How Taboo is Communism (now)?

[ComingUpForAir]

Watching documentaries of the Cold War re: Red Scare, Mcarthyism, The Berkeley Ten, etc., I am reminded of just how dangerous is can be to come out as a Marxist in public. These days, I wonder how much that has changed. As someone who has come to marxism in the last 6 months, I know I should keep quiet, but I hold in a lot of inner excitement and what I term 'revolutionary spirit' -- an almost obsessive zeal for studying tendencies and history, marxian economics, etc...anyway sometimes I can't help myself and have spoken about it with friends and sometimes even co-workers at times. Like Atheism, it's something that I used to be afraid of saying that I was. Now, it's no big deal to tell people you are an Atheist..(especially if you simply say you are a humanist).

My question is: how taboo is it to come out as a communist in 2012? I live in a blue state but obviously most people have a strong taboo against it still. Many people I speak to are open to talking about it and are mostly only dismissive of the whole notion via all the myths of communism we all know. Is this going to become less taboo as time goes on, as Richard Wolff suggests? What are your thoughts, in our post-Glenn Beck era?

[The Jay]

It will only go away through campaigning and getting the ideas to be even more readily available. Material conditions will likely make the message more appealing too. The best way to do this is to build alternative institutions - both political and economic -, to agitate, and spread propaganda.

Right now, it is still pretty taboo.

[cantwealljustgetalong]

it used to be seriously taboo during the Cold War because it frightened America; now people essentially laugh it off and associate it with idealist college students. :/
in the university, Marxism is banned from the most mainstream American philosophy, sociology, etc. departments and is consigned to history and "critical theory."
the biggest worry you have is that people won't take you seriously because you believe in "a failed/utopian ideology."

[Philosophos]

Well I believe that more and more people are going to turn to communism (let's say they are going to be fine communists because I don't want to change the subject) because of the bad face that capitalism shows the last few years.

I have the same problem as you do because in my country we have 2/5 of left people (all mighty divided) and the rest are right-wing idiots that actually have no freakin idea about politics. If you openly say that you are a communist then they are going to "hang you a label" as we say here and they are going to say: "shut up you anarcho-communistic atheist scum" even thhough you might not be an atheist or an anarchist.

Anyway even now in 2012 communism is a big taboo (for most people) because they are not educated properly (propaganda for the win) and thus they don't want to even look at what communism is really about.

I totally feel you about the whole revolutionary spirit but you have to keep it quiet about your personnal beliefs. You can go to strikes or anything like them but don't openly talk about it unless you know you are with people that actually want to learn of the way that you think.

Last if you hear someone talking about how shitty communism is try to trick him. Start saying things like "Yeah all companies should be run by the goverment and not a few people" etc and if he agrees tell him that he might not be so right-winged as he thinks.

Again I totally feel you and be patient.

[Камо́ Зэд]

"Socialism" is still a dirty word in Usonian politics, at least in so much as even those who don't take the paranoid rhetoric seriously feel the need to defend themselves from the "accusation."

[Zukunftsmusik]

the biggest worry you have is that people won't take you seriously because you believe in "a failed/utopian ideology."

yup. It's not as much taboo as it is rendered "failed", "useless", "old-fashioned" what have you.

[jookyle]

I think there's a much bigger taboo of it now then there was say, ten years ago. Simply because the liberals are terrified Obama might get called one.

[kuriousoranj]

I'm not sure it's all that taboo in Western Europe. I've never had any issue with being unashamedly open with my beliefs. Even in eastern states that suffered under that which was described as "communism", I've found most people very happy to discuss Marxian ideas.

[Zukunftsmusik]

"Socialism" is still a dirty word in Usonian politics, at least in so much as even those who don't take the paranoid rhetoric seriously feel the need to defend themselves from the "accusation."


I think there's a much bigger taboo of it now then there was say, ten years ago. Simply because the liberals are terrified Obama might get called one.

I think there's a rather big difference between the political debate scene in the US and Europe in general here.

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

I'm not sure it's all that taboo in Western Europe. I've never had any issue with being unashamedly open with my beliefs. Even in eastern states that suffered under that which was described as "communism", I've found most people very happy to discuss Marxian ideas.

Well, in most parts of Europe at least... In Germany if you cal yourself a communist a lot of people can't believe it and the media let's the right wing idiots go on tv and say stupid shit about communism. It is still very taboo, socialism for some reason is not such a taboo, maybe because people who call themselves socialists have never had the unity and honesty like communists about their aims.

[Ethics Gradient, Traitor For All Ages]

The few times I've had it come up naturally in conversations with new friends or coworkers, instead of me shoving a poorly printed newspaper in a strangers face on the street, it's been met with disinterest. Most people do their best to avoid political discussions with people they like.

[Zukunftsmusik]

It is still very taboo, socialism for some reason is not such a taboo, maybe because people who call themselves socialists have never had the unity and honesty like communists about their aims.

Or maybe becuase outside marxist circles being a "socialist" means being a (social) liberal? What I mean is that what divides socialists and communists isn't how open we are about our goals but whether or not we support the overthrow of the present system, which the absolute majority of people who either call themselves socialists or are being called socialists don't.

[Marxaveli]

It is still very taboo indeed, though perhaps not as bad as it used to be.

That being said, I am very openly, and aggressively, Communist. I won't lie, I can be very dogmatic when it comes to my political views, so much as even telling people not only am I Communist, but I make no apologies about it. Needless to say, this shocks the hell out of some people, but fuck em'. People are so ignorant and dismissive of it, and coupled that with the fact I have an extreme contempt of Capitalism and all things reactionary/conservative that I can't help but be an asshole sometimes. But if you are civil with me, I am civil with you. If you try to ad hominem me though, or use logical fallacies, I will shut you the fuck down. Plain and simple.

[kuriousoranj]

Or maybe becuase outside marxist circles being a "socialist" means being a (social) liberal?

I think this is certainly the case here in Britain. Calling yourself a socialist raises very few eyebrows, but that's because most would consider the Labour Party a socialist party. Unfortunately, this is far from an indicator of British class consciousness. I mean, people talk about class a lot, but it's merely an assessment of various antiquated behavioural patterns, usually used for comedy purposes.

[Ocean Seal]

Its pretty "taboo" as in it'll make people think that you're weird or foolish/naive or something. But it's not like they'll be calling the police or telling your employer these days. They also might think you're the anti-Christ, but that's if you truly fuck with them.

[Ostrinski]

It certainly is funny how most Americans still have that same cold war mentality about communists. The most liberal of folk view being a communist as a quality to detest, something characteristic of only the outermost fringe of society.

Fact is, if you went to enough university social science departments, you'd find some communists or people that refer to themselves as communists or socialists in an environment where it's not considered controversial.

[officer nugz]

My question is: how taboo is it to come out as a communist in 2012? I live in a blue state but obviously most people have a strong taboo against it still. Many people I speak to are open to talking about it and are mostly only dismissive of the whole notion via all the myths of communism we all know. Is this going to become less taboo as time goes on, as Richard Wolff suggests? What are your thoughts, in our post-Glenn Beck era?it's pretty funny to describe our current point in history as the "post-glenn beck era".

and communism is a very taboo way to describe your political beliefs.

[x-punk]

From my experience people tend to get a bit flustered when they hear the words communism or anarchy. They tend to be less bothered with the term socialism as they equate that with the modern concept of socialism (capitalism with govt redistribution). Mention of Marx, Lenin, Stalin etc also tend to worry people. In the UK, people are subjected to far less anti-communist propaganda than in other countries, but most have still be exposed to enough to make them wary of it.

However, ive found if I explain my political stance without mentioning any of the buzz words that people tend to be supportive. Then they ask what the name of this political theory is.....:unsure:

[Flying Purple People Eater]

I don't know about America, but I've never really seen that strange form of anti-communist rhetoric where I live.

The main problems include sensationalism and misinformation. If I tell someone that I'm a communist, their mind threads immediately to gulags, russians and call of duty. Although it might get tiring, simply unveiling the myths of what communism is and isn't can have profound effects on these people (It's how I myself became interested).

[Igor]

It's not really a taboo here in Finland, during the cold war era communist movement was freaking huge and quite many current leading names of the business and political world here were college commies. When I say I'm a commie without further explanations, it doesn't really result in "stalin gulag KGB" rants but more like just people rolling their eyes and assuming i'm just naive as fuck.

[Psy]

The issue is that the bourgeoisie has constructed a huge straw man to avoid having to even having to talk about the ideas of Marx and many people still confuse this caricature of communism for Marx's criticism of capitalism and this is where the taboo comes from.

Talk to most people about the USSR and their view of it is like it was run by the Sith from Star Wars and just being evil for evil sake thus it becomes a barrier to having rational discussion as you have to deal with all this misconception about pretty much everything and of course most people don't like being told everything they thought they knew is wrong.

[fug]

If you can't get beaten up for publicly being a communist in your country then you know you are lucky :D

[Catma]

95% of people don't seem to know or care about it. I've been wearing a hammer and sickle pin for about a year (started at OWS.) I've noticed a few stares from Chinese immigrants. One girl said "that pin always makes me think of McDonalds." Using the C-word is unpopular but necessary. One person I told I was a socialist responded "ah, that's better than being a communist." She was in favor of social democracy but still had a lot of baggage about communism.

[Quail]

I don't tend to call myself a communist (although obviously I am a libertarian communist) because people's minds seem to immediately jump to Stalin, the failure of the USSR, bullshit strawmen about people not being the same, etc., and then they don't listen to me when I try to explain what communism is actually about. Most people in the UK seem to think communists are naive/utopian but I don't think many people actively hate communists or trade unionists except for people on the far-right.

I think anarchism is more taboo because people seem to think it's all about violence and rioting and chaos and they don't understand that it has a lot of coherent political theory and analysis behind it; we're just a bunch of thugs who like to burn shit and fight cops (my mum seems to like the word "thug" to describe anarchists). It's quite hard explaining to people what anarchism is actually about, and a few times when I've called myself an anarchist communist I've had the old response, "but isn't that a contradiction?" Still though, it's not that taboo because I haven't lost any friends over my political views even though i am fairly open about them.

[Public Domain]

It doesn't seem taboo where I am in Canada, so much as no one even knows what it means anymore.

And by that I mean I hear "What is Communism" more than any sort of Anti-Communist hearsay.

People tend to bring up the Ghost of the Soviet Union as their one fragment of knowledge of the term 'communist' but that's hardly a problem generally.

I feel it's just... ignored. That's all. Not hated, despised, looked-down upon, etc. Just ignored.

[maskerade]

I'd say that it is still quite taboo. If you tell someone you're a communist, be prepared to be spoken down to and have your own beliefs explained to you by someone else. But maybe it's changing, I mean right now in Sweden it's becoming more and more acceptable to call yourself a nationalist and considering fascism and communism are falsely equated all the time maybe this signals a change...but who knows.

[The_Red_Spark]

It is a funny thing how people respond to these ideas and words. At least it is in the USA. I get all to many predictable responses from people my age and older. They cry out it's Utopian, it will only end in a bureaucratic elite, or they mention the USSR or China etc and refuse to consider anything other than their own preconceived, thoroughly conditioned, knee jerk response to these words and we never discuss the real concept. This makes discussion of the crux of the problem difficult to impossible. It is much like Pavlov's dogs and just as devoid of critical intelligent thought. They cannot imagine a world can exist outside of exploitative Capitalism and expect that it will last till the end of the world.

Then you see a very different response by the younger generations and in this regard I see reason for hope and the ability to be more open. They are not aware of it's true meaning but they are not conditioned to respond the way those of us who remember cold war propaganda are. These generations are much more aware of governmental Capitalist nonsense and they are willing to consider all of the possibilities. This is the seed of change and it needs proper cultivation for it to bloom into a true vehicle for social change and Socialism.

In totality the American in general is unable to view the world from anything other than an Amerocentric worldview where Capitalism is sacred and with a 'our way is the only way' mentality. The majority have never left the country to see the world around them, are oblivious to the real conditions around the world, and many have never even left their state and locality. There are many who defy this stereotype of course but they are by and large outnumbered by those of whom I speak. I think we are primed for change at this point in history but I think it is a few years away from actually happening. Social and economic conditions must further deteriorate and the youth must reach the workforce in order to fully grasp class struggle before we can reach a point where change is possible.

I do not use the word 'Communist' when discussing politics and I find that people are more willing to listen due to this fact. Some reach this conclusion on their own and at this point I do not deny it. Nor do I allow the person to jump to topics like death tolls or the USSR. I prefer Socialist to Communist because it is easier to avoid certain arguments that only serve to derail any actual discussion. I would never deny my beliefs and convictions but I am strategic in my usage of these terms due to their potential to prevent any thorough discussion of more important issues that impact them directly. By discussing issues instead of buzzwords I am able to plant those seeds of thought that are fruitful; rather than getting into historical and ideological arguments that go nowhere fast. So that is my two cents and I hope they help you formulate your own position that works for you.

[Collectorgeneral]

Communism, and by extension any leftist ideology or way, is very taboo here in Estonia. "Coming out" as one would at the least earn you the ire of anyone who knows you, the worst case scenario is that you'd be under the spotlight of the state or outright prosecuted on the spot. I remember writing a composition a few years back dealing with Stalin, quite a lot of good decent folk I knew turned their backs on me when they found out, not because they're overly informed about the subject or anything but simply due to ignorant aimless hatred.
The element of racism in estonian society does not help things a bit, anyone identified as a communist or a leftist is almost immediately 'condemned' a russian.

[cyu]

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1583/political-rhetoric-capitalism-socialism-militia-family-values-states-rights

The most striking partisan differences come in reactions to the word "socialism." Just 15% of Republicans react positively to "socialism". Democrats are evenly divided -- 44% have a positive reaction to "socialism"

majorities of Democrats (81%), independents (64%) and Republicans (56%) have a positive reaction to "progressive."

Young people are more positive about "socialism" -- and more negative about "capitalism". Among those younger than age 30, identical percentages react positively to "socialism" and "capitalism" (43% each)

People ages 65 and older have a particularly negative reaction to "socialism". But those 65 and older are no more likely than those ages 30 to 64 to have a positive reaction to "capitalism".

More than twice as many blacks as whites react positively to "socialism" (53% vs. 24%). Yet there are no racial differences in views of "capitalism"

People with family incomes of $75,000 or more are the only income group in which a clear majority (66%) reacts positively to the word "capitalism."