Bob Avakian, "Youth deserve a better future," clip from Revolution, a film of a talk

[neferirina777]

..my respect and support for Mr. Avakian.....I totally agree with him

[NorthwestResistance]

Avakian has some good stuff to say but when it comes down to it he's nothing more than a Leninist on a power-trip. If any sort of up-rising is to happen it's gotta come from the people themselves. It cant be lead by a vanguard or party, its gotta come from regular individuals or it wont come at all.

[jammoexii]

@NorthwestResistance "If any sort of up-rising is to happen" (at least in a productive way, I'm not talking about random riots) it's going to have to be organized and led by the most politically advanced sections of the working class (not saying Bob Avakian is necessarily that, but -). I'm sorry if that sounds "authoritarian" or "Leninist", but that's just a historical fucking fact.

[NorthwestResistance]

@jammoexii And then what, what's to stop these said leaders from exploiting their positions such as what happened in Russia, China, and Cuba? George Orwell's "Animal Farm", though fiction, gives a clear illustration of what happens when insurrection is left to leadership.

[Nothiean]

@NorthwestResistance No.

[525Chanel]

He is telling the truth! It's sad that none of our black leaders don't seem to get the picture! They seem clueless, and out of touch with reality! Thank you Mr. Avakian, I love you!

[blutsturmer]

@525Chanel One oppression for another. Why not seek an equality shared by ALL? Because this does not encite. Congratulations, you have been manipulated and you didn't even see it coming.

[rebeldog11]

I'm an anarchist, but I love Bob Avakian's speeches.

[scottistoxic]

Get in there and start fighting for the kids he's talking about. "They deserve a much better future--and a much better future is possible."

[275Divine]

No disagreement there!

[275Divine]

No Bob, outraged oratory is not the way to convince - unless you're Obama that is.

OK do start with the commonplace, but please - can we go from there to a bit of analysis?

Like concrete, hard as nuts us and them stuff?

What's the dividing line, in other words?

[scottistoxic]

Well, this is just a three-minute clip from a much longer talk that gets into all the major aspects of the revolution he's putting before people. So while this tiny section of an eight-hour talk (incl. the audience Q&A) may not convince *you* --but which I think nails the reality youth are facing today--it's only a part of presenting the whole picture. People can check out the rest of it at revolutiontalk (dot) net and grapple with the q's he's raising. The analysis is all there in depth.

[275Divine]

Now don't go getting all hostile and making me think you're not very comradely.

[scottistoxic]

But even for a three-minute clip...do you know of anyone who's saying anything nearly as on-point as what Avakian lays out here? If so, share it! Let's compare. Let's hold up the different ideas out there in light of what kind of future we face under capitalism, and what future we COULD have. There's far too little of that kind of discussion going on in society, and way too much contentment with confining those discussions to tiny groupings who are happy to be small. Let's break out of that!

[275Divine]

Avakian's got great ideas but aren't we all a little fed up with hearing how bad things are rather than talking about what practical steps we can take today, right now, to get rid of them?

[scottistoxic]

Did I sound hostile? I wasn't trying to be. I was just saying there's a lot more to the video than this three-minute clip, and that the entire RevolutionTalk video answers the questions you raised, and then some. Check it out at revolutiontalk (dot) net. Reflections/thoughts/criticism­s encouraged.

Also check out the "Imagine a new society" clip here on youtube. Again, it's short, but it starts addressing what you're raising.

[flagwaver1969]

By the numerous thumbs down I'm receiving, it is obvious the little-dictators- in-waiting hate the idea of individual liberty. Little, grade school, wanna-be tyrants that never grew up is all they are.

[275Divine]

"Individual Liberty" Are you kidding?

[No3Patriot]

From Ms. Lane's book:

"In order to live in communism, it is necessary only that a number of men and women believe two facts and one fallacy; that all men are equal, that all men are brothers- and that an intangible Authority controls individuals.

If you've got racist issues then it is not likely you will not be able to live in communism. We, the communists seek to rid this planet of the intangible Authority called Elitists.

[wvprogressive1933]

I'm not a Maoist, but I am not a Trotskyist. I am a socialist. I find agreement in much of what he says.

[flagwaver1969]

The communist can point out the evils of capitalism without ever realizing it is a mutated abandonment of Free Enterprise. Free enterprise is an economic system that allows for individuals doing business to do so without unnecessary state-imposed constraints. The cartel capitalism today relies on the power of the state to create monopolies, or the power of big business to crush competition in order to control a market through a cartel; able to dominate a field or market.

[flagwaver1969]

Instead of understanding the benefit of restoring the traditional free enterprise system, the communist opportunistically offers tyranny as a solution and even plays the game of cartel capitalism just as the red Chinese have. No thanks. I've had enough state control.

[scottistoxic]

It's hard to make cogent arguments w/ only 500 characters, but seriously, we've got to do better than hackneyed anti-communist shorthand. "Offers tyranny as a solution"? You sound like my lazy social studies teacher. Capitalism--the mythical "free enterprise" or otherwise--has brought the planet to the edge of disaster. Avakian looks at history and sees how to revive a socialism that taps the mass untapped human creativity in solving our problems.You should look at what he has to say about that.

[flagwaver1969]

Today's capitalism is not free enterprise. Also, there is nothing mythical about free enterprise. Socialism is merely a predictable stepping stone to communism which is tyranny, no matter euphamistic label you apply to it.

[scottistoxic]

Regardless, it is capitalism. And when I say "mythical" I mean the notion that capitalism could exist in a way that is *not* exploitive. When did such a thing exist? During slavery? During the industrial revolution? during sharecropping and Jim Crow? Capitalism needs and perpetuates inequality. It's a built-in feature--"free enterprise" or with heavy capitalist state intervention.

[scottistoxic]

And yes, real socialism properly conceived is the intermediate stage before communism, which by definition is a classless society where the bases of inequality, exploitation and oppression have been eliminated. That hardly sounds like tyranny--unless, of course, your world is based on oppression and exploitation. You won't get to do that anymore...sorry.

[flagwaver1969]

Yes, under communism it is a classless society except the government rules over them. Government produces nothing and is the host living off the worker who is stripped of his individual liberties BY FORCE. The end result is the same as cartel capitalism. I believe in freedom from oppression, so accusing me of promoting it is dishonest.

[scottistoxic]

That's not communism. Communism is what results from a long period of transformation and struggle at all levels of society (called socialism), reaching a point when classes and class distinctions have been eliminated, and all basis for those distinctions are no more. At this point there is no "government" or state as an instrument of guaranteeing people's interests (which is quite different from the capitalist state)--the state has withered away, and in its place are free associations of people.

[scottistoxic]

So it doesn't matter whether or not you oppose oppression on a personal, subjective level...if the system you uphold inherently creates inequality and oppression, then you in fact are working to uphold oppression even if you don't want to.

[275Divine]

In a classless society there is no government hence nobody rules over anything or anybody,

[flagwaver1969]

I disagree. It is the corruptible nature among men that perpetuates inequality. The bartering system of free enterprise is not the state run exploitive capitalism we see today. You think handing the reins of power over to the state is alright under socialism. You end up with what you say you despise; tyranny.

[scottistoxic]

Well, look...we're already under the power of the state, which is an instrument of dictatorship by one class--the capitalist class. And while it doesn't run the economy in the sense of organizing production, its main function is promoting the overall interests of the capitalist class. That is the nature of the state under capitalism--"free enterprise" or otherwise. Who would produce the goods under your "free enterprise" system? Who would mine the raw materials or grow the food? The capitalists.

[scottistoxic]

And the fact is, that system requires inequality. In order for capitalists to profit, the capitalist must pay the people who do the work less money than what he or she ends up collecting for the end product. In order to maintain that basic inequality, a state is needed to enforce the interests of the capitalist over the interests of the worker. How is that "freedom" for the people who produce the wealth? That's not about "corrupt human nature"--that's about a definite economic system.

[flagwaver1969]

A dictatorship is controlled by an individual. A government ruled by a class is an oligarchy. Our government is composed of representatives that are manipulated by lobbys ruled by special interests. What is needed to change that is, to block the lobbyists from the representatives. That could be done by removing lobbyist's ability to provide financial benefit to the representatives and punish representatives who wish to receive those benefits.

[scottistoxic]

@flagwaver1969 You're simply mistaken. Any government is ruled by a class, i.e., is a dictatorship of that class. The only question that matters is *which class*.

I know that's not how the word dictatorship is popularly used, but the common definition doesn't work out in the real world. Hitler, the archetypal "dictator" of modern history, ruled in the interests of the capitalist class--not for himself. There are too many interests at stake in a society for it to ever be about any individual.

[flagwaver1969]

Well, sadly you choose the path of being the expendable slave or the authoritarian dictator. I'll choose the path of the free man and woe unto anyone who tries to take it from me.

[scottistoxic]

@flagwaver1969 Wow, drama! And here I thought we were having a rational discussion. Look--I understand this reality isn't pretty--but just because you don't like it when someone tells you the truth, that doesn't mean this system gets to keep grinding people up for the profit of the few. Later for that shit.

[flagwaver1969]

Nah, Scott. It isn't drama. It's just the truth and you can choose what you want to believe. The reason your belief system is flawed is because you deny the individual his/her right to liberty by desiring to trade one form of tyranny for another. This is unrealistic and that is why socialism and communism does not work. It never has and never will.

[scottistoxic]

@flagwaver1969

Funny, I don't remember saying or implying any of those things. Oh well. I guess when the might of the empire and institutionalized ignorance is on your side, fact, reason, history or even reality are inconsequential. Later, tater.

*cue the waving flag and Star Spangled Banner* We now conclude our broadcasting day. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP........

[flagwaver1969]

The fact that you don't remember implying or saying any of those things reveals your complete ignorance of socialism, communism, and capitalism. I love the predictability of you fanatics. You always accuse others of what you truly are. I hope that flag burning gives you closure to your life. If you don't set yourself on fire, make Venezuela your home ASAP.

[275Divine]

Why Venezuela? Is that country supposed to be 'socialist': Like Cuba, Obama, Healthcare, Gun Control are supposed to be?

Let's be serious!

[275Divine]

"Christianity will never work!", said the Romans for two hundred and fifty years before they adopted it for themselves.

"Confucius is a silly old man with impractical ideas", said the Chinese for nearly eight hundred years before they adopted it for themselves.

Socialism is still young and has a lot to learn.

[275Divine]

More reform!

[flagwaver1969]

This could be done legislatively but, the difficulty in removing ffinancial reward by their own volition would have to be insisted upon by the constituency of each representative. NAFTA, GATT, etc. are results of special interest lobbying and they sacrifice our nation's interest to those of the globalists,who would,under the name of cooperation, minimize each country's welfare for the good of all (communism, socialism, statism,call it what you will.}

[flagwaver1969]

Furthermore, that is not Democracy or representative government as envisioned and supported by our Constitution. If the Constitution was the reference for our government's actions we would not be in the mess we are in today.

[275Divine]

Perhaps man is corruptible but from where does the corruptive influence emanate?

Please don't say 'human nature'; that'd be going around in a circle.

[275Divine]

One man's tyranny is another man's liberation.

Depends which side you're on.

[Pootnam]

What the fuck sort of word is "acquiesce".. shut the fuck up and grow a pair, nobody cares about your shit.

[raultalbot7]

Nothing but BS!!!!!!!! Blame it on the system instead of the idiots that only want handouts.

[dukowski1965]

i miss bob they need get him on tv

[dayday98765]

@jimj122680 Avakian is the most genuine and radical revolutionary there is. Scam artist? Puhleeze.

And there is no "balance" between capitalism and communism - exploitation is in the fiber, the definition of capitalism and will always recreate mass accumulation of profit on one end and mass immiseration on the other end.

You should watch the whole talk this clip is from at revolutiontalk (dot) net. He gets REALLY deeply into what capitalism is as a system vs. socialism and communism.

[yuku833]

And this is why third parties will never amount to much

[jimj122680]

This guy is a scam artist just like Mao and Lenin. He's just after power. Don't listen to his utopian bullshit.

I'm a Capitalist but I fully realize that mindless "free" market Capitalism (eg. Milton Friedman style Capitalism, Any Rand style Capitalism) leads to nothing but exploitation and pure evil.

A balance has to be found.

[No3Patriot]

Anyone wanting to understand Communism should get the book The Discovery Of Freedom by Rose Wilder Lane which can be purchased at mises. org. Ms. Lane devotes Chapter II to this subject. Many people. All living history proves that communism is a feasible way of living.

[icps86]

can i get the dvd on torrents?

[thornedrake]

jajaja, payaso... ya te los pase.

[icps86]

haha you only gave me the one on fuji!

PERRITA CACHA FRANCHUTAS!

[RevolutionTalk]

A low resolution version is downloadable at vimeo (dot) com/revolutiontalk You can also watch the whole talk streaming at revolutiontalk (dot) net

[dukowski1965]

bob spoke for 12 hours nobody could rember all that the dvd rocks it out

[jahprophet]

Needs to be able to speak, whats with the prewritten reading and dependence on his notes?

[RedGuard1976]

What do you think about the CONTENT of what he is saying? If you bash someone for how they speak but you completely ignore what it is that they are saying, you're making a pretty petty argument. It is important, how people present and whether they can do it in a compelling way, which I am certain Bob Avakian does, but it is secondary in relation to what it is they are saying.

[maosaytounge49]

maybe because it was a nine hour talk. plus, i'll second what brother said 'what do you think about the content of what he is saying?'

[maosaytounge49]

I love how Bob Avakian flips the equation; putting this system of highly oppressive relations among people at the foundation and root of why so many Black and Latino youth in this country are in the situation they're in, insteading of putting the blame directly on our youth. This is a basic understanding about our society that gets flipped around day in and day out by the "mouthpieces" of this rotten system, especially Obama. Spread this clip all over.

[dukowski1965]

about for time for this stuff should been up years ago

[RedGuard1976]

Bob Avakian speaks very powerfully to the future for the youth, exposing the "land of opportunity" bullshit and striking to the core of the reality for so many youth today. His voice and vision must be engaged by millions and millions around the world if there is to be a revolution... it is up to us to take him out to the world and the Revolution DVD is an excellent medium to do so!

[revmedia3]

Powerful...the leadership we need.

"Well what kind of system have you got then, when you can say that for millions and millions of youth in the inner cities crime is a rational choice..." NO MORE!

[Vertigopills]

Great rhetoric, though he speaks as if he has the answer to a system where supply and demand are equal, where people are mostly or fully employed (as students or workers) and everybody is equally taken care of. Regardless of the system I think there will always be those who fall through the cracks. Even if the seeds of Avakian's ideal system are implemented, there is no guarantee it will lead toward a real revolution of the social order. Class warfare will resume as always.

[copwatchnc]

You're raising some real issues here. One revolution does not guarantee all the changes that need to be made in society. It can't be done in one fell swoop...but the changes that people desperately need definitely can't happen WITHOUT revolution. After that, the struggle will HAVE to continue. The forces of the old order will regroup. It happened in the USSR and China. What makes Avakian different is how he envisions continuing the revolution under socialism through mass struggle and dissent.

[AphoticAquatic]

@copwatchnc A revolution won't guarantee anything but nut jobs in control. It;s disturbing how they corral everyone into communism and socialism behind, kids, jobs, health care, and all the fears relating to it. Communists like to use people and thier fears to take control and run things as they see fit. Talk to someone from russia if you want to know about the u.s.s.r. It will never happen. These people as enlightened as they feel, have a complete disconnect with reality.

[blutsturmer]

@copwatchnc Social evolution not "revolution". Check out the different levels of social development and the seven levels of thinking. you will see until humanity reachs a higher level as a base genesis, what is envisioned is simply not achievable. This is not to say abandon all hope, just stop with the manipulative babble already!

[275Divine]

Class struggle continues and even grows more acute under socialism.

[Briannathegreat]

I love the part where he says no more of that!

[ITTNTB]

Bob Avakian is a great champion and resource for the people here and all over the world. fight the power and transform the people for REVOLUTION!

[copwatchnc]

Nice.

[apolloproghoax]

right on!

[himrod67]

Bob's message is a breath of fresh air. A true warrior in a time when Revolution is the only ANSWER!!!!