Anarchism

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Why do anarchists stay on reddit or other corporate-run platforms? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by Yingwu@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/anarchism@lemmy.dbzer0.com

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I know these federated communities exist as well as raddle, but it still seems like most people will stay on toxic and corporate-run platforms like reddit or Twitter. I'm far from perfect myself and I still use reddit sometimes, especially for more niche communities, but when it comes to ideologically strong communities like the anarchist ones, it just feels wrong that the majority still hang out on reddit. Or you know, moving to something like Bsky when Twitter became too toxic but which is still run by a large, for-profit corporation (if they moved in the first place). What are your thoughts? Is there any justification for this?

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[–] EmbarrassedDrum@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

that's some really dedicated gatekeeping for anarchism...

[–] cacheson@piefed.social 8 points 3 weeks ago

Apparently we need Leninists to tell us how to be anarchists. It's a good thing TheOubliette is here to show us the light and encourage us to enlighten ourselves by reading theory that Marx, Lenin, and other comrades have so generously blessed us with. /s

[–] TheOubliette@lemmy.ml -4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The gatekeeping of knowing the basics of anarchism and doing real-life organizing work? Is that not the bare minimum?

[–] EmbarrassedDrum@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

yes. and no, it's not the bare minimum. You perceive a very specific definition of anarchism, and act like anything that's not exactly what you know/do is just not anarchism anymore and is just wannabe edgy liberals.

How can you even fence so hard a term such as anarchism? just let people be and believe what they want.

you're now just this conservative guy screaming in fear because the world is not what is used to be when you were at your 20s.

cool down. It's okay to be an anarchist just online, and it's okay to take "irl actions", as you call it, and not see yourself above everyone else.

[–] TheOubliette@lemmy.ml -2 points 3 weeks ago

yes. and no, it’s not the bare minimum. You perceive a very specific definition of anarchism

I don't, actually. I accept a wide variety of how people approach what it means to be anarchist. But a person does need to actually know what it is in order to self-label as such. Otherwise you will find yourself surrounded by status quo-reinforcing liberals, even capitalists, using the term and confusing everybody.

and act like anything that’s not exactly what you know/do is just not anarchism anymore and is just wannabe edgy liberals.

If there is no threshold then the term means nothing. Trump could not call himself an anarchist and be correct.

How can you even fence so hard a term such as anarchism? just let people be and believe what they want.

I don't think I'm being a very big stickler to say that to call yourself of an anticapitalist political tradition you need to know the basics of what it is. Of course anyone can believe and say what they want, and anyone can be wrong, and anyone can be counterproductive. It is better to become a critical participant that understands their claimed political tradition, at least at a basic level. And it can be harmful to claim to be of a political tradition and then act in full opposition to it, which is easy to do when you don't know what it is.

you’re now just this conservative guy screaming in fear because the world is not what is used to be when you were at your 20s.

I'm screaming in fear?

cool down. It’s okay to be an anarchist just online, and it’s okay to take “irl actions”, as you call it, and not see yourself above everyone else.

It is cool to be an anarchist just online, but you will find it very difficult to become one unless you know the basics of anarchism and have done practice.

This is why online "anarchists" are often counterproductive. Getting hyped for NATO. Saying that someone is a cop because they asked another person to not pick a fight with someone right this second. Going all-in on capitalist electoralism for the greatest empire on the planet. Being a billionaire grifter that sells electric cars.

Rather than assign those reactionary things to anarchist, it is more correct to understand them as not anarchist at all.