Questions for Revolutionary Youth!

[¿Que?]

This post is intended mainly for the young people of revleft. I guess, hm, under 21 years of age sounds about right. Older folks can chime in, but please indicate that you are over 21 because I'm trying to get the perspectives of young people, mainly, and also their style, and way of being.

Reason I ask is because I work with a really young kid (15years old, don't ask me how the boss gets away with employing a 15 year old. I guess he's got some arrangement with his mom, who also works there). He's really really smart and really rebellious. That is precisely why he's working, because his mom can't keep him out of trouble.

Except that recently he told me he was thinking of become a cop when he graduated high school. Furthermore, he's often making racist, sexist and homophobic comments, and I often find myself having to tell him that such comments are uncool. For the record, he's Mexican, but I don't know if that matters.

Anyway, I want to turn him on to revolutionary politics, and possibly direct him away from his aspiration of becoming of police officer. How would you suggest I deal with it.

Of course one thing I could do is to live and let live, let him make his decisions and not try to influence him. I think that's a cop out and not exactly revolutionary, in my opinion.

Specifically to the youth:
What was it that turned you on to revolutionary politics and the left in general. Remember this kid isn't even politicized, let alone radicalized. How did you get into politics and subsequently become a radical? What would you tell him?

[Nox]

For me it was learning about the Soviet Union, being fascinated by it and wanting to know what motivated the people who created it.

[Dennis the 'Bloody Peasant']

Same as Nox. In history lessons the ideas of socialism and communism came up and I was intrigued. USSR, Spanish Civil War, Cuba, the stories of the revolutions and the ideas that inspired them really inspired me (I am over 21 now, but first got the leftist bug at about 14)

[Zukunftsmusik]

uh, dunno, maybe start with local political issues? that's not how I got radicalised, but I imagine it's an easy intro to politics at least. local politics often involve more feelings than the "poor people in africa are dying" kind of thing. if you go from there and point out that it's the same system that screws over the youth and/or the poor in your local town/city that also screws over working people all over the world, I suppose it could be a start?

I can understand the history-approach, Nox and LeftRDead?, but I dunno if this kid seems like the history nerd kinda guy.

Don't be pushy, that would probably just be annoying. Like, if you go on and on about class politics all the time, he probably would just go tired of you. I know, cause I'm like that with my friends sometimes (not alle the time! I promise). Play by his rules. Let him bring up subjects, and point out his faults, come with a class view on it etc.

Maybe, I dunno.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I'm well over 21, but I think the best thing would be to go easy on it like Haust said. Being a teenager can be kind of an insular world - if I remember correctly :lol: - most of the people you know and go to high school with are more or less similar to you in social class and background and inter-personal issues often take center-stage over larger social questions.

I was politicized when I was in high school by a combination of racism at my school and the larger context of the LA rebellion and Bill Clinton's election. But my politicization went as far as realizing I was dissatisfied with "liberalism" because of Bill Clinton's right-wing poltics (while everyone was saying he was soooo liberal) and triangulation. It wasn't until I was in the workforce and then saw the example of the WTO protests that I began to be interested in revolutionary politics - syndicalism and marxism.

So I think the key thing is to take a sort of longer-view of interacting with this person. Just talk to them about politics naturally from their own experiences and observations. Just nudge, as why he wants to be a cop, what he thinks about police brutality, where he thinks crime comes from. You probably won't win every argument, but make your case and see if he begins to see some truth in it from his own experiences.

[¿Que?]

Yeah, I think all that USSR stuff appeals to a certain generation. Today's youth, who didn't grow up during the cold war, probably has only a very limited idea of what the Soviet Union was about, and I don't think it carries the same sense of mystery.

The police brutality angle seems legit. I think I will ask him about that next time I see him. Also, I think I'll try to burn him some videos about the battle in Seattle and other stuff that might appeal to his rebellious side. Anyone got any suggestions?

[Landsharks eat metal]

Well... depending on just how rebellious this kid is, maybe encouraging him won't work. I know for me, what really piqued my interest was my history teacher, with whom I disagreed on nearly everything, talking about how much he hated commies. But that probably wouldn't work for too many people.

[Luc]

MUSIC

- i was 14 (currently 16)

edit: maybe i should explain :lol: i was big into nationalism power pride etc. and so when i heard soviet music i loved it especially Ernst Busch but thats unlikely he is too... so perhaps introduce him to leftist(ex. Immortal Technique? i dunno never heard him i just hear thim mentioned here)/left-leaning rap (ex. Lupe Fiasco.. is Lil b left-leaning? atleast theres that "Im Gay" album or whatever :unsure:) rap? i jsut asume rap cause thats dominant culture if hes into something like rock def intro him to leftist oi! and/or punk or somthing

just be like "hey check these guys out i think you'll like em" or somthing while your on break

just some thought :lol:

what is his class background? is something you should ask.. if hes petite bourgeios or even bourgeouis then its quite pointless

[PC LOAD LETTER]

This post is intended mainly for the young people of revleft. I guess, hm, under 21 years of age sounds about right. Older folks can chime in, but please indicate that you are over 21 because I'm trying to get the perspectives of young people, mainly, and also their style, and way of being.
I'm slightly over 21


Reason I ask is because I work with a really young kid (15years old, don't ask me how the boss gets away with employing a 15 year old. I guess he's got some arrangement with his mom, who also works there). He's really really smart and really rebellious. That is precisely why he's working, because his mom can't keep him out of trouble. It's legal, with limitations on type of work and hours. My friend worked as a grocery bagger when we were 15.


Except that recently he told me he was thinking of become a cop when he graduated high school. Furthermore, he's often making racist, sexist and homophobic comments, and I often find myself having to tell him that such comments are uncool. For the record, he's Mexican, but I don't know if that matters.

Anyway, I want to turn him on to revolutionary politics, and possibly direct him away from his aspiration of becoming of police officer. How would you suggest I deal with it.

Of course one thing I could do is to live and let live, let him make his decisions and not try to influence him. I think that's a cop out and not exactly revolutionary, in my opinion.

Specifically to the youth:
What was it that turned you on to revolutionary politics and the left in general. Remember this kid isn't even politicized, let alone radicalized. How did you get into politics and subsequently become a radical? What would you tell him?Grew up poor, Uncle was a communist who went backpacking through Mexico a lot and told me about the Zapatistas. Also, the whole open-source movement / Linux GPL deal had a huge influence on me. And punk music.

[Ocean Seal]

Of course one thing I could do is to live and let live, let him make his decisions and not try to influence him. I think that's a cop out and not exactly revolutionary, in my opinion.

Fuck live and let live.

What to do. He's Mexican right? Remind him of how much racism hurts Mexicans and remind him that despite how white he maybe its all the same to the immigrant hunters on the Southwest. Ideologically (not physically) beat the racism out of him.
Cops are the authority. They aren't always corrupt but they always serve in the interests of the ruling class. They work to evict people from their homes, harass the homeless, create criminals, turn profits for slave labor corporations, etc....

[Pretty Flaco]

tell him if hes a cop he cant smoke weed

[Pretty Flaco]

also to be really honest theres not a whole lot you can or should do when it comes to overtly political shit. youd probably just turn him off to it. but convincing him that cops are fucks probably isnt too hard. especially if youve had any experience with the police before.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Thread moved to Learning :)

[El Oso Rojo]

For me history and learning about the Black panthers, radicalization was slow for me. When i consider myself a social democrats or a liberal, I read PSLweb, and a lot of socialist mags, and was pro chavez and farc. i kinda struggle with my radical politics and my reformist politics, after seeing obama was no different, my radicalism went futher.

[¿Que?]

Thanks for the input. Here's some answers to some of your points, to clear things up.

He's definitely not bougie. His father used to work construction and died in an accident. His mother, as I've said works at the restaurant where we both work. They're not dirt poor, but they're definitely not rich, and most definitely don't own the means of production.

He listens to some rap, like drake, but also like's that song "We are Young" by Fun. He hangs around mostly skater types (is what he told me).

He's also a bit of a techie and gamer. So the opensource thing seems useful, but what about video games. Aren't there games where you can play as the Red Army or something?

[roy]

eh, i dont think playing as a red army soldier on cod is gonna turn someone into a communist. not a good one anyway. me, i just like the idea of abolishing work. the only approach i can really think of is broaching political topics in conversation and bringing up radical angles. oh yeah im under 21.

[homegrown terror]

i heard the song "so what?" by crass, and realised it was everything i'd been feeling about christianity (was a forced catholic at that point) after that, i started digging deeper and deeper into punk, and the politics that run parallel. i'm 28 now, but i still remember the rush of having my eyes opened after being led in blinders for so many years.

[KingoftheSwing]

I don't think pushing the kid into your ideas is a good way to turn his behaviour around. You should just figure out if the kid is anti-social by nature or by culture. In the last situation you are able to turn him around however. That's when the kid has a lot of social skills and gets around with lots of people. When i learned about communism etc, and the basic ideas of equality and solidarity, it just felt ethically right. I don't think everyone is born with that feeling.

[campesino]

just complain about capitaism, and point out how the media "sucks up" to the capitalist. make him understand that labor has created everything of value and that the capitalist are parasite, point out the excesses in wealth and the greed of people. explain how the capitalist control everything, and how often politicians are business-people.

casually attack capitalism while he's around, he will get the message.

[ВАЛТЕР]

Well I'm 22 now but here's how it started for me.

Stories of the Partisans and their fight against the fascists got me to learn more about them. Once I was told that my great-grandfather was one of the most celebrated national heroes in Yugoslavia. I wanted to learn even more. Mostly about what he fought for and how was he willing to knowingly go into an offensive where he would die. I asked myself: "What idea could possibly motivate someone to do that?" That was about when I was 12-13.


Then a few years later I learned a bit what Marxism was, mostly because I noticed the media and the right-wing spitting on it. I figured "If they don't like it, then it must be great!" So I read a little bit into it, but I was 15-16 at the time and I was much more interested in going to parties and chasing girls.

What happened to me was a form of shock-therapy. My family went bankrupt in 2007-2008 because my father got laid off from his trucking job. This came as a shock. My family was never all that wealthy, but we lived decently. I had new clothes, money for going out every so often. Suddenly we were broke, and I didn't like this one bit. I even went as far as to start selling drugs for a time in order to keep money in my pocket (That's a story for another time). Then I remembered my old-friend Marx. I opened up the books, and started reading again. I realized this was the only solution and everything else was a temporary fix like a band-aid on a gunshot wound.

[Desperado]

Yeah, I think all that USSR stuff appeals to a certain generation. Today's youth, who didn't grow up during the cold war, probably has only a very limited idea of what the Soviet Union was about, and I don't think it carries the same sense of mystery.

Well, even today it's the first thing the radical left and "communism" is associated with. It was from our limited history classes on American history (and hence the cold war) that anybody in my school had heard of capitalism or communism if I brought stuff up. Of course, that was absolutely divergent to the working class traditions in the area of old-labour and the miners strike, but unless that was in your family (or rather in your dad) few young people would know much about that.

I was highly political, and some fairly hippie parents meant I was some sort of good intentioned reformist socialist, liking Tony Benn and people a lot. Meeting some Trotskyites in town, the economic crisis and the 2010 election are what made me actually radical though, and got me onto Marx and everything else.

I'd be weary of trying to draw a connection between the ideological tendencies and what people want to do in future. Most of my mates are apathetic towards the system, towards class, towards government and our "democracy". But few care much - it's something physical we have little to do with. I know people who would agree pretty much but still want to be cops, or go into the army, or even aspired to get into banking (and then some of the young people who have truly caring aspirations etc., being a teacher or nurse or volunteering with refugees, often being even less political). They see the two as separate. Even if it's perceived as a part of your everyday life, it's not much more than a subculture thing, wearing some tshirts.

[Hiero]

Why does he have to turn to "revolutionary politics"? It is such an unappealing thing for people with bigger concerns/issues in life. I could be wrong, but not many kids at the age of 15 are that nerdy they want to hear about the USSR. This is a kid from a single parent family, father has died in an accident and he has to work at the same place as his mother. He has bigger conerns then 'revolution'.

Your best chance at influencing this kid away from racist, homophobic and sexist views is to be a good role model. You have to lead by example and pull him up when he says overtly reactionary things.

About the cop thing, just tell him it is a shit job. You deal with people who don't like, you get given shit and no respect. It is a highly stressfull job that is unrewarding.

[Misanthrope]

Well I got into politics because I had an extreme interest in history as a young kid, the political connections I made drew me to the left. I think kids really must find their own way on things like these. Maybe make a comment here and there or ask a thought provoking question or two but don't sit him down for "the talk".

[PC LOAD LETTER]

Thanks for the input. Here's some answers to some of your points, to clear things up.

He's definitely not bougie. His father used to work construction and died in an accident. His mother, as I've said works at the restaurant where we both work. They're not dirt poor, but they're definitely not rich, and most definitely don't own the means of production.

He listens to some rap, like drake, but also like's that song "We are Young" by Fun. He hangs around mostly skater types (is what he told me).

He's also a bit of a techie and gamer. So the opensource thing seems useful, but what about video games. Aren't there games where you can play as the Red Army or something?
I'd lean more towards punk music and skating ... that had a huge influence on me during my early teenage years ... only open-source shit if he has a really geeky side

[Offbeat]

First I became interested in mainstream politics, before subsequently becoming disillusioned with the current system. At this point I started to believe in things like electoral reform, progressive taxation, nationalisation and republicanism (British republicanism natch), classic social democratic stuff, but then I started reading about revolutionary ideologies and everything suddenly made more sense.

[Pretty Flaco]

just complain about capitaism, and point out how the media "sucks up" to the capitalist. make him understand that labor has created everything of value and that the capitalist are parasite, point out the excesses in wealth and the greed of people. explain how the capitalist control everything, and how often politicians are business-people.

casually attack capitalism while he's around, he will get the message.

lol standing on a soapbox wont do dick. that is literally like the worst advice here.

[Hiero]

lol standing on a soapbox wont do dick. that is literally like the worst advice here.
Yeah, he would just become that wierd guy at work always going on about how the government and the 'capitalists' are out to get everyone.

[The Young Pioneer]

I'm 22.

But I have to echo those who said it was the USSR that got them to learn about it. I'm a history junkie and wouldn't have discovered Marx if I wasn't.

That said, I think Valter's idea that "If they [media, etc] hate it, it must be good!" can be pretty motivational to a teen.

That said, I mostly agree with Hiero.

[Luc]

im not sure if it was mentioned before and im lazy (:P)so ima suggest organizing in your workplace if you got grievances and maybe if he participates he will be interested in labor struggles?

[Jesus Saves Gretzky Scores]

My brother is gay, so I started to feel that gay rights were very important. The music I was listening to was very political. I started listening to the Dead Kennedys, and got more into punk. Slowly I started to hear about more issues: Leftöver Crack- World Trade, Propagandhi- Vegetarian/Veganism, etc. I kept hearing anti-capitalist and anarchist ideas, and I became really interested and started learning. So here we are today. :ninja:

[Hiero]

Is your workplace unionised? Are you in a union?

[NewLeft]

Talk about your own activities.. If you went to a demo or something, bring that up. Talk about history maybe? It's kind of a tough task, but maybe brushing up his history on radicals could make him more sympathetic along with your own activities etc..

[Prometeo liberado]

Damn right Im over 21. The clincher for me was when I was 12 and went to drop food off to a "poor" neighborhood with my school, which wasn't more than 10 minutes away. One family was cooking over a fire pit in the back yard. Doesn't take a genius to see that poverty and inequality was also a very real part of the Greatest Country in the World. They lost one that day to communism. Reform doesn't feed people, revolution does.

[Spartacist1917]

I'm 19 now and I've always been a "nerd" anyway (hugely into political science and history), so my situation may not be entirely applicable. When I was around 13-14 I was first made aware of revolutionary leftist ideas by my history teacher (who I greatly respected and admired). He did so by starting an "educational" debate on capitalism vs communism/socialism with another (right wing) teacher during class who he then absolutely destroyed. After class I asked him about it and he loaned me some of his easier leftist works, which I subsequently discussed with him . So anyway, my suggestion would be that you try to make yourself a mentor/father figure/friend etc. to him first (assuming you have not already done so) so that he values your opinions and is willing to listen to you before introducing any radical politics.

[jookyle]

well, it started when I was 14. In my history class freshmen year the teacher had a poster up that described different political ideologies by way of milking cows. "Democracy: You milk the cow, do all the work, then other people decide when you do with the milk. Fascism: You milk the cow, do all the work, the government shoots you and takes the milk" and it described any ideology you can think off. And they all sounded bad until you got to the last one, socialism. "Everyone milks the cow, everyone does the work, everyone shares the milk" and I thought, "Yeah, I like that". Then I got into 60's stuff, the Yippies, Abbie Hoffman, especially the Black Panthers. I really liked(still do) them. And as I kept on reading I discovered Noam Chomsky which lead me to Howard Zinn which lead to Marx which lead to everyone else.

[¿Que?]

Is your workplace unionised? Are you in a union?
I think you're pretty on point with this issue (regarding your previous post). However, unionizing and organizing are a pretty sticky subject at this place. It's very old fashioned, mom and pop, family run affair (e.g. the owners daughter is also a manager). One of the cooks and his family lives with the owner. Another girl used to be neighbors with the owner. The owner works at the restaurant too, pretty much a text book definition of petite bourgeoisie. Believe it or not, at one point, there was talk that the kid I'm talking about was going to be adopted by the owner. Straight up, the scene there is a bit weird. There's a lot more going on, but I don't really think it's important to divulge every tiny detail of this social milieu where I work at. Suffice it to say that labor relations are deeply tied to existing personal relationships. To suggest organizing would almost be like betraying "El Patron." There's no way that organizing could be just about the work, inevitably, personal issues between people would come up. In spite of the many many grievances people have, no one would be down for that and I'd probably end up getting fired.

[tobbinator]

I was 14 when I first got interested in left wing politics (now 16). History and video games first got me interested, then further reading into it radicalised me further.

I'd suggest that you play to the young fellow's interests; find out what he enjoys, then relate it to your political ideas in a subtle way. If successful, it should spark some further reading and, hopefully, he'll ditch his police dream.

[Comrade Jandar]

Generally socialism, at least in the states, draws outcasted, sensitive, intellectual youths from lower to middle class backgrounds. Not saying this necessarily a good thing, but it generally seems to be the case.

[Geiseric]

I'm 17 and think I helped a few friends decide not to join the military. The best thing to do is not bug him about it, correct him on racism, and just tell the truth. The first thing he has to worry about it not getting in trouble, especially with the cops he wants to be one day.

Tell him the truth about things, because he sounds confused. However don't preach or sound like a douche. Just let him know that he's not alone, and if he takes a fancy to your politics or world events at some point talk about it from a marxist perspective.

[Pretty Flaco]

Generally socialism, at least in the states, draws outcasted, sensitive, intellectual youths from lower to middle class backgrounds. Not saying this necessarily a good thing, but it generally seems to be the case.

lol what?

[Geiseric]

lol what?

"Intellectual," as in nerdy. He's just trying to sugar coat it :p

[Comrade Jandar]

What is "lol" worthy about that?

[Hiero]

I think you're pretty on point with this issue (regarding your previous post). However, unionizing and organizing are a pretty sticky subject at this place. It's very old fashioned, mom and pop, family run affair (e.g. the owners daughter is also a manager). One of the cooks and his family lives with the owner. Another girl used to be neighbors with the owner. The owner works at the restaurant too, pretty much a text book definition of petite bourgeoisie. Believe it or not, at one point, there was talk that the kid I'm talking about was going to be adopted by the owner. Straight up, the scene there is a bit weird. There's a lot more going on, but I don't really think it's important to divulge every tiny detail of this social milieu where I work at. Suffice it to say that labor relations are deeply tied to existing personal relationships. To suggest organizing would almost be like betraying "El Patron." There's no way that organizing could be just about the work, inevitably, personal issues between people would come up. In spite of the many many grievances people have, no one would be down for that and I'd probably end up getting fired.

I understand, that makes it hard. There are some workplaces that organising will be pointless and personally detrimental.

My only advice is you can be part of a union without having to bring the union into a workplace. I am of the opinion you should still pay your dues to the union, as the union works in other places (like they may fight for industry changes through the courts). You can just keep it on the low that you're a union member.

[Aussie Trotskyist]

Hey. I'm in my last year of high school (so I'm under 21).

In regards to the kid:

The right wing comments he makes may be a joke. I even make some such jokes with my friends (only as jokes). Ie, I crack the "make a sandwich' joke sometimes. And I find this to be rather popular amongst youth. If he is being right winged or not depends on how and why he says it. You may wish to confirm that with him.

If you wish to make him a radical, you may be able to take advantage of his rebellious behaviour. I haven't tried to recruit people before (but I have tried to explain my beliefs when they ask), so my advise may not be as useful as it could be.

I'd try and make him aware that his rebellious nature can be tied in with radical movements. If he's in a rebellious mood, explain to him (in a way that he would understand, and make it sound 'cool') some 'cool' things that revolutionaries have done in the past. Things like the Black Panther Party, guerrilla warfare (Che Guevara perhaps).

(I wish to express that I am not like this. I see myself as being an actual revolutionary, and not some rebellious teenager.)

As for myself. I was researching the Soviet Union, came across communism, came across Trotskyism, and here I am.

EDIT: The point I made about jokes was to emphasise that the discriminatory comments of the kid in question (the 15 year old as described in the first post) may simply be a youth thing. Depending on how serious the kid is.

I in no way (given my communist beliefs) support discrimination. Humanity is one 'race' (for lack of a better term), and should be treated as such.

[PC LOAD LETTER]

[snip]
The right wing comments he makes may be a joke. I even make some such jokes with my friends (only as jokes). Ie, I crack the "make a sandwich' joke sometimes. And I find this to be rather popular amongst youth. If he is being right winged or not depends on how and why he says it. You may wish to confirm that with him.
[snip]
You may have a bad time here

[Aussie Trotskyist]

You may have a bad time here


I have no intention of making such comments here. I'm just saying that to point out that its likely just a youth thing (unless he is very serious).

Here, I intend to address serious issues, have serious conversations. That's why I joined this forum.

[Valdyr]

What was it that turned you on to revolutionary politics and the left in general. Remember this kid isn't even politicized, let alone radicalized. How did you get into politics and subsequently become a radical? What would you tell him?

Being queer, I became politicized relatively early, and ended up in fairly conventional progressive liberal politics. However, I became very dissatisfied with liberalism - conservatism was idiotic, but liberalism was banal. But I didn't really have an outlet for this general radicalism until a history teacher of mine, who was at least sympathetic to Marxism, made me aware of other possibilities. Reading Zinn's A People's History of the United States as a freshman in high school shattered the last remnants of illusions I had, and from there it was a relatively simple path.

After abandoning liberalism (mainly because of capitalism) I turned to reformist democratic socialism, because revolutionary Marxism was still too "taboo," I couldn't go straight into it. But through my own readings, experience, and activism I discovered the flaws in such a view and accepted the necessity of revolution, and came to agree with a broadly Marxist theoretical orientation, which I remain to this day.

[Positivist]

Thanks for the input. Here's some answers to some of your points, to clear things up.

He's definitely not bougie. His father used to work construction and died in an accident. His mother, as I've said works at the restaurant where we both work. They're not dirt poor, but they're definitely not rich, and most definitely don't own the means of production.

He listens to some rap, like drake, but also like's that song "We are Young" by Fun. He hangs around mostly skater types (is what he told me).

He's also a bit of a techie and gamer. So the opensource thing seems useful, but what about video games. Aren't there games where you can play as the Red Army or something?

No red army but assassins creed is good. It promotes ideas that are compatible with a socialist perspective, and I'm pretty sure in COD world at war you play as the su.

[helot]

I'm 24.

Unlike what seems like quite a few people on here i never had any interest in history. Kings emperors etc always bored me as i couldn't relate. Throughout school i wasn't political in the slightest. The turning point for me was when i started work at 18 and was faced with management getting us to work through our only break which was unpaid of course. There was no union presence and the workforce was predomonantly young people so while there was complaining to each other no one really kicked up a fuss until i came along and managed to convince everyone to ignore management and take their full breaks. Then at other workplaces more greivances made me realise it wasn't an isolated incident and i started to develop revolutionary politics.

I'd maintain that nothing beats being fucked over by boss after boss and having to defend yourself to instill a bit of revolutionary politics.

[Aussie Trotskyist]

No red army but assassins creed is good. It promotes ideas that are compatible with a socialist perspective, and I'm pretty sure in COD world at war you play as the su.

The Red Alert series may help, but I find they put communism in a negative light. Not many capitalists would support communist ideologies in any form, including games.

I think RA3's expansion makes the USSr look a bit btter, but not having played it, I'm not completely certain.

[Ready4Revolution]

Uh, when I started working for a union as a teenager. I heard some Marxist philosophy debate and I went to pick up the Communist Manifesto. My parents kept trying to steer me to a capitalist mindset, but I was too passionate to turn away. Now I'm a Libertarian Communist. :)