I think the framing in the meme is actually more helpful. Marxists would do well to update their language instead of constantly speaking in terms that sound utterly archaic to modern ears.
I would in fact prefer “Owners vs Workers” because “Laborers” still implies specifically forms of physical labour in a way that makes a lot of people feel excluded from the movement we’re trying to build.
It’s how they’ve sold this exploitative hellscape.
“This isn’t hell, this is freedom! Freedom from responsibility to one another. Free to win big or lose bigger!”
It’s sad that it does work, but it does. Hell, marketing has convinced us that a blatant antisocial vice like greed is virtuous rational self-interest. Marketing 👐
I disagree, actually. Labelling them by their Marxian terms ties them to Marxism. This continues to tie Marxism to modern day analysis. Using general terms erases Marxism, and therefore erases critical theory.
You can still teach people theory. Theory is important. But it makes no sense to open with it. That’s like being asked to teach someone how to use a computer and opening with an explanation of how a CPU works.
No one is going to pay attention to all your theory if they can’t understand how it meaningfully relates to their circumstances.
And, frankly, the term Marxism comes with so much cultural baggage at this point that you’re far better off focusing on what it actually means rather than what it says. You need to get people out of their preconceptions and help people understand what Marx really meant.
You insult the average person, people are far smarter than you give them credit for. Moreover, you can’t avoid discussing the “baggage” that comes from Marxism anyways, so acting scared and secretive is more damaging than anything else. Maintaining a correct line is more important than trying to be sneaky and having it backfire by having them either not read theory, which would be disastrous, or having them retain anti-socialist views because you were sneaky.
Yes, those are some of the words the owners convinced the masses are SCAWY and EVIL, and only spoken by people that want to take your money when you’re a millionaire/billionaire one day.
Because clearly if you succeed, you would never want to have some of your success taxed to repair/improve the commons like roads, schools, and HEALTHCARE of the society that provided the conditions for your astronomical success in the first place.
That would be ridiculous. How can you expect to buy a pet mega yacht to keep your first mega yacht company, while buying an island, while buying up smalltime entrepreneurs that would compete with you, while space touristing, while building your luxury climate change bunker compound if you can’t suck entire nations dry?!
bourgeoisie vs proletariat
I think the framing in the meme is actually more helpful. Marxists would do well to update their language instead of constantly speaking in terms that sound utterly archaic to modern ears.
I would in fact prefer “Owners vs Workers” because “Laborers” still implies specifically forms of physical labour in a way that makes a lot of people feel excluded from the movement we’re trying to build.
Absolutely agree.
Framing/Marketing is essential.
It’s how they’ve sold this exploitative hellscape.
“This isn’t hell, this is freedom! Freedom from responsibility to one another. Free to win big or lose bigger!”
It’s sad that it does work, but it does. Hell, marketing has convinced us that a blatant antisocial vice like greed is virtuous rational self-interest. Marketing 👐
(also Boureoisie is hard as fuck to spell)
spell it to the Mickey mouse song… Bou rge oisie
I disagree, actually. Labelling them by their Marxian terms ties them to Marxism. This continues to tie Marxism to modern day analysis. Using general terms erases Marxism, and therefore erases critical theory.
You can still teach people theory. Theory is important. But it makes no sense to open with it. That’s like being asked to teach someone how to use a computer and opening with an explanation of how a CPU works.
No one is going to pay attention to all your theory if they can’t understand how it meaningfully relates to their circumstances.
And, frankly, the term Marxism comes with so much cultural baggage at this point that you’re far better off focusing on what it actually means rather than what it says. You need to get people out of their preconceptions and help people understand what Marx really meant.
You insult the average person, people are far smarter than you give them credit for. Moreover, you can’t avoid discussing the “baggage” that comes from Marxism anyways, so acting scared and secretive is more damaging than anything else. Maintaining a correct line is more important than trying to be sneaky and having it backfire by having them either not read theory, which would be disastrous, or having them retain anti-socialist views because you were sneaky.
Yes, those are some of the words the owners convinced the masses are SCAWY and EVIL, and only spoken by people that want to take your money when you’re a millionaire/billionaire one day.
Because clearly if you succeed, you would never want to have some of your success taxed to repair/improve the commons like roads, schools, and HEALTHCARE of the society that provided the conditions for your astronomical success in the first place.
That would be ridiculous. How can you expect to buy a pet mega yacht to keep your first mega yacht company, while buying an island, while buying up smalltime entrepreneurs that would compete with you, while space touristing, while building your luxury climate change bunker compound if you can’t suck entire nations dry?!