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, updooting good contributions and downdooting those of low-quality!
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
That means 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.
(if you are reading the rules to apply for modding this community, mention "Mantic Minotaur" when answering question 2)
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.
On Monday, I was a liberal. On Wednesday, I became a leftist. I will not let my country slide into fascism without fighting back. I have a 73 year old mom who's married to a woman. That woman is one of the most important people in my life. I'm 51 and have known her since I was 19. If anyone comes for them, there will be bloodshed.
Solidarity, comrade.
❤️
Since you're a new Leftist, I think you might be interested in my Read Theory, Darn it! introduction to Marxism reading list targeting new leftists. Let me know what you think if you check it out!
Same here. I have a lot of people I care about in my life in the LGBTQ+ community. I'm armed and ready.
Since you're a new Leftist, I think you might be interested in my Read Theory, Darn it! introduction to Marxism reading list targeting new leftists. Let me know what you think if you check it out! Getting armed is a good first step, the next is to read theory and get organized with your fellow comrades!
Not a new leftist myself, but I very much appreciate the post, and love what you're doing. Plus, that gives me a couple more books to read. Cheers!
Ah, gotcha! You said "same" so I assumed that included the "new leftist" bit, my bad. Thanks for the kind words! Please feel free to leave any feedback you want on the post itself, it's a living document that I intend on updating and tweaking as an easy-share link.
ITT: People who think "liberal" means any one single thing.
ITT: People who think "leftist" means any one single thing.
I mostly upvoted the meme for the energy.
I just want women to feel happy and realized without fear of oppression or the need to partake in political violence, but what the fuck do I know.
I feel that way about everyone.
Yep
Unfortunately we don't get to live in that reality
I just want my "Thoughts and Prayers" to materialize without any effort.
It’s both. Most people have no appetite or aptitude for political violence.
Until they eventually do
Aptitude is only discovered by doing, and most people don't do a violence. So who knows how many savants are out there.
Who knows! But I do reject the claim that you can’t be a leftist unless you engage in political violence.
This is a very old controversy in Marxist circles, and it has been known to result in people getting shot. Make of that what you will.
As a Redneck who pulls most of his ideology from pre Marxism labor movements I propose we have those who do not fight smuggle, craft, feed, and heal.
That's just a difference in material conditions. We aren't all at the same level of danger.
Leftists are deluding themselves.
Just like I deluded myself that there was no way Trump could win a second term.
The second amendment was to defend Americans from tyranny. Trump is that. Use of force in self defense is justified.
"The soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, the cartridge box. Use them in that order."
https://www.npr.org/2021/06/02/1002107670/historian-uncovers-the-racist-roots-of-the-2nd-amendment
Tl;Dr the Constitutional Congress didn't really believe in citizen militias providing a sufficient check on federal power. Some power, sure, but by and large the British armies destroyed the militias in the field, with only a few notable successes.
They did, however, recognize that they could serve as a rapid reaction force for wars against natives and putting down slave revolts until the real army showed up. And, of course, militias could be rolled into a professional army and retrained, like what happened with the Civil War.
That isn't to say a genuinely popular revolt wouldn't work, it's just not what the 2nd was really about.
Deluding themselves about what exactly?
Yes. Make them explain their words. Deluding how, exactly? Deluded that women would fight for their bodily autonomy? That doesn't seem very delusional to me.
(this is only directed at the people who seem to have wanted Trump to win to "accelerate" the ushering in of a socialist society):
Deluding themselves about how often there isn't a glorious revolution, and ongoing, armed resistance by the oppressed isn't guaranteed.
Accelerationists have a weird hard-on for revolution, as if it's easy-peasy to dismantle and replace all institutions all at once.
This socialist thinks we ought to fight tooth and nail via disruption/extra legal actions, implied threats of the power of the masses (in the same mould that workers won rights by threat), AND ideally within the system itself.
Because revolution is a roll of the dice.
Both can exist.
Yeah that's the point - the two pictures show two types of people who both exist.