I’ve read about it and had it explained to me more time than I can count, and my brain refuses to hold on to what it means.

I had the same problem up in until I had Stalin explain it to me:

https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1938/09.htm

(It’s short, to the point and when one “hence” paragraph after the other comes, you will start to understand)

Alternativly if you’re not the reading type:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HAEgTPK-oiU

(Taken from a vietnamese schoolbook)