So what’s going on here, most likely, is that the intake of new users is declining as opposed to people specifically being driven off the platform (as some users allege).

The difference, one would assume, is that on the whole, Reddit’s political biases influence more what is not shown (much like lemmy.ml banning people for any criticism of Russia, China, or North Korea, or the echo chamber in hexbear), whereas Lemmy’s tankie issue also manifests as people actively sea-lioning (e.g. Cowbee) and (especially from hexbear) overt trolling, which shows up more in people’s faces. Both are issues, neither are good.

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[–] RedSturgeon@hexbear.net 24 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I don't mean to discredit your efforts, but if you really want to go under their skin you have to do so without denigrating them, just speaking facts. It will boil their blood because they know they have to lie to maintain their worldview or they have to remain willfully ignorant.

So of course they will do anything they can to target the users who cite the most sources and put the most effort into what they're doing. They might even genuinely believe Cowbee is a paid agent of CPC, because they can't think anyone would willingly spend so much effort into research and education, without being paid for it.

[–] PorkrollPosadist@hexbear.net 29 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

The thing is, they don't think they're lying. They think that if we were telling them the truth, this information would inevitably permeate the highest echelons of institutional media and academia. They operate under an epistemological framework where these institutions are cornerstone of reality, and any fact or historical occurrence they haven't acknowledged is suspect.

The idea that powerful ideologues of American imperialism like Alan Dershowitz and Larry Summers can wield their high positions at an institution like Harvard University to skew the trajectory of academics doesn't even enter their minds. They barely grasp the idea that there's a reason why people like Jeff Bezos would buy the Washington Post.

[–] RedSturgeon@hexbear.net 13 points 1 day ago

The need for external validation, like from an established institution, is probably the most difficult thing I've had to try to overcome myself, in order to move my own views further to the left.

Every step I've taken is met with accusations of there being hidden personal motives, even though I make my interest and biases transparent.

Even when they can't find a personal interest in my moves, like when I was talking to an Italian friend about how he should organize with his locals, who are making an effort to make things better, and was simply giving him some tips to improve his own life, he just tells me literally: "I feel like you tell people this stuff to self validate yourself and do it to feel comfort."

It's incredibly frustrating and makes me want to lash out in anger, but I can't afford to do such things or the accusations of mental illness and hysteria start piling in. Liberals have even started telling me that caring for Gazans is actually a sign of me being mentally ill, overactive empathy they say.

[–] Cowbee@hexbear.net 23 points 1 day ago (2 children)

They might even genuinely believe Cowbee is a paid agent of CPC, because they can't think anyone would willingly spend so much effort into research and education, without being paid for it.

I've seen this accusation a few times, actually. Usually among those that can tell that I do know what I'm talking about for the most part, and that I do believe it as well. As cool as that would be, though, I'm not a CPC agent.

[–] WhatDoYouMeanPodcast@hexbear.net 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

One would have to imagine that the kind of person who can do extensive research for the highest bidder could earn more than the CPC could offer to post on social media. Then they'd be like "well, his motivation is political" and it's like "no shit, that's the base case. We fucking hate capitalism. Let me explain:"

[–] Cowbee@hexbear.net 10 points 1 day ago

Excellent point! Though I would love to be paid by the CPC to do the shitposting I do, haha.

[–] Damarcusart@hexbear.net 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

And like, even if it were true, it doesn't disprove anything you actually say. You could be from Mars or something and it still would have 0 bearing on whether or not the things you say have merit.

But liberals know they can't attack socialist arguments, so they need to attack the person, and you give them so little to actually attack that their only response is to invent conspiracy theories about you.

[–] Cowbee@hexbear.net 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

True, good point! And agreed on the conspiracy theory bit, another I've seen is the idea that other users are my alts, which is funny too. It all does end up working towards making socialism more reasonable, though!

[–] Damarcusart@hexbear.net 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

In true conspiracy theory fashion, it is completely internally inconsistent. You are both way too active to be a regular person and must be a bot, but also other users must also be your alts, because if they find it suspicious that you spend too much time talking to them, the answer is obviously that you are secretly spending even more time talking to them via alts.

[–] Cowbee@hexbear.net 4 points 16 hours ago

I know, if I had the time to also use alts I wouldn't have time for anything else! Great point again!