#read theory

[badempanadaofpatmos]

It's not a true socialist utopia until americans are hunted for sport

[trashdiscourse]

People on here keep recommending "theory" to me and then I read that "theory" and it's just straight up reactionary thinking, and in some cases, literally twitter beef. I'm sorry to say it, but I think theory is over. I think we need to focus on praxis for a while. Maybe forever.

[dinasaur1312]

I don't know who needs to hear this but, we should actually read theory. I don't really care which bad experiences you have with annoying marxists saying "read theory", they might be crass about it but they're also right. Experience is important yes, but you actually need a theoretical framework to analyse these experiences; understand them in the context of class society and revolutionary struggle. Experience just happens, understanding these experiences requires effort and analysis. That's why trans people can still be transphobic or why poor people can be conservative.

"Read theory" is not in itself ableist. If you struggle to read through conventional means then audio books are always an option, or to engage with it verbally with others. You're not helping anyone by belittling theory and framing reading it as some frivilous hobby of academics. There's no revolutionary praxis without revolutionary theory. Other people thought about how to change the world before you did, study those people and add to it.

[lonelytartcake]

I fear the "Trumpette" Choir underestimates how much the capitalist class despise labor rights and unions, and just full on hates workers to a deplorable degree, that they, (and by they I mean BIG BUISNESSES Because there's no way a mom and pop shop will be able to afford your wage without completely underpaying you if they havent lost their business yet) , would rather continue going about the cheaper option, outsource manufacturing, pay the tariffs, and hope and pray, and pray and hope, and manifest, and reality hop, and sage and pray and hope to GAAAAWWWWD that brand loyalty will be enough for you all to forgive the 40 dollar can of folgers coffee. No "bringing back jobs" required.

And time and time again, they've been proven right, because so long as your very vague idea of "the left" is still mad about your inability to self-reflect. Why not?

I am at peace understanding and still learning about the full inner machinations of capitalism and it's contradictions. 😊

[thishumblehobbyist]

Yes women can be misogynistic.

Men presenting feminine or behaving in a “feminine manner” can experience misogyny.

Not all men actively prop up patriarchy.

Some women do encourage and support patriarchy with their actions.

No a man being mean to you or disagreeing isn’t always misogyny.

No a woman saying she is married isn’t a “gender traitor”

No that homeless man you made a TikTok of isn’t part of the patriarchy he is a homeless man with less social capital than you.

Stop being stupid and ffs go take a women’s study class or read a proper book on feminism instead of tumblr threads and twitter posts.

[unitedfrontvarietyhour]

"If there is to be any proving of our humanity it must be through revolutionary means." - Walter Rodney, The Groundings with my Brothers (1969)

[boof-chamber]

what does this tell you? what *should* it be telling you?

we’ve been sitting here doing this same shit on Facebook and twitter and everywhere else - what does it tell you when you see that Democrats are doing basically the same thing to “oppose” fascism?

do Democrats actually oppose fascism? we know that they don’t, right? and we know that any “resistance��� on their part will always be toothless and performative - always very careful not to challenge the status quo in any meaningful way.

what else does this tell you?

we are on our own. help is not on the way. there is not going to be any angel swooping down to rescue us.

if we continue expecting the government to save us, people will continue to die. people whose lives could be saved if we start taking responsibility for keeping one another alive.

it’s up to us. we are all we’ve got.

“Settle your quarrels, come together, understand the reality of our situation, understand that fascism is already here, that people are already dying who could be saved, that generations more will live poor butchered half-lives if you fail to act. Do what must be done, discover your humanity and your love in revolution.”

[leadergorilla]

America's anti communist efforts managed to capture their internal leftist movements in a bubble that they willingly remain in because they see their pro western conditioned views as "real leftism" while going outside of the bubble is "tankie". Never developing into a real threat to american power internally. It's so effective that it's a narrative control that is self operating, creating it's own reactionary response to anything that coincides with what american empire is also against. The anarchist in the USA would sooner burn the work of lenin than allow a liberal to read it all while congratulating themselves for disposing fascist literature. Perfectly docile.

I really don't know how to go about fixing this mindset of no nuance, no modern analysis of our material surroundings, just fear mongering about events from a century ago and how it is destined to happen again no matter what.

[squidswithguns]

The theory "debate"

I'm gonna say the "controversial" thing that actually isn't controversial. If you claim a leftist ideology, be it anarchism, socialism, syndicalism, etc. but you're not regularly engaging with theory and practicing self criticism; the most basic and simple things you can do as a leftist. You're not a leftist. you're hopping on a bandwagon.

Theory today is more available and accessible than ever before. there is literally no excuse other than your own unwillingness to engage with the fundamental principles of the ideology you claim. engaging with theory is no longer struggling to decipher dense historic tomes alone. the are innumerable resources out there that help explain these complex topics.

Online libraries like The Anarchist Library (https://theanarchistlibrary.org/special/index) or the Marxist Internet Archive (https://www.marxists.org/) have countless texts freely and readily available for use. Educators like MarxismToday who have whole series breaking down the individual elements of marxist thought in easy to digest videos (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZXaZHe901w&)list=PL0J754r0IteXABJntjBg1YuNsn6jItWXQ&index=9&pp=iAQB)

The successful revolutions of Cuba, Vietnam, China, were led not by great men alone, but by an engaged and revolutionary proletariat, in many cases individuals who were illiterate, uneducated, chained to a system of servitude. If you in the 21st century with all these resources available cant do the littlest leg work, you are simply a liberal wearing a costume to be shed at your convenience.

[open-sketchbook]

okay total aside, but a lot of leftists get really, really mad at me when i say that a fundamental part of any communist movement must be the elimination of the division of labour. they mock me with "what, do you want us all taking turns being doctors?"

no, you fucking morons. i want us to live in a society where medical knowledge isn't treated as secret unknowable lore that gatekeeps access to the care and resources we need to survive.

the reason we have so much bullshit medical psudeoscience is our society has a vested interest in making medical knowledge seem like impossible magic that only our greatest super-geniuses can hope to understand, but as both a trans person and a person who has helped a loved one with a chronic illness, getting care in these situations more often than not involved sitting down in front of a disinterested doctor and realizing with slow horror that we know more about our condition than they do, yet they decide what is best for us.

and if they notice you notice they're out of their depths, there's a good chance they will withhold care you need to punish you

the solution is the demystification and democratization of knowledge. yes, we have dedicated medical experts, because having specialists is important in realms of complex knowledge, but the death of the division of labour means the death of the idea that a field of human labour is the exclusive property of a caste of specialists.

it means exactly this; invite the community to be involved! teach those who are curious openly and eagerly so they don't go looking for answers from grifters! get everyone involved! treat medicine as a journey a community takes together, not a missive from on high. and that goes for everything. treat science this way, treat education this way, treat life and all the work we do to sustain it as a beautiful shared journey instead of capitalism's pay-as-you-go haunted house

Thread from Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez on her experience in a hospital in Cuba

[chromeclitoris]

rules for being on this website

-this site is for cute pictures and art archival only

-acknowledge that most politically vocal people on here have not read any basic political theory

-some people will try to convince you that they’re allergic to reading theory, usually due to some mental incapacity, and those same people will write 1200 page fanfics about shaggy and scooby doo x reader and share 28 paragraph posts about the importance of bdsm. do not fall for it. tell them to go read theory. it’s worked for millions of working class people for hundreds of years. they are not incapable or exempt.

-this site is for cute pics and art archival only

[lustrousbeetle]

frankly I do not want to get hyped for Kamala Harris. a woman president IS a landmark achievement, but do not let that distract from the fact that she will enact trump’s border, appoint republican judges, and continue funding genocide.

if you’re surprised by the fact that leftists are increasingly dissatisfied with increasingly right-wing democrat candidates, idk what to tell you.

Our first black president set up the detainment centers that cage children, despite the fact that it is a highly racialized hatred that justifies the abuse of immigrants. I don’t for a second believe that Harris has any vested interest in alleviating the struggles of poor women.

to be clear, I did vote for her. there is no vanguard party, revolution is not around the corner, and we have no viable alternatives right now. selfishly, I vote on single issues like abortion access, but please do not mistake that for approving her actions. I think that in almost all areas, trump will be a far more devastating president. more bombs, more racist and sexist hatred, and the empowering of a group of thoughtless Americans who are falling for fascism.

but to those of you who are angry at the women who aren’t voting for Harris, I urge you to use that anger after the election. while a black woman as president was unimaginable just 20 years ago, please do not forget that she will continue upholding American imperialism in the same way. please do not let the election be the only time you criticize or advocate for candidates.

involve yourself in local elections, as they have MUCH greater impact and are often used as models for federal policy. beyond that, familiarize yourself with local protest/mutual aid organizations. participate in your community. do not let leftist infighting be the end of your praxis.

[unitedfrontvarietyhour]

It's just a book, it can't hurt you.

[stil-lindigo]

the vulture.

a comic about cycles.

--

creative notes:

--

all my other comics

store

[larissa-the-scribe]

guys I had this realization the other day that Redwall works really well for reading aloud, and kinda half-remembered something about the author reading to kids? So I looked it up to see if I had made a connection.

And it turns out, yes, actually, because he read aloud to kids at a school for the blind. But all the books they gave him to read were depressing. So he wrote Redwall, a story about heroism and courage and making it through struggles, and filled it with so many sensory, visual details so he could give them something better and I just-- that's so wholesome-- help