I’m an American Marxist-Leninist, so I know that it is materially possible for a privileged westerner to come around. But a few of us being able to unlearn the constant propaganda and overcome the horrific state of American education and the political climate isn’t enough.
The Overton window is so far to the right here in the United States that most don’t entertain the idea of a future beyond capitalism being possible or necessary. Even when Americans see this wretched system for what it is, they’d sooner turn to nihilism or accept whatever additional crumbs are thrown.
I know it’s important to maintain revolutionary optimism and always strive to be part of the solution, but it feels like an extra big battle to build a proper revolutionary left.
This would be really hopeful for me, but I need to know what they actually mean by socialism before I get too excited. It makes me uneasy that as the mainstream position shifts further right, even the most moderate lukewarm reformists start to look extreme. If what most of them mean is social democracy or a welfare state, we’re in serious trouble here at the imperial core.
I came across a comment on Reddit the other day that said, “I’m as left as they come; I’m so left-wing, I’m not even liberal.” And they weren’t joking. For some, not being a liberal is the ultimate form of being “left.”
Honestly that was a half finished statement I forgot to finish cause I got interrupted while typing this out. And then came back and forgot it was in there when I added the last paragraph. lol. What I meant to say was something a long the lines of “People say half the younger generation has a favorable view of socialism. But that’s 50% of like 20% of the population. Further more, many of those people are the kinds that think “The Nordic Model” is socialism or are the kind of people that go “well, I support a socialist approach but communism is evil” and such things.”
So, glad you mentioned that. Cause I never would have noticed that super out of place seeming statement. lol