The other dichotomy that the American New Left has had to contend with is this same individual vs communal problem
When they rebranded themselves a la Ayers and Dohrn in the 1960′s, the circle that they sought to square was how to force the Marxist square into the individualistic American circle. How to avoid being dour Comintern agents and fire up revolutionary zeal with a youthful libertarian “do your own thing” self image? The best solution has been self deception.
On the left, the “speak truth to power” romance still feeds on the impressionistic superstition that conservatives are *mean* authoritarians trying to impose a grim theology on free thinkers (them). As long as that other is in the front of the mind, it isn’t necessary to think about the implications of imposed equality. Defeating the meanies is the proximal goal, everything else will take care of itself. Pay no attention to the atrocities on your TV, they are only a neocon provocation …