There are two ideological traps that prove a problem for many Marxists: eclecticism, the habit of grabbing ideas from all over the place, which either dilutes Marxism or renders it meaningless; and dogmatism, the stubborn rejection of any new ideas at all. Understanding how society and history work dialectically is crucial to navigating through these twin pitfalls and developing a sound approach to Marxism.
Contrary to arguments put forward by the editors of Spectre journal, revolutionaries need to organize now instead of waiting for the spontaneous emergence of a vanguard of the working class. Marxists need to integrate with the vanguard as it develops and influence it in a revolutionary direction from the beginning. As the history of revolution has shown again and again, if we wait until the vanguard has grown to a mass scale it will be too late.
Popular culture is a source of confusion and conflicting views on the left. Some reject mass entertainment as mere corporate manipulation, moralize about its consumption, and overlook its potential as a site of struggle. Others enjoy TV, pop music, and ‘buying stuff’ while feeling guilty about it. But Marx himself was clear that consumption is a good thing, representing freedom and fulfillment for the working class.
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.