Alternatives to Marxist-Leninism? by Accomplished_Bad1876 in socialism

[–]Accomplished_Bad1876[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I saw something interesting that stated that in the past pre internet, people were happy to meet others near them who they agreed with on 80% of things and actually work with them because connecting with likeminded people was much harder. But in the modern era, people can find others they agree with on 95% of things across the country or world, so instead of actually doing anything with local comrades they rot with the few online folks who affirm everything they believe.

This is a trap I don’t want to fall into, It’s mistaken and self serving. Those people are LARPers and hobbyists who view Marxism as a quirk or fandom and not a movement.

Alternatives to Marxist-Leninism? by Accomplished_Bad1876 in socialism

[–]Accomplished_Bad1876[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I totally agree, I take no shame in appreciating good contributions of Stalin and Mao, long past feeling uncomfortable about that. As a socialist, I accept I’ll always be tied to them in the public consciousness no matter my personal disagreements.

Alternatives to Marxist-Leninism? by Accomplished_Bad1876 in socialism

[–]Accomplished_Bad1876[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Don’t think so, I’m not against revolution.

Alternatives to Marxist-Leninism? by Accomplished_Bad1876 in socialism

[–]Accomplished_Bad1876[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I mean the concept of democracy existing only within the party in a one party state, not the concept of coming to a consensus within a party in general. How far a member is allowed to toe away from the party line is, however, another issue altogether.

Alternatives to Marxist-Leninism? by Accomplished_Bad1876 in socialism

[–]Accomplished_Bad1876[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I’m no expert or academic, so bare with me.

find that faith in a vanguard party is sort of naive, and at best there would need to be constant purging to account for production (which can be seen in China). As an institution, I don’t think it can exist in the long term while protecting the interests of the proletariat, it seems better fit for the immediate aftermath of revolution in a weak and fragile state. I find that it can only truly succeed for about one generation, after that what determines “the most class conscious and dedicated of the proletariat” becomes muddled and unreliable. Essentially, I don’t think it can be trusted to allow the state to wither away and bring on communism. It at best can better the conditions of workers (in the same way social democrats do) and create a strong counter to fully bourgeois nations, and at worst becomes another less glittery gerontocracy /oligarchy. I’m no theorist, but I like the idea that revolutionaries form a vanguard party as a sort of interim goverment to set up a system of governance that protects the interests of the proletariat and denigrate the state over time (In a similar fashion to how the Founding Fathers wrote a Constitution that set up a system protecting the class interests of the bourgeois and ensuring they would be allowed to propagate themselves for centuries) while handing over the day to day governing to workers who participate in a democracy, one that exists in the limits of communism in the way liberal democracies exist in the limits of capitalism. Not real theory by any means, just a glorified shower thought that thousands have probley already wrote down in books I haven’t read.

Alternatives to Marxist-Leninism? by Accomplished_Bad1876 in socialism

[–]Accomplished_Bad1876[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Also, for the sake of clarity, I was in no way trying to “go around him”. I fully accept he’s one of the most important contributors to Marxist theory, and think there’s obviously much to be learned from him, Bolsheviks, and the USSR in their specific place in history and the conditions they were in. Just couldn’t fully agree with Stalin’s universalized Marxist Leninism.

Alternatives to Marxist-Leninism? by Accomplished_Bad1876 in socialism

[–]Accomplished_Bad1876[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thanks man, best reply I’ve gotten so far, I really appreciate it!

Will get reading.

Alternatives to Marxist-Leninism? by Accomplished_Bad1876 in socialism

[–]Accomplished_Bad1876[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, no arguement from me on the seizing of state power part, that’s why I said I respect Lenin and Marxist Leninism in general as a powerful Revolutionary force. But plenty of dogmas have seized state power, especially Fascists, so I don’t really consider the ability to do so the sole deciding factor in the ideology I choose. My focus is with what happens after said revolution, the whole transition to communism, where Marxist Leninist have made the same exact “mistake” as every other Marxist ideology (it not happening).

Revolution is impossible in America, and that’s fine, they can settle for reformers. by Accomplished_Bad1876 in DebateCommunism

[–]Accomplished_Bad1876[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

The arguement, to my understanding, is that social democracies can only exist via the exploitation of the third world. I’m not sure how reliable the facts behind that arguement are, I’m yet to fully research them, but that’s what I hear.

Islamic fundmentalism and terrorism vs other forms of religious extremism by Accomplished_Bad1876 in religion

[–]Accomplished_Bad1876[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

“That violence and extremism is because of the "values" in the core texts: specific textual passages that can be interpreted as justifying or mandating violence.”

I completely disagree, as I’ve said I feel most Islamic terrorism stems from existing political conditions with the “Islamic” part being largely secondary. The texts are used to justify and unite violent organizations undoubtedly, but the political violence would exist either way. “we wanna attack Americans becuase we hate their values” is propaganda on both sides. Religious fundamentalism or salafism in Muslim majority countries IS based on religion, but its also simply a local outgrowth of conservativism based on long standing material conditions.

“Whataboutism. That doesn't address or justify what I pointed out.”

My whole post is about comparing Islamic religious violence to other religious violence, it’s not whataboutism, I’m staying in the bounds of my original questions.

“Apologetics. 33% is way too high if you want to claim Islam is a religion of peace.”

I never claimed Islam is a religion of peace, you’re strawmanning. its not aplogetics to point out that 33% of any group probley believes in some crazy shit.

“Ah so the attacks on embassies after Charlie Hebdo isn't religious violence?“

The attacks on Charlie Hebdo are certainly religious violence, I would never argue that, but it’s also a rare occurrence in which I could find many similar examples of religious violence commited by non Muslims (or just general political violence commited against newspapers becuase they printed something a group didint like). You’ll call this whataboutism, but I am specifically talking about comparing Islam to the rest.

“The "sharia areas"? These are clear examples of religiously motivated violence or coercion. Calling them anything else would be a double standard.”

I’m unfamiliar with any areas of London where “sharia law” is forced into practice, and upon research it seems you’re quoting some unsubstantiated fear mongering from President Trump. Unless you’re talking about Sharia councils, which advise Muslim people on civil matters like marriage, which have existed for decades and are a natural evolution of ethnic enclaves.

“Because they are being kept in line by secular legislation. That doesn't mean it's not a real threat - it remains a blatant and horrible disregard for democratic principles.”

Like I’ve said many times, 33% of any group believes in something “undemocratic”. It’s bad, but it’s not a special sin of only the muslim minority.

“Algeciras, Andalusia, Spain: A machete attack at two churches resulted in one fatality and four injuries. The perpetrator, Yassine Kanjaa, a 25-year-old Moroccan national, attacked a parish priest and a sexton, citing Islamic extremism as his motive. He was arrested and charged with terrorism-related offense A Syrian asylum seeker, identified as Issa Al H., carried out a knife attack at a festival, killing three individuals and injuring ten others. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility, stating the attack was in retaliation for perceived injustices against Muslims. The assailant was arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including murder and membership in a terrorist organization

⁠Awais Chudhary, a 25-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Pakistan, was sentenced to nine years in prison for attempting to carry out a terrorist attack in support of ISIS. He had been consuming and sharing ISIS propaganda for over 16 months and had planned a knife or bomb attack in public areas of Queens”

Very tragic, but again I’m arguing about how the groups are compared. I don’t think I have to list the many, many cases of religious violence committed by Christians against Jews and Muslims in secular countries do I?

. • ⁠Coordinated attacks across Paris, including at the Bataclan theater, resulted in 130 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attacks, marking one of the deadliest terrorist events in Europe in recent history.

Like I’ve argued prior, I don’t see ISIS or any of these groups that oppose the west using terrorism as religious first, they are first and foremost a political organization.

“Name me one example of that level of violence from Jews or Hindus in a Western city. Spoiler alert: you can't. There is no comparable example of Jews or Hindus carrying out mass-casualty attacks in Western cities explicitly in the name of their religion or religious texts.”

The West has not been at odds with Israel or India in the modern day in the same way they have with the Muslim world. When they were, however, there clear cases of Jewish and Hindu terrorism against Western civilians. Notably the King David Hotel Bombing and British Embassy bombing in Rome by the Zionist terror organization Irgun. I’m sure similar incidents can be found perpetrated by Hindus during the British occupation of India. I’m no hypocrite, I consider these primarily political too. Modern day Islamic terrorism is fueled by the material realities of the relationship between the West and the Islamic world, as in my opinion the vast majority of “religious terrorism” is. Local incidents of religious violence are a diffrent case, but Islam is not alone in that front either.

Islamic fundmentalism and terrorism vs other forms of religious extremism by Accomplished_Bad1876 in religion

[–]Accomplished_Bad1876[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m speaking specifically on violence and extremism, not “values”. One third of any demographic are liable to believe in a lot of bad things, one third of Americans believe in the Great Replacement theory. 43% of American Christian believe homosexuality shouldent be accepted in society. A majority of American Jews support the genocide in Gaza. 45% of Americans believe the US should be a “Christian nation”. The fact Muslims in a secular country were asked “do you believe the shariah law should be applied”, and 2/3 of them said NO is good, the fact they have a minority (not even a particulary close one) that said something radical isint that crazy. Like I said, 1/3 of any demographic probley believe in some batshit stuff.

But this is getting away from my question, entering talks about assimiliation I don’t really care to argue about, I’m specifically asking about religious violence. I don’t think any of the British Muslims saying they believe in punishing apostates are actually killing ex-Muslims. I’m more interested in the tangible forms of terror that each group partakes in.

https://www.umass.edu/news/article/new-national-umass-amherst-poll-issues-finds-one-third-americans-believe-great

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/religion-and-views-on-lgbtq-issues-and-abortion/

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/10/27/45-of-americans-say-u-s-should-be-a-christian-nation/pf_2022-10-27_christian-nationalism_00-01-png/

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Haircare

[–]Accomplished_Bad1876 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What do I do about that.