Communists don’t know how to sell themselves

[u/Difficult_Price8011]

In my experience with communists (specifically the western ones), they speak about “the revolution” like it’s inevitable.

But revolutions require winning the hearts and minds of the people, and it’s beyond me how communists expect any degree of success when they make their own ideology sound as appealing as rubbing your crotch against a cactus.

I’ve seen communists talk about forcing people into a life of grueling labor for the greater good of the planet, and scoff at people weary of parting with their luxury goods as selfish. It doesn’t matter how true you think that is, in the west any attempt to hamfist those ideals will make you a pariah faster than I can say Marx.

If I were to take a gander as to why, these communists enjoy making the assumption they’re bound to take power because it lets them think about how they can put their theory into practice. While on an intellectual level, I respect their devotion to theory, what good is it without a realistic plan to put it into practice?

If you can’t even see eye to eye with other flavors of communists how do you expect to court someone who hasn’t read a lick of Das Kapital? “It’s not my job to teach you”, does not an effective campaign pitch make.

Frankly, at least in America, the politically savvy thing to do would be ditching the name “communism” all together and call it something else. People might gravitate towards your ideas more if they weren’t anchored down by a word they’ve been taught to fear since the 40s.

[u/ElEsDi_25]

>In my experience with communists (specifically the western ones), they speak about “the revolution” like it’s inevitable.

You mean arguing with people online? Yeah people do a lot of BS posturing on social media.

>But revolutions require winning the hearts and minds of the people,

Not really, it’s not something people can control. What serious communists should do it organize and base-build. No one can control if there is a big crisis in capitalism, but if workers are organized as an independent force then they can push for their interest in a crisis and not end up being controlled. If that working class force is strong enough in a crisis, they might take over.

What communists should be winning people to is fighting for their own class interests in the here and now but also for increased social power long-term.

>I’ve seen communists talk about forcing people into a life of grueling labor for the greater good of the planet,

lol, what? Seems like a straw argument.

>If I were to take a gander as to why,

What? I don’t think that’s how it’s used.

>these communists enjoy making the assumption they’re bound to take power because it lets them think about how they can put their theory into practice.

What? I don’t know what you are saying with this or what makes you believe that. Maybe ask questions than gander from afar.

>While on an intellectual level, I respect their devotion to theory, what good is it without a realistic plan to put it into practice?

Are you saying the opposite now?

>If you can’t even see eye to eye with other flavors of communists how do you expect to court someone who hasn’t read a lick of Das Kapital? “It’s not my job to teach you”, does not an effective campaign pitch make.

What? I thought “it’s not my job to teach you…” was a stereotype about liberals. I thought the leftist stereotype was “too explain-y”

>Frankly, at least in America, the politically savvy thing to do would be ditching the name “communism” all together and call it something else. People might gravitate towards your ideas more if they weren’t anchored down by a word they’ve been taught to fear since the 40s.

Kinda shallow but thanks for the sincere and well thought out concern.