this post was submitted on 31 Aug 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.


0.5.1 Style tip about abbreviations and short forms


When writing stuff like "lol" and "iirc", it's a good idea to try and replace those with their all caps counterpart

  • ofc => OFC
  • af = AF
  • ok => OK
  • lol => LOL
  • bc => BC
  • bs => BS
  • iirc => IIRC
  • cia => CIA
  • nato => Nato (you don't spell it when talking, right?)
  • usa => USA
  • prc => PRC
  • etc.

Why? Because otherwise (AFAIK), screen readers will try to read them out as actually words instead of spelling them


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 irrationally 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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[–] RedSnt@feddit.dk 17 points 21 hours ago

I probably don't need to say it here, but starting by boycotting anything even remotely copoganda is a good place to begin.

[–] zbyte64@awful.systems 23 points 1 day ago

Was watching Lindsey Ellis's latest video essay where she was comparing conservative children media to those that teach social emotional intelligence. It struck me that much of media is socializing kids to have a officer in their head to be disappointed if they act in a way authority disapproves of. My kid loves power rangers but I get the same vibe, lots of shame based morality without validating what people are feeling.

[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 26 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Out of touch lefty here: what does this mean?

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 11 points 19 hours ago (3 children)

it's actually from politicial activst and theater artist Augusto Boal's writings. He pioneered a form of political theatre called Theatre of the Oppressed to workshop ideas for oppressed people to take power back from their oppressors. You get actors to role play a scenario and then the audience makes suggestions, or even tags in to take the actors place with what they would do in the scenario, and the role play becomes a debate, too, with people being given turns to describe their solution.

He claimed that many people were policed by the cop in the head, that would inhibit people from feeling free and able to do what they want even when on their own

[–] lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com 1 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

How do we know your interpretation is correct?

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 hours ago

it's a leftist community, it was the name of a well known essay of his, and it's a fairly unique phrase. Where else would it be from?

[–] pyre@lemmy.world 2 points 9 hours ago

ask the art critic in your head

[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 2 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

oh, that is super interesting, thank you! I'll have to dig up more info about this, sounds like an interesting (if potentially very tedious, depending on the audience) process

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 1 points 17 hours ago

Cardboard Citizens (unhoused peoples charity) in London does a lot of his work if you're looking for some accessible stuff. There's a few books about his work too.

My guess is that it's about how many of us are complicit in our horrific criminal justice system. Casual things, like people laughing at the suggestion of prison rape being retribution rather than recoiling in horror at the suggestion.

There was a homeless guy sleeping in the parking area of my apartments and everyone I mentioned it to suggested that I call the cops. I went and asked the guy if he was alright. We said a total of like 10 words but he was just some 30ish year old dude looking for a little temporary shelter. Do you really need to call the cops to fuck his shit up even more?

[–] _stranger_@lemmy.world 44 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Think Les Miserables. 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread.

Some people would start arguing that it was only supposed to be 5 years and all his escape attempts are what stretched it to 19 years.

Those people have cops in their heads.

I'm using this example because reading that book as a teen killed the cop in my head.

[–] thoughtfuldragon@lemmy.blahaj.zone 16 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Why is the cop in my head so dummy thicc?

[–] outhouseperilous@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

Because they used to be a stripper.

Everyone in your head used to be a stripper. Exceot the strippers. They used to be mathmeticians and prep chefs.

[–] CarbonIceDragon@pawb.social 7 points 1 day ago

Maybe there were also a whole bunch of donuts in there.

Everyone in my head is thicc AF.

[–] ValarieLenin@midwest.social 16 points 1 day ago

Anti racism takes practice! And practice is praxis!

[–] Flatworm7591@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 1 day ago (2 children)
[–] TherapyGary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

((pps. i stole it from the internet))

[–] Flatworm7591@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Are you one-upping me? Haha

[–] TherapyGary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Just didn't want folks to think I drew it :p I tried to find the original artist but also didn't want to try very hard

You'll fit right in here, on the internet!

[–] doingthestuff@lemy.lol 2 points 1 day ago

I used to love Body Count and Faith No More. Ice T sold out though, who knows how much he understood. He was shilling pro-police and gun control narratives for billionaires through much of his acting career. They can't stand that the working class is still armed.

[–] Cris_Color@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago

I heard this expression for the first time recently from a friend who was grappling with wanting restorative justice vs punative justice. Really lovely saying.

[–] RBWells@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago

Free your mind, and your ass will follow!

[–] kruhmaster@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 day ago