[Marxism] Introduction to Marxism class?

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

This week I had an exchange with a Marxism list subscriber that grew out 
of my offhanded comment about being trained in Marxism. After he asked 
how one gets such a training, I replied:

"I got mine in the SWP, but wouldn't urge anybody to join a sect in 
order to receive it. I try to educate people in Marxism in nearly 
everything I write in order to spare them the experience of life in such 
groups. Let me know if you have any other questions."

He followed up:

 >>...the Marxist lists can be an intimidating place, even for just a 
"lurker", because peoples' passions translate easily into volatility - 
especially if someone is ignorant, like me, or makes a mistake. The 
boundaries of acceptability in Marxism are not at all clear or sensible 
to the uninitiated!

Are comrades interested in nurturing and educating fledgling Marxists 
for the future? I wish I could live like Karl Marx and spend my time 
studying in libraries and writing, but this is not going to be a 
foreseeable reality for me. Is there nowhere you can systematically 
learn? No discussion groups? No available mentors? Does anyone have 
specific plans in place for ensuring the continuation of the movement 
into future generations?<<

After giving this some consideration, I want to explore the possibility 
of launching an Introduction to Marxism class similar to the one I took 
after I joined the SWP in 1967. Basically, the class is geared to folks 
like my correspondent. Over an 8 to 10 week period, we would read some 
books that fall into the category of the ABC's of Marxism and discuss 
them online. I would set up a mailing list on Yahoo with private 
archives so that people will feel free to ask or say anything without 
the fear of "sounding dumb". Just to make it crystal clear, the class is 
not meant for comrades who want to show off how much they know. As a 
rule of thumb, if you are a frequent poster to Marxmail, the class is 
not meant for you. Ideally, it is for comrades who have never posted 
once because they feel intimidated.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please contact 
me privately at lnp3@xxxxxxxxx




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