this post was submitted on 09 Jun 2026
38 points (100.0% liked)

chat

8619 readers
184 users here now

Chat is a text only community for casual conversation, please keep shitposting to the absolute minimum. This is intended to be a separate space from c/chapotraphouse or the daily megathread. Chat does this by being a long-form community where topics will remain from day to day unlike the megathread, and it is distinct from c/chapotraphouse in that we ask you to engage in this community in a genuine way. Please keep shitposting, bits, and irony to a minimum.

As with all communities posts need to abide by the code of conduct, additionally moderators will remove any posts or comments deemed to be inappropriate.

Thank you and happy chatting!

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I'm listening to Hell of Presidents again and it's always incredibly refreshing to hear such a materialist framing for the early days of the US. Like understanding why the goal of not forming parties immediately failed because of conflicts between different factions of capital (e.g. southern slavers vs. northern bankers).

But then what do Republicans and Democrats represent today? I understand they are historical holdovers from over a century ago, so they have have metastasized into a whole lot more than just representing one or two factions of capital, but there must be some materialist divide between them? Or maybe during the neoliberal turn it was recognized by capital to set aside differences and ultimately control both to give the working class even less power than they already had. But now it seems like the tech fascists are trying to coalesce into the Republicans, and I guess that's what the Republicans are atm, just a more openly fascistic bourgeois party than the democrats?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[โ€“] none@hexbear.net 6 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

It's like cat people and dog people. There are kinda material reasons to be one over the other. Some dogs are ostensibly for security. Cats don't need to be walked every day, or go outside at all, so they accommodate different lifestyles. Fancy dog breeds incur huge vet costs due to their bodies being shaped by the whims of humans playing god. Cats can suck the breath out of a baby.

Not all people are cat or dog people. Some people have neither. They might support a "third pet" like rats or parrots. Abstaining from pets is very common, due to apathy, ideology or gerrymandering. All of these are impacted by materials situation. But a lot of it is just how you grew up. Who you fell in with. Your partner has a dog, you live together, so now you have a dog.

Some people have strong opinions on cats vs dogs. They can come into conflict in apartment living, designating precious urban space for dog parks, a few bad apple cats murdering every bird in a 2 block radius. There are cities where dogs roam in packs, others where cats rule.

For the most part, cat people and dog people live in peace. They contribute to each other by supporting vets and businesses which cater to both of them, so those business are viable. Animal welfare laws, registration programs, and norms regarding treatment benefit both. Resources like animal shelters are shared. And the concept of animal companionship, is normalized. Most people don't care if you are a cat person, dog person, both, neither.