Fidel's Toothbrush

Noticed this too. A damn shame as he really seemed to defy the usual white left and be an ML. Netherlands just can’t do anything right, unless it means voting for the right

No idle hands at the CIA

It’s a neoliberal hellhole with plenty of cryptofascists and racists who feel way too comfortable spreading their hate and stupidity.

They still call the Palestinian genocide the “War between Hamas and Israel”. Tells you enough, especially considering the soon to be former prime minister will likely be the next NATO chairman.

Hilariously the country has always seen itself as a place of tolerance, but that’s as much of a lie as the American Dream spiel. It’s a racist hateful ignorant majority that shift the superstructure noticeably to the right every year, and protests are brutally suppressed. So much for the free west.

If the people you talk to reject Das Kapital, they are no Marxists, and not worth your time. Focus on connecting with other Marxists. Left unity is a fantasy: Marxist unity is very doable, and essential to building socialism. Those who reject materialism will have no revolutionary clout and only hinder the unity you seek.

Well that’s funny. I just got back and it felt a hell of a lot safer than the US ever did. Hmm

The European Union. I used to think it was a somewhat flawed but reformable stepping stone to a more just and strong European (liberal) democracy. After becoming a Marxist it seems obvious now it is a neoliberal power structure with some pro’s for the common people (Schengen Area), but so many more ways for the ruling class to get their way (that same Schengen Area facilitating cheap labor and trade).

While a socialist pan-European organization would be amazing, it is laughable to think the EU is just slightly flawed or even reformable into this. Like parliamentary politics itself, the EU has some limited uses as a platform to us socialists and anti imperialists (Clare Daly, Mick Wallace), but limited they truly are due to its inherent neoliberal nature. State and Revolution was a great book that really put me into the ML view on Marxism, and taught me that existing power structures like the EU can not be reformed to serve the working class.

Pretty good, but wanted to say I really appreciate this place and your work here. Just casually talking here is a breath of fresh air, so thank you.

You are not alone. I used to frequent the subreddit as well, and everything about China for example was removed or heavily censored against. It is most definitely a more demsoc or socdem community now, with some very reactionary views when it comes to AES and international solidarity.

I noticed more backlash and bolder stances from a handful of other regular ML’s, but it seems like it won’t matter much as we are a minority among the usual western ultra’s and socdems.

All in all you’re not alone, and I hope this message is at least some comfort. Things are tough, but don’t despair.

Similar situation here. For me instead of a 9-5 keeping me busy, it’s my state of health being a constant obstacle in daily life. Most organizations have no set way for new members to get familiar, making it even harder for me to find my bearings. Let alone physically ever attending meetings etc.

Online I tried to get in touch to help with leftist media, but I was politely rejected after being upfront about my physical limitations.

Praxis for me now is just talking to friends who are left leaning, and continuing to educate myself. I just have little energy to do anything else, and it is frustrating.

Others already mentioned most of the same thoughts I had (accurate for the time, Spanish Civil War) but it was annoying to see the “nuclear bombing of Japan saved lives” thing perpetuated. Not a word of the Soviet front in Manchuria. Was to be expected of a Hollywood movie, but still disappointing.

Silver lining was that the movie through Oppenheimer shows the realization of what absolute horrors the bombings were, and by extent the horror of nuclear war.

I know it’s about the concept, but just to spite Nature:

Time is wasted on the Dutch “socialist” subreddit anyway. Ultra and leftcom moderators regularly remove articles about Holodomor and China there. They are not very fond of ML’s

Not being on Reddit but still being in the company of you comrades is a breath of fresh air. Good to be here