The Communist Manifesto? Is that a video game?

Leon Trotsky? What's his Twitter handle?

Antonio Gramsci? Did he invent Instagram?

  • macabrett
    ·
    1 year ago

    The average non-marxist doesn't know that "Capital" and "The Communist Manifesto" are different things, much less that the latter is a pamphlet and not a book.

    • m0darn@lemmy.ca
      ·
      1 year ago

      100%

      I remember reading the communist manifesto in university twice because I was sure I must have missed something. (This was extra curricular, I was in engineering) Like it was fine, but it didn't really live up to my expectations of reframing history by analyzing it through the lens of class.

      I only recently figured out that it wasn't Capital. (It was before I read your post but probably within the last year, so ~15 years from when I read the manifesto).

      I haven't gotten around to reading Capital, would it work as an audio book?

      • KurtVonnegut [comrade/them]
        ·
        1 year ago

        I haven't gotten around to reading Capital, would it work as an audio book?

        Here you go:

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUW6cjZgi7Y

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4Cpj_wXF88

        I would also recommend David Harvey's supplemental explanations of Capital, he is very down to earth:

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5vu4MpYgUo&list=PLWvnUfModHP9Ci8M1g39l4AZgK6YLCXd0

        • M68040 [they/them]
          ·
          1 year ago

          Reminds me, I've been thinking about pivoting to audiobooks since I do delivery driving for a living. Wouldn't be able to focus totally on the material, but possibly more worthwhile as learning material than podcasts.

          I want to say Capital was serialized in magazines in France for similar reasons?

      • charlie
        ·
        1 year ago

        I've been working my way through using this reading by Professor David Harvey. In the beginning he mentions that he taught the work for a couple decades, and for a first go round with the work I really appreciate having someone experienced to hold my hand through it, lol.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5vu4MpYgUo&t=3331s

      • o_d [he/him]@lemmygrad.ml
        ·
        1 year ago

        I haven't gotten around to reading Capital, would it work as an audio book?

        It honestly reads a bit like a teacher giving a lecture so I imagine it would.

      • GarbageShoot [he/him]
        ·
        1 year ago

        Capital is pretty difficult, though if you're enthusiastic than go for it. I just thought I should include what I said to the OOP:

        Personally, I think the best introductory work for someone who doesn't have the patience for The Principles of Communism (and I don't have that patience myself) is Engels' Socialism: Utopian and Scientific, here as text and here as an excellent audiobook.

        It's personally my favorite audiobook (not that I listen to a ton), but that's because I think the reader's dry tone is charming and works well with the type of humor Engels occasionally employs.