Not exactly newfags, but those of us, myself included, who want to build a solid foundation for future growth of leftist ideas and have yet to really pick up a book.
In a previous thread, started by BO, a few anons and I discussed starting yet another reading group, but this time, for leftists who are still gaining their footing in the rather vast, perhaps overwhelming, list of socialist literature. I've poked around here and there, but I'm terrible at managing time without a strict schedule, and I think many of us have trouble keeping to a proper road map.
ITT, we can discuss where we'd like to start, what method of communication to use, and what sort of schedule we'd prefer to maintain. I'd hope we all remain rather open minded, and I'd personally like to explore traditional marxist, anarchist, and other leanings as well, if only to round out my understanding of our numerous sects.
For Marxism the Manifesto, Wage Labour and Capital, Value Price and Profit. For anarchism The Conquest of Bread and a bunch of Emma Goldman essays. Short simple stuff is the best starting point because it's easier to get people hooked. Reading Emma a decade ago is what really got me interested in leftist theory.
Dylan Ortiz
I'd recommend skipping the manifesto, it was just a political pamphlet after all.
I'd also recommend the Ego and Its Own for Stirner, and Discourse on Inequality and the Social Contract for Rousseau
Jackson Nelson
That's what I was thinking too. Critique of the Gotha Program is short as shit. but I'm not sure if I'd actually need to read wtf the Gotha Program is first to understand it.
I`ve heard that before about the Manifesto, though it may be handy at some point if only to be able to talk about it knowledgeably. While I do want to read Ego through (got through the first two chapters, but I didn`t really dissect it) it`s not exactly fundamental socialist lit.
Could I get a tl;dr of of the Social Contract?
Elijah Rogers
The manifesto is a text which sets the frame for the interpretation of Marx's works. Skipping it would be a mistake.
You should keep in mind that it was tailored for the specific situation in europe at the time, not all of it will be applicable now.
Basically It's Rousseau laying out what a legitimate state would look like, a framework for a society that would not exercise authority in a way that was /innately/ oppressive. That is, a state where you did not lose liberty by being a citizen of it. His solution was essentially to replace the legislature or liberal government with the people as a whole. This is important, because he recognized that those with the power to make laws had their own inherent interests by being in the place of state power, that it was impossible to separate a people from their own interests for representation. It is further a critique of the other social contract theorists for abandoning people's will in their discussions.
Both are pretty short as well. The Social contract being about 80 pages and the Discourse being 40.
Christian King
Discourse sounds a pretty decent start. I also read a little of What is Property? by Proudhon, and found it surprisingly easy to get into. Though it is certainly longer.
Jordan Long
Communism, Hypotism and The Beatles sounds pretty rad
Jordan Gonzalez
What about Lenin? Manly how he applied communism and the practical challenges after taking over? Any good starts?
Andrew Jones
You've not understood it.
Lincoln Cruz
Start with this.
Caleb Hall
seconding this
Dylan Miller
Might be good, and it's pretty short. Though I'm hoping to read works that feed well into future literature and theory. Will this do in that regard?
David Reyes
It explains very clearly some concepts that are central to understanding Marxism.
Easton Lewis
Anyone got some Spinoza recommendations?
Ayden Anderson
Sounds like a good start, I'd be up for reading some Marx afterwards though. Anyone else have suggestions? Anyone else still in the thread?
Or should we move on to our method of communication? I keep hearing about Discord for this type of thing, though we could do mumble, keep it to threads, or have shitass skype conference calls.
Elijah Edwards
Here
Carter Baker
Is there literature on eugenics included?
Justin Phillips
Marxhead! If you're the marxhead poster I'm thinking of, you might have some suggestions (and perhaps some reasoning and short synopses). Gotta keep Holla Forums literate.
Carter Cook
No I'm not the OG, he hasn't been here for months.
I'm not sure if this has been posted, but this 45 page abridgment of Capital Volume 1 is a very good introduction to Marx. Georges Polizer's "Elementary Principles of Philosophy" is probably the best explanation of Diamat for a beginner.
John Hall
Thanks for the input, it sounds like a good place to start, just to get an overview of basic socialism.
Anyone else? …. At all? I was hoping for a few more contributors.
Gabriel Jones
The parts about dialectical materialism is probably the weakest in Politzer's book. Not surprisingly, considering he was a faithful Stalinist and followed the party line of castrating dialectics. Lefebvre's Dialectical Materialism is way better, despite being much harder to read.
Colton Hall
Might be better to read that one a little later. babby steps for us. This is organized reading for newfags.
Tyler James
It's pretty simple for beginners m8. Explains dialectics in its most basic form, if you ignore the Soviet romanticism.
Daniel Collins
Are there only 3 of us here? Sad.
Nathan Foster
The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists was where I first gained interest in all things left wing
Thomas Sanders
I've heard the title. Care to expand on it? I'm leaning toward either Discourse on Inequality or 45 page Kapital so far
Julian Evans
Imma keep bamping my thread in hopes that a few others will join. I'd prefer to have a decent sized group, as a few of you seem to be giving recommendations of basic books you've already got an understanding of.
COME AND LERN 2 REED U ILLITERATE FUCKS!
Nathaniel Jones
rip reading group I guess I'll read by myself.
Jacob Richardson
this was a reading group?
Juan Torres
You need three things for getting into leftist literature:
State and Revolution
Wage Labour and Capital
Someone who's read and understands both to clarify things in both books and discuss concepts with as you progress.
Joshua Murphy
This would be great if anyone is interested.
Andrew Wood
I'm very confident on State and Revolution, slightly less so on Wage Labour and Capital but I would think still good enough to help people with next to know knowledge on the LTV through it.
I've also been intending on re-reading these. When are you planning to do this?
Asher Perry
Any time. I'd just like to know that it's just more than myself and possibly one other person going through it. And again, I was hoping for something short, easily digestible, and relevant to various strains, philosophies and schools of leftist thought, if only so we can all (I really hope for at least 5 participants) get a proper feel for the schedule and flow of the study.
Well both the books I've suggested are less than 100 pages long, if that's what you meant.
If you want something very short, more like an essay, to get things going, 'Socialism: Utopian and Scientific' is a good place to start. Quite straight forward but actually very good for understanding the approach Marxism takes to the progress and development of history.
Ayden Martin
read these when you realize communism is just kikes trying to enslave the world.
NS can and should be applied to every race in their own homelands.
Joseph Wright
This meme needs to stop. I'm not even a marxist but if this is all the marxists here have read, neither of any of them.
Now I can finally pretend to know what I'm talking about like everyone else here.
Juan White
I just think an overview might be handy before diving into the original work.
Tyler Gonzalez
So OP, how many people are on board? Where can you contact me on this if you're doing this in the future? Want my twitter or something?
Jayden Perez
Bump
Sebastian Wright
I have no idea how many people are on board. There's myself of course, and this chap seems up to going over some material that is already familiar to him. Other than that, there's been a marxhead-man, an anarcho-greenie who replied once, and seemingly at least two others, and finally you, assuming all the user posts aren't just from one person. But so far, nobody has really indicated too much interest.
Respond to this post if interested in reading
Justin Young
bumpalump
Juan Hughes
me, OP
THAT MAKES 2!
Jonathan Thompson
Hi, newfag here
To be honest I've only been here mostly lurking for the last week or two because I'm tired of watching the world being cucked by Capitalism. To be honest I feel that leftypol is going to grow quite a lot with the shit happening lately.
Anyway, back on topic. I personally have issues with reading books, my attention just can't stick with it. But when I listen to something, like an audiobook or discussion/video, I absorb information more efficiently.
Is there any good literature that isn't in book form? Videos? Documentaries? Podcasts/shows? I want to learn more about Socialism but I don't know where I should start if I don't want to read thick textbooks.
Also, Richard D Wolff/Democracy at Work. It's a great yt channel, frequent uploads, doesn't come off as typical eceleb bullshit. Literally just an accredited professor delivering rather entertaining lectures on capitalism and possible solutions that could be implemented in the short term.
Jayden Cooper
For anarchist communist literature that's short, I recommend Mikhail Bakunin's God and the State.
Carson Ortiz
Zizek, Prof R. D. Wolff, David Harvey, Dr. Gabor Maté; all have a ton of stuff on YouTube that manages to be entertaining and informative.
Pic related is /lefty/ movies, I'd recommend 'A Perverts Guide to Ideology' and 'Propaganda'.
I also wrote up this the other day which is tailored for newbies and modern attention spans.
Can't afford a book? Need a journal article locked behind a paywall? Look no further!*
*Success not guaranteed.
Nathan Kelly
… huh. Thanks user.
Evan Foster
Mandatory, lest I be sent to the anti-work camp
Austin Lopez
H E G E L
Bentley Garcia
Back to Holla Forums
Ryan Sanders
Spot the newfag.
Blake Reyes
bumping this. I see him discussed and am curious as to his connections to leftism. I understand he has a materialist approach to ethics which I assume might be the tying factor to Marxism?
Isaiah Bell
the term newfag predates Holla Forums
Aiden Peterson
Is the Vaneigem book available online?
Aaron Cooper
Nick Land is the most important "leftist" philosopher in the past few years
Lincoln Brooks
Wew what a fucking homosexual
Tyler Diaz
Why can't we upload epubs on here? I can't be the only one who hates reading pdfs and likes to have everything in epubs.
Anyway, here's some Marxist historiography.
Owen Turner
Just add .PDF to the end and it'll let you upload it.
Ryan Green
It isn't Capital in 50 pages, it's volume 1 of Capital in 50 pages which is just a piece of a larger, unfinished work. Marx barely touches on circulation in the actual volume 1.
Jayden Phillips
OP here again. just got back from work, lel.
I expected to see like 3-5 replies, but I'm happy to see more, even if half of it was bitching about the word "fag" thanks for causing other anons to bump tho :^)
I might check out Nick Land, I've heard of him before. But once again, my primary concern with this attempt at a reading group is to get us unread plebians familiar with the basis of modern socialism which starts with, whether one likes it or not, mister Marx. As such, I'd either like to start with his works, or at least a well recommended "introduction to marxism" type book. Will keep the suggestion in mind for a later study though.
Nolan Peterson
Leftist? Isn't he associated with the Neoreactionary movement?
Ryder Green
I think we're still at 3 people including myself. Any of the takers still in this thread? Anyone else interested.
Xavier Jackson
Scientific socialism starts with Marx, but you should also be aware of his influences like Bakunin, Proudhon, Smith, Ricardo, Sismondi, Quesnay etc.
He refined the concept of surplus value, but was far from the first to create it. His refinement just allowed for more scientific investigation, like volume 2&3 of Capital.
Jordan Morgan
Lurk moar Redditor
Jonathan Myers
For sure. I'm aware that socialism neither started, nor ended with him, but his works are probably the most central, with numerous offshoots and variants that formed based on disagreements with him.
It's like studying rock music and starting with the Beatles. Are they the first? No. The last? Certainly not. Are they perhaps the most relevant to the 'genre' as a whole, both old and new? Quite possibly.
