Comradeship // Freechat

I think online spaces are good for learning, blowing off steam, and potentially getting a wider spectrum of views, but I wouldn't say it's a replacement for joining an organization. Reading and discussing theory is important, but the final step of learning is putting it into practice, which requires real-world application of theory.

I can't speak to organizations that tend not to respond to people seeking membership (looking at you PSL), but if there are any other organizations in your local area that you can get involved with, even if they are socialist, but not explicitly ML, I would encourage you to get involved.

Even if your views don't fully align with what the organization states on its surface, you'll probably find there is a range of beliefs within those orgs and you may even find some other MLs. Give them a shot and see what work they are actually doing before you pass judgement. An org that perfectly matches your views but that does little work toward changing material conditions is less useful than an org that feels slightly misaligned but actually makes an impact. Even a social democratic group will have some crossover with socialists that may lead you to meet the people you seek. It's easier to join an org when you know members than a cold-call email.

Sorry, I went on a bit of a tangent after this, but I'll leave it here in case it helps you or someone else. I hope this helps and you are able to find some comrades to work with locally! It took me well over a year to be convinced the group I joined was the correct choice and despite that, I'm still reaching out to other organizations and making connections to collaborate on projects.

An important part of being a socialist is learning to work with left allies across a range of beliefs. Not that you should never draw lines, but if you refuse to work with anyone but MLs, you will never get anything done. Hell, no socialist movement ever would have had success if they were unwilling to collaborate across ideologies.

This is often an opportunity to discuss beliefs and I think you'll find that if you approach these relationships from a desire to reach a common goal with some ideological flexibility, the people you work with will naturally gravitate toward what works with time. Being an ML isn't about being dogmatic, it's about recognizing how our material reality shapes our lives and how we can use the lessons of history to make better decisions. Not everyone is at the same point and has the same beliefs. Some of the most effective organizers I know do not consider themselves Marxists, but tend toward Marxists approaches over time as they are convinced of their efficacy. Sometimes that means trying things I don't have much faith in before moving to what I actually think will work. You could view it as wasted time and energy, but I view it as a chance for people to learn. Not everyone is willing to be a theoryhead and there are a lot of barriers to getting people to adopt a Marxist approach throughout most of the world. Not everyone involved in the revolutions we've seen succeed was a part of the vanguard party.

Our goal as MLs isn't to convert everyone to our ideology, but to help lead people towards approaches to changing our world that are effective and practical. Even the best-read ML will have a lot to learn from someone who has a lot of practical organizing experience, but rejects Marxism. We need to not only learn history and theory, but how to work with people in reality, not just some theoretical party that always agrees on everything. Dogmatism is rooted in idealism. There is no reality where everyone is ideologically aligned and perfectly consistent.

I hope you find the same blessings in your own life and work, comrade!