Lefty Memes
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
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.
- Absolutely no posts or comments meant to relativize(/apologize for), advocate, promote or defend:
- Racism
- Sexism
- Queerphobia
- Ableism
- Classism
- Rape or assault
- Genocide/ethnic cleansing or (mass) deportations
- Fascism
- (National) chauvinism
- Orientalism
- Colonialism or Imperialism (and their neo- counterparts)
- Zionism
- Religious fundamentalism of any kind
view the rest of the comments
Damn, you sure showed me the light... Do you not realise how self-righteous this sounds?
I guess being against genocide is just being one of the sheeple.
I'm also against genocide. I don't think advocating for brain use is self-righteous. We don't have to agree on every minor point is what I'm saying
Edit: I've probably blocked any idiots that may have responded but the downvotes on this comment tell me everything. I'd rather talk to those that celebrate brain use.
Let me guess... "Oh so you think..." "How could there possibly be any nuance..." Etc. lol Stfu
The point is that you haven't given any examples of what you mean at all, you're just pointing at some vague nebulous 'problems' and 'nuance' without clarifying what these positions or minor disagreements could be.
Also, it's very telling you're doing ad hominem (especially ableist ones) attacks against at least some people who haven't done the same to you.
Edit: The instance I'm on doesn't have downvotes and either way I'm far more interested in debating/discussing points than attacking another's character.
Based on their responses they don't seem to actually want to discuss anything, just attack others
Yeah, sadly it seems that was the case.
It's always sad when folks are like instead of having interesting discussions, but oh well.
You're right, I don't have to think for myself to feel that murdering innocent people is wrong. Maybe if I thought about it a bit harder I'd find a way to justify it, like you have.
Oh, sorry but someone else has already called me a bitch. I can't believe you're not open to using your brain instead of subscribing to someone else’s view. I prefer people who think for themselves.
So believing israel shouldn't be bombing the shit out of palestine and trying to cause their genocide isn't thinking for myself?
As long as you don't add nuance to that the mob won't attack you. Even I agree with you, I mean that's probably the safest opinion you can possibly have
I'm not sure what possibly reasonable 'nuance' there could be when one side is clearly the agressor and has all the power.
Ironically enough, even the "think for themselves, it's all nuanced" option often gets picked up from subscribing to someone else's views, mostly because staying in the middle and considering all options sounds like the 'smart thing to do' even if there's some deliberate ignorance of the facts to retain this position (like with the current Israel Palestine war).
It's a very similar thing to those kids in school who'd hear the quote "I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing", then go around and immediately start telling everyone how they know nothing to try and appear very deep and smart.
Besides, there's way less original thought in the world than you think - in order to actually properly research a subject and MAYBE come to a nuanced, informed, open-minded view, you'd have to do a ton of research, know all the history and little quirks, things that most people don't have time or education to do especially for multiple important events going on at the same time.
Anyway sorry, I write too much
I absolutely believe this.
You're so close to understanding, I can tell
Yeah... pretty sure genocide is bad everywhere. You're not going to spin this one, and walk away thinking iM sO SmArT. You're like a fucking pigeon who knocks over all the pieces on a chess board, takes a shit, and then declares victory over your opponent.
p.s. My wife is a professor, pretty sure the Israel-Hamas war hasn't come up once while she's teaching.
What if I don't want either side to win? Fuck I don't want Hamas to win anything.
Open your mind a little, this isn't fucking Star Wars
This isn't about Hamas anymore. They are genociding an entire group of people (which is ironic considering the Jewish peoples history). The IDF routinely murders children, bombs hospital buildings, and parks for no reason, and then counts the dead as terrorists regardless of who they hit.
Stop reading propaganda pieces. Hamas is bad, nobody is saying that's not true. But it's fairly obvious that the Israeli leader doesn't see Palestinians as people. He wants to anex the entire Gaza strip, always has.
What's the first thing Israel did when Assad fell in Syria? Congratulate the Syrian people? Push for a democratic regime? Try to provide aid and build relationships with the people and new leaders?
No, they invaded the country and stole more territory for themselves.
Makes sense, doesn't it? Who knows who will get to power next? And what they do with all the weapons? Better destroy them. That is essential best for everyone, including syrians that will not be killed with them in a potential civil war.
It only "makes sense if you are an israeli. And only makes sense to allow your land to be taken over if you are a jewish person. Israelis coud use the same justification to steal any land anywhere. It doesnt nake sense because Israel treats nonjews as subhuman and explicitely denies them full rights and self determination. Have you heard of Israels basic laws?