who consider themselves fighters for change because they vote Democrat and go to a few protest marches, and who imagine revolution as little more than some fun, Quixotic, heroic quest where they stick it to the bad guys and maybe someday get their own face on a T-shirt, rather than hard, serious work that would require major sacrifices from everyone involved and isn't about personal glory.

I know I'm generalizing quite a bit, but only because there are quite a lot of young, self-proclaimed leftists who are like this. My question to this board is: how useful are these kids? Are they beneficial, because they raise awareness of leftist causes that could lead to serious revolutionaries joining the cause? Or are they a hindrance to revolutionary movements, because having a bunch of bourgeois kids who couldn't tell you the difference between Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Mao cheapens the cause and makes the revolutionary left look like the domain of Quixotic, immature idealists?

being a student myself. This is the precise thing I have been trying to avoid being. I have actually educated myself in marxism-leninism, I am ready to make sacrifices and that its not just some tea party. Thanks for bringing this up, I see this in a lot of young students at my school.

[Futility Personified]

I said it to my branch secretary, and i'll say it here. "Revolutionary Socialism has yet to get me laid", I pay my fees so why won't life pay my dues! :lol:

On a serious note I feel they can be problematic if witnessed not having a clue or behaving in a "Citizen Smith" manner. There was an old British TV show about someone fitting into a similar vein of things, instead of being a college lad however he was a layabout. My family enjoy using this moniker on me a lot, despite being 18 and in full time education :S

[black magick hustla]

to attend a single speaking tour, demo, march, meeting or what have you.



ok 99.9 percent of speaking tours, demos, and march meetings are worthless and this is the worst suggestion ever

i have my criticism of campus politics but the che shirt wearing dope smoking revolutionist or whatever is a conservative caricature that i've never met

[Metacomet]

I think everyone has to start somewhere.

Personally I wish there were more people like that when I was in school. Mostly everyone i went to school with (small state school) was either apathetic to anything outside of their own lives, or a gung-ho wannabe cop.