and most importantly of all: Do not idolize authoritarians from history who used the language of communism to enact their authoritarian measures.
this post was submitted on 12 Nov 2023
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Might as well say "don't drink bleach". No need to state the obvious.
Eh, you'd be surprised at how many tankies are out there. People want to believe that good strong men can exist. Even lefties who ostensibly want to get rid of strong men rulers because we're supposed to understand that it is far too exploitable of a thing to allow to exist.
That's where tankies come from. They recognize power corrupts only so far as they can admit and no further, which makes them willfully ignorant fools. All of them who idolize any past or present authoritarian regime. Willfully ignorant fools or bloodthirsty revolutionaries that want change at any cost.
The result is all the same. The reasons are not. Most reasons boil down to that they think "strong men" should still be handed power and be allowed authoritative control. The problem is, everyone thinks a "good strong man" is a guy barreling forward with policies and actions that they like. It is inherently a flawed mindset for anyone remotely anarchist. Even "muh freedumb" people are deploying some semblance of understanding of this, they just err on the side of being selfish pricks.
Again, yeah, don't drink bleach.
"But there are many who drink it!"
Yeah... Still... Don't.
It is CRITICALLY important to not push back against "common" sense.
- It is not common. As cliche as the expression is, it is TRUE. A lot of people DO need to hear it.
- It can give the appearance of pushback to the inciting concept. Yes, it takes someone with low social skills to pick up the wrong message, but that is common!
Children always have low social skills, and we both know many people don't improve much past 16. Just because you know it doesn't mean everyone else knows it. Stop making the same assumptions a child makes, assuming everyone knows what's in your head. Some people cannot even read.
I never said anything about common sense. I never assumed what everyone knows. You might be replying to the wrong person.
No, you are just choosing to fail to understand how it applies. YOU are the one making assumptions, dingus. Don't assume common sense is common. It is not.
Again, I am not talking about "common sense".
Yes you are. You are saying something needn't be said because it should be obvious... That's definitionally common sense.
No, I'm saying that anyone who manages to find their way into this community should know at least the basics of what communism is. You're preaching to the choir. You're teaching a pig how to shit.
This isn't 'common knowledge', it's specific subject area knowledge that is foundational to the discussion.
and again... Common knowledge is not common. You would be surprised at how many tankie morons there are in the world. All it takes is someone who recognizes the world sucks and that right wingers only make it worse. It requires NO OTHER realizations to become a "lefty".
MANY people arrive at leftist positions having done virtually zero thought on how the use of authority plays out.
You're tying yourself in knots, here. It's really quite simple.
Those people are not communists. End of. Your statement was something every communist knows.
Yes - every one. Every last single one. Anyone who doesn't understand that, isn't a communist. To be authoritarian is to stand against communism. You're making this more complex than it is an an effort to dominate me, and that also strikes me as a rather authoritarian move.
So, where does that leave us?
You are beyond pathetic if you think a No True Scottsman fallacy is an effective defense against common sense...
People use words how they THINK they mean, not what's written in the dictionary. Or are you truly so fucking stupid that you think there are zero people out there that think China is actually communist, or the DPRK is actually democratic?
You are being even dumber than tankies by using a logical fallacy as an axiom. Literally no one is convinced by, "that's not the definition of the word, tho" when talking politics. If you say, "that's not communism, though", they'll just point at China, and say, "yea, well the CCP exists! Is an entire country lying about what the word means?! You're just dumb." Now you're sitting there looking like a dumbass because you want to obstinantly defend the WORD "communism".
You are beyond pathetic if you think a No True Scottsman fallacy is an effective defense against common sense
This is the "Fallacy fallacy". Explain how my logic is fallacious, or else your unsupported accusation alone can be easily ignored.
People use words how they THINK they mean, not what’s written in the dictionary
If someone "thinks" communism means authoritarianism, then they are just wrong. Just like a flat Earther. Their ignorance is not to be taken seriously.
Or are you truly so fucking stupid that you think there are zero people out there that think China is actually communist, or the DPRK is actually democratic?
Those people? They are wrong.
You are being even dumber than tankies by using a logical fallacy as an axiom
I'm not using a fallacy as an axiom. I'm taking the fact that terms have meanings and we can't just ignore them because people are consistently wrong. There's already a term for what they are: Marxist-Leninist. A communist is someone who actually knows what communism is - is that such a high bar for you? Should someone be able to fly a plane without knowing they have wings? Can someone call themselves a surfer if they don't know how to ride a surfboard?
Literally no one is convinced by, “that’s not the definition of the word, tho” when talking politics.
Maybe not by you, because you're going about it wrong. Socailist and communist theory, especially Marxism, is deeper and more fundamental than just the definition of the word communism. Again, this is not a high bar - at the very least, a communist should know about class struggle, and the goals of communism, in order to call themselves a communist. And no one meeting this bar would consider an authoritarian state satisfactory, or a strongman leader compelling. Anyone that did does not understand the coercive power of state, and so can't be called a communist any more, if they ever were - they are now a fascist follower.
If you say, “that’s not communism, though”, they’ll just point at China, and say, “yea, well the CCP exists! Is an entire country lying about what the word means?! You’re just dumb.”
They are wrong, and can be taught otherwise.
Now you’re sitting there looking like a dumbass because you want to obstinantly defend the WORD “communism”.
Is a bird a donkey? Why should I have to invent a new word every time some idiot wants to misuse one? It's really not hard to say "communism aims to abolish the state, like anarchism. China instead has a strong state." Then, 100% of the time, the discussion instead turns to what communism is, and whether it would work. This is not as insane and unlikely as you want it to be.
Don't let idiots redefine words for you.
I've already explained myself. It's not my fault you fail to understand basic logic.
It doesn't matter what YOU think. It matters what others think when they hear a word when communicating. I'm sorry you fail to understand the basic concept communication.
Sure, just give up and agree with people when they say communism is authoritarian. See where that gets you.
I started this conversation by saying you SHOULD explain the basics to people. Are you seriously this pathetic?
That's kinda the point I'm making - you're not being consistent. Keep up.
Sad little troll. Revert to stereotype upon defeat.
Again. Pathetic is your title.
What kinda stereotype am I invoking, here? You're spouting nonsense. You started this discussion telling people not to follow authoritarians, but are now arguing "but maybe they just think that's what communism is".
Pick a fucking lane.
I feel like that requires lengthening the word a bit to fit in, but otherwise solid job
Or remove the middle words from the first 3 so it’s:
Save Bees
Plant Trees
Clean Seas
Punch Nazis
The third word helps with cadence since the last phrase is 3 syllables
You can swap "Punch" to "Curbstomp" if that's more your bag
Curbstomp in this context makes me think of American History X.
Man, that movie