this post was submitted on 24 May 2024
1061 points (88.8% liked)

Lefty Memes

4413 readers
148 users here now

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

Version without spoilers

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.



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

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 78 points 6 months ago (22 children)

Not voting for Biden is the same thing as voting for Trump.

Voting for Biden doesn't mean supporting him. It means preventing Trump from becoming president.

[–] [email protected] 41 points 6 months ago (8 children)

The vote I cast in 2020 was against trump and not for Biden. I feel pretty good about that decision considering what happened afterwards. I'll vote against Trump again as many times as it takes.

load more comments (8 replies)
[–] [email protected] 25 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I never liked Biden since the Obama years and I now hate him quite a bit. Sadly voting for him at this point is simply necessary, because if I am not in a good enough state to survive then I cannot support the Palestinians nor Ukrainians.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I don't get this attitude. Obama was literally against gay marriage. Biden's policies have been so much more progressive than Obama's and yet nobody I know likes him more. I'm not a "fan" of Biden but that's because it's weird and creepy to be a "fan" of government officials. He does a lot I don't like but if you literally hate Biden I don't forsee any president ever meeting your criteria.

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

Obama was literally against gay marriage.

That's just one more reason I didn't like him.

Biden’s policies have been so much more progressive

He was a slightly better politician than Clinton so I didn't hate him, now he's still supporting Israel thus my aversion.

it’s weird and creepy to be a “fan” of government officials.

Tell that to all the people going to all the politicians rallies.

I don’t forsee any president ever meeting your criteria.

Bernie.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 months ago

I don’t forsee any president ever meeting your criteria.

Contentment does not produce change.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (3 children)

This precise sentiment has gotten me told off a few times now. Usually with someone yelling the word "Genocide" over and over so I can't get a word in. People are so fucking dumb it's actually unbelievable.

Whatever my frustration, I just want us all to work together even after we get Biden a second term. The only reason, ONLY REASON, the GOP have their power is honestly because we can't stop slap fighting long enough to plant a foot in their asses. This would also work for the Democrats. We do have two feet. Whatever our perspectives and opinions, there is a single neigh universal truth we can all accept:

This life sure could be a lot better.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 6 months ago

This precise sentiment has gotten me told off a few times now.

This precise sentiment is based on the assumption that disliking Biden means not voting for him anyway.

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

The people yelling genocide over and over have an agenda, not an opinion.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] -2 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Putlers troll farms are maximally amplifying the Gaza tragedy in order to divide the west. The tragedy that his Iranian friends probably started for him.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

60% of Democrats want him to stop supporting Israel. This isn't some info op. He could solve this tomorrow.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Or… hmm yes of course Putin trolls love the Palestinian genocide as it distracts from Ukraine but maybe just maybe tax payers are existentially fed up with the US committing a genocide with their money and lying straight faced to tax payers about the impossibility of doing anything about it?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago

Yes to all of that. The trolls are amplifying that sentiment is what I am saying. Like pouring petrol on a fire.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (7 children)

Exactly. This is what I cannot understand from all these "true hyper-leftist" people. You do realize that the future of the USA is at stake here, and that our system is fundamentally rigged to not allow any real alternative as a choice, right? Your brain-dead "BIDEN BAD VOTE THIRD PARTY" is just going to enable Trump and then you'll never be able to vote for anyone ever again as you are forced to participate in alt-right Trump rallies every single day and post on the Trumpernet about how much you love Trump. This isn't much of an exaggeration -- this where they want to go if Trump wins.

You're not supporting Biden. This isn't how our vote works. You're voting for the person less likely to fundamentally fuck our country up. And in case you still don't quite understand who this is, that is Biden.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 6 months ago (3 children)

The largest current of leftists aren't saying you cannot vote for Biden, and that you should vote third party, but that ultimately change comes from outside the electoral system.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Unfortunately unless a revolution falls into our laps and magically solves all our problems, the modicum of control we have over the steering of this ship is limited to voting and advocating for others to vote

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

Revolution isn't magical, it's the boiling point for society as material conditions decay. It may seem impossible when you're living in it, but eventually the material conditions will reach a point where revolution will occur.

This is painfully obvious for those who have read and agree with Marx's analysis of Capitalism. A quick into text is Wage Labor and Capital. Capitalism is fundamentally unsustainable and cannot continue to exist forever. International Imperialism has made this last far longer, but society develops alongside technology, and eventually the global south will throw off the global north.

Therefore, whether you are an Anarchist, or Marxist, it remains important not to simply wait for a Revolution, but to build up parallel structures, parties, groups, organizations of mutual aid, and so forth, to help guide along the revolutionary movement and gain trust in existing leftist structures. Unionization is huge for this as well.

Voting is good, sure, but will never bring about positive change, merely delay decay.

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

Can we safely encourage Republicans to vote 3rd party?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Not the point. Trump needs to be defeated, and the way we're going to do that is voting for Biden. There's no other way. It's not going to happen. You are absolutely deluded if you think there is another way.

After we fend off the Trump bullshit, then, yes, we have to make actual change to push us much further left. I don't get how all the ultra-leftists cannot fathom this simple fact.

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

After we fend off the Trump bullshit, then, yes, we have to make actual change to push us much further left.

That was the lie in 2020 and it didn't fucking happen. Now Biden is supporting genocide and we still gotta vote for him.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 months ago

Because Trump is still a fucking threat, you assclown. His cronies are still in office. We are going to have to keep fighting this fight where it needs to be fought, then when that fight is done, THEN we push to the actual left. Is this so goddamn fucking hard for you "LOL DONT VOTE BIDEN SO TRUMP CAN BE PRESIDENT AGAIN" fucktwaddlers to understand?

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

I'm not American dawg. I hate biden as much as I want. Let me hate.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

Nah, everyone is free to hate. However, support from others on this planet against Trump is also important. To some degree we all affect one another and his rise into the seat again would directly impact a LOT of people, even outside the U.S.

BUT

I'm hoping that there is now enough anger and frustration for us to carry the momentum past the voting gates and straight into very strong pressure towards all politicians. This IS fixable. The message is there, even if it will result in violence from our militarized police force.

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago (2 children)

By that logic, not voting for Trump is the same as voting for Biden.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago

Your point? If you have conservative values, then not supporting Trump does indeed help Biden to win.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 6 months ago

Nope, because, and this will shock you, they are not the same

[–] [email protected] -4 points 6 months ago (1 children)

The meme does not mention voting. Why do centrists always make the leap from "dislike Biden" to "not vote" or "vote third party"?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

Did you just call me a centrist? That's hurtful.

load more comments (16 replies)