I really shouldn't be here since my university interview and admissions test are rapidly approaching and I only have a precious 2 weeks (this is the second) to prepare, but I was indulging in a little nostalgia trip by reading my old communist articles/posts, and decided to check this place out again. The other internet forum I frequented around that time of my life (RevLeft) closed down and became an archive recently, so I'm glad this one is still going strong, especially since internet forum discussion largely seems to have moved to platforms like Reddit and Facebook groups; not that I really partake in much these days. I would be really interested to hear what those of you I talked to back in the day are up to now, if any of you are still here have any of you had radical changes in direction? I've spent the last year doing a lot of maths and am now aiming to pursue something related to machine learning/natural language processing. Hopefully I'll get into the university I want to attend (I find out in January) and not have any more radical changes, so that this can become a reality. If you're not sure what the point of this thread was, neither am I really :') just wanted to catch up with people in this bout of nostalgia, I guess.
I don't believe we spoke too much. However my views have shifted since I joined in 2014. I was a little more conservative back then. I'm now socially liberal. I voted libertarian in 2016 but will be voting Trump in 2020. Merely a defensive vote. Show me another Repub and I'm all ears.
I have been here since 2015 and I remember you. I would say I still have very much the same opinions except that I might have turned a little bit more Conservative lately.
You're obviously not pre-teen, but you're also obviously seriously smart for a young adult, and I'll bet you have a successful career ahead of you in whichever field you choose. Welcome - you've come to a good place and you'll like it here.
No, I'm not a communist anymore lmao :') the closest party to my current position is probably LRM in France, meaning I have no one to vote for in my country...I'll probably cast something like a protest vote in my first election. I really do appreciate the time I spent as a communist though, it was very formative. I still have as much of a weird thing for structuralism and post-structuralism as I did as a Marxist, in any case, and retain a lot of the philosophical positions I used to hold, albeit with a tad more individualism. I haven't really been doing much philosophical reading lately, I have to admit. Also, I have an offer from Cambridge University now felt the need to update this thread with that.
Wee. It was fun . Well, I'm still around and I remember/enjoyed your posts, because actual philosophical content(anywhere) on the internet is a rarity and you breathed some fresh life on the net. Have my positions changed? Not really. I'm still very much a Third Way Syndicalist for Statehood, and I still wish to radically transform American 'democracy' into a political state worthy of its recognition. I do believe however that American Politics will never change and in fact its degradation has gotten substantially worse. So, part of me kind of wants to say goodbye to it, but it's like kicking a drug habit(never did any IRL, this is as close as it gets). You wanna get off, you wanna get yourself healthy again but it's hard. Edit: To be clear, since you brought up French Politics. I would be pro-National Rally. I have a feeling if Madam Le Pen did better in the debates, she would've been French President. Well, there's 2021 for that.
It definitely was! I enjoyed your posts too it's always nice to read thoughtful posts from people you disagree with. Yeah, all this polarisation really isn't great; there are so many global issues which need to be dealt with constructively, and here we are letting partisanship and inflammatory rhetoric divide us. I definitely relate to wanting to quit politics - there comes a point when you just lose faith in humanity. I've actually been getting back into it lately, probably as preparation for being part of a highly politicised student body next year. I don't have the greatest hopes for campus politics either though. Well they did sweep the European Parliament elections as expected. I think Macron needs to be more receptive to the (often very valid) criticisms being put forward by National Rally's voting base. His 'Jupiterian' style really isn't doing him any favours when it comes to reconnecting with the disenfranchised, typically low turnout groups of voters who turn to populism because of a feeling that they aren't being listened to. At base I do agree with his ideas though, and he definitely knows how to capture a zeitgeist (as he did when he won the last elections).
Campus politics should be substantially better(in that you're focusing on campus issues, not political issues.) I was once elected Student Council president, and I would've gladly served if it weren't for the fact that I learned I was going to be transfered a few weeks after my victory. So at which point, I prepared succession. You'll likely be dealing with issues related to school/class projects, the budgeting, etc. And there'll sometimes be conflicting ideas on school events but generally it's a lot of fun. I think you're going to have a great experience. I've made it no secret on my Nationalist views. Thus Ms. Le Pen's fierce nationalism speaks to me. I wish there were a politician like her in America. One that can unapologetically cite our nation's history, its mission and its progress towards that mission. From sea to shining sea, to enable the growth of the Western Hemisphere. We've grown away from that. If I were a French citizen, I would gladly have volunteered for her campaign. As it is, I can only admire from afar. If I were to return to Left views, I'd only go so far as the Left-centre, which I recognize lost some votes but I'm of the belief that a moderate position on the economy and on the climate agenda is what's sufficient. I've never been a fan of the left radical solutions.
I do remember you though we only interacted in passing...Keep up the good work and I wish you great things.
