this post was submitted on 24 May 2024
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Lefty Memes

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An international (English speaking) socialist Lemmy community free of the "ML" influence of instances like lemmy.ml and lemmygrad. This is a place for undogmatic shitposting and memes from a progressive, anti-capitalist and truly anti-imperialist perspective, regardless of specific ideology.

Serious posts, news, and discussion go in c/Socialism.

If you are new to socialism, you can ask questions and find resources over on c/Socialism101.

Please don't forget to help keep this community clean by reporting rule violations, upvoting good contributions and downvoting those of low-quality!

Rules

0. Only post socialist memes That refers to funny image macros and means that generally videos and screenshots are not allowed. Exceptions include explicitly humorous and short videos, as well as (social media) screenshots depicting a funny situation, joke, or joke picture relating to socialist movements, theory, societal issues, or political opponents. Examples would be the classic case of humorous Tumblr or Twitter posts/threads. (and no, agitprop text does not count as a meme)

1. Socialist Unity in the form of mutual respect and good faith interactions is enforced here Try to keep an open mind, other schools of thought may offer points of view and analyses you haven't considered yet. Also: This is not a place for the Idealism vs. Materialism or rather Anarchism vs. Marxism debate(s), for that please visit c/AnarchismVsMarxism.

2. Anti-Imperialism means recognizing capitalist states like Russia and China as such, as well as condemning (their) imperialism, even if it is of the "anti-USA" flavor.

3. No liberalism, (right-wing) revisionism or reactionaries. That includes so called: Social Democracy, Democratic Socialism, Dengism, Market Socialism, Patriotic Socialism, National Bolshevism, Anarcho-Capitalism etc. . Anti-Socialist people and content have no place here, as well as the variety of "Marxist"-"Leninists" seen on lemmygrad and more specifically GenZedong (actual ML's are welcome as long as they agree to the rules and don't just copy paste/larp about stuff from a hundred years ago).

4. No Bigotry. The only dangerous minority is the rich.

5. Don't demonize previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals. We must constructively learn from their mistakes, while acknowledging their achievements and recognizing when they have strayed away from socialist principles.

6. Don't idolize/glorify previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals. Notable achievements in all spheres of society were made by various socialist/people's/democratic republics around the world. Mistakes, however, were made as well: bureaucratic castes of parasitic elites - as well as reactionary cults of personality - were established, many things were mismanaged and prejudice and bigotry sometimes replaced internationalism and progressiveness.

7. Absolutely no posts or comments meant to relativize(/apologize for), advocate, promote or defend:

(This is not a definitive list, the spirit of the other rules still counts! Eventual duplicates with other rules are for emphasis.)

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[–] franklin 58 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

Criticizing our leaders is one of the core principals of democracy.

Voting is also a core principal. So please stop encouraging non-participation.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (2 children)

How is the post encouraging anything

[–] franklin 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

You clearly haven't seen any of the replies from OP in the comments.

A large part of Lemmy including OP encourage political protest of the Democrats shortcomings by not voting.

[–] TokenBoomer -2 points 1 month ago

Criticizing our leaders is one of the core principals of democracy.

Was that sarcasm I missed?

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 month ago

It's not, it's discouraging voting for the guy that counters the "boof bleach" incest loving fell who "only will be a dictator for a day". You know, the unified Reich vibe that you totally are against lmao.

[–] TokenBoomer 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Then, why isn’t voting compulsory?

[–] franklin 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

You misunderstand me, you should be allowed not to vote but encouraging it as a form of protest is misguided.

[–] TokenBoomer 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

There’s a contradiction. If you are allowed not to vote in a democracy, and you don’t like any of the candidates, then, how can it be misguided to withhold your vote?

[–] franklin 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

No it isn't. You have the right not to vote but participation should be encouraged as it's what gives everyone a say. Seems pretty simple to me. I'm not even saying they don't have the right to discourage people but if you have lived through the last 8 years and do it, you're a REALLY slow learner.

[–] TokenBoomer 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I am really slow, so thanks for taking the time. But, let’s say you’re a socialist, and both candidates are capitalists. So you decide that neither candidate upholds your interests. How would any “encouragement” to vote change your mind?

In the case where neither candidate represents your political positions, not voting is an act of rebellion.

[–] franklin 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I would say it's wholely ineffective and only enables the worst actors

[–] TokenBoomer 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Then it is the fault of the electoral system and not the voters.

[–] franklin 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Incredibly disagree, it can be both

[–] TokenBoomer 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

That’s what the duopoly system wants you to do. Blame other voters when it doesn’t give you better candidates.

[–] franklin 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Well enjoy the 4 years of Trump this buy's you, let me know how clean your hands feel afterwards. It'll be impressive to hear the mental gymnastics. You know if the accelerated climate change doesn't kill us first.

[–] TokenBoomer 1 points 1 month ago

I’m voting for Biden. But if he loses, I won’t blame voters like you for berating fellow citizens for wrongthink, and depressing voter turnout. I’ll blame the duopoly system for giving us shitty candidates.