So I had my birthday and my wife got me some leftist shirts, and while I really appreciate the gesture I'm conflicted on wearing them. She's only recently come around to more leftist thought and doesn't quite realize the issue and so I'm a bit torn. How should I approach this?
Posted Apr 9, 2017, 6:58 PM UTC
It's just a shirt. There's no problem unless you live in places like the Philippines or India where the revolutions are pretty hot and the governments might actually murder you for it. But other than that, it's cool
What's the conflict? It's just a shirt.
I see a lot of posts on late stage capitalism deriding it, like commodification of the revolution for instance. It just makes me question how I'll be perceived by my comrades I guess.
The way I see it, a shirt is a shirt. You're going to wear one whether it has a hammer and sickle on it, or the Abercrombie logo. If you spark a conversation, or make someone ask "what's that?" You've done more than most of the comrades telling you you're not pure enough.
I wear leftist junk all the time. Pins, hats, shirts, jackets. Being a communist doesn't mean you have to be a Puritan.
Thanks, you're absolutely right.
It is commodification, but that's not really a bad thing. If you want to wear or buy stuff like that, it's up to you. Just be aware in some situations you won't want to be repping that stuff. I think you already know that, but just something to think about.
Yeah, I realize that and I am definitely keeping it in mind, thanks.
I don't think you should feel bad about it. She got them for you because she thought you'd enjoy them, and I think that's what matters more here.
As for commodification of the revolution, I'd actually like it if leftists started sporting more leftist stuff. At the very least it might get some people thinking. Best case scenario you enlighten another comrade.
Happy wife happy life
Thanks, I feel better about it after getting some input from my comrades.