Like I won’t say that absolutely everything about the USA was bad, necessarily, and I of course have my own biases at play here… But the point sparing the details is really just like, I’ve spent the past month thinking practically every day about how every single US-based communist really must be working in incredibly trying circumstances, if even just visiting had me feeling lethargic and kinda wanting to go home within a week. Now that I’m back home again, that time in the USA is already starting to feel like a strange dream again.
So, uhh, what are your secrets, basically? Like I’m sure that all the nonsense of the USA feels like less of a burden to put up with if you grew up with it and have spent little to no time in other parts of the world, but still. I honestly do not think I could live in the USA until it is decolonized, but when that happens, it wouldn’t be called the USA anymore, anyways.
Interesting. I wonder what the best pedagogy is for encouraging this kind of formalized exploration of the experienced incoherence. List flaws in propaganda narratives? Share some background facts about social structures? Point out material contradictions? Assist in analysis of class interests? Explain dialectical thinking? Explore how we got here with historic materialism? Give them space to share limit-situations and encourage limit-acts (like Paolo Freire)?
I didn’t try all that, but what kind of worked for me in the context of Palestine is to give very good friends theory home work. But this needs a lot of good will from their side and they have to be leftish leaning all ready.
I mostly point out material contradictions, discuss the idea of class analysis, discuss history generally, and talk about dialectical thinking. I usually let their interests direct the conversation.
Edit: Also, people are receptive to Marxist thought, just don’t immediately pit them against their boss, especially if they work in tech or at bars. It’s gotta be more esoteric, like in terms of financial crap.