Comradeship // Freechat

Not the perfect phone for me but close enough

The main reason that I quit antitheism was that I slowly realized that religion is only an excuse rather than a cause of oppression. The Crusaders did not simply read the Bible and immediately go out on a rampage. That would almost be like saying that violent video games make innocent people become violent themselves. Underneath the façade of religion are causes far more complex than that.

In the Crusaders’ case, the European ruling classes were interested in grabbing land and other resources from Palestine and the inhabitants therein and thereabout. The situation was similar for chattel slavery and serfdom: they merely used religion as an excuse. It was not the cause (the cause in this case originating in upper‐class dominance). There were far more examples of religiously justified oppression than those, but I think that you understand what I mean: the causes go deeper than what the surface suggests.

More recently, heterosexists and cissexists can distract us from their attitudes by pointing to scripture, but careful hermeneutics and human reason (of which, I’m sure monotheists would agree, the Almighty created) suggest that scripture is not the problem. It is the neopatriarchal attitude that is the problem, and mistaking scripture for the source—as if the scripture’s own stances came ex nihilo—is a classic case of confusing cause and effect. Religions are cultural phenomena; they are subordinate to culture, and cultures mutate regularly. That is why I used to liken religions to clay.

Even if our oppressors never had religion, they still could have appealed to pseudoscience, and most already do. Quite a few irreligious men are misogynists who’ll justify their oppression by claiming that women were genetically programmed to be caretakers or whatever. In fact, one could argue that the pseudoscientific excuse is more dangerous than the religious one because respect for science is almost universal whereas religions and spiritualities are very culturally specific.

Lastly, lower‐class monotheists can and have rebelled against their oppressors before. I believe that quite a few poor peasants during the Protestant Reformation were monotheists and yet they rebelled against their masters anyway. Religion is not a perfect tool for mind control; lower‐class monotheists can be just as revolutionary as lower‐class atheists, and upper‐class atheists can be just as troublesome as upper‐class monotheists.

Привет! I'm currently learning Russian as a native English speaker. I've only been at it for a few weeks but I feel like I've gotten some of the basics down.

Anyone who is more knowledgeable than me, how do I reliably learn which to use from ц, ч, с, щ, or ш?

Also when speaking long words 10+ characters or 4+ syllables long I feel myself triping over my tongue. Moreso than my previous experience with learning German but it has been over a decade since then.

Additionally, anyone else learning a second or third language and hows it going for you?

Basically woman got blackmailed by abusive bastard

Something interesting;

France Gen Z unemployment rate: 7%

Belgium: 15%

Canada: 20%

Colombia: 27%

Spain: over 30%

By all means, statistics straight up say that people around that age are rejecting work entirely. How is this done?

Apartments with 8 or so people squeezed in. Vans/mobile. Living with parents, sure. Especially vans, though. A lot of people I went to high school with saved up for an RV or trailer-esque system. All though, the area was poor as shit.

Is this sustainable? No. But it's cheaper than attempting to pay over a thousand dollars a month. Some are straight up trapped at home; even when working a trade some areas have such ridiculous rent that people are rejecting it entirely because they couldn't afford car insurance (incredible rates for Gen Z) on top of having to pay bills and food. No wonder electric bikes have seen a surge in popularity; not only for younger people.

How do you think this will play out in the future?

It's been a while since I have read any comic books. Been wanting to read one.

I am not an avid comic book reader. I would say capeshit is discouraged but feel free to recommend it if you want. I will leave it at your discretion. Any genre is fine except horror. Need something that has finished the run or at least has a good number of issues out so I can binge.

These are the ones I have read so far to give you an idea. But recommendations do not have to conform this list:

1. Transformers: More Than Meets the Eyes is my favourite because of the heartfelt characters and great humour
2. The Sandman. It's a classic and I liked it.
3. East of West. I thought it was interesting but it didn't quite grab me.
4. The 12 issue run of Mister Miracle. I thought what there was of it was good but it wasn't meaty enough IMO.
5. Jeff Lemire run of Moon Knight. This was good.
6. Saga. I read it until the hiatus. Liked it.

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/5138125

I created a TankieTube channel called The tankie playlist to store my leftist music playlist in case youtube takes them down and so I can have an ad free experience and share music I like with comrades while I'm at it.

I have posted 94 music (including variations of a same song).

Enjoy 😉 🎶

Hi comrades. I was in a discussion last week about socialism (like I usually am) and I think we can do some self crit.

I think it's important to remember that multiple modes of production can (and almost always do) exist in a single soceity at once. There is a dialectic between the systems along with within them.

So when we discuss the social democracies, the soviet states, and modern communist projects like China, we should keep that in mind. There are capitalist, socialist, and communist sectors in many countries now. One of them will dominate, however (Marx says this in the first sentence of Capital).

When looking at the USSR, is had basically no capitalist sector, a very large socialist sector, and a big communist sector. But communist sectors are not unique to the USSR or a DotP. Denmark and the UK both had small communist sectors in things like their healthcare. The period before Thatcher actually saw a UK mix quite similar to post-Deng China--a large capitalist sector, a big socialist sector, and a sizable communit one. (This is likely why the economic performance and worker gains were so high during this time comared to other waning empires like France).

Modern China is very similar. And we should not be ultra leftists and ignore that these are all states in transition. We as communists, and Marxist Leninists do not deny that socialist sectors and communist sectors can appear in other societies. We simply state that unless there is a DotP established, the capitalist sector will erode them away.

Note: The definition of sectors here is whether production is governed by exchange value or use value. Capitalist ones have commodity production i.e. their productive forces are guided by exchange value. Communist sectors are governed by use value (to each according to their need and from each according to their ability). This means Communist sectos don't have commodities. Socialist sectors are ones where commodity production does exist but exchange value takes a secondary role in governing production.
UPDATE: Two comrades said they did not agree with how I defined socialist here. I don't think the definition of what true socialism is effects this argument. Feel free to replace "socialism" with whatever word you would describe for a sector where production is not entirely governed by exchange value but still is to some degree.

I hope you all gain something from this. Everyone in our discussion did. I look forward to any other perspectives. I'm originally a USonian so I know I may be narrow sighted.

For this reason, some people got high karma due to appealing posts and comments.

Nothing. Just bored

• dogshit UI
• rising ads
• increasing monetization
• devs refuse to listen to feedback
• increasing neglect of critical issues on the platform

I'm still sometimes getting broken pictures that are not supposed to be broken

The pervasive mythology of American exceptionalism is essentially a religious doctrine positing that the US is essentially a perfect nation. Consequently, any issues arising within the system are perceived as external threats rather than inherent flaws. This mentality fuels the polarization between mainstream Republicans and Democrats, much like a religious schism. Both sides have a different interpretation of the doctrine and view each other as heretic traitors intent on destroying the nation.

Obviously everybody is gonna be bringing up that one time a madlad actually did it now.

My friend is relatively progressive (pro LGBTQIA+, anti-racist, etc) but he fails to have more than a surface level analysis of things.

Example:

I don't remember exactly what we were talking about in the first place but we ended up in some dumb debate about whether ethical companies exist (AriZona tea and Tony's chocolonely specifically), because some are 'progressive' and apparently don't do 'bad stuff' like others do.... I immediately replied to him that these companies inherently uphold the capitalist system and operate within its exploitative structure. And that just because a company is pro LGBTQ, doesn't use slave labour (lmao), pays their workers slightly more, etc, doesn't mean theyre progressive. He, of course, completely ignored me, either because he didn't understand what I was saying or was just wilfully ignorant (I'm in favour of the former).

It's just so tiring talking to people who have no understanding of how these processes work. No matter how much I try to 'deprogram' these kinds of people, they just block it all out.

So, I had a conversation with my sisters husband about politics, he gifted me a book (the power of geography) , which he claimed to be leftist..... because it merely mentioned colonialism. He framed that as anti-white racism and how we, the 'whites', should be proud of our 'accomplishments' and how it's badass that 'we' conquered the entire world.

He then further went on to mention that after colonialism 'ended' the natives didn't know how to do anything, because they kicked the smart whites out.

What the hell do I do about this nutjob? Is there any hope for him? Should I even try to convince him that he's an absolutely moron?

We are all drops in an ocean we call society.

Drops in the power plants make electricity.

Drops in the factory make our things.

Drops can share ideas with their writings.

No two drops are the same

Some drops want to chase fame

Some drops will choose to fly

Some drops want to know why

No two drops are the same

Some drops want to dodge shame

Some drops will write

Some drops will fight

Together we are a tidal wave

Alone we will simply cave

Just testing the waters.

It's simple. Having an entire lifetime's supply of needs and wants covered for free, that's your payment

I cried when tanks were in Tiananmen
The commies crossed a red line
I cried when George Floyd was murdered
Like he was a brother of mine
But Julian Assange got what was coming
Let him rot in jail till the end of time

So love me, love me, love me, i'm a (boba) liberal

I go to Stop Asian Hate and BLM rallies
And I hope C02 levels will drop
I love Bollywood, Anime and Lunar New Year
I hope Asian Culture stays on top
But don’t talk about China and TikTok
It’s all propaganda that must be stopped

So love me, love me, love me, i'm a (boba) liberal

I cheered when Lai was elected
My faith in the system restored
I'm glad we killed the commies
In Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam and more
I lecture my parents about Black and Hispanic issues
Yet if they move near me, that I refuse

So love me, love me, love me, i'm a (boba) liberal

I’m part of the milk tea alliance
I’m against China and it’s 9 dash line
I’m all for American foreign policy
Except when it comes to Palestine
I’m all for a two state solution
but Hamas is no friend of mine

So love me, love me, love me, i'm a (boba) liberal

I speak for all other Asians
we all love America all the same
I love our cuisine and hate microaggressions
and mispronunciations of my name
Yet when it comes to hate crimes in the West
Now that’s just a crying shame

So love me, love me, love me, i'm a (boba) liberal

Yes I watch CNN and Buzzfeed
I’ve taken their every view
You know I’m all for LGBTQ rights
I even support #Metoo
Yet if we go to war with China
Now that’s when I bleed red white and blue!

So love me love me love me, I’m a (Boba) Liberal

I vote for the democrat party
They strengthen NATO’s Command
I’m always at a BTS Concert
And shop for every Japanese brand
We’re making authoritarianism history
I’m on Twitter taking a stand!

So love me love me love me, I’m a (Boba) Liberal

I know that our system is oppressive
Capitalism and white supremacy to blame
But why should I fight for any real change
As I adore being a pawn in their game
So don’t call me a “Ch*nk or G**k”
Please trust me I’m not the same

So love me, love me, love me. I’m a boba liberal

I am baffled as to how so many Western leftists are either shitlibs, revisionists, or ultras and rarely any principled leftists? Does labor aristocracy have to do with this? My candidate for the start is when the CIA started funding the glowies (i.e. the Anti-Stalinist left).

This is long text.

I have met many people from a lot of nationalities in the internet. US-Americans are a special thing in the internet, but I don't know how it is in the land of the free itself. Probably the stupid ones keep staying on the internet, while others behave like "normal" people, but I don't know for sure.

A majority of people lives on an other continent. They have internet as well and they also can speak english. Why assume, that they do not exist? Look, I don't like clichés. But in far eastern Europe there was always this cliché about US-Americans, that they are ignorant as fuck. Living in western Europe today, this cliché is still present, that's something people like to think.

And I really don't know how to feel about that, I think there is a tendency that this cliché may apply. Not because "people are dumb hahaha", but more how the US propaganda works. Like it makes them defaulting to USA most of the time.

I was always aware, that there is a world outside, no matter how many friends had and people I met. Even when I visited school, it was always clear, that other countries exist, they are present and they also may have other laws, morals, cultures. Let me repeat it: Other laws, different morals and culture.

On social media plattforms like Reddit and YouTube, where US Americans are not an absolute majority, it is easy to experience. I am also not talking about topics which are obviously centred around the US.

Few example:

Everything related to age is an absolute clusterfuck and you better not engage in any of suchs discussions. They can't comprehend, that it is different somewhere, like in the most of the world. Some 13yo child murdered his mother and was then charged as an adult. Sounds stupid for me, to be honest.

But it were most of the time US-Americans who absolutely supported this decision:

• Only an adult could have so much criminal energy, so he should be threatened like one.
• He planned it and showed so much brutality, only an adult could do this.
• I hope he dies in pain

I asked if it is OK now, if this 13yo adult could vote, drink alcohol and also have sex with people 40 years older then he is. I mean he is treated like he is an adult. After that, peak mental gymnastics were applied on me and I was not liked that much. They were just angry at me. And didn't give me an proper explanation, why this 13yo old is now an adult.

However I was blocked few days ago from commenting in a post in a subreddit, because I kept saying that being 17 doesn't mean to be a child. There is need to differ. I know that this is legally different in other countries, but this matter won't be resolved by insisting: "I live in the USA and in my state you are a child if you are under 18 and I don't care" where you all live". - I am not lying, that was something I read.

US fucking legal system is the standard for the entire world. For real, I rather receive an unsolicited dickpic, where I can at least block the person or inform mods/admins, but there is no way avoid a unsolicited legal advice, why you should sue your neighbour according to law in Florida, despite obviously living somewhere 5000km (3106 miles in freedom units) far away in a different country. I understand the intention, its a friendly one. But this happens on international social media sites. And it happens often.

Also no point in talking about prison sentences. While people which are unluckily not living in Freedomland has the tendency to understand and accept, that there are differences in each country and someone may like or dislike it, pure ignorance is striking many in US Americans. But why, even if you point out that you are from somewhere else? Because morals!

It is morally correct to do x,y and z. But not a,b and c. Why is it morally correct? Because there is an everlasting, unchangeable moral in the world which is rooted in the USA. When is this card used? Often when something is illegal in Freedomland, but legal in the majority of other countries.

Morality is not the right thing to decide if something is OK or not. In some places in the wide world it is morally wrong to be gay and Ramsan Kadyrow will make sure that this moral principle there will stay for sure. This is an other topic of course.

Its like you are desperately trying stay in denial. I thought once that probably some younger people behave that way. Being young means, that you are probably developing in a different pace then others in you age. Many things have an influence if you behave more like a child or an adult. Being very very young also means to believe into absolute things. This usually should change till adulthood. But no, older Yankees prefer to behave the same. What kind of brainwashing is USA performing on their population!? It is absolute effective.

The last thing is easily observed on Reddit. Also on Facebook and YouTube. But Reddit is full of this. They have such an fetish with pedophilia, it is absolutely an insult to vicitms and also a relativization of it. Its like they are actively searching for any clues for anything remote probably illegal by the law of a yankee state.

I indeed feel insulted, if they start calling something pedophilia, if it is indeed not. I experienced very bad things as a child and I also met other victims. But it were almost always USians on Reddit on YouTube who handled this matter with such disrespect. It always sounds more like an excuse for canalising their rage towards someone, never real care for victims of sexual abuse and violence - adult or child. Discussing that or making your point in this matter is like talking with a gorilla, which starts throwing shit at you as soon as you make a sound.

At least I rarely read something about their racist system in categorising people. Something about black, the Caucasus and Spain. But OK, this is present for a long time there and people are used to it. This doesn't change fast.

I actually somehow accepted this stubbornness and the urge to be in denial and I just think my part. I am sure, very sure that those morons don't represent the entire US population. I know and met people from US in a political context and they were totally normal people. But maybe they were it that way, because they are well educated communists?

I met younger and older reactionary people from Russia, Britain, Germany, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Moldavia and Chechen. Reactionary? Yes. But even they were not really comparable with US-Americans on Reddit, Facebook or YouTube.

There is something very wrong with people in USA and I think capitalism is to blame for it. Where can I find US-Americans, where this cliché from the Soviet Union about them, don't apply so easily? Or am I dumb and don't see them, because the annoying ones are so annoying that it is easy to notice them?

Thank you very much if you read it all. It took a very long for me to write it all and I am proud, that I did it without DeepL!