Monkey Riding Dragon
4th June 2012, 12:24
I'd like to start this off with an apology: to all those who remember me, I apologize for my earlier narrow-minded stupidity. I realize I was quite abrasive quite often and for no good reason. I like to believe that I've matured considerably since.
Anyhow, I've been here a number of years now, but haven't posted in nearly a year and a half. That's because I ran off to join LLCO (where you're discouraged from posting on any message board they don't run) and wound up very disillusioned and confused for long time thereafter. For the longest time, I really didn't know what I believed anymore. I didn't want to come back here and just start posting incoherent, inconsistent views that weren't even necessarily socialist. I've waited until the dust settled in my mind, and it has settled on a me-ish variation of what I'll call Hugo Chavez Thought. I believe that's the most accurate way of summing up my current perspective anyway.
Organizationally, I'm independent these days and have no intention of rushing back into another party until I can agree very fully and for a long time on their theory and strategy. (Though I will say that the regular Communist Party USA is probably the closest to my current views overall here in this country.) Although I still retain certain views developed in and around the time of my experience with LLCO (particularly concerning a poverty-based definition of the proletariat), as well as a centrally Mao-inspired take on the correct approach to the transition from socialism to communism (based on the collectivization of life rather than the state-ification of life), more broadly my views, and even my debate approach, have moderated considerably. I've come to grips with how out of touch and purely academic I was before. Again, I apologize to those I hurt before with my insensitivity and sheer ignorance.
So I just wanted to say all that as I seek to get back into the swing of things here. In terms of labels (and yeah I still believe in labels), I accept the terms "Chavisma", "liberal communist", "democratic socialist", or "pinko" (the latter being kind of sardonic for "moderately radical"), take your pick. I just think a Chavez-like approach really represents the best and truest application of the mass line in the modern era. So that's how I would re-introduce myself.
Anyhow, I've been here a number of years now, but haven't posted in nearly a year and a half. That's because I ran off to join LLCO (where you're discouraged from posting on any message board they don't run) and wound up very disillusioned and confused for long time thereafter. For the longest time, I really didn't know what I believed anymore. I didn't want to come back here and just start posting incoherent, inconsistent views that weren't even necessarily socialist. I've waited until the dust settled in my mind, and it has settled on a me-ish variation of what I'll call Hugo Chavez Thought. I believe that's the most accurate way of summing up my current perspective anyway.
Organizationally, I'm independent these days and have no intention of rushing back into another party until I can agree very fully and for a long time on their theory and strategy. (Though I will say that the regular Communist Party USA is probably the closest to my current views overall here in this country.) Although I still retain certain views developed in and around the time of my experience with LLCO (particularly concerning a poverty-based definition of the proletariat), as well as a centrally Mao-inspired take on the correct approach to the transition from socialism to communism (based on the collectivization of life rather than the state-ification of life), more broadly my views, and even my debate approach, have moderated considerably. I've come to grips with how out of touch and purely academic I was before. Again, I apologize to those I hurt before with my insensitivity and sheer ignorance.
So I just wanted to say all that as I seek to get back into the swing of things here. In terms of labels (and yeah I still believe in labels), I accept the terms "Chavisma", "liberal communist", "democratic socialist", or "pinko" (the latter being kind of sardonic for "moderately radical"), take your pick. I just think a Chavez-like approach really represents the best and truest application of the mass line in the modern era. So that's how I would re-introduce myself.