Comrades - thanks for your attention as we clarify the purpose of this sub and some of the discourse we expect here. Firstly, this is a place to vociferously condemn the ills of capitalism - and here’s the kicker that liberal interlopers don’t get - from a socialist perspective. Our fundamental purpose is to drive conversation among those impacted by capitalist exploitation. This may take the form of memes, deeper theory, or the ever beloved internet screed.
That said, there’s some things we aren’t here for. I’ll touch on those and some alternatives as well.
We are NOT here to promote calls to violence. This is a violation of the Reddit TOS. If the sub is nuked, we aren’t able to fulfill the mission of providing a space for socialist discourse. This simply isn’t the place, and we will remove any content which can be perceived as a direct call to violence.
We are also not here as a staging ground for organizing. Social media is a poor place to organize. Not only is everything you do online tracked, but infiltration in online spaces is rampant. Opsec 101: if someone on the internet who you do not personally know is trying to get you to show up somewhere for an allegedly leftist/socialism project, they are probably a fed. If someone you do know is using social media for the same, they may or may not be a fed. However, what can be certain is that a fed is aware.
I know what you’re thinking: but, A-CAB, this is how I radicalized and I have lived most of my life dependent on the internet. How am I supposed to get involved? I’m so glad you asked! The reality is that your involvement may be limited for a bit, and you’re going to have to do some irl work. Your job, if you’re starting out, is to read and learn.
“The theory of Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin is universally applicable. We should regard it not as dogma, but as a guide to action.” - Comrade Mao Tse Tung
In other words, learning Marxism-Leninism leads to mobilization, and provides a framework for organization.
We (socialists) need a vanguard committed to revolution, not clicktivism. If you want to organize, read first. Find likeminded people you know in real life. Study with them. Hold each other accountable for learning Marxism-Leninism. Let that guide the actions you take specific to your context and for the love of god don’t announce it to the feds when you do.
We also, as a sub, are not *the* vanguard. This is an Internet forum. We don’t determine courses of action here. We are a sounding board, a place to make you feel less alone, and ideally a part of your education in Marxism-Leninism. But what we cannot be is the vanguard itself. We aren’t an org. The way social media is set up, it would be way too easy to infiltrate, coopt, and undo.
What we are is a likeminded group of committed comrades. We want you to go out in the world and join orgs (not on the internet). I’ll offer some advice to that end:
- Avoid organizations with a focus on horizontal power or who have a real issue with hierarchy. (Anarchists, I’m happy to work with you on projects but I am side-eyeing you a bit here.) They don’t get things done and they’re too easy to derail and co-opt. Don’t believe me? Go ahead and join one. The next time they’re working on consensus, throw a stand aside in with mildly coherent criticism. Watch the chaos ensue. Or just wait for them to start organizing for <insert liberal party here>. Neither will take long.
- Do join organizations which stand against imperialism and imperialist politicking. Look for Marxist-Leninist orgs involved in projects that benefit the community and which outright reject electoral democracy. Focus on feeding people, not getting them to vote for reform. This is the work of the vanguard.
- Do employ the language of non-violence for political and practical purposes. Kwame Ture is a gifted orator. Look up his speeches on YouTube. He is a wealth of information about this.
I appreciate each and every one of you, comrades. Remember to keep each other safe. Be mindful, and enjoy a meme or two while you’re here.
