Should I be openly communist in College?

[RedMarxist]

I'm as some of you may know, a teenager, who will soon in about 2 years go off to college. I have recently become a radical for about a year now, digesting every radical text I could find on the internet or in book form at my local library. I've become disillusioned by my parents lack of respect, the revolutions occurring worldwide(esp. Greece), and the huge inequality that I've become aware of in Capitalism.

I am growing up in a, and I am not ashamed to admit this, an upper middle class family. Yet I feel sick-sick that we are well off while the rest suffer. I knew this girl from school for example who is very impoverished, financially wise. We were rather close, and the things she told me about her life/situation that I will not get into made me resent everything I thought I knew about American society. You know-I think she liked me.

I feel like a caged bird here. I don't want to keep my beliefs a secret. I want to contribute in college to furthering my cause. My personal cause that I know I must work towards. I want to change the world in small ways. I want to end this system of exploitation in the end. I'm not a megalomaniac of course, but I want my Marxist beliefs to shine through. Is it at all possible to start something like a Marxist group meeting or something amongst the campus? Not just a meeting, but a revolutionary organization: grassroots democracy(student democracy), challenging of campus authority, protests, etc?

I know this will ruin my life for four years of college, but I feel like I must do something. The world is a dead place for me otherwise. Jesus Christ, I know this may sound loony, but I want to destroy capitalism in America.

Too many Marxists sit there, debate theory, yet DO nothing.

I feel powerless. I'm not a violent person, but if its a guerrilla war it will take, then it shall be. Anything to make the average person's life better. Would she not be so poor if it weren't for capitalist exploitation? I will say she is part of an immigrant family. Why is it that people claim you can rise up along a nonexistent economic ladder and become wealthy while in reality only 1% of the population has actually done that(American dream)? I wan this-exploitation to end. It makes me sick to my stomach. What should I do?

And now the rant/cry for help is over.

[thesadmafioso]

You do not need to fight in some dramatic 'guerrilla war' to advocate for Marxist thought and its implementation. Something like starting a group on campus is a far more reasonable and realistic option though, from there you could plan protests and possibly get involved with already existing organizations which share your ideals. Most universities have plenty of opportunities for protest, as most do not grant the average student much say in their proceedings, so you could surely organize something along those lines.

Even if you don't choose to engage in activism like that, you can still serve as an advocate for Marxism beyond that context though. You don't necessarily need to limit yourself to the grand role of the revolutionary agitator to be a Marxist, theory still holds a significant role in the process.

[ZeroNowhere]

Realize your insignificance to the universe and to infinity.

[Sensible Socialist]

If you want to do something, then do it. No one is stopping you. If there is a group on campus that is dedicated to left-wing politics, or even social justice (SDS, human rights clubs), join it and steer the focus onto the problems of capitalism.

Don't buy a gun and try to stage the revolution from a dorm room. It doesn't work like that.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

I'm as some of you may know, a teenager, who will soon in about 2 years go off to college. I have recently become a radical for about a year now, digesting every radical text I could find on the internet or in book form at my local library. I've become disillusioned by my parents lack of respect, the revolutions occurring worldwide(esp. Greece), and the huge inequality that I've become aware of in Capitalism.

I am growing up in a, and I am not ashamed to admit this, an upper middle class family. Yet I feel sick-sick that we are well off while the rest suffer. I knew this girl from school for example who is very impoverished, financially wise. We were rather close, and the things she told me about her life/situation that I will not get into made me resent everything I thought I knew about American society. You know-I think she liked me.

I feel like a caged bird here. I don't want to keep my beliefs a secret. I want to contribute in college to furthering my cause. My personal cause that I know I must work towards. I want to change the world in small ways. I want to end this system of exploitation in the end. I'm not a megalomaniac of course, but I want my Marxist beliefs to shine through. Is it at all possible to start something like a Marxist group meeting or something amongst the campus? Not just a meeting, but a revolutionary organization: grassroots democracy(student democracy), challenging of campus authority, protests, etc?

I know this will ruin my life for four years of college, but I feel like I must do something. The world is a dead place for me otherwise. Jesus Christ, I know this may sound loony, but I want to destroy capitalism in America.

Too many Marxists sit there, debate theory, yet DO nothing.

I feel powerless. I'm not a violent person, but if its a guerrilla war it will take, then it shall be. Anything to make the average person's life better. Would she not be so poor if it weren't for capitalist exploitation? I will say she is part of an immigrant family. Why is it that people claim you can rise up along a nonexistent economic ladder and become wealthy while in reality only 1% of the population has actually done that(American dream)? I wan this-exploitation to end. It makes me sick to my stomach. What should I do?

And now the rant/cry for help is over.

I don't know where you live geographically but you may want to attend a college that has an activist scene. UMass/Amherst is one of the few US colleges with a Marxist presence. There are other schools with a leftist community perhaps people on this forum could mention.Shop around for a school with a leftist tradition.

There are socialist and anarchist and activist groups with a presence on US colleges although they may be easier to find in more or less "liberal" areas of the US.

Shop around and find an organization you feel you can work with. What group provides the best training to be an activist? Which group's historical tradition makes the most sense to you? What organization has the best approach to labor issues?

In the meantime read and study as much as you can.

[Ocean Seal]

I am growing up in a, and I am not ashamed to admit this, an upper middle class family.
You're problem lies here. The fact that you're upper middle class means that you've been surrounded by upper middle class people, who all believe that climbing the social ladder is possible--because from the vantage point of the upper middle class, it is far more realistic. Try to go somewhere where there is a working class/ working-poor environment. You'll be surprised at how inspiring it is. You'll wonder why they haven't started the revolution knowing what they know. And often they want to learn and hear about socialism. They might not organize but having open ears just sometimes makes you feel good.

Just relax, bro. The revolution can't be willed into existence, you need to keep a calm mind and that's how you'll bring people over.

[Hebrew Hammer]

Rule no. 1: Real Communists keep their mouths shut. ;)

[AnonymousOne]

Pro-tip: Don't bring it up. The less people know about your political activity the better.

[thesadmafioso]

If you want some source material for potential university based issues to take up and how to approach them from a socialist perspective, here are some first hand reports on the Soviet educational system taken by some reporters from the New York Times in 1967. I find that they make for an interesting juxtaposition to the state of the American educational system and the atmosphere which dominates it. They denote an entirely different philosophy in education, from one driven by the students to one driven by the institutions.


“The Soviet Union is proud of the low cost of books, and even the most pro-American Russians shake their heads in disapproval when they spy the price on an American book’s dust jacket.”

“The students generally were pleased with the powers they enjoy in the administration of the university. The Student Soviet (council) has almost unlimited powers over student affairs, including the determination of the amount of student stipends. Students sit on the admissions committee, may ask the administration to add or eliminate courses or lectures, and may bring teachers up on charges of poor instruction.”

“The overall impression one gains from such discussions is that these young intellectuals are generally pleased with their personal status- they stressed that on completion of their studies all of them are guaranteed job placement”

Source: Salisbury, Harrison E. Anatomy of the Soviet Union;. London: Nelson, 1967. Print.

[RedMarxist]

don't bring it up? So essentially I should be a secret Marxist? Don't stand up for what you believe in? "Good advice"

I have seen how people in working class/lower class parts of the city live. I used to live in Nashville, TN, where we used to deliver food the the needy. Older folks lived in run down houses barely bigger then an apartment or so it seemed, requiring food donations just to live.

The girl I told you about-typical working class immigrant status. I will tell you a little bit more: her father was arrested by the police for being "illegal". He was a construction worker and was sent back to Mexico. She is legally a citizen along with her mother however.

No, this is not right. Other people I know speak of the American dream as if everyone can obtain it. I lived in a region called 'Brentwood', the richest country in Nashville, if not the state.

I encountered: rampant racism, white supremacy(a super-wealthy family refused to allow blacks on their land, they owned a lake you could go to and rent out cabins.) the working poor, etc.

I remember my mother telling me about how it is the wealthy family's LEGAL choice to bar blacks from their land, and you can't do anything about it.

Why not take that land from them? make it public, eh? do racists deserve to be rich? NO! This was the most racist, oppressive family I've ever encountered. Christ, talk about the master white race!

so, yes I've been exposed to the oppressed classes, the proletariat. I want to help them rise up, to start a virtual socialist revolution. I don't want to buy a gun and kill people(its murder and I'm not insane). I want to educate them through a Marxist organization on campus. I want to change this world.

Hell, just look at this mod I made for a computer game:

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?539095-Upcoming-Mod-A-World-To-Win&

even there, I've been assaulted for my open beliefs on an internet forum. Just read some of the posts. People not jack about socialism.

[Hebrew Hammer]

There is nothing wrong with getting active and what not but like Anon said, the less people know about your political activities, the better. It's better that way.

Loose lips, sink ships.

[Ocean Seal]

Pro-tip: Don't bring it up. The less people know about your political activity the better.
Ok this leaves me a bit confused. How is it a good thing for people not to know about a person's revolutionary politics when revolutionary politics specifically require the people to take an important part in their emancipation. We can't win without the people.

[thesadmafioso]

There is nothing wrong with getting active and what not but like Anon said, the less people know about your political activities, the better. It's better that way.

Loose lips, sink ships.

So we make political gains by not talking about the politics which we seek to apply to society? Everything about that concept runs contrary to the most fundamental concepts of leftist movements. How are we to win the support of the workers and apply their efforts towards moving society out of the muck of capitalism if they do not know what we even stand for?

[RedMarxist]

me again. I guess people are too scared to admit they are communists, especially in America. Well, I won't confine myself to lying to people. I want to model my organization after true democracy, like in Greece.

Students will make demands on the administration, students can vote on issues and how to conduct protests etc. I really hope this a possible endeavor.

furthermore, I'd hope to link campuses through a tight network of assemblies. They would serve counter to the berocratic administration. Maybe this is just some insane fantasy of a Marxist, but its worth a shot.

[Hebrew Hammer]

Ok this leaves me a bit confused. How is it a good thing for people not to know about a person's revolutionary politics when revolutionary politics specifically require the people to take an important part in their emancipation. We can't win without the people.

Yeah, that sounds good and all however I don't think it would be very helpful to have people know about your political affiliations and activities for security reasons. I mean, if the college, gov't, police, whoever, etc. could easily find out this info or something, they could easily start targeting people. I don't think it's best to be like "I'm fucking Communist damnt," like, the Cold War may be over but capitalists still aren't down with Marx, dig?


So we make political gains by not talking about the politics which we seek to apply to society? Everything about that concept runs contrary to the most fundamental concepts of leftist movements. How are we to win the support of the workers and apply their efforts towards moving society out of the muck of capitalism if they do not know what we even stand for?

Spreading information to other workers is one thing, being openly Communist in college, keeping your books in that fancy Mao bag and other such things, which is what I thought this thread was about, is another.

[Chairman Mike]

Bear in mind that if you are open about your views in college, a lot of students will probably just look at you and think you're one of those students who got all fired up from some political science class and decided you wanted to change things. Of course, people who think like that would rather watch television, go to some frat party and drink, or just generally think Marxism is retarded. If you do take any political courses, find some people who share your views and discuss it with them. When I was in college, a few of us would get together and post flyers about Marxism on the back of bathroom stall doors. That way people would be forced to look at it while sitting on the can.

[RedMarxist]

good idea. will put posters on the stalls lol.

Is it possible, and im serious, to organize an entire campus based around assemblies, to challenge the administration?

I'm pretty good with gimp and Photoshop. If you live in Georgia, expect to see protest posters all over your bathroom stalls. Revolution through Red Power!

[Forward Union]

war it will take, then it shall be. Anything to make the average person's life better.

Would you be prepared to do anything? Even decades of hard work and organising? building Union branches and Community groups, campaign on mundane issues and build national an international contacts, both personal and formal? Some people say that would be prepared to do whatever it takes, but I'm not so sure they can live up to these words.

Rather than run to an abstract debate about Marxism vs Capitalism, why not attempt to organise a community campaign against over-prices rents, against a family being evicted, or a woman with a child not getting proper benefits. Any issue like this can ignite public opinion against landlords - who are after all section of the ruling class.

You will quickly find, that you are stepping on the toes of a legion of other activists and individuals, who you should try to get in touch with and work for - before you jump to the conclusion that because there isn't an insurrectionary guerilla peasant army in a post-industrial first world suburb that no one is doing anything.

[RedMarxist]

don't know. Lets wait and see if I'm prepared for organizing. Look, im serious here. What would it take to organize your college campus through people's assemblies?

Would the administration even allow it? is it possible?

[thesadmafioso]

Yeah, that sounds good and all however I don't think it would be very helpful to have people know about your political affiliations and activities for security reasons. I mean, if the college, gov't, police, whoever, etc. could easily find out this info or something, they could easily start targeting people. I don't think it's best to be like "I'm fucking Communist damnt," like, the Cold War may be over but capitalists still aren't down with Marx, dig?



Spreading information to other workers is one thing, being openly Communist in college, keeping your books in that fancy Mao bag and other such things, which is what I thought this thread was about, is another.

I don't see how you came to view this thread in such a dim and aesthetic driven light, as RedMarxist seems to be focused largely on the finer details of organizing a campus. I can't recall an instance where anyone spoke of leftist apparel and other frivolous subjects up to this point.

[Hebrew Hammer]

I don't see how you came to view this thread in such a dim and aesthetic driven light, as RedMarxist seems to be focused largely on the finer details of organizing a campus. I can't recall an instance where anyone spoke of leftist apparel and other frivolous subjects up to this point.

Yeah, that was a joke, simmer down.

[Lacrimi de Chiciură]

I have to disagree with what was said above. The more people know about your political activity, the better. And that doesn't mean that people have to know about your personal activities either.

You may face repression for your organizing. You may be thrown in jail or assassinated. Employers may not hire you. But you also have rights guaranteed by the constitution. You have a right to free speech in this country. Now, we may know that to be something of a farce, but when you fail to exercise it you are basically forfeiting those rights. It has been necessary for activists facing COINTELPRO and other instruments of state repression to go underground or into exile abroad, and it may be necessary for some individuals in the future. But the answer to this repression isn't to hide; it's to build even stronger movements capable of withstanding this repression.

[RedMarxist]

damn right. I'm being open, I'm organizin', all throughout college. The administration may try to beat me down, the CIA may try to blow me away with a silenced pistol(lol, fat chance), but I'm preparin' students and workers for revolushun.

But seriously, silence is the worst thing you could do. I want to be open about my beliefs. I will post posters on the stalls, on the bathroom mirror, on the urinals, on the crapper lid, on the urinal cake etc. You can't escape Marxism when I'm in town.

[Sun at Eight]

Writing as an older person, if you go to a public state school in a large city, you will have the best material base from which to do activism (just something to think about in terms of which school you pick). You could also save some money with in-state tuition.

Another misconception that teen Marxists on RevLeft sometimes have is the idea that they will have to be the prophet crying in the wilderness, that they will have to be the left's messiah and that no one at their campus or in their area has thought about radical organizing before. Seek out the radicals on campus, whether in Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), collectives, sects, or more typically unaffiliated but involved in progressive campaigns. Don't get too hung up on the Marxist label. You need to actually examine the state of the radical left on your campus or in the area it is located before you can decide what you are going to say or do. I'm not saying that you won't have to build up and start things by yourself, but make that "your" plural by finding other people (easier in cities).

Finally, this advice goes for anywhere you organize: if you start to resist or attack something that is close to the university administration's heart, like its treatment of food services workers or the actions of prominent donors, prepare to get the harshest attack, especially when it comes to rich donors. If you seem to actually be organizing students for something concrete, there can be serious consequences. Prepare to become acquainted with the Student Code of Conduct or similar things. They would love if you restrained your activity to a nice debate about "capitalism vs socialism". Investigate your university and its undemocratic administration's practices. Investigate your city or area and find out what their struggles are. Do not let the university or college struggles become separated from the struggles of the area around it.

[AnonymousOne]

damn right. I'm being open, I'm organizin', all throughout college. The administration may try to beat me down, the CIA may try to blow me away with a silenced pistol(lol, fat chance), but I'm preparin' students and workers for revolushun.

But seriously, silence is the worst thing you could do. I want to be open about my beliefs. I will post posters on the stalls, on the bathroom mirror, on the urinals, on the crapper lid, on the urinal cake etc. You can't escape Marxism when I'm in town.

Then why the fuck did you ask us if you already had your mind made up?

[Tommy4ever]

But seriously, silence is the worst thing you could do. I want to be open about my beliefs. I will post posters on the stalls, on the bathroom mirror, on the urinals, on the crapper lid, on the urinal cake etc. You can't escape Marxism when I'm in town.

Toilets are our portal to Revolution!

Let us flush away the old society and dump our new socialist revolution in its place!

[Hebrew Hammer]

Then why the fuck did you ask us if you already had your mind made up?

Bloody idealists.

[RedMarxist]

ever heard of a joke?

Bloody idealist? I'm a fucking teenager. Of course I will be an idealist. Go eat your plum pudding you Brit!

Thanks Sun at Eight for the nice advice. I will follow it.

[28350]

communists disdain to conceal their aims

...but it's probably a bad idea unless you're confident in your understanding of Marx.

[Lucretia]

Just remember that changing minds is almost as difficult as changing institutions. I am delighted to see you have ambition, but you should realize that colleges are still places that perform class-related functions. It was that way decades ago when I was in college, and though it's not as pronounced as what you're probably experiencing in high school, be aware that if you start openly advocating the abolition of class, some powerful people in the institution you're attending might not be particularly happy about it. To say the least. You'll also probably confront many apolitical and downright apathetic peers (unlike when I was in college). If you go into this environment thinking you'll hold people's assemblies and inspire a campus wide transformation, the difficulty youll confront in making progress will suck the wind right out of your sails.

The message I think most people here are trying to give you is to live out your commitment, yes, but to be patient, measured, and realistic in the process.

[RedMarxist]

I think I have a pretty good understanding of Marxism. Oh, and just for the record, and I think I should admit this, but I suffer from, well, Autism. I admit it. Harass me all you want, I think this will seriously affect me in College and when I get a job, if I can that is.

I've been told I'm "High-Functioning", what ever that means. Sometimes I worry that I may be crazy:confused:(We've all heard about insane autistic people here), but I hope that is not the case. I seem to suffer from some sort of paranoia(schizophrenia???)

but not in a government wants to get me kind of way. But in people may be saying things about me way. When i was a child I was bullied and outright betrayed by my closed friends I knew for years and years who turned on me in the 5th grade(why I will never know). I admire that one of them apologized. anyways,

I have empathy, can express emotions just fine, and care for people and animals. I have several friends at school and get decent grades, and the opinion of me it seems is solid. I'm not a recluse, I attend clubs at school and play guitar/learn from an instructor(or will soon).

Look, I know I know. this is a "cry for help thread". What I never said was I think that girl(whose name I wont disclose) was crying for help too. The things she told me were private, it was almost unnerving. Why she told me those things I will never know. I remember one day she...patted me on the shoulder and started to get really physical at infrequent periods in the year. it was so weird and sudden.:blushing:

whatever your opinion of me may be, I just want you to know that I've made Marxism my purpose in life. My friends/family may find it bullshit and make jokes about it, but so what.

Peace.;)

[Kuppo Shakur]

Pretty sure what everyone here is saying is don't be one of those lifestylists, in it for the look and shit. Just don't introduce yourself as [Joe] the Commie, and you can get away with posting however many fliers you want in the restroom. Lol at that btw.

[Hebrew Hammer]

I think I have a pretty good understanding of Marxism. Oh, and just for the record, and I think I should admit this, but I suffer from, well, Autism. I admit it. Harass me all you want, I think this will seriously affect me in College and when I get a job, if I can that is.

No one is going to harass you for having autism, had you not said anything, I would have never known, who cares?

[RedMarxist]

me..again. I really need a life lol. Concerning that girl, really what is up with her? I must be gay[kidding] or something? Why was she constantly violating my personal space, and telling me these stories about poverty, arrests, and just how shitty her life as an immigrant is?

Why so personal around me? Can anyone drop me a hint here?:confused:

I mean Jesus, she once stroked my hair, which I think qualifies as molestation or something.

she wanted me to show her where my locker was once. she did this by rapidly proceeding to offer me her pen after she had no pencils, practically panicking dropping said pen when i refused.(i should have agreed)

[Fopeos]

I'm from rural Pennsylvania. My family's always been working class. I've been frustrated and wanted action now. Fact is, we've got to work toward revolution within pretty narrow channels. Find other Marxists in your area. Join workers on picket lines. Keep reading. There have been a lot of highly motivated marxists who have thrown their lives away in the jungles of latin america because they read Che's "guerilla warfare" and underestimated the strength of their native capitalists.
We have to organize. We have to utilize the political space available to us within the laws of the countries we're living in. Most importantly, always take the moral high-ground. You can be a communist without wearing red stars and shouting Marx from a soapbox.

[Bronco]

I'm pretty secretive about my views, I might make statements that would allude to an Anarchistic belief but apart from close friends I wouldn't really want to introduce myself as an Anarchist, it's not worth the hassle

[RedMarxist]

People actually went to Colombia to fight for FARC?

Wow. It's not worth it one bit. But like I said, I'm not being secretive. I'm being open in college.

now about that girl...

[thesadmafioso]

People actually went to Colombia to fight for FARC?

Wow. It's not worth it one bit. But like I said, I'm not being secretive. I'm being open in college.

now about that girl...

Well, I would suggest posting about your situation with this girl in non political, you will probably get more direct results there.

But to quickly touch on the matter, it would appear that she likes you. Opening up to you with personal experiences, touching of the hair, nervous actions, all are rather obvious signs.

[RedMarxist]

so ok, concerning an older post. You can get kicked off campus if you organize students/campus workers against admin bullying/low wages/etc?

So if I say, 'unionized' campus, I'd be liable to be kicked off campus for doing a good and noble thing?

If I protested against wealthy doners for X reason, I am liable to be kicked off campus?

If I do anything-I am liable to be kicked off campus?


How undemocratic is that! It's not even fair, but as they say, nothing is fair, right?

[Susurrus]

Dude, rock on. With action-oriented attitudes like these, we may well see the red flag rise. :)

For the serious part, I would advocate for now sticking to propaganda(that is, spreading information about communism is and why it should be) and propaganda of the deed(not terrorism, but direct action to help people). IE Talk the revolutionary talk and walk the revolutionary walk.

Edit: on the union idea, I would perhaps suggest making it somewhat underground, or leaderless in order to avoid crackdowns. Also, maybe when it begins to organize, organize away from the institution, but somewhere the students can get to easily.

[o well this is ok I guess]

Depends on your major, I'd say.
There's always at least one poli sci prof who'd like nothing more than to talk all day with you about Marxism (and probably teaches a class on it, at that).
Though I doubt you'd get much sympathy majoring in, say, Business.

[RedMarxist]

I was going to get my major(or at least a minor) in History. I aspire to be an alternative history writer. I was also going to study creative writing as well.

So, how easy/hard would it be to form an independent student union based around true democracy?

official ones where are live function via representative democracy, and are linked to the administration.

I was thinking of electing student delegates, with a campus people's assembly to represent the students. An assembly leader would/could be recallable at any time by the students. The assembly would be the voice of the student, we'd put flyers everywhere, make a newspaper, etc.

[Pretty Flaco]

I am growing up in a, and I am not ashamed to admit this, an upper middle class family.

Be a class traitor, ya goddamn rich fuck. :rolleyes:

Some well to do people are proletarians. Like a friend of mine her dad is a doctor and her mom is a doctor too. But they are proletarian in their relation to capital... but still make some nice cash. ;)

[RedMarxist]

Be a class traitor, ya goddamn rich fuck. :rolleyes:

Some well to do people are proletarians. Like a friend of mine her dad is a doctor and her mom is a doctor too. But they are proletarian in their relation to capital... but still make some nice cash. ;)

class traitor? You may be joking, but I'm confused. I'm betraying my class because I decided to strive for worker/student rights, help the poor, etc?

I, in truth, don't give a damn. I'd die before supporting the rich. And I'm not rich either. I'm "well off"

please, answer my question. Could you form an independent student union based around True Democracy?

I am proletarian, as I'm aware of capitalist exploitation and am against the super rich/regular rich. I'm into, or soon will be, into organizing, will help the poor, and oppose capitalism.

[The Dark Side of the Moon]

i don't see why not, if there in college, then they should be decently smart

[Tim Finnegan]

I am proletarian, as I'm aware of capitalist exploitation and am against the super rich/regular rich.

Huh? :confused:


i don't see why not, if there in college, then they should be decently smart
Academic success doesn't imply political conciousness. (Hell, it only implies intelligence to a limited extent; there are far too many environmental and structural factors at play to assume any A = B about it.)

[thesadmafioso]

class traitor? You may be joking, but I'm confused. I'm betraying my class because I decided to strive for worker/student rights, help the poor, etc?

I, in truth, don't give a damn. I'd die before supporting the rich. And I'm not rich either. I'm "well off"

please, answer my question. Could you form an independent student union based around True Democracy?

I am proletarian, as I'm aware of capitalist exploitation and am against the super rich/regular rich. I'm into, or soon will be, into organizing, will help the poor, and oppose capitalism.


You do not need to be a member of the proletarian class to play a part in their struggle. If anything you are only making this process more difficult for yourself by attempting to falsely apply the term to yourself, as it prevents you from actively fighting the bourgeois elements of your socialization due to the fact that you do not recognize their existence.

I would recommend that you take a look at Althrusser's piece on applying the philosophy of Marxism to the mind of the bourgeois in order to combat any subversion which it may of enacted upon your process of thought.


It is not easy to become a Marxist-Leninist philosopher. Like every ‘intellectual’, a philosophy teacher is a petty bourgeois. When he opens his mouth, it is petty-bourgeois ideology that speaks: its resources and ruses are infinite.

You know what Lenin says about ‘intellectuals’. Individually certain of them may (politically) be declared revolutionaries, and courageous ones. But as a mass, they remain ‘incorrigibly’ petty-bourgeois in ideology. Gorky himself was, for Lenin, who admired his talents, a petty-bourgeois revolutionary. To become ‘ideologists of the working class’ (Lenin), ‘organic intellectuals’ of the proletariat (Gramsci), intellectuals have to carry out a radical revolution in their ideas: a long, painful and difficult re-education. An endless external and internal struggle.

Proletarians have a ‘class instinct’ which helps them on the way to proletarian ‘class positions’. Intellectuals, on the contrary, have a petty-bourgeois class instinct which fiercely resists this transition.

You know what Lenin says about ‘intellectuals’. Individually certain of them may (politically) be declared revolutionaries, and courageous ones. But as a mass, they remain ‘incorrigibly’ petty-bourgeois in ideology. Gorky himself was, for Lenin, who admired his talents, a petty-bourgeois revolutionary. To become ‘ideologists of the working class’ (Lenin), ‘organic intellectuals’ of the proletariat (Gramsci), intellectuals have to carry out a radical revolution in their ideas: a long, painful and difficult re-education. An endless external and internal struggle.

Proletarians have a ‘class instinct’ which helps them on the way to proletarian ‘class positions’. Intellectuals, on the contrary, have a petty-bourgeois class instinct which fiercely resists this transition.

A proletarian class position is more than a mere proletarian ‘class instinct’. It is the consciousness and practice which conform with the objective reality of the proletarian class struggle. Class instinct is subjective and spontaneous. Class position is objective and rational. To arrive at proletarian class positions, the class instinct of proletarians only needs to be educated ; the class instinct of the petty bourgeoisie, and hence of intellectuals, has, on the contrary, to be revolutionized. This education and this revolution are, in the last analysis, determined by proletarian class struggle conducted on the basis of the principles of Marxist-Leninist theory.

As the Communist Manifesto says, knowledge of this theory can help certain intellectuals to go over to working class positions.



Source: http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/althusser/1968/philosophy-as-weapon.htm

[Post-Something]

Don't be "open" about being a "communist" in college. People think you're annoying and it doesn't really help. If you want to do something join an organization and read books, but don't go around debating everyone you see about private property and Russia. Believe me there will be loads of others like you so don't worry about finding people sympathetic to your views, just stick to yourself about it, and if the issue comes up stand your ground.

[Die Rote Fahne]

Always be openly communist. Except to relatives...you have to see them more than once. You don't graduate from your family.

[The Dark Side of the Moon]

Don't be "open" about being a "communist" in college. People think you're annoying and it doesn't really help. If you want to do something join an organization and read books, but don't go around debating everyone you see about private property and Russia. Believe me there will be loads of others like you so don't worry about finding people sympathetic to your views, just stick to yourself about it, and if the issue comes up stand your ground.
why not? haters can hate, capitals will be capitals, communist will be communist. wear a hammer and sickle, worst thing worst, you get attacked by the local Neo-Nazis and fascists (or you can attack them)

[Post-Something]

why not? haters can hate, capitals will be capitals, communist will be communist. wear a hammer and sickle, worst thing worst, you get attacked by the local Neo-Nazis and fascists (or you can attack them)

Because like I said, its really annoying to have somebody with all this revolutionary chic mouthing off to everyone they see about how great the communist future will be when we're all treated as one blah blah blah. Be a communist in your actions and save the lectures for your closest friends who'll put up with you despite being irritating. This whole idea of spreading the word is really overrated. You're in the US ffs.

[Blackburn]

You could always..... get a job and really understand the class struggle.
I'm not talking about a job, where you still live at home and parents support you.

Go work at the supermarket or McDonalds flipping burgers and pay rent, and be independent.

Skip college.

Then we'll know how baddass you are.

Then after 6-8 months in a job that pays nothing, living in a crappy apartment, with a cheap tv from Wallmart as your only social life you can afford..... then you can formulate how much of a baddass Communist you'll be.

[Post-Something]

You could always..... get a job and really understand the class struggle.
I'm not talking about a job, where you still live at home and parents support you.

Go work at the supermarket or McDonalds flipping burgers and pay rent, and be independent.

Skip college.

Then we'll know how baddass you are.

Then after 6-8 months in a job that pays nothing, living in a crappy apartment, with a cheap tv from Wallmart as your only social life you can afford..... then you can formulate how much of a baddass Communist you'll be.

You're a terrible influence :thumbup1:

[RedMarxist]

gee, Will do.

Is this because my family is "rich"? If I was a poor person it'd be OK to be communist, but not when your in a well to do family?

I can't be against capitalism and have middle class parents? I'm sorry I was born to parents who have money, I can't help that.

I'm a communist because I am against capitalist exploitation, believe in the gospel of Marx and Engels, and I don't give a damn about my parent's social status.

Fine, I will get my family to sell off all of their possessions and go live on the street begging for soup from a homeless shelter. Does that make me proletarian?

Its not my fault I came out a well to do mother's uterus. Oh and by the way, she grew up poor in Iowa in a low class town to low class parents. Blame my dad then for marrying her. Because he was LOWER middle class. I hate to say it, but he worked hard and made some money.

Just because I want to start some underground crap doesn't mean I'll start wearing a hammer and sickle shirt, watch, pants, shoes, and bandana while shouting into a megaphone to overthrow capitalism.


NO, I'm fucking serious here. I'm organizing my campus, or joining an already existing group. I'm joining protests, passing out brochures or flyers.

[Pretty Flaco]

What are your parent's jobs?
I'm just curious.

[Tim Finnegan]

You could always..... get a job and really understand the class struggle.
I'm not talking about a job, where you still live at home and parents support you.

Go work at the supermarket or McDonalds flipping burgers and pay rent, and be independent.

Skip college.

Then we'll know how baddass you are.

Then after 6-8 months in a job that pays nothing, living in a crappy apartment, with a cheap tv from Wallmart as your only social life you can afford..... then you can formulate how much of a baddass Communist you'll be.
Poverty fetishism is just factory fetishism in a bad mood. :p


I'm a communist because I am against capitalist exploitation, believe in the gospel of Marx and Engels, and I don't give a damn about my parent's social status.
Exactly the wrong word there, I'm afraid. :blink:

[Blackburn]

Blame my dad then for marrying her. Because he was LOWER middle class. I hate to say it, but he worked hard and made some money.

Now we are getting to the bottom of it. Strip away all the books and theory, and what do we have. The number 1 Capitalist apology. He worked hard, he deserves it.

You are very defensive and extreme, but that's because you are young. Obviously a smart guy.

My real advice: Calm down the radicalness. Take the advantage your privilege affords and get a quality education. Then use that education to help the under privileged.

You will find, that if you spend your time seriously learning, that the real work, beyond college, the stuff that you don't get accolades for...is far more rewarding.

I would think you would learn more if you volunteered in a soup kitchen, instead of organising a liberal college rally wankfest.

[Sixiang]

me..again. I really need a life lol. Concerning that girl, really what is up with her? I must be gay[kidding] or something? Why was she constantly violating my personal space, and telling me these stories about poverty, arrests, and just how shitty her life as an immigrant is?

Why so personal around me? Can anyone drop me a hint here?:confused:

I mean Jesus, she once stroked my hair, which I think qualifies as molestation or something.

she wanted me to show her where my locker was once. she did this by rapidly proceeding to offer me her pen after she had no pencils, practically panicking dropping said pen when i refused.(i should have agreed)

She is obviously attracted to you.


so ok, concerning an older post. You can get kicked off campus if you organize students/campus workers against admin bullying/low wages/etc?

So if I say, 'unionized' campus, I'd be liable to be kicked off campus for doing a good and noble thing?

If I protested against wealthy doners for X reason, I am liable to be kicked off campus?

If I do anything-I am liable to be kicked off campus?


How undemocratic is that! It's not even fair, but as they say, nothing is fair, right?
Advocating unionizing and workers' rights might not get you kicked off campus, because plenty of people in America are pro-union but not necessarily revolutionary or communist. But honestly, most college students aren't slaving away in factories. Many of them are simply that: college students. So talking about unionizing the work force may not necessarily click with them right away.


I was going to get my major(or at least a minor) in History. I aspire to be an alternative history writer. I was also going to study creative writing as well.

So, how easy/hard would it be to form an independent student union based around true democracy?

official ones where are live function via representative democracy, and are linked to the administration.

I was thinking of electing student delegates, with a campus people's assembly to represent the students. An assembly leader would/could be recallable at any time by the students. The assembly would be the voice of the student, we'd put flyers everywhere, make a newspaper, etc.
My brother and a group of friends formed a very broad leftist group at his college. They had students and professors, liberals, anarchists, libertarians, socialists, nihilists, and hipsters of all sorts. They're activities included poetry readings, showing politically themed and relevant documentaries, and protesting at the local Wallmart about all of its terrible treatment of its workers. They just dealt with issues at hand that were important to the students, they didn't parade around with big posters of Marx and Bakunin, singing the international.


Be a class traitor, ya goddamn rich fuck. :rolleyes:

Some well to do people are proletarians. Like a friend of mine her dad is a doctor and her mom is a doctor too. But they are proletarian in their relation to capital... but still make some nice cash. ;)
Exactly. Engels came from a business owning family and he even acted as a capitalist himself for a few years, yet he was one of the greatest communists in history.


gee, Will do.

Is this because my family is "rich"? If I was a poor person it'd be OK to be communist, but not when your in a well to do family?

I can't be against capitalism and have middle class parents? I'm sorry I was born to parents who have money, I can't help that.

I'm a communist because I am against capitalist exploitation, believe in the gospel of Marx and Engels, and I don't give a damn about my parent's social status.

Fine, I will get my family to sell off all of their possessions and go live on the street begging for soup from a homeless shelter. Does that make me proletarian?

Its not my fault I came out a well to do mother's uterus. Oh and by the way, she grew up poor in Iowa in a low class town to low class parents. Blame my dad then for marrying her. Because he was LOWER middle class. I hate to say it, but he worked hard and made some money.

Just because I want to start some underground crap doesn't mean I'll start wearing a hammer and sickle shirt, watch, pants, shoes, and bandana while shouting into a megaphone to overthrow capitalism.


NO, I'm fucking serious here. I'm organizing my campus, or joining an already existing group. I'm joining protests, passing out brochures or flyers.
The class division isn't about being rich or poor or lower, upper, or middle class. Those are bourgeois classifications. The true divisions are proletarian, bourgeois, and petty bourgeois (and all those other ones like peasants and all the sub groups within them of course). So unless you are a capital owning, worker exploiting capitalist, you may be a proletarian.

Sure, go ahead with organizing on campus. I just wouldn't recommend waving the red flag and spouting off about revolution on your first day there. Might I suggest my method of living within capitalism as a communist? Don't make silly statements like "well I'm a communist so I think this." That's annoying and makes you sound childish. Talk about the specific issues at hand. I have been able to throw in all kinds of anti-imperialist and anti-exploitative opinions in conversations with people about politics without them jumping to the idea that I am a communist. This is mostly because many people in America have no idea what it is.

And if anyone mocks you for being autistic on this forum, they should be subject to warning or banning.

[Susurrus]

Don't forget that Engels himself was a member of a wealthy, factory owning family. It's probably not the best idea to call it the "gospel of Marx and Engels," though.

Edit: oops, someone already said the Engels thing.

2nd edit: Arrgh someone already said the Gospel thing too! This post is worthless!

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Why wait two years to get into college?

[Susurrus]

I would think you would learn more if you volunteered in a soup kitchen, instead of organising a liberal college rally wankfest.

He can't do both?

[RED DAVE]

I've made Marxism my purpose in life.This is cool, but it is not the easiest of lives. Be prepared for a definite amount of shit.

First thing you can do is educate yourself. You say you have read all the stuff in your local library and have read stuff on the Internet. That's cool. Make your reading systematic. You are in no hurry. The revolution will not start before you get to college.

There are reading and resource lists posted here for younger comrades.

http://www.revleft.com/vb/revleft-resource-list-t143793/index.html

If there are any actions in your area in support of workers, immigrant groups, antiracist activities, women's rights, gay rights, etc.,by all means participate. Ignore your parents if necessary.

Do not, I repeat do not, jump into joining any left-wing group (not even the ones I support). This is a commitment on another level that will vastly alter your life if you take it seriously. Take your time. Go to meetings. Post here and ask questions. Relax a bit.

You will be taken seriously. You will not miss the revolution.

RED DAVE

[Pretty Flaco]

Why wait two years to get into college?

Maybe he's got to save up some money. :rolleyes:

[Pioneers_Violin]

so ok, concerning an older post. You can get kicked off campus if you organize students/campus workers against admin bullying/low wages/etc?

So if I say, 'unionized' campus, I'd be liable to be kicked off campus for doing a good and noble thing?

If I protested against wealthy doners for X reason, I am liable to be kicked off campus?

If I do anything-I am liable to be kicked off campus?


How undemocratic is that! It's not even fair, but as they say, nothing is fair, right?


Yes to pretty much everything.

If you go running around making people in charge uncomfortable, they will generally get rid of you rather than join your good and noble mission.

And most absolutely, nothing is fair!

Poster-ing the place up won't accomplish much if anything either.


But there are things you can do.

Start with the small and unglamorous things. Yes, I know you want to jump right into collectivizing farms (or whatnot) but you are not yet ready.
People equally determined and a lot older, wiser and far more experienced than you haven't managed it yet so don't assume that your boundless energy and enthusiasm is all that's needed. It's not.

Practice what you preach. Sign that petition. Maybe start one! Go to demonstrations. Volunteer to help picketing Unions. BTW, never, ever cross a picket line.

In college, why not stage debates and discussions? If you want to learn Marx (or anything else) try debating it with someone.
You'll probably come up short the first few times, but that's part of learning! Be thankful for a challenging debate rather than an easy "win".
As a bonus, debating should improve your speaking skills which are essential for any good Communist instigator. BTW.... whoever starts the name-calling loses the debate. Don't let it be you.

Above all, Study and Learn. That's why you're in college anyway. Don't waste your time there pointlessly annoying the faculty when you could be gaining knowledge and skills vital to promoting your beliefs.

Good luck,
2¢ PV

PS. Ever hear of Viktor Bout? If not, then may I suggest that you keep up on the "real" news.
Not the "who called who what on twitter" junk news, but real news like Greece, Afghanistan, Libya, Fukushima, the Corporatocracy, Banksters, etc... the real news is out there if you know where to look.
RT.com is my favorite news source. Why? Their reporters occasionally get arrested. Now that's journalism!

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Maybe he's got to save up some money. :rolleyes:
Hmm I totally framed what I meant to say wrong. What I meant to say was why wait until you get into college to openly be a communist and agitate/organize/educate?

[Blackburn]

He can't do both?

Oh, sorry I was being pragmatic.

yes he can do both, and he should be training for marathons, curing cancer and painting two frescos a week. :laugh:

[La Comédie Noire]

My advice to you is not to get all garbed up in soviet kitsch and get really into making "being the communist kid" your thing. Don't bring up politics unless you're engaged or it is an appropriate setting (don't bring up communism every time you are high, it will get old fast) It's best not to strongly identify with any ism, but to read very widely and give your opinion on subjects such as the Greek uprising or stealing from work without a lot of horseshit.

Don't be like" well as a communist I believe in the inevitable overthrow of the bourgeoisie and the rise of the proletariat dictatorship."

Do be like "Well I was reading this book yesterday and the author was arguing..."

People will respect opinions derived from inquiry and study rather than some boiler plate rhetoric.

My other piece of advice is to familiarize yourself with capitalist arguments and theorists. Nothing makes capitalism look worse than when its proponents don't know their shit.

[RedMarxist]

I can agitate in high school too. WOW good idea!

I'll be like: Hey Joe, lets start a movement to overthrow the oppressive bureaucratic school administration. Student democracy! The students have the power, not the principal!

No really, I could, if I felt like it, start a non-political debate group. I'm already part of a world affairs club that debates politics too. I was thinking about bringing up, when I go back to school as it continues next school year, the Maoist struggle in India. But in a subtle way, a neutral way.

I was going to bring some articles, maybe that pdf document by That Indian Activist entitled 'walking with the comrades' and read sections of it. What do you think?

I was going to do it last year but never got around to it.

[The Man]

but I want to destroy capitalism in America.



No sir, You want to destroy Capitalism in the world.

[RedMarxist]

Of Course!


Would you advise bringing in that article to world affairs? As well as several other pro-Maoist/communist articles? I was thinking of printing off some Kasama articles and passing them around.

good/bad idea?

[human strike]

I am proletarian, as I'm aware of capitalist exploitation and am against the super rich/regular rich. I'm into, or soon will be, into organizing, will help the poor, and oppose capitalism.


You might be able to argue that being a student makes you proletarian (perhaps working class would be a safer description), but as has already been mentioned, being aware of the injustices of capital does not make one proletarian.

I'm a university student. I am open with my views with pretty much everyone but cops and people who I think might like to have a shoutty argument with me - cba with that. This thread, however, gives me the impression that things are somewhat different in the US compared to the UK. Here I can occupy campus buildings for months at a time, distribute newsheets that portray the vice-Chancellor as a tyrannical serial killer, disrupt management meetings and organise not just students but staff also and face literally zero negative consequences. Now this wouldn't be true at all universities in the UK, but a lot of the more image savvy ones (i.e. not Glasgow) know better than to clampdown too obviously - calling in the cops on your own students doesn't look good and frankly neither does kicking kids out for expressing a political opinion.

So I guess my advice to you is go to a university somewhere in Europe.

[AnonymousOne]

I can agitate in high school too. WOW good idea!

I'll be like: Hey Joe, lets start a movement to overthrow the oppressive bureaucratic school administration. Student democracy! The students have the power, not the principal!

No really, I could, if I felt like it, start a non-political debate group. I'm already part of a world affairs club that debates politics too. I was thinking about bringing up, when I go back to school as it continues next school year, the Maoist struggle in India. But in a subtle way, a neutral way.

I was going to bring some articles, maybe that pdf document by That Indian Activist entitled 'walking with the comrades' and read sections of it. What do you think?

I was going to do it last year but never got around to it.

I seriously, seriously wish the best for you and hope that your agitation works well. But at the same time, if you are considering taking direct action (such as organizing a protest) you may *seriously* want to consider anonymity at least until you start getting people interested.

Otherwise it'll end up badly, I can almost guarantee that the administration will attempt to at the very least suspend you if not outright expel you depending on the actions that you take.

What I might do is start a small group that is dedicated to doing some minor agitating. For example, I founded a group called SAFP my junior year and we published a small underground school paper that basically talked about how school policies were discriminatory etc. I did it anonymously of course, because a few years ago some kids did an alternative school paper and they got expelled for it.

The beauty of anonymity is it allows you to be free from consequences of taking direct action.

I'd recommend you take two courses of action:

1. Be Anonymous, do direct action.

or

2. Be open about who you are, and stick to just educating people through a registered/offical student organization called "Student Socialists" or something to that effect.

Either way good luck, your enthusiasm is most admirable.

[miltonwasfried...man]

Yes of course you should be open and proud of the fact you are a Communist. But if you are going to do so, I would recommend being as educated as possible. There is nothing worse than someone ranting and yelling about the 'revolution' without any concrete knowledge of the cause. Starting a marxist group is fine, but you might have some trouble finding members in a conservative area. All in all, do not yell at or threaten people, you will get many more converts through educated discussions.

[RedMarxist]

I'm rather inexperienced here when it comes to founding groups. How would I get permission form the admin? Would I have to inform the principal about my group, if he/she will even allow it? How would I go about registering a student socialist group?

To get people interested, would I hand out pamphlets or something in the hall? Would I have to get permission to hold a meeting out in the library or in a class after school?

[AnonymousOne]

I'm rather inexperienced here when it comes to founding groups. How would I get permission form the admin? Would I have to inform the principal about my group, if he/she will even allow it? How would I go about registering a student socialist group?

To get people interested, would I hand out pamphlets or something in the hall? Would I have to get permission to hold a meeting out in the library or in a class after school?

Each school is different. Ideally you should be able to go to your school district's website and find out what their policy is. You may have to hunt for it. For my school I had to get a form from my activities principal and then fill out a small form and collect 10 signatures. We got the signatures turned it back in and bam, Students Allied for Progress was founded. We then went ahead and organized, had rotations for presidency, vice-presidency, secretary etc. so each member got to serve in a leadership capacity at least once.

But it might be different from your school. If your school refuses to let you do it, you may consider suing the school. As long as you are not being disruptive (which forming a socialist group wouldn't be) the school has to respect your first amendment rights, as per the case of Tinker v. Des Moines.

Pamphlets you should be able to hand out, but your school might restrict when you can/where you can. One of the stipulations when I formed my group was no posters in hallways that were directly political/or issue based because otherwise it would cause a shitstorm. So instead we just made a poster saying when we had meetings, that we would have free food etc.

As for where meetings are held that depends on:

1. Who your faculty advisor is (We were lucky that we had a very radical leftist history teacher that supported us), ideally it'll be that teacher's room or a library etc. The form we had asked us to specify meeting place and time.

2. Where they let you meet. I remember we originally requested a small theater because it would be easy to have rotations of speakers because they could be on the stage and everybody else would sit around that person. But we got denied that and we ended up meeting in a small history class room.

[RedMarxist]

I want to ideally form the group around true democracy. No president, Vice President, etc. Everyone gets to participate in the group discussions and no one is the leader. I assume this will be attractive for many people

"Delegates" will be assigned to hand out group information/make posters which our school lets anyone put up, as long as its for groups/after school activities.

"Orators" can be anyone who wants to speak about whatever the discussion is about. It will be politically neutral, yet political opinions are allowed.

"Organizers" will be recallable like the delegates and will manage the "group assembly"

And occasional, a "group dictator", but in the Roman republican sense, will take over if the Organizer shirks his/her duties, and will be recallable by the "people's committee", which is YOU.

Obviously this will take a shitload of planning. Hopefully my autism won't get in the way, as social skills are a must, which I'm pretty good at.:lol:

[AnonymousOne]

I want to ideally form the group around true democracy. No president, Vice President, etc. Everyone gets to participate in the group discussions and no one is the leader. I assume this will be attractive for many people

"Delegates" will be assigned to hand out group information/make posters which our school lets anyone put up, as long as its for groups/after school activities.

"Orators" can be anyone who wants to speak about whatever the discussion is about. It will be politically neutral, yet political opinions are allowed.

"Organizers" will be recallable like the delegates and will manage the "group assembly"

And occasional, a "group dictator", but in the Roman republican sense, will take over if the Organizer shirks his/her duties, and will be recallable by the "people's committee", which is YOU.

Obviously this will take a shitload of planning. Hopefully my autism won't get in the way, as social skills are a must, which I'm pretty good at.:lol:

I agree with you, and that's the problem we had. We had to have those officers, so we just rotated them around and voted on decisions. Plus everybody got to put on their college applications that they served in a bunch of leadership roles. :P

[A Revolutionary Tool]

I can agitate in high school too. WOW good idea!

I'll be like: Hey Joe, lets start a movement to overthrow the oppressive bureaucratic school administration. Student democracy! The students have the power, not the principal!

No really, I could, if I felt like it, start a non-political debate group. I'm already part of a world affairs club that debates politics too. I was thinking about bringing up, when I go back to school as it continues next school year, the Maoist struggle in India. But in a subtle way, a neutral way.

I was going to bring some articles, maybe that pdf document by That Indian Activist entitled 'walking with the comrades' and read sections of it. What do you think?

I was going to do it last year but never got around to it.
It doesn't have to be centered around your school. There are numerous socialist youth groups you could get with, there are numerous causes outside of the schoolyard that you could join in on or help start up in your town. Furthermore you don't need to have a official school club to get discussions going, I used to have discussions about politics with people all the time at school. If you were like my school the only kids in the political clubs at my school were snooty brats that were already set in their politics, which is why I couldn't join them. It was always much more interesting to talk to people about politics whom didn't get their talking points directly from FOX or MSNBC. But yeah bring some materials about the struggle in India by her.

[RedMarxist]

Not the people I hung out with. Our World Affairs club is very open minded.

It is kind of democratic, in away. you just pass around a speaking stick and whoever has it speaks their mind, and NO ONE LEADS THE GROUP really.

But I was thinking of taking it one step further and structuring it consciously after true democracy based on the Greek model. Everyone would be part of an assembly, while certain people would be selected and rotated out to serve in jobs, such as "delegate" or "organizer" That way the group would have something to discuss(a problem in our group is everyone comes unprepared, so the group breaks down into people blurting out random and boring topics.)


from bottom to top:

assembly

--

orator

--

delegate

--

organizer

--

dictator(only in rare occasions where the organizer fails hard)

[Metacomet]

I'm as some of you may know, a teenager, who will soon in about 2 years go off to college. I have recently become a radical for about a year now, digesting every radical text I could find on the internet or in book form at my local library. I've become disillusioned by my parents lack of respect, the revolutions occurring worldwide(esp. Greece), and the huge inequality that I've become aware of in Capitalism.

I am growing up in a, and I am not ashamed to admit this, an upper middle class family. Yet I feel sick-sick that we are well off while the rest suffer. I knew this girl from school for example who is very impoverished, financially wise. We were rather close, and the things she told me about her life/situation that I will not get into made me resent everything I thought I knew about American society. You know-I think she liked me.

I feel like a caged bird here. I don't want to keep my beliefs a secret. I want to contribute in college to furthering my cause. My personal cause that I know I must work towards. I want to change the world in small ways. I want to end this system of exploitation in the end. I'm not a megalomaniac of course, but I want my Marxist beliefs to shine through. Is it at all possible to start something like a Marxist group meeting or something amongst the campus? Not just a meeting, but a revolutionary organization: grassroots democracy(student democracy), challenging of campus authority, protests, etc?

I know this will ruin my life for four years of college, but I feel like I must do something. The world is a dead place for me otherwise. Jesus Christ, I know this may sound loony, but I want to destroy capitalism in America.

Too many Marxists sit there, debate theory, yet DO nothing.

I feel powerless. I'm not a violent person, but if its a guerrilla war it will take, then it shall be. Anything to make the average person's life better. Would she not be so poor if it weren't for capitalist exploitation? I will say she is part of an immigrant family. Why is it that people claim you can rise up along a nonexistent economic ladder and become wealthy while in reality only 1% of the population has actually done that(American dream)? I wan this-exploitation to end. It makes me sick to my stomach. What should I do?

And now the rant/cry for help is over.


Go to Umass Amherst. They have a major in (I believe) Union organization/leadership.

[RED DAVE]

I was thinking about bringing up, when I go back to school as it continues next school year, the Maoist struggle in India.Not a good choice. I suggest that you stick to American issues at the beginning. There's plenty to discuss about Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.

RED DAVE

[Sam Varriano]

If it makes you feel any better, my sociology teacher said that technically, there is no "upper" middle class, just middle class. But I know what you mean. I lost a lot of friends in high school (I lived in one of the most conservative counties in the USA, lets say it was top 10 for safety reasons <_<) and even my liberal friends were sick of me by the end of 12th grade. Seriously, life fucking sucks, it really does. Don't flood your facebook page with communist/anarchist shit, don't like every single facebook page that relates to your opinions, and you should be fine. Maybe there will be a leftist student group that will tolerate your communist beliefs? Who knows?

[RemoveYourChains]

I feel powerless. I'm not a violent person, but if its a guerrilla war it will take, then it shall be.

I respect your fervor - it's nice to see young people who care about something substantive.

However, you're likely not in a position to engage in any kind of martial action that would have any positive effect. Taking up arms is too costly a venture (humanly speaking) to be set upon simply as a form of catharsis. Some reasonable expectation that such action would accomplish something positive would be in order.

The best thing you could do is to educate yourself, and engage in effective propagation of "class consciousness." Wake people up. Educate. Debate. Damn well argue - but be sure to have the facts on your side.

In most respects, insurrection will arise because the broad circumstances will make the time "ripe" for it. But the form that expression of popular discontent will take, and the solutions people will gravitate toward, will have an awful lot to do with the propaganda efforts of the "natural vanguard" (whether they're organized in parties, or simply individuals who are especially self aware.)

[Revolutionary_Marxist]

Wow your situation is identical to mine RedMarxist, except for me I became an open communist early on. These days, especially after the fall of the USSR, communism/socialism is becoming more popular, so more people are likely to embrace it. So don't worry about criticism so much. I actually helped start a communist party in school, and these days we fight for student's rights. If you can't find a college that has a leftist background, do what I did and find other leftists, and see where it goes.