I'm seeing some dumb-ass takes about how "online isn't real" and how it's "a drop in the bucket." But seriously, how did you all become aware of leftist ideas? How does anyone in nations such as the US become politically literate? How many of you were former atheist edgelords or shitposters on reddit?

Seriously, online does matter. It wasn't Fox News that created the alt-right Charlottesville rally. It was the fucking Sargon/skeptic/manosphere pipeline, which was primarily a youtube phenomenon. Or how about the comrades that listened to Chapo, and were inspired to travel to Iowa to help Bernie win the Iowa caucus? For Christ's sake just look at how much of an influence Facebook has had on the CHUDs. To ignore that we live in a neoliberal hellscape where the vast majority of us only find some kind of solace or connection in the online world is to ironically ignore material conditions. Something can be "not real" but still have a HUGE affect on the "real world" (e.g. money, gender). Have the recent voices of trans comrades and POC comrades about their issues here not taught anyone anything? Doesn't take a genius to see this.

For those that scream "rEaD tHeOry" take a step back and think, what the hell were many those "classic Marxist texts?" A lot of them were political pamplets or, as others have pointed out before, literally debate-bro replies to others. How is that any different than online shit now? Honestly, if Marx et. al were alive today, wouldn't they use podcasts, tweets, and youtube vids to spread their messages?

TL;DR: online does matter. Seriously, how did any of you become politically aware, be honest.

    • ScreamoCMO [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      Capitals motivate irl action with the Internet every day. Changes in genuinely help beliefs lead to changes in actions. That’s why it’s important to not make socialist thought performative. Because then you’re incentivizing pretending to hold beliefs

      • queenjamie [none/use name]
        ·
        4 years ago

        Capitals motivate irl action with the Internet every day.

        Yeah for real. And leftists constantly critique capitalists when they do this. And ironically where do they post their critiques? Online of course.

        • ScreamoCMO [he/him]
          ·
          4 years ago

          I can’t tell how many levels of “you criticize capitalism, yet you participate in it” this is on

          Edit: Not trying to be a dick I’m genuinely not sure what point you’re trying to make

            • ScreamoCMO [he/him]
              ·
              4 years ago

              Oh okay then yeah. I was commenting on the original thread this one was a response to and got them confused

              • queenjamie [none/use name]
                ·
                4 years ago

                I mean I replied to someone else in this post that said that online didn't matter, but that same person had previously commented how important Jimmy Dore's platform was. So in that sense there is some hypocrisy there.

    • Grownbravy [they/them]
      ·
      4 years ago

      Well no, i think the internet has been sold to us as the ultimate discussion forum, information superhighway.

      but it over sells what is possible on these platforms, and we need periodic reminder.

      You can yell at stupid takes all you want, but eventually you have to tackle your racist uncle at the family meetup, and we have to remember inaction is a privilege in even the smallest conflict.