Liberalism is being expelled from its former strongholds, and the hegemony of liberal ideas, as we have known it since the 1960s, will end. In this essay, I would like to offer some initial remarks about the new Marxist victories in America—about what has happened and what’s likely to happen next.

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[–]jet199 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Ok, Marxism has its problems and so does Democracy. I don't think ether way of living is perfect and both require rethinking as generations pass.

Oh yes, the "I'll pretend both sides are as bad a each other so I don't have to look too hard" arguement.

The trouble is what we have in the West now is the best of all the options so far no matter how bad it is. The liberal way of dealing with that is to tinker away at problems as the arise to try to perfect the system. This is why capitalism has been able to lift people out of poverty even though in theory it shouldn't, because of the liberal politics which go along side it. In Marx's time liberalism caused people to starve on the streets which is why he was against it but it improved because it's values means it has to. It has to care about the suffering of the individual because that's its basis. The problem with marxists is that they want to completely destroy the current system and just assume that whatever replaces it will be better with zero evidence that that will be the case. It's more like a religious belief. Indeed Marx's followers believed they would see the new perfect world in their own lifetime just like Jesus's followers.

So the trouble with saying Marxism and democracy both need a rethink is that Marxists don't want to think. They want to start their end times count down.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

<Oh yes, the "I'll pretend both sides are as bad a each other so I don't have to look too hard" argument.>. Not contained in my sentence, I prefer Democracy's problems over Marxist problems. You created your own argument with this one. The history of Russia's revolution RR and Marxism is a tricky study. My particular bent comes from this book: The Mass Psychology of Fascism by Wilhelm Reich. It is true the subject matter is about Fascism and how it can rise within any modern government system. Yet, Mr Reich spend quite a bit of time comparing Russia's history and its revolution to Germany's New Reich and how a deceived populations can be duped into "voting against their own interests". And this particular voting problem is also part of the democratic system.

I don't think the originators of the RR revolution meant to create what we see as modern Russia, as you say < Indeed Marx's followers believed they would see the new perfect world in their own lifetime just like Jesus's followers.>. I think there are a few good ideas in Marxist ways of social organization. I am not a Marxist, but I do not automatically denounce it due to my country's media and propaganda creating a very very bad monster picture of anything Marxist. I am not an expert, yet know by experience nothing is as absolute as the opinions some people have about Marxism.

To say <...Marxists don't want to think.> is an absolute and I have never found these types of statements to be true only partially. I understand your fever to support what you think is correct for all of us to think and behave. I am not interested in a fight and less interested in creating one with my words. I am interested in people that think for themselves and not repeat others definitions and words. Anyone can speak and write others words, that is easy. To think, speak and write original ideas about these old hat ideas is better than what school taught us...to regurgitate.