spoiler
including me, and reading the manifesto and first chapter of capital doesnt count
Me, reading my theory: Oh hey this is neat, and the world makes alot more sense now!
:matt:
...
Me, 20 minutes later: The world makes alot more sense now.
:doomer:
read just enough theory so that you aren't a chud but also aren't a doomer
just the right level of ignorance
The more theory you read, the less doomer you are.
Russia went from the world leader in genocidal pogroms to the world leader in anti-racism - all because some weird nerds read books, argued with each other, and organized people.
Guys just start with "Wage Labour and Capital". If you can read Jacobin you can read WL&C, which is a literal pamphlet that was handed out on the streets. It gives you a huge solid base to go of on.
Yeah I'll probably never read Capital, WL&C as far as I know summarizes the basic concepts and is much more accessible.
Do you have a list of pdf's? Thank you for this suggestion
Just Google wage labour and capital pdf, it'll take you to the marxist archive
A reminder that Marx isn't some kind of god and putting people on a pedestal is bad.
plus he had a rockin' beard.
Ok I'm just lazy. I'll read it one day I promise.
Of course, Marx was a messy bitch. But his analysis seems to be remarkably applicable. Petite bourgeois storming the capital, and declining rate of profit are two things he nailed. The man deserves his due credit.
I'm not saying he isn't deserving of admiration, I'm just saying he's not the only thing that matters when it comes to leftism. You don't have to read Marx to know that capitalism is shit (although it helps you understand it better).
I just don't want to gatekeep people out of leftism just because they might not want to read theory.
People not reading more recent theory is also an issue.
Pete’s dad spent a good chunk of his life giving us the translated Prison Notebooks only for his son to let him down by being a soulless neolib. Make Pete’s dad proud again :bloomer:
Every 5 months I pick up the German Ideology, read 3 pages and put it back down for another 5 months
Yeah, I read theory :cool-dad:
I think theory seems really daunting to people since they always want to start with Marx who, despite being a brilliant thinker, was not a clear writer. I personally think that Engels is the best place to get started. Here are some of his best introductory works, in order of length:
- Frederick Engels’ Speech at the Grave of Karl Marx: A 5 minute read and a great summary of Marxism and the historical importance of Marx himself. Plus it's kind of touching and sweet.
- Principles of Communism : A 30 minute read. It's an excellent and straightforward FAQ on Marxism
- Socialism: Utopian and Scientific : This is a pamphlet / short book that goes deeper than the previous texts without being any harder to read. You can finish this in 3 short sittings or two long ones.
Once you've read these texts you will have a decent overview of Marxism which you can deepen by reading Marx, who will make a whole lot more sense now
Also would recommend Value, Price and Profit. It's very short, to the point and is about economics.
unironically read the manga version of capital if the book is too daunting
Unlike you illiterate fools, ive read both the Manifesto AND State and Revolution 4 months ago and nothing else since. I am the one true leftist
Yeah it really is. It's also mind numbingly boring. Marx, with your fucking linen.
the ideas are also a lot simpler than the text. you can get tripped up sometimes if you don't zoom out and realize he's just using three different methods to spell out "when this one number doubles this other number halves"
Read Value, Price and Profit, it's just 3 pages long and it gives a basic outline of Marxist economics
Guess i cant be leftist now because I think reading a wildly irrelevant text to siphon out a minor bit of theory is a bit derived and gatekeepy.
-7DeadlyFetishes
ahaha if someone read Marx I doubt they would be calling it "wildly irrelevant"
I know how you feel, but having a strong understanding of Marxian economics is fundamental to having a clear understanding of our problems as well as formulating rational solutions. It's not just right-wingers or liberals, even leftists from Socdems to Stalinists constantly have terrible opinions, ideas and solutions that could be cured just by having a scientific understanding of capitalism.
I recommend reading Value, Price and Profit. It's a very short lecture by Marx (just 3-4 pages) and it gives a basic outline of Marxist economics.
You can also watch lectures and courses like David Harvey’s to help translate the old 19th century insults directed at every other political economist.
Still not gonna read theory :joker-dancing: but I support all our brave theory readers who explain to me how stupid I am :sankara-salute:
