Stupidity in American History textbook

[Radikal]

Under communism there is little or no private ownership of property and little or no political freedom. Government planners make economic decisions, such as which and many goods and services should be produced. Individuals have little say in a communist economy. Such a system, communists believe, would end inequality.

This is what it actually says in my textbook.

:laugh:

[DrZaiu5]

It's not just American history books. Pretty much every history text book defines Communism as the system that existed in the USSR.

[RedHammer]

This upsets me. Kids can't ask critical questions and will accept this as fact. This is what spreads disinformation.

I also hate the false distinction between "democracy" and "communism". People always ask questions like "what is the difference between democracy and communism", as if "democracy" is a thing. As if communism isn't democratic; as if capitalism is democratic.

And of course, your history book makes no distinction between private property and personal property.

This is why I'm glad we read Howard Zinn in my senior year of high school.

[Robespierres Neck]

This is why I'm glad we read Howard Zinn in my senior year of high school.

Wow, seriously? Which book? People's History of the United States?

[Radikal]

It's not just American history books. Pretty much every history text book defines Communism as the system that existed in the USSR.

No doubt, I was just speaking about the textbook I have.

[RedHammer]

Wow, seriously? Which book? People's History of the United States?

Yup. My history course included Latin American history and my teacher was a self-proclaimed communist. I'm pretty glad that I got to learn more about Mexican, American, Cuban, etc, history.

[Comrade Samuel]

Welcome to the wonderful world of indoctrination! Funny you should mention it because I think Ive got the same textbook.

I remember one time in economics our teacher explained to us why "communism is an impossible dream" after explaining what a world communist society would be (actualy managing to not completely fuck it up either) he asked the class "does anybody really think that's possible?" we all replied in unison "yes!" with me yelling the loudest, and that was the day I had some faith restored in the human race. (and detention)

[Robespierres Neck]

Yup. My history course included Latin American history and my teacher was a self-proclaimed communist. I'm pretty glad that I got to learn more about Mexican, American, Cuban, etc, history.

My history teacher senior year was a Cuban dissident, so I unfortunately heard a lot of nonsense about how Communism is comparable to Nazism. I would have loved to read Howard Zinn instead.

[Comrades Unite!]

That is nowhere NEAR my book.

''Communism rose during The Great Depression as it seems like Capitalism and Democracy failed them''

WHAT THE FUCK?

The worst part is.

[jookyle]

American textbooks are purposefully spreading disinfo to students? WHEN DID THIS START HAPPENING!?

[Jesus Saves Gretzky Scores]

I wrote down the definition of communism from some history book, but I can't find it.:(

It was exactly like yours though. Government owns and regulates all.

[Positivist]

I remember one time in economics our teacher explained to us why "communism is an impossible dream" after explaining what a world communist society would be (actualy managing to not completely fuck it up either) he asked the class "does anybody really think that's possible?" we all replied in unison "yes!" with me yelling the loudest, and that was the day I had some faith restored in the human race. (and detention)

Really? You mean there are entire classes of humans, real human beings who are receptive to communist ideas and even say it allowed? Where is the wonderful kingdom and what drug do I have to take to get there?

[Misanthrope]

American "history" text books make me want to fucking kill myself. What's worse is we watched the history channel to "supplement" our curriculum. Fuck the American education system and fuck all those that blindly uphold it.

[RadioRaheem84]

Socialism = Fascism to most youngsters in the US. :crying:

[Comrade Samuel]

Really? You mean there are entire classes of humans, real human beings who are receptive to communist ideas and even say it allowed? Where is the wonderful kingdom and what drug do I have to take to get there?

Michigan my friend, while it is true most kids my age in my and in my area are hopeful dreamers who believe communism could be a reality immediately after hearing about how great it would be, My class being mostly comprised of petit-bourgeois white kids who have ultra-conservative parents simply lack the determination, focus or approval of their loved ones to ever attempt to make such a thing a reality. Not to mention the fact that they would likely believe anything anybody says about the concept (such as their conservative patents with their well-informed opinions on the matter) and due to the public educational system's efforts to make us mindless drones who have absolutely no critical thinking skills.

[Caj]

I often wrote corrections in the margins of my high school history textbooks, especially concerning the definitions of terms such as "socialism" and "communism."

[RedHammer]

Man, you guys had some terrible instructors.

In my senior year history class, we watched a pro-Fidel Castro documentary; watched several documentaries about Vietnam, Mexico, and others, all with an anti-imperialist bias, and we learned about Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

The thing is, it was a very conservative upper-class high school, so many of the kids were typical right-wing hicks. But we had some good discussions and it's always good to speak up and make your opinions known. Too many kids are not exposed to genuine Marxist opinions that they simply accept the bullshit that Marxism is just a discredited, discarded mode of thinking.

[Le Socialiste]

Hell, I can't even remember what my textbooks said about socialism. I'm not even certain we covered it, much less talked about it in class. Then again, I went to a school where the assistant football coach was brought in to "teach" economics after the old teacher abruptly quit two weeks into the semester (we literally did nothing the whole time - the coach would just read off the answers to every single quiz, test, and final that came our way).

[Yugo45]

My textbooks aren't as bad! And I come from a country that recently came out of a "communist hell". My sociology book is fair on it and my professor is a communist supporter you could say.

[Aussie Trotskyist]

This upsets me. Kids can't ask critical questions and will accept this as fact. This is what spreads disinformation.

I also hate the false distinction between "democracy" and "communism". People always ask questions like "what is the difference between democracy and communism", as if "democracy" is a thing. As if communism isn't democratic; as if capitalism is democratic.

And of course, your history book makes no distinction between private property and personal property.

This is why I'm glad we read Howard Zinn in my senior year of high school.

You know what really got me?

Last year, in Modern History, we had to give seminars on the Cold War.

The majority were great, most students made no comments like 'communism is evil' (at least that I heard). And then one of the last students continually defines the Cold War as Democracy vs Communism.

That took some self restraint, because the person in question wasn't really a strong conservative, the issue was, she didn't know anything about communism or capitalism , and I couldn't just debate with her in the middle of her speech.

[International_Solidarity]

At my school I get the defeatist "Communism is beautiful but impossible" garbage. They always do that same speech "Communism, in it's Utopian form, is a beautiful thing but it is impossible because people will have no incentive to work and will want more money."

God! My teachers have also often stated that when you go to the far left and far right of the political spectrum things become "exactly the same". They either state that it's impossible or equate it to Fascism, and of course no-one ever cites Marx or any other Communist thinkers, merely states their unsupported mainstream opinion.

[Generalist]

I read that huge asshole called Paul Johnson, an English wannabe aristocrat. He seems to be very popular. I heard Kissinger and Nixon's favorite historian was him. I know he is a Catholic into BDSM. Conservatives all want the Father figure, like in Freud, that's why they are secretly all gay.

[m1omfg]

My textbooks aren't as bad! And I come from a country that recently came out of a "communist hell". My sociology book is fair on it and my professor is a communist supporter you could say.

It is hard to indoctrinate people when your parents could debunk the more absurd slander like for example what is written in US textbooks.

My father for example is a moderate anti-communist but still says that Che Guevara was one of the greatest freedom fighters of all time (and he was taught about him in school so it isn't like he picked it up from commercialized Che T-shirts, there wasn't such a thing as Che T-shirts when he was growing up).

[Hermes]

At my school I get the defeatist "Communism is beautiful but impossible" garbage. They always do that same speech "Communism, in it's Utopian form, is a beautiful thing but it is impossible because people will have no incentive to work and will want more money."

God! My teachers have also often stated that when you go to the far left and far right of the political spectrum things become "exactly the same". They either state that it's impossible or equate it to Fascism, and of course no-one ever cites Marx or any other Communist thinkers, merely states their unsupported mainstream opinion.

My teacher described the political spectrum as a belt, where Communism blended naturally into Fascism. It was pretty absurd.

[Lokomotive293]

Conservatives all want the Father figure, like in Freud, that's why they are secretly all gay.

I don't think posts like this are neccessary, or particularly intelligent.


On the topic, it doesn't really come as a surprise. My textbooks weren't as horrible as some US textbooks appear to be, but they were horrible enough. Luckily, we had a few good teachers at my school.

[Radikal]

My textbooks aren't as bad! And I come from a country that recently came out of a "communist hell". My sociology book is fair on it and my professor is a communist supporter you could say.

Yeah, but my country spent 50 years afraid of your country and others around you. There may be anti-communists in East Europe, but most people over here are anti-Communists.

[Fourth Internationalist]

I remember by History book saying that communism is when private property is abolished and owned by the community as whole. :)

[Radikal]

I can second that, People don't even know what Communism is most of the time and theyre abhorred by it. Some people are still in the cold war. Then there's the "rational" commie phobia with the "human nature" defense to back it up. Ugh, Talk about annoying. That said, Atleast 3 of my teachers recently (and surprisingly) lit up when I brought the Communist Manifesto, I also was being crazy and punky one time and wore a hammer and sickle shirt the same teachers were showing it to each other and they seem to like it asked me where I got it.

You are officially a badass.

[Radikal]

I remember by History book saying that communism is when private property is abolished and owned by the community as whole. :)

Oh hey, actual definitions! Yay!

[Amon]

Someone once said to me, 'So you're a communist? Give me all your stuff then.' Or here's another one, 'Oh you're a communist? You fucking jerk, you just want to steal peoples money and kill them so you can live in luxury while the rest of your people suffer.'

As you can clearly see, I know a lot of people who are clued up on communism.

Both of those people were bourgeois with a ridiculous amount of money with no consideration for others, just the next Bentley that they're going to buy.

[Radikal]

Someone once said to me, 'So you're a communist? Give me all your stuff then.' Or here's another one, 'Oh you're a communist? You fucking jerk, you just want to steal peoples money and kill them so you can live in luxury while the rest of your people suffer.'

As you can clearly see, I know a lot of people who are clued up on communism.

Both of those people were bourgeois with a ridiculous amount of money with no consideration for others, just the next Bentley that they're going to buy.

Can't wait for a revolution! :thumbup1:

[Amon]

Can't wait for a revolution! :thumbup1:

I most certainly sympathize with that statement! :D

[Sheepy]

I remember by History book saying that communism is when private property is abolished and owned by the community as whole. :)
That doesn't sound like an American textbook.

[Geiseric]

And this is why we need to form a labor party people, mass propaganda about what the definition of communism is! Let's get to work!

[Fourth Internationalist]

That doesn't sound like an American textbook.

Surprisingly it is.