this post was submitted on 17 Dec 2025
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Lefty Memes

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An international (English speaking) socialist Lemmy community free of "ML" (read: Dengist) influence. 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, discussion and agitprop/stuff that's better fit for a poster than a meme 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. Please post agitprop here)


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" (read: Dengists) (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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[–] Mk23simp@lemmy.blahaj.zone 64 points 3 weeks ago (7 children)

Just say ruling class or owner class. It's easier for you to spell and easier for the average reader to understand (and accept, if they've been subjected to anti-communist propaganda).

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 25 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

"Corpos".

Or, to use William Gibson's more current vernacular:

"Klepts".

EDIT:

[–] Eldritch@piefed.world 19 points 3 weeks ago

Yep. The main reason to use bourgeoisie would be to seem smart or in discussion about materials that use it or you're French. Outside that, common native language translations are always more effective.

[–] cassandrafatigue@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

'Filthy parasites' also works.

[–] Wrufieotnak@feddit.org 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Careful there, might attract more extremist xenophobes there, same vocabulary and all...

Which is why I prefer rich assholes, billionaire idiots or people who rather prefer to destroy earth then share it.

I'm okay with making them suffer that cognitive dissonance.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 3 weeks ago

"Corpo Scum."

[–] Quill7513@slrpnk.net 2 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)
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[–] Schmoo@slrpnk.net 3 points 3 weeks ago

We gotta bring back the term "robber barons."

[–] Socialism_Everyday@reddthat.com 2 points 3 weeks ago

Or "capitalist owners" more precisely.

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[–] oculi@anarchist.nexus 33 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] brax@sh.itjust.works 14 points 3 weeks ago
[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 28 points 3 weeks ago

It's pretty bougie to know how to spell bourgeoisie, ngl.

[–] overkrill@lemmy.dbzer0.com 25 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

::: alt text because i dont know how to add that in a comment


(grimace sits in a deck chair on a boat in the frankly nightmarish klasky csupo ronald mcdonald adventures cartoon in which the mcdonaldland residents become kinky pirates, that itself aired in a tv show that viciously ripped off its entire concept and format from Peewee's Playhouse during the time in which Paul Reubens himself was being ostracized from public life for being a gay man. they even got mark mothersbaugh, who did the music both for Rugrats and the playhouse itself, to write the score. (satire becomes reality, spud boy?) anyway i edited the screenshot so grimace is confidently saying "burgwer Z" while captain ronald mcjack fucking sparrow and his talking dog who looks and sounds like The Gromble from aaahh real monsters look on in horror.) :::

[–] lena@gregtech.eu 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

You can embed alt text in an image by putting it inside the square brackets, like this:

![alt text goes here] (https://example.com/image.jpg)
[–] overkrill@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 weeks ago

👍thanks screenshotting

[–] Skullgrid@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Americans pronouncing crossaint (kho-sant) : kwa-son!
Americans pronouncing bourgeoisie (bor djwa zee) : burgerzee

[–] guken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

B-our-geo-is-ie.... I spell it out as if it's a phrase. A nonsensical, incomprehensible phrase but it works 🤷🏾‍♂️

[–] tlmcleod@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

This is how I learned to remember to spell "together" as a small child. To-get-her. Shit works lol

[–] snoons@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 weeks ago

Together? I hardly know her.

[–] Grandwolf319@sh.itjust.works 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Haves and not haves

Workers vs owners

Trust fund babies

Billionaires

Wealth hoarders

Today’s language actually has lots of options

[–] Quill7513@slrpnk.net 4 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)
  • dragons
  • fuckheads
  • shitheels
  • oligarchs
  • problems
[–] j5906@feddit.org 2 points 3 weeks ago

Guillotine lubricant

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[–] Sanctus@anarchist.nexus 10 points 3 weeks ago
[–] snoons@lemmy.ca 8 points 3 weeks ago

Bureau of Bourgeoisie Boulangeries

[–] floquant@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 3 weeks ago

The burgeroise

[–] thorhop@sopuli.xyz 7 points 3 weeks ago

The borgys...

Don't at me, you know I'm right. We need to defrenchify to reenrichify the Inglish languadj... goddang it.

[–] lodart@piefed.social 6 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

In France, we litteraly learn to spell it in first grade. We still have the bourgeoisie though...

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[–] HasturInYellow@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] overkrill@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
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[–] blimthepixie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 3 weeks ago

Is this where 'bougie' came from?

Because most people can't spell the OG version?

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I just go for the term of my forefathers "rich profligate sonsovbitches" I may talk like a hick but I am learned, though I also refuse to speak French if I can help it, whole damned language feels like Latin with a concussion and several problems.

[–] otacon239@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago

I have automated my spelling of bourgeoisie, as the immortal science of Marxism says we must. And totally not because I'm lazy.

[–] Microtonal_Banana@lemmy.zip 4 points 3 weeks ago

Bougwahnanana

[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

This is why “bougie” exists.

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[–] slothrop@lemmy.ca 4 points 3 weeks ago

boorish, was he?

[–] Skullgrid@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

me speaking : colleague
me writing: co-worker

[–] Ethalis@jlai.lu 3 points 3 weeks ago

The cheat code for this is being a native french speaker. Can't pronounce "squirrel" though, si it's not a perfect solution

[–] verdi@feddit.org 3 points 3 weeks ago

*Usanian pseudo-leftists

FTFY

[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 weeks ago

Cake aficionados.

[–] lvxferre@mander.xyz 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I still try to use it, but most of the time because I'm mind translating burguesia/borghesia into English. Then I see some red line below the word, and immediately regret it, as my French is simply too rusty to even remember how to pronounce it.

[–] SuiXi3D@fedia.io 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
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[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 2 points 3 weeks ago

Easy!Lord Farquaad

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago
[–] gustofwind@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago
[–] Droechai@piefed.blahaj.zone 2 points 3 weeks ago

Its easy: Burgös, literally translated " cage pike-perch"

[–] neidu3@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

"Hey, Uwe, how the shwarzschwanz to you spell 'boodgy'?!"

-- Karl Marx, probably

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