OP
OP
So do we...when we're in the minority.
Otherwise it all turns to chaos!
Welcome to hell.
Someday Sphagnum will change his cursed avatar, but today is not that day.
I think there's a lot of anti-capitalist sentiment but I don't think there's as much theorizing and proselytizing about what a world without capitalism could look like and how it could function. People here may not like capitalism but view it as a force of nature we have to live with and keep at bay with social welfare because destabilizing it entirely is too scary of a thought. That was my journey at least, I spent years railing on about how much capitalism sucks but was too afraid to dip my toes into full communism/anarchism and the theory that goes with that. I think a lot of people here are fed up with the dehumanizing nature of capitalism and neoliberalism but are too beat down to hope for something better and think social democracy is fine enough and a lofty goal as is.
There's definitely more capitalism fans on gaming side (big surprise), and a few more "moderate" liberals in Etc., but there's a growing loud and angry anti-capitalist sentiment that is getting harder to ignore. Bernie was by far the most popular candidate on this site. So overall I'd say center-left liberal with a vocal leftist fringe and a few stray conservatives who usually keep to themselves because they get dogpiled immediately for expressing their thoughts. Pretty much everyone who I've seen admit to be a Republican, Trump voter, etc. gets banned because they inevitably say something stupid.
I've pretty much burnt myself out on talking about the election but I think there can still be meaningful dialogues about leftism, capitalism, etc. For the most part though I post for people reading, not the people I'm arguing with.
I think there's a lot of anti-capitalist sentiment but I don't think there's as much theorizing and proselytizing about what a world without capitalism could look like and how it could function. People here may not like capitalism but view it as a force of nature we have to live with and keep at bay with social welfare because destabilizing it entirely is too scary of a thought. That was my journey at least, I spent years railing on about how much capitalism sucks but was too afraid to dip my toes into full communism/anarchism and the theory that goes with that. I think a lot of people here are fed up with the dehumanizing nature of capitalism and neoliberalism but are too beat down to hope for something better and think social democracy is fine enough and a lofty goal as is.
There's definitely more capitalism fans on gaming side (big surprise), and a few more "moderate" liberals in Etc., but there's a growing loud and angry anti-capitalist sentiment that is getting harder to ignore. Bernie was by far the most popular candidate on this site. So overall I'd say center-left liberal with a vocal leftist fringe and a few stray conservatives who usually keep to themselves because they get dogpiled immediately for expressing their thoughts. Pretty much everyone who I've seen admit to be a Republican, Trump voter, etc. gets banned because they inevitably say something stupid.
I've pretty much burnt myself out on talking about the election but I think there can still be meaningful dialogues about leftism, capitalism, etc. For the most part though I post for people reading, not the people I'm arguing with.
OP
OP
Being a gaming forum of course this place would attract some libertarian center-right types so I think that's what the conservative representation here is. Full on MAGA gets permed but if you just want small government and low taxes your presence is kosher. The liberal rehabilitation of Reagan/Bush sort of coincides with a non-partisan, laissez faire approach to forum participation.
Also, Bioshock fans and Musk fans.
Also, Bioshock fans and Musk fans.
Are you saying gamers lack self awareness ?I can't fathom being a Bioshock fan and like, so severely missing the point.
I'll buy and play that one eventually. Nowhere near a priority with what I've heard about it and things like Bloodlines 2, Halo Infinite, Humankind, and a million others trying to catch my eye, though.
"Acknowledge climate change but do nothing about it."
Y'all ever see a summation of our current politics so painfully accurate you are forced to immediately go to sleep?
This is pretty good. I'm a Chris Hedges fanboy and he talks about this a lot in his books and speeches. At the same time, I'm voting defensively since the system is so corrupt sadly.
would add "actively hates minorities and immigrants" to the republican side and "doesn't hate minorities and immigrants but does little to better their material conditions." to the democrat side
I don't know, they do have the author of the crime bill and friend to segregationists running for presidency and they did start the putting kids in cages thing "Doesn't vocally hate minorities and immigrants and will be very vocal about how the opposition hates them" seems more along dem lines.
It doesn't seem fair to lump people like AOC and southern black democrats as practically the same as republicans beside abortion and guns. Seems extremely flippant and dishonest.
It is very flippant. that's fair it is the internet. But I don't think the critiques are without merit. I also don't think people are thinking about an AOC when making it. Hell, AOC herself has made similar but non-flippant critiques of the party.
More talking about the power structure of the parties than individuals or particular voter demo
With Eric Holder on justice reform we we will finally be able to hit criminals with drone strikes
I don't see how the man who helped write the most damaging law in the US to PoC since Jim Crow not just facing zero consequences or scrutiny for it but being launched into the position of the presidential nominee isn't a clear indicator that the party's still racist. Yes they're less racist than the GoP, but they're still horrifically racist.
As has been said it's about power dynamics. What power do southern black democrats hold within the party? The only time the dems care about them as a group is during the election cycle, then they'll go back to talking about the South as though black people don't even live there.
The progress we need in this desperate time!
I don't think that AOC or southern black Democrats are above criticism when they vote in support of the status quo that is American capitalism and American class stratification. I'm always suspicious of these kinds of takes. Marginalized groups can absolutely internalize oppression and participate in upholding oppression. Especially ones that have been on the receiving end of hundreds of years of it. I get the sense, from my own family and friends, that many older black voters have seen so much that they truly believe better things aren't possible here in America.
I'd say it's dishonest to group in southern black voters with the actual politicians that venn diagram is referencing.
In what way is that diagram referencing politicians? It only says Republicans and Democrats. Anyone can be one of those.
Also, outlaw third parties? When was that a thing?
I felt the graph was talking about the parties and what they tend to represent. It wasn't singling out democratic voters and individual democratic politicians to me. But at the end of the day, it's a flippant graph made to be flippant for consumption on social media. I'm not gonna really sit here and argue what the creator(s) of it really meant when they put it together. We can find and engage with more substantive critiques of Democrats and Republicans elsewhere.
Are you being deliberately obtuse or do you think the person who made that diagram genuinely believes voters "do wall street's bidding" or "spy on everyone," as well as the fact that it's a follow-up tweet referencing a relief package Democrat politicians crafted?
are context clues that difficult to suss out?
it seems pretty clear in that case.
plus like saying AOC and southern black democrats can't reify the one party capitalist system is not true. They might have reservations about it but thery most certainly are involved in it's continuation.
Peak socialism....
You need to stop consuming Tweets as serious political analysis. While there is some crumbs of truths, it's pretty damn lazy and not a serious decinstruction of the field of discourse that dems and republicans share.
You need to stop consuming Tweets as serious political analysis. While there is some crumbs of truths, it's pretty damn lazy and not a serious decinstruction of the field of discourse that dems and republicans share.
I've vacillated on this point. While I sneer at twitter discourse as much as the next person ("marxist electoral theory"), I do feel it captures the id/politics of the masses, even if it's crude, and why should we not pay attention to the ideas dominating the masses?
Serious political analysis, no, litmus test for the movement of the demos, maybe.
It's only a problem if you stop at tweets.
If I read a bunch of history and theory and then a tweet confirms a point, what am i gonna say, "bad medium, you are incapable of reflecting truth"?
It's also not a tweet. It's link to a venn diagram which points out some basic realities of the course of the American system. Charts are still useful to visually distill an argument last i checked.
Maybe we're better serving data driven discussion if we post a bunch of Democratic Voltron and Avengers Tweets instead
Im really interested to know how talking about a tweet is "Peak Socialism". Do you think that socialists dont read books or articles? It is true that some of them pay less attention to literature or studies because well, they are poor or working class, but leftist historians and academics are not hard to find.
Anyways, lemme spin the roulette to see what crimes Bernie committed today:
www.resetera.com
sphagnum all your psychosexual searches, exposed to all!
Senate Votes to Allow FBI to Look at Your Web Browsing History Without a Warrant. Update: It's dead.
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/jgxxvk/senate-votes-to-allow-fbi-to-look-at-your-web-browsing-history-without-a-warrant If anyone has the full list, feel free to let me know. It will be quite sad if this full bill passes the Senate on Thursday.
www.resetera.com
sphagnum all your psychosexual searches, exposed to all!
OP
OP
Anyways, lemme spin the roulette to see what crimes Bernie committed today:
Senate Votes to Allow FBI to Look at Your Web Browsing History Without a Warrant. Update: It's dead.
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/jgxxvk/senate-votes-to-allow-fbi-to-look-at-your-web-browsing-history-without-a-warrant If anyone has the full list, feel free to let me know. It will be quite sad if this full bill passes the Senate on Thursday.
sphagnum all your psychosexual searches, exposed to all!
The joke's on them, I've assumed for years that I'm on a watchlist. Mr. NSA has been forced to see increasingly bizarre things for ages at this point!
OP
OP
Anyone have suggestions on good reads from Verso? Their May Day sale is still going on, I'm picking up the two Invention of the White Race volumes and figured I'd pop in here to ask in case anyone has particular suggestions.