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I vaguely know what it means when marxists use it, but not when used by anarchist?  this question makes even less sense
edit: I have zero idea of how to word my question. :? I don't know how to ask my question.
by (4.7k points)
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i find when i'm not sure how to ask a question it can help to talk about why the question occurs to me. (like, who used "class consciousness" in a context you didn't understand? or something like that.)

but, in the mean time, i'll take a stab at it.

i hear people talk about class consciousness as a way to talk about people who don't know what is best for them. ie, it's called class consciousness when workers (for example) agree that they should join unions and/or be in solidarity with other workers,  and it's called internalized oppression when the group acts in a way that the speaker disagrees with (for example homeless people voting for the republican party).

since it's unclear what you already get about class consciousness and what you don't, i'll just add that there are plenty of marxist-flavored anarchists...
Oh okay. I meant in the marxist sense, as in an individual having sort self-awareness/common relation with the working class folk and to act/behave in their own self interests. That's my understanding of it. Then again I could be completely off.

My SO had her discordianist pals over and they were discussing Bernie Sanders and building class consciousness among Bernie Sanders followers that I wasn't exactly involved in, but just in the same room. I usually opt-out of talking with them beyond being polite.
yea, that sounds consistent with how i've heard it used. to fill in more than what i already said...

class consciousness means that members of a class recognize that they are of a class (ie they have things in common with people who share their relationship to the means of production--yep, couldn't be more marxist), and make decisions based on that commonality.

since marx people have made class a more inclusive concept (women are a class, for example, and people of color), but the premise remains very much marxist.

marx promoted a belief in an external, objective reality. ie workers are part of a class whether or not they recognize it. but class consciousness (or lack thereof) meant that they might or might not make decisions in accordance with their class.

is this addressing your question?

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