Proletariette
6th January 2015, 05:09
I joined here a few weeks ago actually, and I've been reading around the forum for awhile. I am interested, but to a certain extent it's also a lot information so can feel a bit overwhelming. I just don't know what I can really add to the discussion at this point, but I'd like to.
I'm 24, female and Canadian.
It always somewhat irritated me whenever communism was spoken of only to describe it as oppressive and BAD. If you'd ever read the definition of communism or what it is supposed to be, to call it bad didn't make sense. It at least claimed to give a shit about the worst off in society unlike capitalism.
Socialism or social democracy is basically akin to war time nurses rushing around helping all those wounded fighting other people's conflicts. Capitalism victimizes so many without a care and the welfare system is left to clean up the mess in a very limited way.
We're born into the capitalist system, it becomes as natural to us as the water in the oceans and the air we breath. It's just THERE. To me it genuinely feels as many people forget money isn't a naturally occurring thing. Whenever people talk about funding for schools or hospitals - the response really tends to be people thinking it's just SO unfortunate there's not more money! But money is a man made creation, it's made in f*cking factories!
It's just so frustrating to me, whenever I think - homes can still be built without money, as can schools and hospitals!
How can one not see that communism has merit when everything you can see around you is perfectly able to exist without money? I genuinely think the average person forgets this. I see why, for people it's always been there, never been any different for us. Obviously you have the capitalist supporters who realize this but say it is too idealist. But I think the average person hasn't really thought of it for reasons I already said.
Another thing that really irritates me is the argument 'But in a communist society why would anybody want to work!!11'
I genuinely think they WOULD. When most of us work we benefit no one but the corporations or businesses, the small amount of money we do make goes to ourselves and we can barely afford to be generous. THIS makes people selfish! I know I for one would feel far more fulfilled working for the genuine benefit of others. I can give measly amounts to charities, but this always feels very empty to me. I don't really feel donating to a food bank or putting a barbie doll under a charity Xmas tree is really improving the quality or conditions of an individuals life.
I don't know what others on here make of this, but a big reason why I have become a supporter of communism is that I would like people to be able to live up to their potential, to have their talents realized if that's what they wish. I don't want to live in a society where someone lucky enough to have been 'invested' in by their parents or the film industry or whatever it maybe become well known for their accomplishments and therefore becomes rich and famous and then absolutely FAWNED over as if they are somehow better than everyone else.
A person should not be considered superior because of any talents they have, but that doesn't mean they can't be appreciated. I'm worried I might be sounding too individualist, but I don't mean in a Thatcherite way - it's just I feel sad thinking that there is a child living in squalor somewhere would could be an Olympic gold medalist but will never get that opportunity and instead a wealthy kid will instead get that prize. The reason I say this is because if you read about what people say about famous athletes as an example, they are always put on a pedestal, they are BETTER than others because of their achievements. Does no one realize that in actual fact most Olympic medalists in the developed word come from wealthier than average families? Because it's expensive to pursue elite sports! I am not saying these athletes don't have talent but they did not get there based off that alone. Most people who get somewhere based off merit, in actual fact did not get there because of that.
I also understand that our achievements and success being tied to our self worth is capitalist conditioning, and I think in a communist society what becomes considered achievement will alter somewhat. I brought the talents and accomplishments point up because a lot of anti communists talk of communism as if no one will ever be allowed to stand out or 'become' anything but that seems to be - very unlikely - it's just that they won't be worshipped as if they are a superior race of humans because of it.
I know this was way more than an introduction. I just started to vent, I do that. I probably made some typos and errors - I am very prone to doing that when typing. My brain gets ahead of my fingers a lot of the time.
I'm 24, female and Canadian.
It always somewhat irritated me whenever communism was spoken of only to describe it as oppressive and BAD. If you'd ever read the definition of communism or what it is supposed to be, to call it bad didn't make sense. It at least claimed to give a shit about the worst off in society unlike capitalism.
Socialism or social democracy is basically akin to war time nurses rushing around helping all those wounded fighting other people's conflicts. Capitalism victimizes so many without a care and the welfare system is left to clean up the mess in a very limited way.
We're born into the capitalist system, it becomes as natural to us as the water in the oceans and the air we breath. It's just THERE. To me it genuinely feels as many people forget money isn't a naturally occurring thing. Whenever people talk about funding for schools or hospitals - the response really tends to be people thinking it's just SO unfortunate there's not more money! But money is a man made creation, it's made in f*cking factories!
It's just so frustrating to me, whenever I think - homes can still be built without money, as can schools and hospitals!
How can one not see that communism has merit when everything you can see around you is perfectly able to exist without money? I genuinely think the average person forgets this. I see why, for people it's always been there, never been any different for us. Obviously you have the capitalist supporters who realize this but say it is too idealist. But I think the average person hasn't really thought of it for reasons I already said.
Another thing that really irritates me is the argument 'But in a communist society why would anybody want to work!!11'
I genuinely think they WOULD. When most of us work we benefit no one but the corporations or businesses, the small amount of money we do make goes to ourselves and we can barely afford to be generous. THIS makes people selfish! I know I for one would feel far more fulfilled working for the genuine benefit of others. I can give measly amounts to charities, but this always feels very empty to me. I don't really feel donating to a food bank or putting a barbie doll under a charity Xmas tree is really improving the quality or conditions of an individuals life.
I don't know what others on here make of this, but a big reason why I have become a supporter of communism is that I would like people to be able to live up to their potential, to have their talents realized if that's what they wish. I don't want to live in a society where someone lucky enough to have been 'invested' in by their parents or the film industry or whatever it maybe become well known for their accomplishments and therefore becomes rich and famous and then absolutely FAWNED over as if they are somehow better than everyone else.
A person should not be considered superior because of any talents they have, but that doesn't mean they can't be appreciated. I'm worried I might be sounding too individualist, but I don't mean in a Thatcherite way - it's just I feel sad thinking that there is a child living in squalor somewhere would could be an Olympic gold medalist but will never get that opportunity and instead a wealthy kid will instead get that prize. The reason I say this is because if you read about what people say about famous athletes as an example, they are always put on a pedestal, they are BETTER than others because of their achievements. Does no one realize that in actual fact most Olympic medalists in the developed word come from wealthier than average families? Because it's expensive to pursue elite sports! I am not saying these athletes don't have talent but they did not get there based off that alone. Most people who get somewhere based off merit, in actual fact did not get there because of that.
I also understand that our achievements and success being tied to our self worth is capitalist conditioning, and I think in a communist society what becomes considered achievement will alter somewhat. I brought the talents and accomplishments point up because a lot of anti communists talk of communism as if no one will ever be allowed to stand out or 'become' anything but that seems to be - very unlikely - it's just that they won't be worshipped as if they are a superior race of humans because of it.
I know this was way more than an introduction. I just started to vent, I do that. I probably made some typos and errors - I am very prone to doing that when typing. My brain gets ahead of my fingers a lot of the time.