Does anyone know who Trotsky is?

[Llydis]

Yeah. Strange question, I know.

It was hard to explain the part of the movie Frida where she had an affair with Trotsky since nobody I work with or talk to online knows who Trotsky is.

One of my coworkers even suggested I go to Starbucks, buy a latte and sip it since... I guess knowing a little bit about history makes you an elitist.

[dhex]

trotsky was jesus to lenin's pharisees.

well, not really, but that's what the trotskyites will tell ya.

[Llydis]

Oh good. At least um... That's a valid assessment of who Trotsky was. Far  more better than "I don't know."

[dhex]

it's a bit like asking "who was jesus" though:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trotsky

short version: lenin's power rival/comrade at arms. got a bolshevik icepick to the head for his troubles in mexico later on. he was, in theory, less authoritarian and into less centralized, more democratic leadership. got outmaneuvered by lenin more or less at every turn.

edit: and was used as the ultimate apostate in the stalinist version of this strange, strange religion.

double edit: "Trotsky's great-granddaughter, Nora Volkow (daughter of Esteban Volkov), is currently head of the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse." yeesh!

even shorter version: they're all communist scum. the world is better off that they're dead.

[Llydis]

And history was forever better for it. I guess. I don't even like communism.

Iunno, I just find it funny a friend of mine says he's a communist but doesn't know who Trotsky is. Um... Lenin/Stalin beyond the grave or something?

[isfet]

well uhhh...yea, I know who Trotsky was. I can say why, other than it's something I picked up in my studies. I'd imagine people might not know him because the name isn't thrown around as much?

[Llydis]

Iunno, I probably only know about him due to the required reading of 1984 and the history of who George Orwell was following at the time. Well, that and history classes.

[dhex]

Iunno, I just find it funny a friend of mine says he's a communist but doesn't know who Trotsky is.

well trotsky lost, ultimately. and it's not exactly shocking to find ignorant communists. [rimshot]

anyway, i pinged my historical-ites and one recommended a biography called "the prophet" by isaac deutscher. it's pretty long but most libraries will have it.