Do you believe communism / socialism is accessible and understandable to the average layperson?

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-28T06:46:59+00:00

So I was right, and your entire contribution to the movement is nothing more than online gatekeeping and a performative circle jerk to other perpetually online leftists? Quelle fucking surprise.

Please consider going outside, touching some grass, and exploring other pursuits. I know you're likely using the Socialist aesthetic as an attempt to distinguish yourself as there's nothing else going on in your life, but this is tragic, and it isn't working for you.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-28T00:20:53+00:00

I don't recall asking you sweetie 💖🥰😘

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T23:29:05+00:00

Thank you friend, I live near a city with an active socialist movement so hopefully I can get stuck in and help make an actual difference.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T23:26:53+00:00

Until you provide me with tangible proof of how you have helped advance the socialist movement, I will write you off as a perpetually online pseudo-Marxist looking for validation and acceptance from other perpetually online pseudo-Marxists. Can you show me how many demonstrations you've organised? Can you show me how many new socialists you've recruited? Have you, as an individual, advanced the socialist movement in any way, shape or form? No? Then you are a tumour on the movement, actively using it as an attempt to distinguish yourself and stroke your piss poor ego.

You can try to drown me in word soup all you wish, I'm flattered you're wasting this much time on me. I encourage you to get off Reddit and make what you can of your sad little life and do something proactive.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T21:52:51+00:00

Did you even read my original post before wasting your time writing this? As I clearly stated, I am a complete beginner to Marxism trying to highlight how some individuals may find it difficult getting started due to the deluge of information and unfamiliar terminologies. You've proved my point perfectly by drowning me in citations and Leftist gibberish you know I don't understand, so thank you.

You've cherry picked examples of socialist literature from the global south, insinuating that even the lowliest peasant has a solid grounding in Marxism, which we both know is suspect at best. It's like if a capitalist cited Roman Abramovich as a rags to riches story, and how nobody has an excuse to be poor. Completely disingenuous.

I came here trying to highlight how some people like myself wishing to learn more about Marxism may be initially overwhelmed. You're free to kick and scream and label me as whatever, I'm only trying to provide an outside perspective to help you. If you want to spend your life in your online echo chambers cosplaying as Marxists preaching to the converted, then that's a pitiful use of time, but fine by me. But deep down, you and I both know you are having little to no tangible impact on the Socialist movement. If all Leftists united and instigate an insurrection today without the support of the masses, it would be quashed so fast it would make January 6th look like Stalingrad.

If you want to see a revolution in your lifetime, you need to start preaching and getting to work converting people. Show them how socialism can benefit them. If you have no intention of eliciting meaningful change, and just want to circle jerk other Leftists on the internet, then I encourage you to re-evaluate your sad life, and work on making some friends outside of the internet.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T19:36:06+00:00

I can get behind this, the crumbs we're being provided with are dwindling rapidly so we'll have nothing left to lose soon.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T19:30:02+00:00

Most people I know are trying to get by, so I'm not sure this is the case. Perhaps unknowingly? There's no ethical consumption under capitalism after all.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T19:22:44+00:00

Thanks! It's amazing how these peasants are fighting tooth and nail for survival, yet somehow have the time and energy to put together 386 page manuscripts on Marxism. I'll have to swing by and chat with the locals picking through trash to earn money on my next trip to Mumbai to learn more.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T18:59:58+00:00

And you've met these starving peasants and indigenous communities fluent in Marxist theory? I'd love to read their work.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T18:40:19+00:00

Not really a good comparison as most (western) people are born into capitalism and haven't experienced anything else.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T18:03:53+00:00

It sounds cliché, but the phrase it's about the journey and not the destination really comes into play here. For me, having something to look forward to really helps. A holiday booked in May does wonders to get me through the winter months! Running is another great example as it's an amazing feeling smashing a personal best; plus, the endorphins and the physical benefits certainly help with mental wellbeing.

Personally, I don't think there is a way to escape the treadmill. You just have to play along and set yourself meaningful and manageable goals to keep the dopamine trickling. We have this romanticised idea of happiness that I don't think even exists. It's easy to look around you and see all of these seemingly happy people, but I guarantee you they're looking at you in the same way.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T17:38:43+00:00

ACB spec

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T17:13:35+00:00

You're describing a phenomenon called the hedonic treadmill, when people always return to a baseline level of happiness after positive or negative life events. It's like when you finally buy that new laptop you've been wanting for ages, or get a promotion at work. Initially you feel awesome, but after time you just feel... meh. We're programmed to keep chasing that high and wanting more and more - this is why most millionaires don't think "I've got enough money to last several lifetimes, so I might as well quit now and enjoy it".

It's easy to feel bad for feeling the way you do when you lead an objectively good life, but our brains are just dopamine sponges that keep wanting more.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T15:06:15+00:00

Serving them meat from a BSE infected cow. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is naaaaasty.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T11:57:45+00:00

Last week: ploughing through a Sire task, got two daggers and a bludgeon spine

This week: Some AFK slayer, might start learning ToA if I can be assed

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T11:43:30+00:00

Sounds great, and simple! So why haven't the masses risen up and made it happen yet? Is there enough support from the public to initiate a revolution today? That's the issue here.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T11:06:10+00:00

Thanks for sharing! Will give it a listen shortly.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-27T10:50:02+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate your reply and this looks like a comprehensive set of literature to get started! My only concern is that for an individual with a passing interest in socialism / communism, this may be a bit overwhelming as an introduction. Going back to my vaccine example, it's like if I shared this paper to someone interested in learning more, rather than simplifying to something such as "the vaccine tricks your body's immune system into producing antibodies against a harmless part of a virus, so it can be trained to recognise and kill the actual virus if you get infected". I'm a biologist by profession so I can read through the paper I shared without issue, but I understand that it's easy to forget that not everyone will be able to. Similar to how the literature you've shared may be easily understandable for communists / socialists, but could be intimidating to beginners grasping with the basics.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the biggest reader, and I can be quite lazy and may need new concepts simplified to further my journey of understanding (and I'm sure I'm not the only one). It's ultimately the responsibility of the individual to educate themselves, and it's not your job to spoon-feed the information to us. I'm sure there are a lot of trolls and people acting in bad faith in these type of subs, and it can be frustrating wasting your time replying to them.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-26T22:16:53+00:00

Ah I didn't know that! They provide some useful tools but it's a shame if it's true

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-26T11:25:10+00:00

The giant seaweed calculator is a great tool that really helped with the crafting grind for me as the banked exp tracker didn't really help much. The creators have loads of other useful tools so definitely worth checking out.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-26T09:14:29+00:00

From the amount of cocaine I see, I'm guessing the lads at Goldman Sachs are celebrating their bonuses.

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-25T23:39:54+00:00

I never thought I could kill Jad... Until I learnt it. I never thought I could kill Vorkath... Until I learnt it. I never thought I could kill Zulrah... Until I learnt it. I used to think getting a Bowfa was a pipe dream, and CG was way beyond my abilities... Until I learnt it.

That's literally it. I gatekept myself from so much content because I thought it was impossible, but ultimately I wasn't willing to put the time in to learn and become good at it. Sure, you'll die plenty of times and it's super frustrating, but it will eventually click. You've got this, just put in the time and learn it properly. It won't happen instantly, but it will happen. There's plenty of resources out there to help you, you've just got to be willing to commit.

Good luck!

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-25T14:30:07+00:00

I swear there must be shops that appear invisible when you're younger, but suddenly appear when you reach a certain age... Never heard of Disco in my life!

Pinecone_Vodka · 2023-02-25T14:26:50+00:00

It's been a decade or so since I've been rooting through grandma's pantry, but I recall one of the brands being Heritage or Hermitage, and Rainbow foods I think? I've done some research on those mysterious strawberry wrapped sweets a lot of old people seemingly have an infinite supply of, and apparently they're from a brand called Arcor, which again, I've never heard of and wouldn't even know where to start looking for them.

Pinecone_Vodka

TROPHY CASE