duderium [he/him]

To be honest, Syria has really been depressing me lately. It’s the first clear victory for the zionists in the Gaza War, the Palestine War, the Middle East Regional War, whatever you want to call it. Everything else could pretty much be called a tie until then? Or maybe even a victory for the resistance? Aside from the genocide, of course. But it’s hard for me to see how they follow this up with any more victories. Ansarallah has increased global shipping prices by 200%, hundreds of thousands of settlers (perhaps more) have left the zionist entity permanently, and there really is a limit to how many weapons a financialized neoliberal economy can produce. The Ukraine War is hopefully going to end soon because the western powers really are exhausted.

I think about how the height of European colonialism was just before WW1. It’s been in decline ever since. Make no mistake, it’s still very strong and still fights very hard and can still win temporary victories, but it’s in decline and on the defensive. I think about how US economic policy is reverting to 18th century protectionism in order to combat China—where the economy is so strong now, that the communists have become free traders, battering down barriers across the world wherever they find them. 18th century economics is not going to defeat 21st century economics, especially with a workforce like the one in the USA, where the vast majority of real work is done by people of color who themselves tend to have the best politics in the country.

I think about the utterly deluded world that liberals and fascists live in, where these people are getting almost all of their news from corporate sources that are deliberately trying to confuse them. The police and military are definitely not what they once were. Reading a bit of Yahya Sinwar’s novel has made me suspect that these guys really are not up to the task of dealing with a real sustained insurgency here, especially one that avoids using computers and cellphones. The issue, of course, is that 70% of the USA is white and will not support an anti-colonial revolution here, at least for the time being. But how fucked are things going to be four years from now? Does anyone think that western society is going to get better at taking care of the increasing share of the populace that is totally enraged with how everything (not just treats, but necessities like housing, education, health care, transportation) has become totally unaffordable?

I think about how revolutionaries like Lenin and Mao (and many others) were, as far as I can tell, totally confident of the correctness and righteousness of their cause, and the inevitability of its triumph. ‘Everything under heaven is in utter chaos; the situation is excellent.’ — Mao

Are you suggesting that a state built on ongoing genocide and imperialism like Canada, or a backward, semi-colonial, semi-feudal country like India, are models that anyone in their right mind should follow?

None of what you advocate can happen without revolution, and as a certain philosopher and activist said, “a revolution is not a dinner party.” It will be violent, and many people will die.

You can either have that, or you can have the Democrats/Republicans pretending to be the party of civility while they commit genocide. No ruling class in history has ever given up power peacefully.

Are you reading any communist texts or joining any communist parties?

Welcome to the team! May I ask what radicalized you?

America might be flawed but it’s still overall a force for good in the world.

Biden might suck but we should still vote for Democrats on the state or local levels and participate in the [nonexistent] primary to put pressure on Democrats because they are clearly better than Republicans and progressives would never lie to us (cough bernie cough fetterman cough AOC).

Communism is impossible because it goes against human nature.

China is capitalist.

Organizing for revolution in the USA is hopeless.

It’s impossible to scientifically understand human societies, even though humans are part of nature and nature can be scientifically understood.

We can solve all our problems with technology alone. There’s no need to change anything else.

Things will be better in the future even if I don’t actually do anything to make them better. (This one has been an issue for me. “The future” for a Marxist like myself isn’t terribly different from religious visions of paradise.)

capitalism

I’m in my thirties.

Defederate this:

Usefulness is when you lick the boots of Nazis, I am extremely intelligent, when has this approach ever failed? Excuse me now while I steal every penny to my name from the global poor!

Why?

Biden is literally the most powerless person ever to exist while Trump was a dictator, even though both guys occupied the same political office. I am extremely intelligent.

How did separation of powers apply in 2008 when Obama was president, 60 democrats were in the senate, and the SCOTUS was “moderate”? Why didn’t the democrats pass universal health care and codify Roe during that time? Oh yeah, because they’re controlled by the same white supremacist bourgeoisie that controls the republicans. Now you’ve learned about the existence of class struggle—congratulations! And you’ve also learned that you’ve taken the side of the global 1% versus the global 99%, so pat yourself on the back!

I forget, is Joe Manchin president, or Joe Biden? Some liberal experts with knowledge of civics and critical thinking, please enlighten me.

Coronavirus, capitalism, climate change, nuclear weapons, the most recent normalization of Nazism which began with Biden’s presidency, etc.

Maybe the USA should stop war mongering over Taiwan.

Not disagreeing with you but do just want to note that as an American, when I travel into Canada, the instant I cross the border, it’s like a weight being lifted from my shoulders. Everything about it just seems less frantic and insane. Canada is also an imperialist settler-colonial dictatorship (a few mining companies in a trench coat), but one which does indeed do a better job of providing for its people.

I can also recognize that their autocratic ruling party represses and censors their citizens, and I don’t think that is a good thing. I wish the best for China and truly hope that some day, all their citizens will be able to express themselves freely.

The USA imprisons more people per capita than China. There are also limits to free speech in the USA, as evidenced by the bourgeois regime’s brutal crackdown on the George Floyd protests among countless other examples. Which society is more free exactly?

Americans generally being unaware of how far their country has fallen behind the rest of the world in virtually every respect (except sucking). Despite increasingly obvious problems that intensify every day, large numbers of Americans believe that American “democracy” is the end of history and as good as it gets. If you criticize their country, they will blame the other major political party (even if both major parties have indistinguishable far-right policy outcomes since they are both owned entirely by the bourgeoisie) or say that other countries also have problems, ignorant of the fact that those problems are either less severe or caused by the USA. Either that, or Americans will assume that you are a paid shill or insane, since no one on Earth could possibly have a legitimate reason to despise America. American ignorance is profound and purposeful even among highly educated Americans. Americans believe the shittiness and backwardness of their country, the half lives even the happiest and most successful among them live, to be humanity’s permanent and ideal state.

This is an issue with the bourgeois character of American society and government. Monopolies are not a problem if workers control them.