(Part 2) Top products from r/ChapoTrapHouse

Thanks so much!

As for what to read, it really depends on what you're interested in but I always recommend the classics when it comes to anything to do with the left first.

However, if you'd like something more modern and lighter here are some of my recent favorites:

• Why Marx Was Right - Terry Eagleton is a fantastic author and this book has sold more than one friend of mine on the concept of Marxism. A great resource to learn more about the socialist left and hear the other side of the story if you've been sold the mainstream narrative on Marx.
  
  
• A Cure for Capitalism - An elegant roadmap for ethically dismantling capitalism by the most prominant Marxist economist alive today, Richard D. Wolff. Very utility-based and pretty ideologically pure to Marx while still taking into account modern economic circumstances.
  
  
• No Such Thing as a Free Gift: The Gates Foundation and the Price of Philanthropy - this one is a great take-down of how modern NGO organizations (especially the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) are the premium outlet for soft imperialism for the US.
  
  
• Until We Reckon: Violence, Mass Incarceration, and a Road to Repair - added this because it was a very impactful, recent read for me. A lot of left-of-republican people support some kind of prison reform but we usually view it through the lens of helping "non-violent offenders". This book digs into that distinction and how we, as a society, can't seriously try to broach meaningful prison reform before we confront the notion of helping those who have done violent things in their past.
  
  
• [Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women] (https://www.amazon.com/Backlash-Undeclared-Against-American-Women/dp/0307345424/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1550926471&sr=1-4&keywords=backlash) - probably my favorite book on modern feminism and why it is, in fact, not obsolete and how saying/believing as much is key to the ideology behind the attacks from the patriarchal ruling class. Can't recommend it enough if you're on the fence about feminism.
  
  
• How to Read Donald Duck: Imperialist Ideology in the Disney Comic - Written in the 70's by a couple of Marxists during the communist purge in Chile, this book does a fantastic job of unwrapping how ideology baked into pop culture can very effectively influence the masses. Though I can only recommend this one if you're already hard sold on Socialism because you might not even agree with some of the core premises if you're on the fence and will likely get little out of it.
  
  
• Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? - Mark Fisher's seminal work deconstructing how capitalism infects everything in modern life. He killed himself a few years after publishing it. My most recommended book, probably.

Although this comic doesn't really talk about it, Oklahoma used to be the American hotbed for socialism. At its height, the Socialist Party of Oklahoma controlled about 20% of the state assembly. They were the biggest socialist party in the U.S. by membership, even bigger than New York or Illinois.

>The Socialist Party of Oklahoma took its biggest steps forward in size and influence as the first decade of the 20th Century came to a close, with the decline of the Farmers' Union opened the door for the Socialists organizationally. In 1908 the party for the first time attempted to mobilize tenant farmers through inclusion of "land planks" in the electoral platform.

>The Oklahoma effort was aided by Julius Wayland and his widely circulated weekly, The Appeal to Reason, which published a special Oklahoma edition in 1908. The party's effort were rewarded, with Socialist candidates in the poorest cotton-growing areas of the state garnering the party's highest level of voter support. In certain counties the Socialist Presidential ticket of Eugene V. Debs and Ben Hanford drew a quarter of the votes cast. Statewide, the Debs-Hanford ticket won 21,425 votes — just short of 8.5% of the total ballots cast. The final departure of the People's Party from the political scene after the 1908 election further broadened Socialist horizons.

> At the time of the 1908 campaign an astonishing 375 locals of the Socialist Party were scattered across the state of Oklahoma, working in support of candidates in 5 Congressional Districts, 12 State Senatorial Districts, and 35 Assembly Districts. The SPO maintained a corps of 15 traveling organizers in the field, with no fewer than 4 of these on tour at any one time. A movement was begun for the establishment of a Socialist daily newspaper in Oklahoma City.

There's a really great book on it called "Agrarian Socialism in America: Marx, Jefferson, and Jesus in the Oklahoma Countryside, 1904–1920" by a historian named Jim Bissett. It's a good read, and it's hard not to feel like there's lessons to be learned from it in how to package and sell left-wing economic reform to people now-a-days.

I second this. Actually, even now, I think most of what I know about theory I must have picked up via osmosis from reading K-Punk a lot back in the late 00s. There's a few more of his lectures here btw. Along similar lines, a friend of Mark Fisher's, Jeremy Gilbert, has some [podcasts] (https://culturepowerpolitics.org/podcasts/) which introduce several key concepts and thinkers from theory and cultural studies. I haven't listened to all of them, but the first one where he gives an overview of Gramsci, hegemony and neoliberalism could be useful for those who liked Capitalist Realism.

If you're interested in Marx, [this] (https://www.amazon.com/Why-Marx-Right-Terry-Eagleton/dp/0300181531/) goes over most of the important stuff. I hesitate to say it's the best introduction to Marx available because I haven't read many but I found it pretty clear and to the point. And David Harvey's lectures on Capital on youtube are invaluable if you ever want to read Marx himself.

SERIOUSLY YOU CAN BUY IT ON AMAZON! 😂😂😂 THIS IS SO FREAKING FUNNY! 😂😂😂 I'M ACTUALLY CRYING RIGHT NOW 😂😂😂

This was definitely true of the socdem policy in James Baldwin's lifetime. This is a good overview of how New and Fair Deal policy was deliberately constructed, as the NAACP said of the Social Security Act at the time, "like a sieve with holes just big enough for the majority of Negroes to fall through." This on top of practices like redlining that seriously limited black people's ability to build a robust middle class with the GI Bill. While I agree with Leslie's thread and I think even the most mythical BernieBro wouldn't exclude PoC the way southern Democrats did, you can't completely dismiss that skepticism out of hand.

These should be the top recommendations hands down, both of these books were designed with your specific goal in mind:

A People's History of America - This focuses on history of the US from the perspective of the everyman rather than the 'big man' side of history where every politician is a gentle statesman. It shows just how barbaric and ghoulish those in charge often are.

Lies My Teacher Told Me. - Similar to the last one, this one shows how modern history loves to pretend all sorts of shit did not happen or ignore anything that's even slightly discomforting, like the idea that Henry Ford literally inspired Hitler, both in a model industry and anti-semitism.

These are both relatively easy reads with lots of praise.

Adam Curtis docs are always good, I recommend starting with one called "Black Power" which answers the question "What happens to African countries when they try to play ball with the west?"

>Ah yes, the theory that profits belong to the worker

No, it's a theory that the ultimate source of profit lies in the asymmetry between the value that a worker adds to a product and the value of his wage. It's a descriptive, rather than normative, idea.

>financing, company good will, marketing, sales, product development, all of that just runs itself

Nobody here is claiming that those forms of labor "run themselves." Surplus value is extracted from all kinds of labor and laborers.

>shareholders decide its worth paying a CEO billions

Surplus value has nothing to do with CEOs in particular. It's the mechanism by which capital valorizes itself. Whether the management is being done by a petit-bourgeois owner, by a single manager, or by a team, is utterly irrelevant.

>wiki article that internet teenagers found fascinating

I'm not a teenager. And since Wikipedia is beneath you, here's the original, in HTML and print.

If you're starting to read his books, I recommend picking up ["The Holocaust Industry"] (https://www.amazon.com/Holocaust-Industry-Reflections-Exploitation-Suffering/dp/1781685614/ref=pd_sim_14_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1781685614&pd_rd_r=97d5364c-5a0c-11e8-a956-456fc52f333f&pd_rd_w=16qEm&pd_rd_wg=1g1Mc&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=7967298517161621930&pf_rd_r=0T0GZ21H6HQKNTF72WSZ&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=0T0GZ21H6HQKNTF72WSZ), ["Image and Reality of the Israel-Palestine Conflict"] (https://www.amazon.com/Image-Reality-Israel-Palestine-Conflict-Revised/dp/1859844421/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1526587388&sr=1-1&keywords=image+and+reality+of+the+israel-palestine+conflict&dpID=414Zbglcz4L&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch), and [his most recent book] (https://www.amazon.com/Gaza-Inquest-into-Its-Martyrdom/dp/0520295714).

"The Holocaust Industry" isn't as provocative now as it is was when he first wrote the book, but it still solidly holds up today. An troubling insight into the "exploitation of Jewish suffering," as he states. It's fairly short compared his other works, but that's the work which brought him into the spotlight.

"Image and Reality" is a good starting point with Finkelstein on understanding the conflict, as he dissects, piece-by-piece, common false talking points and assertions over the conflict (Joan Peters, Benny Morris, Abba Eban, amongst others); his introduction to the book's second edition provides an excellent overview of the history.

Though, it'd be an understatement not to recommend his latest book. By far the largest amount of footnotes, and he affirms by his maxim of making the book as well-sourced and truthful "as is humanly possible". He details the Mavi Marmara incident, Operation Cast Lead, and Operation Protective Edge, and the inconsistent reporting of human rights organizations. The book's final statements, especially, cut deep. Certainly his best work, indeed his magnum opus.

Sometime later on I might go through "Beyond Chutzpah" (it's labeled as his "sequel" to "The Holocaust Industry"), but the three books above are a great start at the very least.

If one wants a deeper understanding of Peter Kropotkin's ideas, I recommend taking a look at the book Kropotkin: The Politics of Community by the anthropologist Brian Morris (If anyone here has a PDF of Morris' book please share it on libcom.org):

Kropotkin: The Politics of Community: https://www.amazon.com/Kropotkin-Politics-Community-Brian-Morris/dp/1591021588


If you want a book that uses Kropotkin's work for sociological analysis Living at the Edges of Capitalism: Adventures in Exile and Mutual Aid by Andrej Grubacic and Denis O'Hearn, that book gives a very good idea what "mutual aid" actually means:

https://www.amazon.com/Living-Edges-Capitalism-Adventures-Mutual/dp/0520287304/


As for anarchist thinkesr who are close to Kropotkin, I recommend taking a look at:

• Anarchy in action by Colin Ward: https://libcom.org/library/anarchy-action-colin-ward
  
  
  
• Communitas: Means of Livelihood and Ways of Life by Percival Goodman and Paul Goodman: http://gen.lib.rus.ec/book/index.php?md5=A61BDD67E4C76572F28955B902648FDD
  
  
• Compulsory Mis-Education, and the Community of Scholars by Paul Goodman: http://gen.lib.rus.ec/book/index.php?md5=68EF3057B9EAFA753EE4DDE9627BC746
  
  
• Growing Up Absurd: Problems of Youth in the Organized Society by Paul Goodman: http://gen.lib.rus.ec/book/index.php?md5=F2927649E6100C01241D55B0D8448D9C
  
  
• Drawing the Line Once Again: Paul Goodman's Anarchist Writings: http://gen.lib.rus.ec/book/index.php?md5=CA8B169B5EF42CBC4342D52BE32A7A02
  
  
• Autonomy, solidarity, possibility: the Colin Ward reader: https://libcom.org/library/autonomy-solidarity-possibility-colin-ward-reader
  
  
• Ivan Illich - Tools for Conviviality.

Yes. It’s already on the Amazon best selling list.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0520295714/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526659780&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=norman+finkelstein&dpPl=1&dpID=51W9tlNhgCL&ref=plSrch

Tell one of the top commenters in this thread that agree with me that they're one of "those 'well, actually' style pedantic fanboy nitpickers" too and let me know how that goes

If you change your mind, I can help you cope. I would recommend a book for you.

The recommended section is just a treasure trove of amazing garbage:

Ben Shapiro

Mike Thernovich

Vox Day

This dumbass

The_Alinsky_fearer has logged on

Trump as a soviet worker

Sharia law is coming to your chipolte

The adventures of Hitler

Scott Adams: Failing is actually success

Currently making my way through Thomas Sowell's work. Brilliant man, highly recommended!

https://www.amazon.com/Basic-Economics-Thomas-Sowell/dp/0465060730

For $17 bucks yep. Or free on Kindle.

https://www.amazon.com/Settlers-Mythology-Proletariat-Mayflower-Kersplebedeb/dp/1629630373

haha they have already started posting negative reviews on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Blueprints-Sparkling-Tomorrow-Thoughts-Reclaiming/dp/0692479813

> I would recommend readers pick up Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules for Life instead.

They are definitely not mad

> Typical neomarxist garbage. Would give 0 stars if I could.

Weird that these are all March 16th...

> garbage

Not saying FDR didn’t work to improve the lives of the working class, but it’s important to note that he didn’t really challenge the position of white supremacism in American politics, and so the New Deal disproportionately benefited white people while ignoring many black communities.

I highly recommend everyone read When Affirmation Action was White, by Ira Katznelson.

Saw this posted earlier, maybe it'll help

I recommend https://www.amazon.com/Agrarian-Socialism-America-Jefferson-Countryside/dp/0806134275

here's the followups on him filling his diapers and crying when people came to the rescue of the trans writer:-

https://twitter.com/kurteichenwald/status/967099229092139009

https://twitter.com/kurteichenwald/status/967103376054996992

The author he's attacking is

https://twitter.com/rubblewoman

Because of Kurt, her upcoming graphic novel has shot up to the top ten of Amazons LGBTQ graphic novel sections:-

https://www.amazon.com/Pervert-Michelle-Perez/dp/1534307419

Background: Blueprints for a Sparkling Tomorrow^ is a parody of nonsensical academic texts.

^( read the reviews and note the date when they were published)

Well since you so better at reading than me, you should check out this book by Stigler's protegee: https://www.amazon.com/Basic-Economics-Thomas-Sowell/dp/0465060730

https://www.amazon.com/True-Allegiance-Ben-Shapiro/dp/1682610772

I think this is what you're looking for.

it's a brand of korean cookie https://www.amazon.com/Lotte-Binch-Inspired-Chocolate-Biscuits/dp/B01BA32PI0

No

Found it on Amazon

Get Robert Tucker's book

start with this, my dude

All you need

https://www.amazon.com/Peoples-History-United-States/dp/0062397346/

This book changed my whole worldview.

I believe that Bureaucratic class in Russia could be Imperialist and do other bad stuff too. Humans are often violent creatures.

This doesn't change that almost every cruel act that Stalin was accused of, including Katyn Massacre in Poland, has been debunked. Khrushchev's attacks on Stalin were addressed in Krushchev Lied and the Katyn Massacre was addressed explicitly in The Mystery of the Katyn Massacre

So most of the claims of psychopathic actions by Stalin are proven false and there are many widely supported histories of him, both personal and officially recorded actions, being a competent and detail-oriented organiser and engineer with great empathy for his people, great diligence, and frugality.

I just ask you to read Krushchev Lied and see what you think. That's all.

I would like to understand better the details of how life under communism in non-Russian Soviets was inferior to that of Russia.

If you have a book I could read how Communism in Poland in particular but also other non-Russian Soviets had worse conditions than Communism in Russia because of Russian resource extraction can you please provide a reference? I would like to read about it. It is a priority for me to read books that are written by an author who is not explicitly anti-communist and who focuses on primary sources (government records, etc) and statistical data instead of only testimonials.

I think you'll find this take much more useful: Mutual aid and the foraging mode of thought: Re-reading Kropotkin on the Khoisan - Alan Barnard

> I see him mentioned mostly as a precursor to sociobiology

Nope, he wasn't that's a caricature (though Gould does get some things right).

The anthropologist Brian Morris deals with various aspect of Kropotkin's philosophy (and debunks a lot of myths) in his book Kropotkin: The Politics of Community:


https://www.amazon.com/Kropotkin-Politics-Community-Brian-Morris/dp/1591021588

Although, Kropotkin was influenced by Spencer's synthetic philosophy (although he was very critical of Spencer overall), I don't think you could say that he has much if anything to do with came to be called "sociobiology".


I mean even Nicolas Rashevsky was influenced by Spencer, and he is the one who started the "relational biology" school of Robert Rosen and his student A.H Louie:


http://www.academia.edu/3134758/Robert_Rosen_and_the_Unfinished_Deconstruction_of_Mechanism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Rosen_(theoretical_biologist)


But those guys are VERY, very far from the nonsense of Neo-Darwinism and Sociobiology.

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READ IT YOU’LL SHIT YOURSELF LAUGHING AND ALSO CRY


this has been an announcement from trans gang

bad parallel. read norm finkelstein

Possibly relevant to your interests

> Graeber explores one of society’s most vexing and deeply felt concerns, indicting among other villains a particular strain of finance capitalism that betrays ideals shared by thinkers ranging from Keynes to Lincoln. Bullshit Jobs gives individuals, corporations, and societies permission to undergo a shift in values, placing creative and caring work at the center of our culture. This book is for everyone who wants to turn their vocation back into an avocation.

techbros can be radicalized, everyone can, it's just a matter of finding the right talking point for them. go out for drinks with em, shoot the shit, build up a rapport. talk about how pointless you think product management is (never met a dev with a positive view of their nontechnical managers) and bring up some of the points from Bullshit Jobs. talk about how github banned iranian devs and how economic sanctions only cause collateral damage to the working class and how forcing people to starve is violence. there's an episode of chapo where the guest (@pisspiggrandad) talks about how he did it and unionized his workplace.

staying connected with like-minded people helps fend off the alienation (plug for the sci4socialism slack). i hang with a couple coworkers who are left-leaning and a few who are apolitical but fun to be around. loneliness and hopelessness just make it that much harder to organize outside of work where real material gains can be accomplished.

oh and take really long shits on the clock and steal office supplies.

How to Debate Leftists and Destroy Them:

Among Shapiro’s rules for beating the left in confrontations are:

• Be willing to take a punch. (conservatives tend to shy away from confrontations because the left is rhetorically violent; but it is important “to walk toward the fire.” )
  
• Hit hard, hit first. (leftists stage muggings; instead of fighting by Marquis of Queensberry rules, conservatives need to accept the strategy Mike Tyson: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”)
  
• Immediately frame the debate. (“When you’re discussing global warming , for example, the proper question is not whether man is causing global warming but whether man can fix global warming—a question to which the universally acknowledged answer is no unless we are willing to revert to the pre industrial age.”)
  
  There are eight more rules that will allow a conservative to debate a leftist and destroy him. How to Debate Leftists and Destroy Them is not just a “how to” book. It is a survival manual.