This has been a topic on my mind a lot recently, but I've been afraid of asking it here since I thought I would be being accused of/banned for being sectarian. While I am more on the ML side of things, I really have no qualms or issues with Anarchists and mostly consider our political differences insignificant in the face of global capitalism as it is now. In my eyes, we're a long way off from the reality of needing to debate how a new society will be structured/governed, so, at the end of the day, whether someone is anarchist or ML is not really a major issue to me. As long as they're against the current status quo and understand the need from change, they're cool by me.

Maybe I'm wrong, but that feels like the prevailing belief, in so many words, I've seen other MLs express as well. However, it feels like the majority of sectarianism I've seen pop up is always Anarchist accusing MLs and communists of being as bad as fascists, or supporting genocide, or being evil, etc. I feel I never see it the other way around. At the most, MLs just tease and rib anarchists, but don't view them as evil or reactionary, as some Anarchists see to view MLs. I'm basing this off of things I've seen/experienced online, and from IRL friends who consider themselves anarchists, but who've recently started espousing anti-communist talking points (ie: using the word tankie, saying communist dictators are/were as bad as fascists, etc.)

So why does it seem to come to this most of the time: Anarchists more often being unwilling to work with MLs and accusing them of being fascists, and not the other way around? Is this just a flawed perception on my part? A bias or point of propaganda I've had seep in and need to try and overcome? Is it a valid observation? If so, why does it play out like this?

I'm really sorry if this is still considered sectarian. I really just wanted to express these feelings/observations and seek input/correction from others on them, rather than bottle them up and potentially form prejudices. As mentioned, I personally don't have issues with others having different beliefs among the left, as long as they're fighting capitalism and imperialism, and being supportive of their fellow, diverse comrades.

EDIT: I just wanted to thank everyone who's commented for their thoughtful responses. You've given me a lot to think about, both in challenges to my bias observations/experiences, and in explanations more clearly articulated and knowledgeable than what I understood. Thanks for understanding my intent and keeping it civil.

  • LangdonAlger [any]
    ·
    3 years ago

    I think for the terminally online, calling yourself an anarchist is a way to be a leftist without doing the legwork and lifting of reading and understanding theory, but knowing that the system is fucked up. And MLs can come off as exclusionary know it alls because they can't go thirty seconds without mentioning Lenin. Unfortunately, the baby leftist with an attitude is susceptible to lib shit masquerading as radical

    • ButtBidet [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      because they can’t go thirty seconds without mentioning Lenin

      Can you please not start attacking me in this thread.

      • ChairmanAtreides [he/him]
        ·
        3 years ago

        you know Lenin was constantly attacking his contemporaries in the (actually meaningful and informative) posting wars of the 20th century

        • ButtBidet [he/him]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Lol. I know, right? I've read much of those critical works of Lenin books, and like 1/3 is just him arguing with some socialist I've never heard of. I almost wish someone could update Lenin for 2021. CTRL-F "Kautsky", CTRL-V "Zizek".

    • LangdonAlger [any]
      ·
      3 years ago

      also, it's easy to be an anarchist. you just say you are one and then bam you're anarchy. to be an ML you have to read (or claim to read) both M and L

      • Grownbravy [they/them]
        ·
        3 years ago

        meanwhile i remember people yelling at each other to "read the bread book"

        • NeverGoOutside [any]
          ·
          3 years ago

          i read it at 15. still an anarchist/communist. it's good folks.

        • Biggay [he/him, comrade/them]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Non-commital Communist here, but the bread book is great because its basically just a big encyclopedia of questions and answers of how to do full communism, why it is possible, and why it is just, but it never really tackles the sheer power of the forces and violence that a "modern" state like America or other bourgeois industrialized nations can bring against a revolution. I read it twice and the idea of government is shockingly out of place for the cultural momentum of most countries today and theres some but not enough materialism.

      • nat_turner_overdrive [he/him]
        ·
        3 years ago

        There's no membership cards being issued, you can claim to be an ML because you saw some memes just the same as you can claim to be an anarchist.

      • GalaxyBrain [they/them]
        ·
        3 years ago

        This is a real post. No the domestic terrorist ecofascist isn't sound theory. This Zerzan guy also seems like an unhinged return to monke weirdo. This ain't it chief.

          • GalaxyBrain [they/them]
            ·
            3 years ago

            You also said that reading them and Kropotkin will give you a more materialist worldview than reading ML writers. That's fucking ridiculous. Kropotkin never had any revolutionary theory and filling the gaps with eco fascists isn't gonna do much for you. Primitivism is dumb and literally the one ideology of 'but you have iPhone's actually applies. No one is stopping you from dying in the woods.