So, since coming here, I've been accosted left and right by ML's calling me a Lib for not being a ML. Essentially that's what it's come down to.

My personal philosophy aligns with Bakunin, Kropotkin, and Bookchin. I consider myself an Anarcho-Communist or Communalist, depending on the situation, I suppose.

I firmly oppose fascism and authoritarianism. I believe in direct democracy and the inherent goodness of humanity.

I really thought that I had found a place where leftist thought was going to be welcomed, but so far I have not found it here. All I've found are hateful people who want me to leave.

Like I said elsewhere, it's almost as if they don't want new people to join their cause. Like they're actively pushing people away who could have the potential to learn, and who have explicitly come here to learn and to engage in good faith.

I just don't get it. I feel like our cause will never come to fruition because of these types of attitudes.

  • Catherine_Steward [she/her]
    ·
    3 years ago

    Hi, I was one of the ones calling you out for being a liberal when you were going off about china or the USSR or whatever a while back. I'm an anarchist. I said it then and I'll say it here too: You're not an anarchist, you're a liberal. Anarchists don't carry water for the CIA. I hope you will become an anarchist through reading and learning.

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

      I don't "carry water for the CIA". That's hilarious. I do, however, analyze all the propaganda that I can find, from all sides, and make my own determinations.

      • Catherine_Steward [she/her]
        ·
        3 years ago

        Your determinations, then, are very bad and just so happen to align perfectly with the CIA line.

        • Dirtbag [they/them]
          ·
          3 years ago

          To be fair, that's not unusual if you haven't unpacked imperialism as much yet. OP doesn't seem like a troll, so I'm pretty game for talking things over with them as long as they stay chill.

          • Catherine_Steward [she/her]
            ·
            3 years ago

            Yeah, the problem is they only became "chill" when they realized that absolutely no one was taking their side when they came in shitting all over the place with "tankie" this and "red fash" that. It's a miracle they weren't permabanned ages ago, because people have eaten permabans for far, far less.

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

            You're probably not a CIA plant, but challenging your own foundational thoughts on both current or historical enemies of the US can be helpful in someone's growth.

            There's so much propoganda that Americans/westerners consume without even realizing it can shape criticisms of AES.

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

                I'm honestly not very far into that article and it's just not very good to me. I hate using the phrase "strawman" but that's exactly what it does multiple times within the first few paragraphs. There's no way I'll make it the entire 17 minute read, so I'll just respond to the general premise.

                The defense of AES states is so that they can hold on as capitalism crumbles in hopes something better comes afterwards instead of something worse. There's no global communism button which we just have to find and press so I'm going to support movements that support workers around the world.

                I have some leftist criticisms of AES states, but as an Amerikkkan it's more important for me to look to build socialism/communism/anarchism (whichever route we take) at home and defend those looking to build theirs abroad.

                Because non-leftist criticisms or apathy of AES around the world plays into the hands of the capitalist order. Which is why you'll find people calling you a :fedposting: or CIA or whatever. Because unless those critiques come from the left which the article doesn't because:

                First, this attitude is one that courts stagnation over revolutionary change

                Revolutions happen to create these states.

                Furthermore, the doctrine of defending that “socialism which actually exists” over building new socialist societies has, in practice, always amounted to a doctrine of defending revisionist and pseudo-socialist capitalist systems instead of supporting the cause of genuine socialism.

                Is the application the there's a single global blueprint forward (like a communism button) and there's just absolutely not going to be.

                So that's why truthfully we should offer critical support for socialist countries as they exist, because otherwise our from the right criticisms are just carrying water for the CIA.

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

                  we should offer critical support for socialist countries as they exist, because otherwise our from the right criticisms are just carrying water for the CIA.

                  I hear you on that. But the issue that I seem to have is that there doesn't seem to be any "critical" support. It's just full-on boner support.

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

                    You're probably looking on meme pages then (at least around here), because even around here in serious threads or news stories you will get criticism from the left of AES groups.

      • please_dont [he/him]
        ·
        3 years ago

        I do, however, analyze all the propaganda that I can find, from all sides, and make my own determinations.

        And your levelheaded analysis led you to the conclusion that you had to make bait China posts and yell red fascist in the comments?