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Do liberals adopt leftist personas to avoid confronting the consequences of liberalism? (hexbear.net)

submitted 1 day ago by yunqihao@hexbear.net to c/askchapo@hexbear.net

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This might be a silly question, so I want to preface it with an apology in advance and if you think there is a better place to ask please let me know.

I’ve come across a large number of self-described “anarchists” or “non-communist leftists,” or the like, mostly online,thanks to where I live (谢天谢地). But whenever you look a bit closer, the pattern is the same: underneath the aesthetics and language, it’s just liberalism. Pro-NATO positions, contempt toward the global periphery, and extremely reactionary responses when imperialism or capitalism are seriously questioned.

So my question is: Is adopting these leftist identities a kind of defensive mechanism (an attempt to distance themselves from the real-world damage caused by liberal ideology) or am I misunderstanding what’s actually going on?

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[–] RedSturgeon@hexbear.net 12 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago) (1 children)

We are marching in a compact group along a precipitous and difficult path, firmly holding each other by the hand. We are surrounded on all sides by enemies, and we have to advance almost constantly under their fire. We have combined, by a freely adopted decision, for the purpose of fighting the enemy, and not of retreating into the neighboring marsh, the inhabitants of which, from the very outset, have reproached us with having separated ourselves into an exclusive group and with having chosen the path of struggle instead of the path of conciliation.

And now some among us begin to cry out: Let us go into the marsh!

And when we begin to shame them, they retort: What backward people you are! Are you not ashamed to deny us the liberty to invite you to take a better road!

Oh, yes, gentlemen! You are free not only to invite us, but to go yourselves wherever you will, even into the marsh. In fact, we think that the marsh is your proper place, and we are prepared to render you every assistance to get there. Only let go of our hands, don't clutch at us and don't besmirch the grand word freedom, for we too are "free" to go where we please, free to fight not only against the marsh, but also against those who are turning towards the marsh!

Vladimir Ilyich

Edit: Also another amazing author is Losurdo. Highly recommend.

[–] RedSturgeon@hexbear.net 8 points 22 hours ago

Lenin is a great source of solid punches against individualism.

Tho' you're likely to be called a hypocrite, for your lack of personal action, if you start borrowing from his work. As it has always been.

They're like "Well RedSturgeon I agree with you on principle, but what have you done? You're so pitifully small, look at these other better leftist here who raised this big pile of cash and are infinitely more capable of contributing to the cause, by getting the message out and donating to those in need, you really want me to believe I should grab your dirty hand, when these others have done infinitely more than you ever could and will accomplish?"

Maybe one day I'll get to go to a sunny beach and get to go through the things I've had no time for, but it's probably not happening.