So I am going to write about something. This weekend I went to visit my BFFs. It was fun, it was great, it was awesome. One of the many conversations that I had with them was on our desire to fit right into the social system, have a pretty house and a decent sedan and nice things. And how this is “selling out”.
I think it is funny. As a Marxist it makes little sense. The idea behind Marxism isn’t that everyone should live the life of the third world, but I think that is how many current Marxists see things. If we’re going to be socially aware and responsible, we cannot want a nice house or a nice car because that is capitalist and that is the worst thing ever. Yes, it is capitalist, but not inherently. It is capitalist because that is how we’ve structured our economy. A rejection of capitalism does not mean not buying things. It means buying things that are not sold for the sole purpose of profit. Want nice stuff? Buy stuff made by individuals paid a good wage, treated well, and something that is not horrible for the environment (providing you can afford it). That is not capitalist, at least not the the same degree as say if you were go buy everything from Wal-Mart when you can afford to go to your local markets and buy more socially responsible products. Marxism is about bringing livability and equality to everyone, not taking it away from everyone.
We are not the future yuppies. Yuppies are characterized by hippies that became part of the oppressive machine. The ones who spouted equality and freedom and then went on to become CEOs working on Wall Street or in other oppressive, exploitative industries or as politicians who eventually did sell out and voted in the opposite direction of their former ideals because it would make them money and get them powerful votes. That is not what I think we want to become. I think we want to be successful, but to maintain the equality. Be the person who has a good wage, a nice car and house, but gives back to their community, does not complain constantly about having to pay taxes for those “social systems that if people would just work harder they wouldn’t need” or anything ridiculous like that. Remembering that not everyone lives like this, that we are really really lucky, and that everyone deserves a life that they can be proud of and if we can help provide that and, god forbid, forsake some of our precious resources (even if that means giving some things up) it is worth it to give back.
Yay true Marxism!
