Essay:On Internet Discourse

"Never argue with stupid people. They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience"
—Attributed to Mark Twain

The internet has two angles. The first is its productive side which nourishes the intellect, connects like-minded activists for a single goal, and furthers revolutionary progress. The second is its vile side, which degrades your mental health, introduces constant discord and woes, breeds anti-worker ideology, and is generally retrogressive to progress towards constructing a revolutionary movement.

Communists using the internet for progressive purposes must be clearly aware of which side they encounter. Thus, here are some fundamental principles for internet usage as a revolutionary activist which may prove useful.

1. On Debates

Social media, even on bourgeois services, may have a place in revolutionary activity in that it can serve in as an important propaganda and agitation tool, it is preferable that people who are interested should be directed to channels which allow for genuine debate. Toxic exchanges of insults and attacks with a vaguely political character between complete anonymous strangers (all within a 140 character limit) is something which is simply going to waste your time and harm your mental heath.

Debate should be thought of as a tool for mutual improvement between comrades, not a weapon against others.

2. On Liberals

Communists represent the most advance section of the working class, and it is our duty to adjust our behavior accordingly. Many young liberals or non-communist socialists are simply in that position due to a lack of political education and other factors beyond their control. These people are often well-intentioned yet misled by the bourgeoisie and its ideologues. As such, us communists must engage with them in an amiable way so long as they are willing to be open to revolutionary ideas. We are not here to "defeat" these people in a debate.

3. On Reactionaries

Reactionaries and fascists should be avoided always with very few exceptions on the internet. Fascists, such as members of the alt-right, often exploit debates for the purposes of propaganda; when "debating" them, they are not present to talk to you, but to talk to your impressionable audience as they express their bigoted views.

To debate with somebody who wants your death is never productive. We do not debate fascists, we fight them.