How to Become a Communist

Living in a free society affords us the right to make personal choices that may or may not be in accord with the dominant system of government. This level of freedom even gives us the option to choose anarchy if we wish to. Though most people do not opt for this route, many people do choose to follow ideologies that differ from the principles of democracy. One such ideology is communism. If your instinct is to take up the banner of the proletariat, follow these basic steps to become a communist.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Review the major communist texts to discover the roots of this movement. You should start with Marx's "The Communist Manifesto" and follow with Engels' "The Principles of Communism." These landmark texts offer great insight into communist thought.
2. Simplify your life. The basic idea behind communism is the desire to create a world unburdened by materialism. Learn to pare down your life and get rid of the possessions you do not need.
3. Realize that there is more to life than owning the latest gadget or wearing the latest fashion trends. Communism attempts to take the allure out of the capitalist tendency to spend a life doing nothing but acquiring useless things.
4. Grow your own vegetables and live off the land. To become a communist, you will want to focus on egalitarian ways of living. Eschew the tendency to eat at fast-food restaurants and to buy pre-packaged foods.
5. Dare to imagine a world unfettered by consumerism, stress and greed. Adopting a communist lifestyle can help you enjoy life as it was intended by simplifying your world. You can release all the endless impulses to spend on excesses just to meet cultural expectations and begin an inner journey of spiritual and emotional renewal without all the stress.
6. Turn off the television. Stop subscribing to fashion magazines. Cut ties with consumerism. Let yourself be happy with yourself for awhile. Forget all the hype.
7. Pick up a copy of Judith Levine's "Not Buying It." This book will open a new door for you by showing you how easy it is to live happier without buying everything the television says you should buy.