Rev Left Radio [BEST OF] On The Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People
17 snips
Apr 30, 2025 
Matthew Furlong, a recurring guest renowned for his insights into dialectics, joins to dissect Mao Zedong’s influential text on handling contradictions. They explore Mao's dialectical method and the distinction between antagonistic and non-antagonistic contradictions, applying these concepts to modern political movements. The conversation reveals how social media exacerbates societal conflicts and critiques superficial views of capitalism. Furlong emphasizes the importance of understanding contradictions for effective activism and transformative societal change.
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Vital Contradiction Distinction
- Mao distinguishes between antagonistic and non-antagonistic contradictions as fundamental to socialist development.
- Recognizing this distinction is crucial to avoiding dangerous one-sided political thinking.
Avoid Left and Right Deviations
- Mao warns against right and left deviations in handling contradictions.
- Both mistaking enemies as comrades and comrades as enemies are critical errors to avoid.
Dialectics vs Metaphysics
- Dialectics sees change as internal and contradictory within things, not external and static.
- Mao contrasts metaphysics (static, isolated views) with dialectics (dynamic unity of opposites).
