The author is a Democratic Socialist/Eco Socialist and not a Leninist leftist (neither am I - I am an Independent Socialist[TM]) but his books do cover the topic of a revolution and building a better society. I am just finishing Red Mars (the first book in the trilogy) so comments with no or minimal spoilers would be welcomed.

From the communist/socialist perspective, is the Taliban good or bad?

I'm genuinely trying to understand what attracts people to communism. Not whether the USSR was good or bad, but the ideology itself. I have a hard time understanding how communism can put the collective and society above the individual without undermining people's individuality in the process. If personal interests, ambition, and the desire to improve your own life are considered secondary or even harmful, then what is supposed to motivate people?The idea of working “for society,” “for the common good,” or simply “for the cause” sounds nice, but how realistic is it when you take human nature into account? Most people naturally want something for themselves: money, comfort, recognition, freedom of choice, and the opportunity to improve their lives. So I'd genuinely like to hear from communists: what am I fundamentally misunderstanding about the ideology? And why do you believe communism doesn't sacrifice individual freedom and individuality for the sake of an abstract collective?

Systematic grandiosity is accelerating; I know how to decelerate it, revolutionary optimism, begin small organizing, & direct workplace dynamics.