| Sup guys ;) Well, since there is some activity these days, I'll take this as a chance to point out there are multiple perspectives that need to be supported by a mass struggle. They will not surprise anyone, but it's a good thing to point out marxism stands for all of them. Those are, among others : - Workers' rights : defend our status, pay, work conditions all around the world - Feminism : defend the possibility of every woman to achieve the full extent of her potential, and emancipate ourselves of gender norms. - Antiracism : fight against the systemic discrimination that creates different treatments in society based on physical traits. - Ecology : preserve a livable world for the generations to come. - Anticolonialism : free southern countries from the rule of imperialism. Those are all linked to the same fight, because they share a common ennemy for the most part : the top 1% who benefit from all of those injustices. Fighting for one of them is fighting for all of us, don't let capitalism divide you trying to think you'll benefit by screwing the others. We're all in this together, we must support each other. So when you're faced with capitalists/fascists attacking one of those stances, talk back if you can, even if you're not directly concerned, the way you'd like the others to talk back to defend your own fight. If we show unity in this, we'll win ;) |
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| Let's use this thread to share what's going on in your country or community, what's got you upset and want to rant about, and to bring awareness to issues or good things that are happening. Amazon and Starbucks workers are fighting back. Fighting back against the union busting and anti-union propaganda. Successfully forming unions or becoming closer to. Rant: The term "unskilled workers" and how they shouldn't be paid much. It's a stupid and untrue term. The so called unskilled worker does more work than the CEO or shareholder who sits on their ass collecting the millions of the backs of the people who make the company truly work. A CEO is as replaceable as the workers they deem replaceable because they can be out at anytime and easily replaced. But the difference is, no workers, you have nothing. No CEO, you still have a company. Also, anyone who says your amazon warehouse worker or person serving you at starbucks shouldn't be paid more/living wage, is tremendously wrong either due to them being privileged enough to say that or they're a rose-colored glasses back in the day person, who lived in a period of time where the hard-grueling work and long hours could provide for your family, buy a house and send your kid/s to college, whereas now it's a struggle for one person let alone a family. Sure the bare-minimum provided for people back then, but we shouldn't be satisfied with the bare-minimum and especially now we're not even at the bare-minimum with wages well below productivity. People are fed up, and we can't wait until a nothing to lose situation like that of the Great Depression for everyone to unite |
HoloisHoloMay 17, 2022 4:10 PM
| @HoloisHolo This is great news, unions getting some attention is a good step ! On other news, there has been (yet another) mass shooting done by some racist asshole from 4chan. I think it shows one thing : internet discourse does matter on what's going on in the real world. Leaving online debates to fascists is a big mistake in my opinion, we should fight back on that field as well, and show some diversity of opinion in those places. I know posting on sites like 4chan is a pain in the ass, but those idiots need to be faced with a bit of reality, with some other perspective. So I may try that a bit, just to see how big into nazism /pol/ and /b/ have gotten this past few years. Can't hurt to link them some studies and empirical evidence to change their mind, these are just cave dwellers anyways, they have nothing else to do but read it ;) |
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| @Moonspeak Yeah Amazon in Staten Island was the first to unionize. Their Union Leader Chris Smalls has become quite the public figure now in the push for amazon workers to unite and unionize across America. "The Revolution is here" Sit your ass down Lindsay Graham As for what's going on online on certain sites, well I don't even really know what's really discussed there, so I don't know, but I think some people are too far gone that nothing can convince them to change whatever it is they believe in. Also, it might not be realistic, but I believe everyone should try to understand the things or people they hate/don't like. |
| Holy shit Dude's got some balls ! I love it, this Chris Smalls guy seems to know how to hold his ground in front of republican bs. Great stuff, keep it up ! |
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Moonspeak said: Holy shit Dude's got some balls ! I love it, this Chris Smalls guy seems to know how to hold his ground in front of republican bs. Great stuff, keep it up ! Yeah he's been calling out the bs from the media members and politicians who defend corporate profiteering and squashing of workers rights. |
| Here's the Union's website : https://www.amazonlaborunion.org/ If you work or know anyone working at Amazon, now's the time to get in the fight ;) |
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| @aremarf I get you. Except racial bias... well it does exist. We gain nothing from not hearing those people. You say the issue is divisive, but that's only if you think taking the side of people holding power is an option. White marxists can take black people side in antiracist fights, or the side of the authorities. Black marxists do not have that choice. That issue is not divisive to them, we make it one by getting cold feet. It's not about who's right or wrong, it's about who you're fighting with, the ones that have power, or the ones suffering from this power. You think capitalists are the ones defenfing those issues against old school socialists to divide them, and this is true. But is our answer to reject those ideas ? I believe this is a mistake, that's only making sure people will stay into capitalists hands against their interests, and isolate us more and more. The answer should be to welcome those fights, and make sure those people find a marxist solution to their issues, not a capitalist one. We need to stay united, no matter what. If we fight against giants isolated, we'll get crushed. I understand your nostalgia for the society you describe, and what I'm telling you is this : Regardless of nations, borders or race, we need to get those universal rights back, and conquer new ones, by fighting for one another, not against each other. Capitalists want us to hate each other and be isolated, they fear organization. I know it's hard, and I don't expect anyone to suddenly love what represents so much suffering for them. Here french people have muslims as targets to forget they're getting screwed by the elite, it's pretty much the same. But when you understand this is a matter of survival, you often begin to find the ennemy of yesterday isn't that bad actually ;) All I want to say is this : They are not your ennemy, even if that's sometimes hard to swallow. If we want to win, we need everyone. Also, I hope you're doing ok comrade ;) Don't be ashamed to talk freely like you do, it's best to express those things than let them inside. |
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| @aremarf If they we're really on the left, they wouldn't say that about you. That kind of attitude of completely disregarding someone because someone disagrees with them, creates toxicity that fuels the culture-wars-right and shafts the left because we become associated with them by name, since lot of people are so far to the right they see shit-libs as being the left. |
aremarf said: Firstly, thanks guys, for reading and responding to my wall of text! And I'm okay - I'm embarrassed I get worked up easily (maybe that's why I argue with friends and then turn to MAL forums to vent in the first place! haha). Moonspeak said: @aremarf I get you. Except racial bias... well it does exist. We gain nothing from not hearing those people. You say the issue is divisive, but that's only if you think taking the side of people holding power is an option. White marxists can take black people side in antiracist fights, or the side of the authorities. Black marxists do not have that choice. That issue is not divisive to them, we make it one by getting cold feet. It's not about who's right or wrong, it's about who you're fighting with, the ones that have power, or the ones suffering from this power. You think capitalists are the ones defenfing those issues against old school socialists to divide them, and this is true. But is our answer to reject those ideas ? I believe this is a mistake, that's only making sure people will stay into capitalists hands against their interests, and isolate us more and more. The answer should be to welcome those fights, and make sure those people find a marxist solution to their issues, not a capitalist one. We need to stay united, no matter what. If we fight against giants isolated, we'll get crushed. I understand your nostalgia for the society you describe, and what I'm telling you is this : Regardless of nations, borders or race, we need to get those universal rights back, and conquer new ones, by fighting for one another, not against each other. Capitalists want us to hate each other and be isolated, they fear organization. I know it's hard, and I don't expect anyone to suddenly love what represents so much suffering for them. Here french people have muslims as targets to forget they're getting screwed by the elite, it's pretty much the same. But when you understand this is a matter of survival, you often begin to find the ennemy of yesterday isn't that bad actually ;) All I want to say is this : They are not your ennemy, even if that's sometimes hard to swallow. If we want to win, we need everyone. Also, I hope you're doing ok comrade ;) Don't be ashamed to talk freely like you do, it's best to express those things than let them inside. I think I understand what you're saying. And I agree with you on needing unity, on socialists/communists needing to be relevant... Ironically, it's what I try to tell my friends who disagree with me. I'm trying to tell them it would be better to campaign for policies and issues that both the majority and minority races can stand behind (i.e. class-based policies, universal policies)... and I explain how it would help win the so-called majority-race working class "racist" vote (which might be lost if we keep talking about race issues instead of class issues)... and it makes them angry because to them I'm criticising (part of) their approach and strategy I guess. And I regret that now, thinking about it. I don't think I was helping to promote unity at all. I'll keep your advice in mind. :-) HoloisHolo said: @aremarf If they we're really on the left, they wouldn't say that about you. That kind of attitude of completely disregarding someone because someone disagrees with them, creates toxicity that fuels the culture-wars-right and shafts the left because we become associated with them by name, since lot of people are so far to the right they see shit-libs as being the left. I think I might have misrepresented them... and if I hadn't, I probably was just as intolerant as they were, if not more. We're old friends and we do agree on core beliefs and values... we just disagreed strongly on how to act. And you're right, I was precisely feeling a little cancelled over a few topics (hence the anger) - but thanks to both of your advice, I think I shouldn't feed that flame of resentment. I should instead think: "ok, so we don't agree on everything - that's fine - let's put that aside and work together on the things we DO agree on - there are many of those too". Alright I see, yeah there's absolutely nothing wrong with disagreeing and having different opinions. Definitely seems to be the problem of the left in disagreeing how to go about things. Whereas it seems those on the right are much more united in what they want and what they want to do. |
| We tend to have this "purity" test where we get suspicious of everyone not leftist enough, it's kinda dumb yeah... Anyways, you got the drill : Find the fights that people have in common, and you'll unite them ;) |
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| We need everyone to unite, but hopefully it doesn't have to take a situation like that of the Great Depression for workers of all backgrounds to unite like they did at the time. Overall, I believe; the populist left and the populist right. We both need each other. We both need to unite. We have similar goals, and what we want to accomplish. The right is often way more united in their causes, but if all united together, is what I think would help glue the left to keep it from fracturing. And the right needs the left to direct their focus on the most important matters and to the people that are really screwing everyone over. If it we're to happen, government and corporate overlords will be shaking in their boots |
| @HoloisHolo Careful with the horseshoe thing ;) We need proletarians that are voting right, not the ideas of the right. On the matter on xenophobia, marxists must do no concession for example, we're internationalists, not tribalists. |
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Moonspeak said: @HoloisHolo Careful with the horseshoe thing ;) We need proletarians that are voting right, not the ideas of the right. On the matter on xenophobia, marxists must do no concession for example, we're internationalists, not tribalists. Not the ideas of the right, but we can help lead them in the right direction. Of course those grounded in the ideas of the right and even as far as xenophobia and racism are not going to listen. But there are many of those, atleast from an American perspective, they're not grounded on policy ideas, they may align to the right because of the commonality of conservative values, but they're willing to hear anyone out so as long as it brings a healing to their economic struggles. Those are the people who I'm talking about and have been around. Lot of people, especially those who are older, once doing well, now struggling, have been screwed over by the destructive policies of our government brought about by corporations looking save a buck and make some more millions. They reminisce about whenever the times for them were good. They put their hope in that this person can bring about change. But they were misled by the false promises of Obama, the Democratic Party screwed their primaries to keep out Bernie, and they walked into the Trump Trap. We need them to know that it takes all of us to bring a revolution of changes, and we need them fighting with us. |
| @HoloisHolo Yes, I wholeheartedly agree with you there. We need those people to get back in the fight, they are the first to get screwed in capitalist globalization. If we can get chinese workers to unite with american workers, we win. But we need to create that unity first, and nationalism stands in the way. |
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Moonspeak said: @HoloisHolo Yes, I wholeheartedly agree with you there. We need those people to get back in the fight, they are the first to get screwed in capitalist globalization. If we can get chinese workers to unite with american workers, we win. But we need to create that unity first, and nationalism stands in the way. Waifus are our commonality :D  |
HoloisHolo said: Waifus are our commonality :D We shan't undererstimate the power of anime girls indeed ;) |
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Moonspeak said: HoloisHolo said: Waifus are our commonality :D We shan't undererstimate the power of anime girls indeed ;) People have united around the world for other things, and I believe it is possible for workers of the world to unite. And when it does happen, there will be waifus involved in some way |
| I never thought I would see strippers form a union, but right on! Let's go! |
| That's great news ! Thanks for sharing Holo. They deserve all of our support, it takes courage to speak up like they do. |
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Moonspeak said: That's great news ! Thanks for sharing Holo. They deserve all of our support, it takes courage to speak up like they do. Yeah, whatever people may think of strippers, they shouldn't have to deal with money being taken away from them by the owners, and should be better protected. May be an unpopular take, but I don't like the state of strip clubs in general because the whole experience with everyone who works there feels shady. Maybe it's just here, but I've heard people having their phones stolen, being hustled out of money in vip room, etc. Even the one time I went, it just didn't feel right. I'm not complaining about the strippers of course lol, but I would not be a regular here Why can't I just go to an establishment, see a woman strip and dance. Without it being a shady experience. It's un-American damn it XD Japan does it right with such establishments as the pornstar bar :D |
| I always watch the monthly Positive Leftist News videos to combat my internal doomerism and see the success our fellow lefties are having across the globe. Here's the latest 2 videos if anyone is looking for some uplifting news. April - https://youtu.be/774364Zvc1g May - https://youtu.be/-N-Jfj7oGDQ |
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| @Orange_is_White Great initiative ! I'll check them out as soon as I can, thank you ! |
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JamlikeaJacobin said: Happy to see some weebs gain class consciousness! You guys rock! I remember back in college it was like two different realms. Political organizing was done with the student union and local party organization while weeb friends were 1000% apolitical. There was a gal I lived, ate, and slept with for more than a year, but we never once talked about politics. Her life outside of night/weekend classes was either wage slavery or escapeism in whatever anime we were all watching. She was not alone. All the folks I chilled with were totally checked out from politics，despite us all coming from working class situations (fishermen, dockworkers, bank clerks, farm hands, etc.). Here was a group of young nerdy proles, but there was no talk of revolution, only recreational chitchat. Anime is a great hobby, it is the subculture that I have followed from middle school to grad school, but we (or at I) need to do better bringing our friends to the left. Hats off to all of you for setting this up! Glad to have you aboard comrade. This is a new era of the revolution, one that shall include waifus. And we shall fight for and include everyone who have been felt like they've been beaten down by the system. |
| oh hhey a lefty group!! JamlikeaJacobin said: Happy to see some weebs gain class consciousness! You guys rock! I remember back in college it was like two different realms. Political organizing was done with the student union and local party organization while weeb friends were 1000% apolitical. There was a gal I lived, ate, and slept with for more than a year, but we never once talked about politics. Her life outside of night/weekend classes was either wage slavery or escapeism in whatever anime we were all watching. She was not alone. All the folks I chilled with were totally checked out from politics，despite us all coming from working class situations (fishermen, dockworkers, bank clerks, farm hands, etc.). Here was a group of young nerdy proles, but there was no talk of revolution, only recreational chitchat. Anime is a great hobby, it is the subculture that I have followed from middle school to grad school, but we (or at I) need to do better bringing our friends to the left. Hats off to all of you for setting this up! we need to bring back politically affiliated recreational groups. i remembering hearing the spd did these in its peak and the pki. not wantign to do whatever reading group the local commies are doing has left me politicaly inactive... i dontw ant to be a marx scholar i want to be normal ;_; HoloisHolo said: Amazon and Starbucks workers are fighting back. Fighting back against the union busting and anti-union propaganda. Successfully forming unions or becoming closer to. lol the starbucks where i live unionized recently and i ahve a friend who works there and is a communist. but she had nothing to do with the unionization. which i respect, she needs the money and wanted to keep her head down. i would definitely do the same if someone treid unionizing where i work. but now that its formed she is thinking of becoming a union steward. which is based. |
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