Beautifully written, and perfectly stated as always Scarlet. I love your invocation of the "yes, and" approach, which can serve as a vehicle for helping us build solidarity while meeting the people where they are. There's no delusions about reformism or electoralism here, but rather the recognition of a momentous opportunity to really connect with a working class increasingly more desperate for not only a better path forward, but a material future they both see themselves in and truly become invested in. The energy and excitement people are feeling now is an invitation for us to engage with people on really meaningful levels that allows us to find more common ground and move further in the direction of revolutionary politics. Instead of raining on their parade and compelling them to accept the world as it appears to be, we must, instead, help them dare to see the world for what it can be, and Zohran's victory (more notably the organizing infrastructure that workers built around him) can be a big step towards moving more folks in that direction. Thank you, as always, for having the right words to address these moments Scarlet. The joy and hope are exciting. Now the work begins to ensure those feelings don't become fleeting in the blink of an eye.
I myself am having issues with this today i appreciate you taking the issue in a different direction and I applaud your much much much much much more solid grasp of revolutionary optimism.
Hard not to think about Spanberger dourly pooh-poohing Mamdani's 'big dreams' while reading this. Like, ma'am, notice that your colleague Jay Jones won his election as well. It's not just leftists who are looking for any scrap of emotional release! People are sad, scared, and angry and you have to offer them SOMETHING.
What follows is probably a bit rambly, but I enjoyed this piece enough to attempt to respond.
One thing this reminds me of are the ways that people whose primary worry is prematurely declaring victory and people whose primary worry is prematurely declaring defeat can talk past each other. And, more generally that convincing people of the limitations of routes other than revolution don't work is only part of the solution, since you also need to believe that revolution is possible. And for a lot of my formative years, even among those otherwise critiquing capitalism, revolution wasn't seen as seriously on the table. Our imaginations had already been fenced in. Even those who have seen revolutions elsewhere often didn't believe in our neighbors enough to see the possibility at home.
I was at an event recently where someone talked about engaging with risk not only in terms of what we have to loose but what we have to gain. And, seeing the possibilities to gain requires allowing oneself to feel the joy of that potential. And, belief in each other, even when there are so many ways that trust has been frayed.
I often go forward knowing that in order to win, I at least have to act like I can even if I often don't feel in the moment. But a lot of people choose the option of disengaging, which becomes more appealing when you only offer critique and not enticement.
How cynical. In order to deliver on his promises, he will need the engagement, every day, of the people who supported him. They must be willing to actively put pressure on the capitalist class to deliver on his promises. This includes the willingness to strike. The general strike is the only truly effective weapon that the working class has to force revolutionary change. Voting for him and then waiting for him to perform miracles is the reasoning of a child. Organize! Strike! You go, Scarlet! ❤️
Beautifully written, and perfectly stated as always Scarlet. I love your invocation of the "yes, and" approach, which can serve as a vehicle for helping us build solidarity while meeting the people where they are. There's no delusions about reformism or electoralism here, but rather the recognition of a momentous opportunity to really connect with a working class increasingly more desperate for not only a better path forward, but a material future they both see themselves in and truly become invested in. The energy and excitement people are feeling now is an invitation for us to engage with people on really meaningful levels that allows us to find more common ground and move further in the direction of revolutionary politics. Instead of raining on their parade and compelling them to accept the world as it appears to be, we must, instead, help them dare to see the world for what it can be, and Zohran's victory (more notably the organizing infrastructure that workers built around him) can be a big step towards moving more folks in that direction. Thank you, as always, for having the right words to address these moments Scarlet. The joy and hope are exciting. Now the work begins to ensure those feelings don't become fleeting in the blink of an eye.
I myself am having issues with this today i appreciate you taking the issue in a different direction and I applaud your much much much much much more solid grasp of revolutionary optimism.
“….with an open heart and mind” ❤️!
Hard not to think about Spanberger dourly pooh-poohing Mamdani's 'big dreams' while reading this. Like, ma'am, notice that your colleague Jay Jones won his election as well. It's not just leftists who are looking for any scrap of emotional release! People are sad, scared, and angry and you have to offer them SOMETHING.
What follows is probably a bit rambly, but I enjoyed this piece enough to attempt to respond.
One thing this reminds me of are the ways that people whose primary worry is prematurely declaring victory and people whose primary worry is prematurely declaring defeat can talk past each other. And, more generally that convincing people of the limitations of routes other than revolution don't work is only part of the solution, since you also need to believe that revolution is possible. And for a lot of my formative years, even among those otherwise critiquing capitalism, revolution wasn't seen as seriously on the table. Our imaginations had already been fenced in. Even those who have seen revolutions elsewhere often didn't believe in our neighbors enough to see the possibility at home.
I was at an event recently where someone talked about engaging with risk not only in terms of what we have to loose but what we have to gain. And, seeing the possibilities to gain requires allowing oneself to feel the joy of that potential. And, belief in each other, even when there are so many ways that trust has been frayed.
I often go forward knowing that in order to win, I at least have to act like I can even if I often don't feel in the moment. But a lot of people choose the option of disengaging, which becomes more appealing when you only offer critique and not enticement.
Mamdani will promise a lot and deliver little.
I think you entirely missed the point of the piece
I think I understood it perfectly well.
How cynical. In order to deliver on his promises, he will need the engagement, every day, of the people who supported him. They must be willing to actively put pressure on the capitalist class to deliver on his promises. This includes the willingness to strike. The general strike is the only truly effective weapon that the working class has to force revolutionary change. Voting for him and then waiting for him to perform miracles is the reasoning of a child. Organize! Strike! You go, Scarlet! ❤️
I'm not cynical. I'm realistic.
You’re the best at spotting this!