I think what would be more accurate is to say that studying Marx (or any theorists) alone doesn't give one the willpower to truly commit to being a communist. This helps explain the issue in the western left as a labor aristocracy with an understanding of class dynamics. There are many well read people who can emulate the aesthetics, language, and cultural relics of communism history but when push comes to shove, they aren't truly committed to destroying the system they benefit from.

Poverty and oppression alone obviously doesn't produce Communist thought, if it did we would already be living under Communism.

[–] Sodium_nitride@lemmygrad.ml 22 points 1 day ago

Yup. Simply overcoming the fear of state retaliation for trying to pull shit is a major hurdle. Most people will not pass this hurdle unless circumstances become extreme, or at least, enough people won't for a mass rebellion. Only when western states begin to actually break down will we see mass movements of communists flare up.