this post was submitted on 11 Jan 2026
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Lefty Memes

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An international (English speaking) socialist Lemmy community free of "ML" (read: Dengist) influence. This is a place for undogmatic shitposting and memes from a progressive, anti-capitalist and truly anti-imperialist perspective, regardless of specific ideology.

Serious posts, news, discussion and agitprop/stuff that's better fit for a poster than a meme go in c/Socialism.

If you are new to socialism, you can ask questions and find resources over on c/Socialism101.

Please don't forget to help keep this community clean by reporting rule violations, updooting good contributions and downdooting those of low quality!

Rules

Version without spoilers

0. Only post socialist memes


That refers to funny image macros and means that generally videos and screenshots are not allowed. Exceptions include explicitly humorous and short videos, as well as (social media) screenshots depicting a funny situation, joke, or joke picture relating to socialist movements, theory, societal issues, or political opponents. Examples would be the classic case of humorous Tumblr or Twitter posts/threads. (and no, agitprop text does not count as a meme. Please post agitprop here)


0.5 [Provisional Rule] Use alt text or image descriptions to allow greater accessibility


(Please take a look at our wiki page for the guidelines on how to actually write alternative text!)

We require alternative text (from now referred to as "alt text") to be added to all posts/comments containing media, such as images, animated GIFs, videos, audio files, and custom emojis.
EDIT: For files you share in the comments, a simple summary should be enough if they’re too complex.

We are committed to social equity and to reducing barriers of entry, including (digital) communication and culture. It takes each of us only a few moments to make a whole world of content (more) accessible to a bunch of folks.

When alt text is absent, a reminder will be issued. If you don't add the missing alt text within 48 hours, the post will be removed. No hard feelings.


0.5.1 Style tip about abbreviations and short forms


When writing stuff like "lol" and "iirc", it's a good idea to try and replace those with their all caps counterpart

  • ofc => OFC
  • af = AF
  • ok => OK
  • lol => LOL
  • bc => BC
  • bs => BS
  • iirc => IIRC
  • cia => CIA
  • nato => Nato (you don't spell it when talking, right?)
  • usa => USA
  • prc => PRC
  • etc.

Why? Because otherwise (AFAIK), screen readers will try to read them out as actually words instead of spelling them


1. Socialist Unity in the form of mutual respect and good faith interactions is enforced here


Try to keep an open mind, other schools of thought may offer points of view and analyses you haven't considered yet. Also: This is not a place for the Idealism vs. Materialism or rather Anarchism vs. Marxism debate(s), for that please visit c/AnarchismVsMarxism.


2. Anti-Imperialism means recognizing capitalist states like Russia and China as such


That means condemning (their) imperialism, even if it is of the "anti-USA" flavor.


3. No liberalism, (right-wing) revisionism or reactionaries.


That includes so called: Social Democracy, Democratic Socialism, Dengism, Market Socialism, Patriotic Socialism, National Bolshevism, Anarcho-Capitalism etc. . Anti-Socialist people and content have no place here, as well as the variety of "Marxist"-"Leninists" (read: Dengists) (actual ML's are welcome as long as they agree to the rules and don't just copy paste/larp about stuff from a hundred years ago).


4. No Bigotry.


The only dangerous minority is the rich.


5. Don't demonize previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.


We must constructively learn from their mistakes, while acknowledging their achievements and recognizing when they have strayed away from socialist principles.

(if you are reading the rules to apply for modding this community, mention "Mantic Minotaur" when answering question 2)


6. Don't irrationally idolize/glorify previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.


Notable achievements in all spheres of society were made by various socialist/people's/democratic republics around the world. Mistakes, however, were made as well: bureaucratic castes of parasitic elites - as well as reactionary cults of personality - were established, many things were mismanaged and prejudice and bigotry sometimes replaced internationalism and progressiveness.



  1. Absolutely no posts or comments meant to relativize(/apologize for), advocate, promote or defend:

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[–] cerement@slrpnk.net 74 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

“The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters.”

― Antonio Gramsci (misattributed)

[–] RubberElectrons@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Yep. Am American, sad about what a seemingly good idea got warped into over 250yrs. Fuck this joint, but there will most certainly be real monsters created in the void until things stabilize.

[–] cerement@slrpnk.net 20 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

We have always lived in slums and holes in the wall. We will know how to accommodate ourselves for a time. For, you must not forget, we can also build. It is we the workers who built these palaces and cities here in Spain and in America and everywhere. We, the workers, can build others to take their place. And better ones! We are not in the least afraid of ruins. We are going to inherit the earth; there is not the slightest doubt about that. The bourgeoisie may blast and burn its own world before it finally leaves the stage of history. We are not afraid of ruins. We who ploughed the prairies and built the cities can build again, only better next time. We carry a new world, here in our hearts. The world is growing this minute.

—Buenaventura Durruti, interview with Pierre van Paassen (1936-07-24)

[–] RubberElectrons@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Well said. Maybe there's a chance we can pull out of this nosedive.

The opening in the window for that is now barely wide enough to slip a sheet of paper into.

But hey, crowbars have done more, with less. Let's see what happens.

[–] Digit@lemmy.wtf 2 points 2 weeks ago

Maybe there’s a chance we can pull out of this nosedive.

Though please don't send the descendants back to Europe and Africa.

The opening in the window for that is now barely wide enough to slip a sheet of paper into.

Yep, like James Corbett (of The Corbett Report fame) said recently, some are sad the door's only a crack open, and he's hopping excited, YES, THE DOOR IS A CRACK OPEN! It having never been so in the decades he's been doing this.

Now is the time.

Crowbar o'clock! :D

[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Whew, talk about some revolutionary optimism!

[–] bufalo1973@piefed.social 1 points 2 weeks ago

He was a true anarchist that fought in the Spanish War.

[–] bryophile@lemmy.zip 11 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

No offense but when was the US ever a good idea?

I mean, the land was already occupied... And now suddenly you talk about monsters? They have always been there.

[–] RubberElectrons@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

None taken. I mean the idea of a representational democracy. People were there, and there's still more than enough land to go around.

In an alternate timeline, we could have negotiated for the land with the native Americans, invited then to join the US, or let them keep their sovereignty but within bounds of their choosing, while always allowing them to become citizens if they or their descendents desired. We all could have won.

Slavery? We didn't need it, if growth at all costs wasn't our insignia. The land provided/provides more than enough, if we take care of it.

But this is all fantasy, destroyed by greed, and laziness. Doing it the right way would have been hard work. And we know how fucking lazy pieces of shit like musk, trump, Epstein, et al actually are.