That's what I get for taking Facebook quizzes.
If you missed it, Part 1
Welcome to The Cahokian... A thousand years ago Cahokia — across the Mississippi from what is now St. Louis — was one of the biggest cities in the world. Now it's an empty green spot next to the highway. I'm a middle-aged gay man living in New York City, center of the world, future footnote on somebody's future map. Welcome to the new world.
I got Zapata. I can live with that. When I took "What social theorist are you?" I got Bell Hooks. Bell Hooks is alright too. However, when I took "What kind of communist are you?" I gave absolutely orthodox Trotskyist answers to every question and got, "You are a Stalinist". Maybe my Trotskyism chops aren't what they used to be. Not sure what it means to be a Stalinist anymore. In light of recent developments many old line Stalinists are reconsidering their history. My friend, Jim Hurd, was a life long Trot. He was something like a religious seeker. His life was a pilgrimage through various left groups starting with the YSA. Just before his death he joined the CP. He had a reasonable explanation and I couldn't really fault his decision. What was I going to do? Scream at him about the Stalin/Hitler pact?
ReplyDeleteWell I guess the finer points of Trotsky vs. Stalin are beyond Facebook quiz writers: usually the rep Trotsky has is for being superrrr rrrrevolutionary in a misunderstood way.
ReplyDeleteYou know my last left group--the once-Trotskyist RSL--disbanded and helped found an anarchist group, Love and Rage. I wasn't around for that at all, but apparently when Love and Rage in turn dissolved, a large faction of them became Maoists. I don't know if any of the RSLers went along for the Maoism, but still, an odd trajectory, eh?
I'm Ghandi!
ReplyDelete"Ghandi
His philosophy of nonviolence and his passion for independence began a drive for freedom that doomed colonialism."
Though it has been argued he was okay with british colonialism. I dunno