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what is leftism anyway?
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this post was submitted on 11 Nov 2023
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chapotraphouse
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I think that's too low a bar to set. Criticizing capitalism is perfectly compatible with liberalism, it even helps support liberalism as a release valve for certain kinds of liberals.
I think to be considered properly left you have to go further and embrace a positive alternative to capitalism (and imperialism).
I guess it depends on whether you think being anti-capitalist includes half-measured whinging about it, Walter.
criticism isn't the same as outright rejection, but i can see how the definition has room for ambiguity
But rejection without embracing an alternative isn't really anything, you're not a leftist you're nothing, a nihilist or w/e. There are a ton of educated liberals who would identify as anti-capitalists but don't actually believe in or fight for socialism. When pressed they'll say something like "no system works" or "it's all corrupt", the only thing we have to turn to is despair, etc.
This is what "anti-capitalism" looks like in the imperial core, it's a disengaged philosophical position that puts the subject above all these cringe ideologies.
This why I prefer using "socialist" instead of "leftist". It filters out shitlibs and cowards
The only reason I sometimes don't use the word socialist is that I worry it excludes my ancom comrades.
The only anarchists that would shy away from standing under the banner of socialism aren't allies in the liberation of the human race.
This includes the ultras that compose the fringe threads of the post-left, ancaps and any other "anarcho"-reactionaries dipshits spin up in their heads to try and shape the material world into
I've known cool Marxist ancoms that don't use the label socialist because they think it's misleading. Not gonna dismiss them, they're cool and work well with others. Much cooler than some other irl folks that call themselves socialist.
There are people that will drape themselves under the mantle of socialism but are complete shitlibs or dirtbags and there are people that knowingly or unknowingly do good socialist work but reject the label.
As far as I'm concerned the latter are allies under the banner of socialism whereas the former should get a swift introduction to the exit door
Fair enough. My thinking is also in the interests of left unity on this site, which is roughly from typical commies to ancoms.
I call myself a communist because that describes me. It's not excluding people to not describe yourself as something you aren't.
I don't mean what I simply call myself. I mean if I'm referring to the group of people that are my comrades (including me). If I say, "we are socialists" I don't want my cool ancom friends to think I'm excluding them or being sectarian.
Basically, I agree that the term, "leftist" is easily abused and not that useful, but I also have reason to not use communist or socialist as a replacement because I still want something a little bit more inclusive. I don't actually have any good substitute, I tend to just describe what tendencies I know are represented.
I'm in ancom country, I'm the ML outlier and they use the term talkie unironically, I'm already doing left unity by working with them and I'm more likely to point out the difference at this point.
Haha I know the feeling though I'm often around trots and Socdems (I do get commie reprieves though). Also a good number of ancoms that are 95% of the way to ML.
I agree with your sentiment. Any wiggle room allows for progressive politicians like
being held up as the alternative by the owners of capital during a crisis to prevent an actual alternative to the oppressive system from gaining any traction. It's really crazy when you think about it, how reformist capitalists like her keep trying the same failed solutions the original Progressives did a century ago with the same results. People who argue breaking up monopolies as a panacea really irk me cause it is has been show to be sisyphean in practice.