Chicago Marxist Lurker

[proletariandan]

Greetings comrades!

I work in IT and study at NEIU. I've been continually adjusting my views since becoming politically aware almost three years ago, and I think out of fear of being sucked into a dead-end left-sect I've remained largely on the sidelines. I hope this isn't a permanent condition, but I think forums like this could be an important avenue in breaking down the sectarian divides amongst the Marxist and broader lefts in the US and if nothing else laying the groundwork for the kind of unity and broader organizing that will be necessary as capitalism descends deeper into crisis.

Dan

[Q]

Greetings comrades!

I work in IT and study at NEIU. I've been continually adjusting my views since becoming politically aware almost three years ago, and I think out of fear of being sucked into a dead-end left-sect I've remained largely on the sidelines. I hope this isn't a permanent condition, but I think forums like this could be an important avenue in breaking down the sectarian divides amongst the Marxist and broader lefts in the US and if nothing else laying the groundwork for the kind of unity and broader organizing that will be necessary as capitalism descends deeper into crisis.

Dan

Welcome! :)
If you're interested, I'd like to point you to Socialist Alternative (http://socialistalternative.org/): a Marxist group affiliated to the Committee for a Workers' International. They very regularly update their website with new articles, maybe there are a few comrades in your neighbourhood (I'm not sure).
Anyway, did you watch the events at Republic Windows & Doors (http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2008/12/20usa.html) up close? it would be great to hear some more accounts of that :)

[Die Neue Zeit]

Since you're in Chicago, there's a Chicago Socialist Party branch of the SP-USA you can join. :)

http://www.chicagosocialistparty.org/

[LOLseph Stalin]

Welcome. :)

I was pretty unsure myself as to which direction I wanted to go in at first, but I think I got it now. Hope this site helps you decide. :)

[MarxSchmarx]

Hidey ho! I also work in IT. Plenty of non-sectarians around here so you'll be right at home.

Can't get enough of Chicago pizza :D mmm-hmm.

[Black Sheep]

Hidey ho! I also work in IT
Is IT something that must not be named? :D

And welcome to the OP.

[which doctor]

UIC student here


Is IT something that must not be named? :D

And welcome to the OP.
IT stands for information technology

[Comrade Corwin]

I will not suggest that you fling yourself into a political sect without thinking it over, but I work with the Youth Communist League of the United States of America (Y.C.L.U.S.A.) and I think you should think about possibly looking us up. We sometimes meet in Chicago at one of th union headquarters that is affiliated with the Communist Party of the United States of America (C.P.U.S.A.) and therefore also the People's Weekly World (P.W.W./newspaper). I hope that someday we can end the sectarian warfare and join together in one strong left movement to lead our country out of the grips of backwards conservatism, but many are not nearly as willing...
Check us out at:
www.yclusa.org
OR
www.cpusa.org

[Malakangga]

welcome here

[BPSocialist]

Hello comrade

[Led Zeppelin]

I love how the guy didn't ask anyone about which party to join yet every petty "recruiter" directs him to the organization of their preference. ;)

[BPSocialist]

I love how the guy didn't ask anyone about which party to join yet every petty "recruiter" directs him to the organization of their preference. ;)

Is this about me and how idiotic I was?:)

[Led Zeppelin]

Eh, no.

[BPSocialist]

Oh, sorry. Its just that what with all you've said and everything I just thought you were trying to wind me up....

[which doctor]

I believe he was referring to all the people who suggested that they join their respective political organizations.

[Q]

I love how the guy didn't ask anyone about which party to join yet every petty "recruiter" directs him to the organization of their preference. ;)

There is nothing petty about trying to get people organised.

[Dóchas]

welocme comrade!! iv been here for a while and im still not sure what ideas suit me!! dont feel pressurised to join any one just keep on learning and you will be grand :thumbup1:

[Led Zeppelin]

There is nothing petty about trying to get people organised.

If you were genuine about "trying to get him organized" you would have given him helpful tips on how he could do that instead of trying to get him to join your group of preference.

There's definitely something petty about that, especially since he pointed out how much he dislikes and fears "getting sucked into dead-end left-sects".

[Comrade Corwin]

I was just trying to give him some resources. How do you know where your efforts would be best spent if you haven't looked at your options. I'm no recruiter, but I was offering a fellow comrade advise from what I have found to be the most effective organization for me. There is no harm in that. So, please, stop pointing useless blame and get to work to make our chaotic world a better place.

[Q]

I was just trying to give him some resources. How do you know where your efforts would be best spent if you haven't looked at your options. I'm no recruiter, but I was offering a fellow comrade advise from what I have found to be the most effective organization for me. There is no harm in that. So, please, stop pointing useless blame and get to work to make our chaotic world a better place.
Don't feed the troll. It'll only get worse.

[Led Zeppelin]

I was just trying to give him some resources. How do you know where your efforts would be best spent if you haven't looked at your options. I'm no recruiter, but I was offering a fellow comrade advise from what I have found to be the most effective organization for me. There is no harm in that. So, please, stop pointing useless blame and get to work to make our chaotic world a better place.

I wasn't referring to you, I was referring solely to Q-Collective, and I'll explain why below.

You quite clearly added to your post; "I will not suggest that you fling yourself into a political sect without thinking it over", so I actually agreed with you.

Q however has been a known petty recruiter on Revleft for quite some time. He's been harassing myself by asking me repeatedly to re-join his sect, for example:




Ironically Rakunin is a member of the Belgian section of the CWI (the SP's international affiliated organization) and I used to be a member of the Dutch section.
And you should rejoin :(
Link (http://www.revleft.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1326518&postcount=14)

I'm not sure why my post enticed him to call me a troll given the fact that he admitted that he was indulging in the petty behavior I described not too long ago:


These communities are basically consisting of members already entrenched in their own ideas, the rest is wrong, period. What follows is petty fighting over new members. I don't resist it anymore, so I joined it, be it that I still try to convince over ideas and discussion :cool:
Link (http://www.revleft.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1322270&postcount=12)

I suppose he doesn't like others pointing out his petty behavior to him. Oh well.

[Leo]

I love how the guy didn't ask anyone about which party to join yet every petty "recruiter" directs him to the organization of their preference. ;)

Yeah well, you gotta love the irony don't you...