How would recreation, arts, et cetera, function under socialism?

[Eagle_Syr]

I think we often find that the things in life we live for are our passions, hobbies, endeavors of the artistic or athletic kind.

How would that work under socialism or, in some far off time, communism?

I imagine there must always be a life independent of politics, for everybody, independent of revolutionary theory and imagery. The fact that production is geared towards the community cannot diminish the unique individuality of every person.

I thought of a way recreation, arts, and athletics could be handled if an individual has serious ambitions about pursuing them - they can be another benefit of life in the community. Everybody, without fail, would have a "productive" job, geared towards materialistic production, service, and care, but beyond that, individuals would receive allocated time and free access to programs and insitutions of their choosing that stand for their particular interests.

[The Idler]

I imagine the change will be qualitative not quantitive, in the sense that plural sports popular now will broadly change in popularity only slowly over time. There may be a highly participatory plural recreational culture in contrast to specialised elite recreational pursuits. Recreational programs will actively seek and encourage broad participation globally.

Ever seen Hoop Dreams? Well, that's a model of how capitalism fails to encourage participation.

[Deicide]

Praising the party leadership, praising the party leader, praising Socialism, etc.

There will be no football, boxing, hockey, wrestling, no sports whatsoever, we will follow the example of Comrade Hoxha, but will take his decision to its dialectical synthesis, so all sport will be banned, they're bourgeois and will have a negative effect on society by inspiring competition.

We will burn books by Kafka, Goethe, Tolstoy, Machiavelli, Hegel, Plato, especially books by those bastards Adam Smith and Mises, all books that don't reaffirm what the party tells us. Especially history books, they'll be the first to go, history will be decided by the Central Committee and will only reflect the party in a positive way. No alcohol or drugs of any kind, because they're bourgeois, unless you're in the Central Committee, then you get free cocaine and hookers. No music, unless it's the internationale. No art, unless it reaffirms what the party considers socialist values. No picnics, as they're bourgeois. No fashion, we will all wear clothing authorised and designed by the Central Committee. No television, unless it reaffirms the beliefs espoused by the party. No movies, unless they're about the revolution which brought us to socialism. Only Central Committee members will be able to watch 1980s action movies with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone in their own private cinemas. Our existence will be set around praising the glorious vanguard and working hard to construct Communism. And you will be happy doing it.

In all honesty, I have no idea, apart from looking at limited historical examples, It's quite impossible to know how society will change when, or more accurately ''if'', we transform the current social relations. If anyone says they have a definite answer, an exact schematic of how a Socialist/Communist society will function, in all aspects, excluding universals that are present in every form of society, such as the existential necessity to ''work'', they can safely be dismissed as charlatans, and recommended a heavy dosage of anti-psychotics.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I think we often find that the things in life we live for are our passions, hobbies, endeavors of the artistic or athletic kind.Yes and this is certainty a big part of my attraction to revolutionary communist ideas: free ourselves to work only for what is necessary and desired so that we can use the surplus of the world to peruse our own interests and enjoyment.


How would that work under socialism or, Who's to say how people might decide to organize these things, but I think there are some historical examples (and warnings) about ways to go about it.

In my view, if we want liberated and organic artistic production the three places to start would be 1) More free-time for everyone - this can begin immediately 2) Increase access to art and art education: museums should all be free and that can happen basically overnight, also the freeing up of all copyright-ed(?) digital material so anyone can have digital access to classic art, literature and A/V recorded media; I think education would be a major priority right after food and housing so art education and access to learning skills and techniques should be seen as part of that. 2) Collectivising the means of artistic production: this means opening up recording studios, creating new community film and music and publishing facilities, art studios, etc. So much about art production is due to the centralization of the means to produce many of these things.


in some far off time, communism?This is where I think we simply can't know what the form and content of art of a totally different society would look like. Just as the rise of capitalism changed the relations of production in art (from patrons and works for hire to artists creating art as craft-commodities to be sold to art dealers and galleries and private collectors) the new social relations of a non-class society mean it would only be wild speculation as to what a new free people would want to create and enjoy.


I thought of a way recreation, arts, and athletics could be handled if an individual has serious ambitions about pursuing them - they can be another benefit of life in the community. Everybody, without fail, would have a "productive" job, geared towards materialistic production, service, and care, but beyond that, individuals would receive allocated time and free access to programs and insitutions of their choosing that stand for their particular interests.Yes I think the maximizing of personal free-time as well as free and continuing education for anyone who wants it (as well as implied access to any art-making materials if they took art production classes) would definitely be part of a world worth fighting for.

[campesino]

people will do recreation on their spare time. local communes will decide what to broadcast.