this post was submitted on 25 Jul 2025
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Lefty Memes

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An international (English speaking) socialist Lemmy community free of the "ML" influence of instances like lemmy.ml and lemmygrad. This is a place for undogmatic shitposting and memes from a progressive, anti-capitalist and truly anti-imperialist perspective, regardless of specific ideology.

Serious posts, news, and discussion go in c/Socialism.

If you are new to socialism, you can ask questions and find resources over on c/Socialism101.

Please don't forget to help keep this community clean by reporting rule violations, updooting good contributions and downdooting those of low-quality!

Rules

Version without spoilers

0. Only post socialist memes


That refers to funny image macros and means that generally videos and screenshots are not allowed. Exceptions include explicitly humorous and short videos, as well as (social media) screenshots depicting a funny situation, joke, or joke picture relating to socialist movements, theory, societal issues, or political opponents. Examples would be the classic case of humorous Tumblr or Twitter posts/threads. (and no, agitprop text does not count as a meme)


0.5 [Provisional Rule] Use alt text or image descriptions to allow greater accessibility


(Please take a look at our wiki page for the guidelines on how to actually write alternative text!)

We require alternative text (from now referred to as "alt text") to be added to all posts/comments containing media, such as images, animated GIFs, videos, audio files, and custom emojis.
EDIT: For files you share in the comments, a simple summary should be enough if they’re too complex.

We are committed to social equity and to reducing barriers of entry, including (digital) communication and culture. It takes each of us only a few moments to make a whole world of content (more) accessible to a bunch of folks.

When alt text is absent, a reminder will be issued. If you don't add the missing alt text within 48 hours, the post will be removed. No hard feelings.


1. Socialist Unity in the form of mutual respect and good faith interactions is enforced here


Try to keep an open mind, other schools of thought may offer points of view and analyses you haven't considered yet. Also: This is not a place for the Idealism vs. Materialism or rather Anarchism vs. Marxism debate(s), for that please visit c/AnarchismVsMarxism.


2. Anti-Imperialism means recognizing capitalist states like Russia and China as such


That means condemning (their) imperialism, even if it is of the "anti-USA" flavor.


3. No liberalism, (right-wing) revisionism or reactionaries.


That includes so called: Social Democracy, Democratic Socialism, Dengism, Market Socialism, Patriotic Socialism, National Bolshevism, Anarcho-Capitalism etc. . Anti-Socialist people and content have no place here, as well as the variety of "Marxist"-"Leninists" seen on lemmygrad and more specifically GenZedong (actual ML's are welcome as long as they agree to the rules and don't just copy paste/larp about stuff from a hundred years ago).


4. No Bigotry.


The only dangerous minority is the rich.


5. Don't demonize previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.


We must constructively learn from their mistakes, while acknowledging their achievements and recognizing when they have strayed away from socialist principles.

(if you are reading the rules to apply for modding this community, mention "Mantic Minotaur" when answering question 2)


6. Don't idolize/glorify previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.


Notable achievements in all spheres of society were made by various socialist/people's/democratic republics around the world. Mistakes, however, were made as well: bureaucratic castes of parasitic elites - as well as reactionary cults of personality - were established, many things were mismanaged and prejudice and bigotry sometimes replaced internationalism and progressiveness.



  1. Absolutely no posts or comments meant to relativize(/apologize for), advocate, promote or defend:

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[–] kwomp2@sh.itjust.works 20 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

This is the worst discourse strategy. Makes it incredibly easy to shrug of feminist arguments.

This is not radical or helpful as in changing discourse and help make the world a better place. It just helps to feel very radical. Those are two entirely different goals and the left is self marginalizing and generally loosing a lot because we mix them up too often.

Also you should not censor this critique, so please don't

[–] appropriateghost@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 day ago

it is either edgelord useful idiots who think saying edgy words make a fuck all of a difference or they want to let out steam because of patriarchy, or a prolonged and sustained psyop to completely discredit ferminism or to divide progressives/the left.

I think it's both.

[–] brot@feddit.org 7 points 1 day ago

I really agree with you. This kind of discourse we see here in the comments are really harmful for everybody. Men and Women might be sympathetic to feminist arguments and want to learn are pushed away by memes calling all men rapists or even dangerous murderers. Think how you would react if you stumbled into a really misogynistic online forum like some incel forum - you'll think "incels are bunch of idiots" and well, that is exactly what these memes here are doing for online feminism.

[–] Etterra@discuss.online 7 points 1 day ago

Dead men can't call ICE.

[–] codexarcanum@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 1 day ago

There's a graffiti on an abandoned building nearby, about 8 stories tall, that just says "STOP MEN."

Strangely, neither myself nor any of the men I regularly hang with have been offended by this or felt targeted. It's almost like random graffiti can't hurt you.

[–] jadedwench@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 2 days ago (8 children)

Is there even a remotely comfortable place for people to even talk about subjects like this without it devolving into "not all X" arguments and completely missing the point? I basically can't talk about any of my day to day experiences with sexism without fearing the majority of lemmy users. I shouldn't be fucking afraid dammit.

[–] EldenLord@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Gender war propaganda on my wholesome communism app???

Not with me!

[–] SweetCitrusBuzz@beehaw.org 10 points 2 days ago (5 children)

Amazing how either, so many people are missing the point, or pretending to so they can strawman the argument.

Literally all this graffiti says is that men who catcall can't do that any more if they're dead.

The point being, either stop catcalling on your own or people who have to experience that shit would love to stop you instead. It's not about all men, just the ones who catcall, so either you feel called out, you're missing the point or you're pretending to.

Which is it?

[–] AHemlocksLie@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Literally all this graffiti says is that men who catcall can't do that any more if they're dead.

I don't think that's quite right. Very close, but not it. It may be what was meant, but it's not what it's actually saying. It's saying dead men can't do bad things, which is like saying there are perks to men dying, it's kind of a good thing. There's someone who already responded to you who clearly favors that interpretation.

[–] SweetCitrusBuzz@beehaw.org 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There are only perks to any group or individuals dying because they keep doing harmful things, if they would stop then there would be no more perks to them dying.

Personally we do not want them dead, merely to stop living in a society where they both harm and are harmed.

Yes, we know, but we had already blocked one such person, so we had to log out to see, we are glad we did block them because we don't at all agree with actual misandry, or other bigotry.

[–] AHemlocksLie@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This still ignores the implication that men dying is a good thing. I understand that's not what YOU mean by it, but... That's what it says. That's the implication of the statement in a vacuum carried to its logical conclusion. That's how a non-negligible portion of people are going to interpret it.

It comes across as having an overall favorable outlook on men dying, and most people don't want to associate with someone who views their death as a net positive.

[–] SweetCitrusBuzz@beehaw.org 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Well, we think they should think about it more then, we know critical thinking is not taught much in schools, but it might help with such tasks. It also might help them think about the things they could do in order to avoid having this kind of thing said in the first place, we hope.

[–] AHemlocksLie@lemmy.zip 2 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

From the way you've spoken so far, it seems to me there's still some misunderstanding or miscommunication.

The more optimistic take is that we use the word "men" differently. You use it to mean "problematic men" where I use it to just mean "men". You don't mean all men, but you don't communicate that effectively. If you're the type to roll your eyes when someone complains that "not all men", those sorts of people are ALWAYS hypocrites because I guarantee they won't want the same nuanced understanding if someone said "dead women can't " or if something similar was said about a minority instead of women. Only when it's about men is this level of nuance and subtle understanding required. Be more specific and don't shit on the people you don't intend to shit on. Don't expect them to know your intent when it doesn't align with your actual words.

The pessimistic take is that you think it's true to some extent of all men, so all men deserve it to some extent. It's similar to the male incel who thinks all women are gold digging bitches and whores, but once again, the people who think it's true of all men would be absolutely appalled to hear a man say something is universally problematic about women. It's sexist, it's untrue, and it alienates people who want to help.

[–] SweetCitrusBuzz@beehaw.org 1 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

I don't think it's a an inherent trait or anything. Just that men can be problematic in two ways either they do or say or they don't stand up to refute/challenge when other men do or say . If they aren't either of those then that's good then.

I'm not interested in talking about other groups at the moment as this is only about men, please stay on the subject, if you intended to compare or contrast that isn't helpful and is just a distraction.

Ultimately what I want is for men to work on themselves and each other without either blaming other groups of people, or requiring other groups to sort out their problems for them, and for them to stop harming others. Yes I don't think that this should stop other groups or individuals from those groups caring or helping if they want to but it shouldn't be an expectation.

Hope this clears that up.

[–] appropriateghost@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

or, you know, men who don't cat call and consider themselves feminists and allies? This is not hard.

[–] SweetCitrusBuzz@beehaw.org 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

allies are always decided by the opressed group, not the person themselves, otherwise they can make it too much a part of their ego and start arguing with individuals or part of the opressed group when called out or in for harmful shit they are doing because they are "an ally" so how could they possibly getting it wrong!?

[–] appropriateghost@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I 100% agree with this, but the burden should not be placed on the oppressed. Men must dismantle patriarchy too. They don't get to sit around and do jack shit.

Obviously you don't want the privileged to steal the cause and speak for the oppressed and marginalized, and this has always been an issue. But it's not because of 'men' but because of capitalism and patriarchy that declaws any effective challenge to oppression. There are similar examples to this like green washing and the environmentalist movement.

[–] SweetCitrusBuzz@beehaw.org 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

But it is men, what you're saying is the equivalent of passive voice when employers say that someone lost their jobs, it ignores that men do do this and tries to blame a system, which yes, is to blame but the individual men also have to take responsibility for themselves and other men too.

[–] appropriateghost@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

yes i definitely agree with your point here, systems don't just live in the abstract, but are carried out by people who carry on fucked up prejudices, and all that.

[–] SweetCitrusBuzz@beehaw.org 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Thanks for discussing things in good faith, a rare occurrence, we have not often encountered here. We really appreciate it!

[–] appropriateghost@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago

Absolutely, kind internet stranger - I don't want it any other way, I also appreciate your kind comments to me and willing to engage with my viewpoint, however imperfect they can be (no one is perfect, except for cats, of course).

I try my best to signal my intentions, and that any disagreements or points I make are in good faith and it is in the struggle against all forms of oppression, like sexism, ableism, racism, classism, and all sorts of hierarchies we experience in the workplace, public or private spaces, etc. that are well known, or also not well known, unwritten and novel.

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[–] _cryptagion@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 days ago

Glad to see all the comments here are perfectly normal.

[–] astropenguin5@lemmy.world 28 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

Is this a kill all men thing or like

A threat saying to fight back against catcallers

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[–] naevaTheRat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The joke: Hey if you kill men that catcall they stop.

The comments: How dare you.

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[–] dukatos@lemmy.zip -3 points 1 day ago

What to do if there is a man bleeding on your lawn?

Reload and shoot him again.

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