Inspired by recent discussions, I think Hexbear has a lot of good information about socialism but I wonder if the relentless defense of AES on Hexbear means shooting ourselves in the foot, since many potential leftists have been thoroughly primed to react negatively to AES states?
We’re not getting our messages out when progressive instances have already pre-emptively blocked us and calling us “tankies”.
People are being turned away without even taking the opportunity to read some of the stuff here, because they already have a pre-conceived notion about Hexbear being filled with “crazy tankies who defend totalitarianism”.
I know there have been a lot of propaganda and fabrication being perpetuated about socialist countries, and it feels “right” to defend them against these false accusations, but I wonder if this is doing more harm than good for the present day nascent socialist movement, at least in the Western countries?
We can remain on the current course and feel indignant about the tankie accusations, but will forever remain as a niche “tankie” community.
Or, we can open ourselves up, by toning down the admiration for the socialist states so we are not being treated as hostile by the other instances, and thus opening up the opportunities to have productive interactions with users (and potential leftists) from other instances?
(I do have my own position, you probably know which one it is, but I’m willing to hear from others and reevaluate my own opinions if needed).
EDIT: Thanks to everyone who responded. All points are well taken. Thank you.
I mean I could send you a DM with a link to both comments and these gifs instead next time you show up to vague post in a way designed to push chauvinism informed by nothing more than a desire not to disturb the status quo or offend those who believe in it. You started out actually making arguments and responding to them. I didn't send you nipple rubbing gifs then.
OP asked a question and I outlined my answer. If you have questions about what that looks like in practice let them rip, but I was neither talking about you or to you.
I can only follow your train of thought about 70% of the time so I can't even begin to characterize your position, much less criticize it.
I don't have questions about what it looks like in practice, you're perfectly fine with articles that criticize Cuba and the DPRK through a state dept-approved lens as long as it's labelled "socialist".
I could give two shits what the state department thinks about a particular criticism. I care if it's a valid criticism of actual problems, and treated proportionately to how important it actually is.
You'd be honored to be among the vetted members of the US media class in order to get people like Grimes to read the Communist Manifesto.
This is one of those 30% times.
He's saying you espouse a neutered concept of socialism that doesn't present any danger to the current power structure. Thus, the current media apparatus would be happy to echo your harmless ideas
Right, which is why you hear them being echoed on MSNBC and CNN constantly.
Bernie Sanders style social-imperialism is already the mainstream for Zoomers. If u want that just go to reddit.
Yep, I see your dogshit ideas all the time among radlibs like AOC and NJR. Nobody minds them, they are harmless critters
Inability to understand Voight-thought is the 13th type of Liberalism