Vladimir Ilyich once asked: Should revolutionaries work in Reactionary Trade Unions?

This ridiculous “theory” that Communists should not work in reactionary trade unions reveals with the utmost clarity the frivolous attitude of the “Left” Communists towards the question of influencing the “masses”, and their misuse of clamour about the “masses”.

If you want to help the “masses” and win the sympathy and support of the “masses”, you should not fear difficulties, or pinpricks, chicanery, insults and persecution from the “leaders” (who, being opportunists and social-chauvinists, are in most cases directly or indirectly connected with the bourgeoisie and the police), but must absolutely work wherever the masses are to be found. You must be capable of any sacrifice, of overcoming the greatest obstacles, in order to carry on agitation and propaganda systematically, perseveringly, persistently and patiently in those institutions, societies and associations—even the most reactionary—in which proletarian or semi-proletarian masses are to be found.

The unions of today do not match the numbers of his time, societies feel a lot more atomized these days, yet there are bound to be places where the masses can be reached. The internet has brough us all closer than ever, yet the workers are the people who are least using it, it’s unlikely we will be able to reach the masses through it, but we could reach a sympathetic base. Even though we’re sure to be smacked down repeatedly, for doing so.

The internet has been infested by the corporate, petit bourgeoise interests, the voices of silent minorities, genuine working class opinions are unhear of, unless they are allowed to be heard to maintain this Liberal facade of legitimacy this fake notion of “freedom”, the workers are not there talking, they might be consuming it sometimes, but they’re not speaking up and even if they do they get dogpiled on, silenced, mocked, laughed at. It presents an ugly version of reality, it divides people and turns them into a caricatures.

As someone from North Eastern Parts of Europe I cant tell you personally that the people who yap online, especially those who yap in English, they’re a perverted representation of what we really are like here. This is why they’re terrified of anti-capitalist parties and why they censor us so badly, we are still popular despite all the red-scare propaganda, no amount of propaganda can make better healthcare or extra vacations seem like a bad policy, its just not gonna happen, people want these things, they’re fed up with this economic liberalization crap and are being mislead.

I’m never gonna be able to fill the shoes of Lenin. I have too many ideals despite all my efforts of getting rid of them. I still sometimes wish I could just retreat to a holiday spot and spend some time there with a friend, building sand castles. How can I possibly enjoy doing that while my people are struggling to pay their heating bills? Maybe I’m being too harsh on myself, but it just doesn’t feel right. I need to do better.

I also have a horrible tendency to distrust anyone I come across. How can I call myself a socialist when I go off the assumption that majority would hate me? That is ridiculous. Yes I have a traumatic past, but what is the reason for the trauma? Was it because my country is filled with ontologically evil people? Absolutely not I say. I don’t suffer because of hate, most of all the major suffering of my life can be attributed to capitalism. My family lost their jobs because of free market liberalization, this is what turned people into crime, what made crime and suffering bloom, what made addictions bloom. It victimized us all, made us isolated, too busy trying to survive on our own, it shaped us into cold hearted people.

It’s likely too late for me to thaw my heart completely, but just enough to move and do something. I don’t expect for me to change overnight. I really struggle to trust you and I think you must probably hate me, dear reader, it’s probably not true. I hope you can forgive me for that.