I'm making my way through this book, and so far it's been super interesting. I think that the information within is really helpful to understanding what creating and running organizations can look like.

Some parts I've found interesting have been the discussion of how associating with "ordinary people" as opposed to a solely with a class of politicized activists, changes the way a movement operates, and how newcomers can change the character of a movement.

Socialist theory is an important part of a movement, but managing interpersonal conflict and dealing with people is just as important. This is the first book ive seen that really deals with that, even though it's history and not a how-to manual. Even if you don't read the whole thing, it's worth looking through a couple chapters.

Link to read for free: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/j.ctt1ppcgt

What happened to this video? https://twitter.com/whysimonewhy/status/1143280089133699072

I wanted to watch it again.

Context: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/praxis-girl

This is a new platform, and I have free time, so I'll ask- what would y'all like to see on here? I think a space for practical tips on in-person organizing would be good. Especially to more awkward people like myself, it can be tough to do so or feel like you're getting anything done, so I'd love to help other people get started. I may post some links on the topic later on, but I'm wondering if anyone else has any thoughts.

A communist must master the art of unifying the people. Without the skill of unity, for whom do our politics serve? Do they serve ourselves (bourgeois) or do they serve the people (proletarian)? The purpose of this post is to remind the reader that unity is the greatest and most powerful tool we have at our disposal. If we cannot unite the people to fight for their interests, we will fail them.

No revolution has succeeded or will succeed unless the oppressed are united in confronting their oppressors. If the masses are disjointed and disorganized, they resort to in-fighting which benefits the oppressor. A skilled communist, who is well-read, follows the correct line, and has the trust of the people, will never lose sight of the enemy, and in doing so, will be able to guide the masses and keep them focused on the enemy. The unified masses will mobilize; disunified are unaroused.

Having the correct political line is absolutely key to orienting the masses towards fighting for their liberation. The correct line never loses sight of the true enemy–the imperialist elite.

How can one determine the correctness of a line?

A line is correct when it works. When a line mobilizes the masses to fight the enemy it is a correct line. The “correct line” is the result from the work of a communist’s immersion with the masses. After proper investigation and dialectical analysis, the revolutionary communist will produce a line that unifies the masses to confront the enemy. If it fails to do so, then the revolutionary communist must refine their analysis and produce a new one. This process must be repeated until it unifies the masses to mobilize.

Not only will unity mobilize the masses, but it will also elevate their political consciousness to fight for themselves. Revolutionary communists must never waver in their principles and targets.

Revolutionary communists must demonstrate to the masses that it is within their best interests to join the struggle for liberation. They can achieve their aspirations and strength when they join the movement against the enemy.

Here are some situations in which one can practice their ability to unite with the people. Determine the ways in which one can unite with someone to arrive to an anti-imperialist conclusion and to join your organization.

Easy.

1. Someone who listens to Unauthorized Disclosure, follows Abby Martin, and is frustrated with the Democratic Socialists for America.
2. A veteran who lost their best friend in the Iraq War and realizes that his time in the occupation served the interests of oil and not defending the American people. He has also lost complete trust with the Democratic and Republican parties, but does not know where to go.
3. A woman who has read Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Mao and regularly attends protests.

Medium.

1. A man who supports Bernie Sanders and recognizes the corruption of the Democratic party, but he still has faith in the US government to “do the right thing.”
2. A black woman who fervently follows #BLM. She knows white supremacy and the patriarchy exists. She believes that black women need to be on top to achieve equality.
3. A genderfluid person who recognizes that language is oppressive, but they believe that a change in culture must occur before equality can be achieved.

Hard.

1. A conservative who is frustrated with the government. He voted for Trump “to drain the swamp.” He does not like the direction of the Trump administration, but believes it is his patriotic duty to support the president.
2. A woman who believes that poor people just need to work harder. Her family immigrated to the US with all of the proper documentation, and they started from the bottom. Now she and her family live with mild comforts.
3. A libertarian who is obsessed with privacy. He does not want a government spying on him because he knows it is corrupt. He believes the market will correct any problem in society.