In my experience, the only people who are open to radicalization and aren’t going to turn and run from a Marxist speaking about communism are people who are currently politically apathetic. When someone develops an interest in politics, they have a lot of questions that need to be answered.

This is why our rhetoric is so important and so valuable, we have to be the voices these people hear first when capitalism fails them. For me personally, my interest in politics began in my teenage years. Unfortunately, the rhetoric that found me first was fascist rhetoric, and it took years of deprogramming, reading literature, and having a Marxist family member be there to guide me to where I am now.

So, clearly it’s possible to deprogram, but it’s a personal choice someone has to make to want to be deprogrammed. Our efforts are better spent on those in our lives who have yet to develop their political identity.

  • Prologue7642English
    5·
    1 year ago

    I think it will depend on the country. There is a lot of propaganda from a really early age. I live in the Czech Republic and from an early age you hear propaganda about how communism is the greatest evil ever etc. But hopefully there are some places that are better in this regard.

    Personally what brought me to Marxism was FOSS, and probably Star Trek which I loved from an early age. At least in my experience, people who consider themselves politically apathetic are pretty reactionary and in anti-sjw mindset.

    • suggsjackalOPMEnglish
      8·
      1 year ago

      There is definitely propaganda for young people baked into our capitalist shithole societies, but to hopefully set your mind at ease, I can share some things I’ve noticed as an American Marxist. The younger generation here doesn’t have to deal with the heavy red fear their predecessors did, and the lessening of that fear, I think, is due to:

      1. Communists not having have the power they did in the 30s-50s.
      2. The global arena being more about globalization of business rather than combating communism (expansion of capitalism rather than defending it).
      3. The contradictions of capitalism are popping up a lot with recession, racism, jobs moving abroad, etc.
      4. An expansion of resources through the Internet and inter-connectivity of people is leading to greater discourse and knowledge.

      The capitalists still don’t feel quite threatened by us yet, so it’s still relatively easy to reach the youth. All of this is my personal experience here in America, of course. Can’t and won’t speak on behalf of every single country.

      • Prologue7642English
        6·
        1 year ago

        There is probably some difference between Czech and American experience. Even here there is certainly some development, especially in younger generations. Especially now as Czech Republic is one of the places most affected by current inflation. But unfortunately I rarely see anyone from younger generation getting past I wish we had system as Sweden.

        Funnily enough, from what I’ve seen, hate for communism is only getting stronger now. Partially due to Russia (because it is totally communist) and partially due to propaganda. It is really interesting (and sad) to see. For example, my own father grew up in Czechoslovak Socialist Republic his life was pretty good (arguably better than now). I remember from my youth he didn’t identify with socialism, but he usually had pretty good things to say, things like if you were a worker it was definitely better in the past regime. The education was better etc. Now he is extremely anti communism.

        Hopefully the contradictions in capitalism will radicalize more people. But at least here they are radicalizing them mostly to the right. Hopefully with continuous rise of China and other AES it will get better.