this post was submitted on 16 May 2024
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Lefty Memes

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An international (English speaking) socialist Lemmy community free of "ML" (read: Dengist) influence. 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, discussion and agitprop/stuff that's better fit for a poster than a meme 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. Please post agitprop here)


0.5 [Provisional Rule] Use alt text or image descriptions to allow greater accessibility


(Please take a look at our wiki page for the guidelines on how to actually write alternative text!)

We require alternative text (from now referred to as "alt text") to be added to all posts/comments containing media, such as images, animated GIFs, videos, audio files, and custom emojis.
EDIT: For files you share in the comments, a simple summary should be enough if they’re too complex.

We are committed to social equity and to reducing barriers of entry, including (digital) communication and culture. It takes each of us only a few moments to make a whole world of content (more) accessible to a bunch of folks.

When alt text is absent, a reminder will be issued. If you don't add the missing alt text within 48 hours, the post will be removed. No hard feelings.


0.5.1 Style tip about abbreviations and short forms


When writing stuff like "lol" and "iirc", it's a good idea to try and replace those with their all caps counterpart

  • ofc => OFC
  • af = AF
  • ok => OK
  • lol => LOL
  • bc => BC
  • bs => BS
  • iirc => IIRC
  • cia => CIA
  • nato => Nato (you don't spell it when talking, right?)
  • usa => USA
  • prc => PRC
  • etc.

Why? Because otherwise (AFAIK), screen readers will try to read them out as actually words instead of spelling them


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" (read: Dengists) (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 irrationally 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:

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[–] IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago (2 children)

The analogy kind of falls apart since she is not limited to this guy and Chad. She's free to choose nothing at all. With Trump vs Biden, there's no viable third option, and having no president is not one of the options. So the "Trump is worse" argument becomes viable simply because you do have to choose one of them.

[–] OfCourseNot@fedia.io 1 points 2 years ago

Using the trolley problem as an analogy, if you don't pull the lever the people run over by it are not your fault but the trolley company's, but if you do pull the lever the death of the guy on the other tracks is absolutely on you.

I assume you voted for Biden last election, to avoid the trolley running over the people in that proverbial track. Congratulations, you are guilty of murdering all those Palestinian children. Now, next election, if (when) Trump wins, your vote even for Biden is what gives legitimacy to his presidency.

[–] db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com -2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Continue with that analogy. What would happen if that woman had no other option. Should she choose the nice guy, the chad or object to the choice being fostered upon her and choose nobody? And if she's paired anyway with that person, should she then act as if it was her choice, or take actions to disengage from that person and destroy the system that caused these turn of events?

[–] pennomi@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (3 children)

You can tactically vote for Biden to avoid Trump and still take actions to dismantle the system.

[–] db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

So the woman in our scenario should decide to choose the "Nice Guy" tactically?

[–] pennomi@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

No, I’m saying that your analogy breaks down.

[–] db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

I don't think it does. A choice fostered upon me at the threat of violence is not a choice at all. I refuse to participate and therefore legitimize such a farce.

[–] Taleya@aussie.zone 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yeah nah mate. You have the right to not vote. But if you choose to exercise this right you don't get to whinge about the person elected by those who did vote.

Society is not composed of you and you alone. It is composed of many. You took yourself outta this decision but it's still being made freely by everyone else and no, it doesn't impinge on you to accept the democratic consensus of the many

[–] db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com -1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I understand that I'm living in an oppressive system enforced by violence and that my life is shaped at the threat of state violence. you don't need to reiterate that to me. It's why I'm not legitimizing it by participating in this farce of "democracy" and instead dedicate my life to changing it.

Whichever puppet is on top doesn't change all that whatsoever. Nor will your platitudes about be "accepting the democratic consensus of the many" when I don't have the alternative due to said violence.

[–] pennomi@lemmy.world -1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

You’re free to do nothing, but smart people choose to minimize harm when there are only bad choices in front of them.

[–] db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com -1 points 2 years ago

Who said I'm "doing nothing"? Voting isn't doing anything. Only actions outside the ballot matter.

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

If the woman in the scenario is going to be stuck with the nice guy or Donald Trump, then yes she should tactically choose the guy who isn't an unapologetic rapist. She can influence the nice guy's behavior, and avoid the horror of Trump. She does not have to condone or accept the nice guy's bullshit behavior, and there will be a future.

[–] kashifshah@lemmy.sdf.org -1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Or you could maybe take actions to fix the system. Because whatever you lot come up with after dismantling is going be worse for everybody else.

[–] AVincentInSpace@pawb.social 1 points 2 years ago

object to the choice being fostered upon her and choose nobody?

do you genuinely think not voting will make neither candidate win

[–] grue@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (3 children)

A woman has the legitimate choice to go out with a third guy or nobody. We do not have a legitimate choice of anybody but Biden or Trump for president. One of the two will be chosen.

This meme is stupid and amounts to pro-fascist propaganda.

[–] LinkOpensChest_wav@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Fascism is when you don't support a genocidal leader

[–] kashifshah@lemmy.sdf.org -1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Fascism is when you rule with an axe.

[–] originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com -1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

youre going to get a lot of hate for stating facts.

theres a huge contingent here on lemmy who really want fascism to win, so theyre attempting to guilt people into voting for a 3rd party

[–] orca@orcas.enjoying.yachts 0 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Fascism is already winning. It’s going to win regardless of whether we vote for Trump or Biden. That’s just the reality of it. Vote for whoever the fuck you want. That’s your freedom. Just know that in America, the ruling class will never part with even a shred of their power.

[–] originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com 0 points 2 years ago (1 children)

i hate the dems as useless conservatives, but this 'BoTh SideS aRe thE SAME' argument is crap.

you might as well just say 'everyone give up, humanity is over'.

[–] Facebones@reddthat.com -1 points 2 years ago

Humanity isn't over, but America is. Its already fascist, and now we just wait for the empire to crumble.

[–] Clent@lemmy.world -1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Giving up and giving in are the same thing to the ruling class. They appreciate your support...not you specifically, but rather the investment they've made to make you accept their rule as fate.

[–] orca@orcas.enjoying.yachts 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

It's not giving up; it's acknowledging the reality of the Groundhog Day movie we're stuck in, and doing what you will with that information. This endless circle of the working class bickering over "the lesser of two evils" every 4 years needs to end.

[–] Clent@lemmy.world -1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Sure, as soon as the working class realizes that isn't the choice. The choice is obvious. People voting for the right, the party for the owner class are being tricked into voting for the same bosses that treat them like shit.

This prevents the working class people from being elected because the cost of running has been driven up by the right so all we have left are weathly democrats and those that aren't, those that made the mistake of baretending are ridiculed and the working class who votes right join in the piling.

They are class traitors and need this both sides narrative to justify being played for the fools they are

[–] orca@orcas.enjoying.yachts 1 points 2 years ago

It's a situation with no correct answer, and that's what makes it so frustrating. That's generally why I point out that we're just looking at different flavors of fascism, but people should still vote however the hell they want, or don't.

[–] LazyPhilosopher@lemmy.world -2 points 2 years ago

Found the metaphorical incel

[–] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 years ago

Dude comes so close, but then blames dem voters instead of the politicians or political system that represents capital ahead of people.

It'd be one thing if Biden was listening to the base, but he does all this in spite of the dems, not because of them.

Despite what the republicans say, Biden is not swayed by money (hence why Obama had to pay for his son's medical procedures) or what anyone tells him, he always does what he knows is right. Unfortunately he has the kind of moral compass that tells you to oppose desegregation and write 100:1 laws.

[–] hypnicjerk@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago
[–] gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I'd rather hear the "Trump is worse" arguments than listen to people try to gaslight us into believing Biden's been good, at least "Trump is worse" is true

[–] kashifshah@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

For real, these fascistic democrats are getting to be as big of a problem as the fascistic republicans.

[–] gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

They get worse every time they lose elections because they're able to sell their voter base on all the "we need to do these horrible things to win" arguments. Step one of solving our problems is electing shitty Democratic lawmakers, step two is primarying them for failing to do what they campaigned on (with community organizing and mutual aid throughout these two steps and just as a general ongoing thing).

[–] kashifshah@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

They get worse every time they lose elections because they're able to sell their voter base on all the "we need to do these horrible things to win" arguments.

For real.

And enough with the social justice fakery, embrace UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, fully, or shut the f*** up about it.

Preaching generic “omg this is so wrong!” to the choir doesn’t really do any good when the social conservatives really only need to be educated about human rights. They’ll join that UN party when they figure out what’s really up with human rights.

[–] orca@orcas.enjoying.yachts 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

No matter what choice you make, fascism still wins. That’s just the American way. You can have covert fascism, or overt fascism.

The illusion of choice, the lie of hope

[–] spujb@lemmy.cafe 0 points 2 years ago

yeah let’s not use domestic abuse as leverage to support partisan politics garbage, from any side

disrespectful as fuck

[–] hamid@vegantheoryclub.org 0 points 2 years ago

It is so funny watching Americans contort themselves as if the elections aren't a sham. They act as if they are voting on board members for the banks, you know the people with power lol.