gcheliotis @ gcheliotis @lemmy.world

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2 yr. ago

Possibly. But why does this need to be said? How is it relevant here? What does it offer?

F

It’s weird. But I also remember how many were quick to point to Russia for blowing up a pipeline and much later it turned out Russia had nothing to do with it.

Knowledge and unconditional love should do the trick 🤞I have found that the men most prone to this are men with a chronic lack of love and self-esteem.

I am not sure that technology alone is to blame. But I have been thinking for a while now that recommendation algorithms should be open, scrutinized, and regulated even.

I think you’re spot on.

Omg 800,000 people (presumably mostly young men) signed up for that bullshit? Have we failed so many that they will seek help with the top douchebag himself?

Thank you for the exchange, however I can see that you are mostly interested in educating me and I am not interested in such an imbalanced exchange. I have been through all this before, when the USSR and its fall were still very relevant topics. Also, as already discussed, I am not as passionate about this as you are. I guess we will both see where China is headed. I agree that markets do not cease under socialism, in fact I do not think they will ever cease to exist completely, people will continue to trade and barter at some scale and I think that is ok.

Hey thanks for making the effort. You are clearly more passionate about this than I am. And you clearly consider today’s China a case of “existing socialism”. I do not. And I’m surprised that a number of people still do. Indeed the Trotskyist left and other related currents in the West have always had to deal with the paradox of advocating communism while at the same time opposing most if not all regimes that claimed to be communist. On the other hand more traditional communists - some would call them Stalinists if we’re using labels - who would advocate for regimes that many considered oppressive and were happy to see fall (including everyone who considered such regimes to be a degeneration of the original revolutionary potential). Personally I don’t feel I have a big stake in this. I am more and more thinking that these are experiments that largely failed no matter how you look at it, and hope to see new movements that will update their repertoire, learn from the failings, and succeed better. I am not sure what form or shape such movements will take. But am also not betting on capitalism not leading to the destruction of the world sooner or later. When I sometimes appear to defend China it is because I do not think that western-style capitalism and liberal democracy are the only ways that capitalism can function.

These are people I know personally. So no, not online people. And some are organized, some were, it varies. They are at best ambivalent on China. The idea that if you identify as a communist, talk like a communist, or are member of a communist organization, you should automatically support China would be frankly absurd in my circles. A strong minority of communists were at best ambivalent on the USSR even back in the day, so this is not new. And yes there are also those who will identify with and feel the need to support any regime that is in name or in some of its practices “communist”. Whereas others will take a more critical stance. I am in Europe by the way, this may matter, I find that the way words are used across the pond sometimes varies. Even within Europe, in much of Eastern Europe I understand that “communist” and “Russophile ” are thought to go hand in hand. Not so in my country, not necessarily. Anyway, it’s complicated.

Great, now we have research on “tankies”. A word I didn’t even know until somewhat recently and have personally come to despise, as I have often seen it abused on Lemmy, along with “Russian shill”, “russobot”, “sinobot” and what have you, in attempts to discredit anyone who might say anything that is not constant political condemnation of China or Russia and respectively support for US/EU/NATO expansion. Its abuse in many ways resembles the abuse of the “antisemite” label to silence criticism of Israel, or indeed the overuse of the “fascist” label in (ultimately failed) attempts to silence the (new) right, and many other labels that unfortunately liberals among others are keen to throw around generously. It matters little what side of a debate you stand on, if you have to resort to so much name-calling to make your case. Other than that, research is fine. With the caveat that political research is, well, often political and thus not particularly immune to political bias.

I too read Wikipedia in the shower

Oh I know quite a few communists who would absolutely not support the PRC. They wouldn’t shill for the US either. Nor for Russia nor the USSR for that matter.

No one should undertake hobbies because they are attractive to someone else. Unless you want to join groups where you can meet people you’re attracted to, then the activity is just an excuse to mingle. But you are more likely to find a hobby rewarding if you are genuinely interested in it, no matter what others think.

As far as I know China is not only the largest economy or about on par with the US, but has also made huge strides in renewables, so this makes sense actually, much as we are not used to hearing international bodies inviting China to lead. I would go as far as saying this is a case of China already leading the world - at least at home, not sure how clean or energy-efficient their offshore projects are.

Still waiting for the ultimate all-in edition of this one

Honestly you sound like you are part of the problem with America if you would rather see your country ruined in some self-fulfilling prophecy just so that your political opponents will lose next election.

As one European to another, thank you for giving an honest outside-in perspective, downvotes be damned :)

You know I really can’t tell, and as a non-American outsider see that both sides are being extremely alarmist at this moment. Although the main criticism of Harris is that she is more of the same, there are plenty who try to paint her as a radical and dangerous left-winger, when she is nothing of the sort of course. Makes one wonder where the real Donald Trump ends and the caricature begins on the other end of the spectrum.

This is simply what we call polarization in politics, and is very hurtful to any semblance of unity that nationhood requires. America will likely not heal from this for a while, no matter who wins. Unless, whoever wins, delivers on something that matters to everyone, regardless of politics, that is usually something having to do with the cost and quality of life. That tends to placate people, even while their freedoms are being curtailed.

But I do feel that Trump is more symptom than cause. And the article suggests as much as well:

“…rising political antagonism in America is a perennial outgrowth of its defining conflict over race and national identity — with the current round of conflict sparked largely (albeit not entirely) by backlash to Barack Obama’s 2008 victory.”

Got me there