this post was submitted on 31 Mar 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, updooting good contributions and downdooting 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.

(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.

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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[–] [email protected] 18 points 7 months ago (12 children)

People need to understand that it's possible to vote against genocide.

Donald Trump is Genocide at home and abroad.

Joe Biden is "only" Genocide abroad, and probably less of it.

Therefore, a vote for Joe Biden is a Vote against genocide.

No, it doesn't matter that he's an active participant in the apparatus that's creating the genocide, because if he's in office there's less genocide. Which is the important part, and pretending otherwise is sophistry. If you abstain from voting, you are increasing the likelihood of more genocide and if you discourage others from voting, you are an active participant in the overall social apparatus that is probabilistically increasing the amount of genocide.

The utility calculation is dead simple: more votes for Biden in key states makes more genocide less likely, and discouraging people from voting for Biden makes more genocide more likely. Therefore, discouraging people from voting for Biden is a pro-genocide strategy and voting for Biden in battleground states is an anti-genocide strategy. You should vote for Biden unless you live in a solid blue state, and even then it's not a bad idea.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Ah yes the "I'm not Trump so I can be relatively better but still shitty so y'all better fall in line by November" strat. Classic.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

The absolutely mind boggling privilege of this comment.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Oh I'm sorry, is this not the lefty sub where we're allowed to point out dissatisfaction in the democratic party, and how they can do whatever the hell they want because the right will always be worse and nothing is being done to eliminate first-past-the-post?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

voting for a little smidge of genocide isn't voting against genocide. it's still voting for genocide

and israel-palestine is more than a smidge

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

Donald Trump is Genocide at home and abroad.

Joe Biden is "only" Genocide abroad, and probably less of it.

Therefore, a vote for Joe Biden is a Vote against genocide.

No, it's a vote for genocide, but less. Still the right thing to do of course, but I'm sure you can see how that is still a vote for genocide. No need to twist yourself in knots to justify this, it's a vote for genocide AND the only sensible thing you can do in the current American political system.

Personally I can understand how this doesn't sell people on the idea so well. Maybe Biden just shouldn't do that

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago

Isn't it great, living in a country where our two choices are "genocide" or "less genocide"

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Donald Trump is Genocide at home and abroad.

That will also probably mean the end of the USA (for good). and may be that'll mean less of "it's fine when we fund or kill people abroad"

And now start your deflection about how you're keeping the peace in the world and savior of the world. Forget everything about afghanistan, iraq, vietnam and countless other regime changes. I hope the bubble bursts and you get to see how people in war zones feel.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

deflection about how you're keeping the peace in the world

I value honesty and reason far too deeply to do something that blatantly stupid. The United States' foreign policy is a net negative for the rest of the world taken as a whole.

Instead I'll comment thus:

That will also probably mean the end of the USA (for good). and may be that'll mean less of

I'm going to assume this statement is made in ignorance, because the alternative is that you're a fool. This strategy is called "accelerationism". Its results are well-documented, and while I could very well be missing something, I'm unaware of any time it's worked in leftists' favor.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago (24 children)

The utility calculation

voting for bad people is bad. utilitarianism literally says the ends justify the means and most people don't believe that. i'm one of "most people".

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Thank you for this. Too many high-horse genocide-enablers in this country.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

The irony of this while voting for genocide.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago

Troll or unfamiliar with cause and effect?

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 months ago (3 children)

Look, we know it sucks but you have to make it through it AND you have to continue to participate in this system if you want it to work for you.

I lived through Reagan, through Bush, through Trump and every time republicans are elected it sets us back decades.

Do you actually think a republican is going to stop the genocide when the Christians want that shit to happen?

This type of shit is foreign or domestic douchebags trying to derail Biden.

We are going to get him in, we are going get rid of the foreign agents within the parties, we are going to tax the fuck out of the billionaires, we are going to fund healthcare and education, we are going to get more progressive.

Why? Because it’s time. But we can’t do it while carrying all the boomer dead weight. It will take another term for us to rid ourselves of the boomer era cancer that plagues politics. We will take time to get progressives in office. Maybe 8 years if you all actually start getting involved rather than just making memes.

You vote Republican you vote for genocide, you vote Biden and you get a chance to get rid of Netanyahu for good.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago

Neither is Biden. Neither is any Democrat. When faced with even a hint of moving left of mid right dem establishment the dnc went to court to affirm that they do what they want.

Telling yourself the guy who sidesteps congress to supply and fund genocide is less fascist than the guy who wants to sidestep congress to back genocide is lunacy.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Meaningful change never comes from voting. It never has. It has always come through organizing and direct action. If you have been around for awhile you should know this already. In my country two elections ago the social democrat party got elected and implemented some of the most anti-worker and anti-immigration policy this country has ever seen. It's not about who is the president or who you vote for. In non swing states your vote literally doesn't matter at all. In swing states it's rare one vote or even a thousand matter.

The real vote for genocide is arguing and putting your faith in voting. I honestly thought that Biden enabling genocide would make people see the flaws in our system. But people only seem to bury their heads in the sand deeper. If you truly care about genocide do something about it. And if you already do please take some time to try to understand why people, many of them muslim who care and do everything they can to stop this genocide, might not wanna vote or participate in this useless and meaningless action.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

3rd party isn't R but okay lol

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago (1 children)

The lib shitshow during US election season is always wild

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago

They defend the most insane shit.

When will dems learn that they're not leftists?..

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Get your shit right, hes taken another $1.4m since October 7. Currently sitting at $5.7m

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