this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2024
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Lefty Memes

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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,

as well as 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.

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

(This is not a definitive list, the spirit of the other rules still counts! Eventual duplicates with other rules are for emphasis.)

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[–] TheSlad@sh.itjust.works 27 points 1 month ago (4 children)

It doesnt matter how pedantic you try to get. At this point every swastika is a nazi swastika unless you find it in a Buddhist temple.

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 18 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I find that insulting to the cultures and people who have used it for a thousand years and continue to do so. I'd rather be pedantic than dismissive of their much older beliefs.

[–] BradleyUffner@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

That's on the Nazis and the people that still tolerate them and fly their symbols.

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 month ago

I think people who can't appreciate context or nuance are also partly to blame. You can't "take something back" if you never try.

[–] hitwright@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] Manzas@lemdro.id 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] hitwright@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It's a symbol, often used by the baltic cultures, often symbolizing sun, god, or perkūnas (a god similiar to zeus). And boy was it popular.

Many traditional clothes, chests, doors, furniture are often decorated with svastikas.

It's a neat little symbol and fuck the nazis trying to monopolize it.

[–] Manzas@lemdro.id 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I am a baltic person and haven't heard it before or seen it before.

[–] hitwright@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

That's extremely surprising. At least here in Lithuania we were taught about it in schools. Also during folk festivals like "Mėnuo Juodaragis" or "Kilkim Žaibu" there are tradesmen, they often have accesories for sale including the sun symbol.

Where are you from?

[–] Manzas@lemdro.id 2 points 1 month ago

Near the baltic sea (relatively) and also Lithuanian but don't really attend festivals.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Or The Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette. It was build before WWII. All the rest except one that doesn't exist any more, were built after WWII so we didn't put bent crosses on them.

[–] sunshine@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago

That cake looks pretty fancy for a racist gag. My understanding is that swastikas are pretty widespread as a generic "holy" decoration in India and Asia. I'm wondering if that image isn't originally from a bakery from that region.