this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2026
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Marx d 1883. JEV b 1953. Capitalism existed before JEV.

Conflating the ruling class with JEV is not smart.

Whatever his influence and connective powers and even direct power may have been.

Although in some situations it is rhetorically useful to remind people about the pedophilia, etc, and to draw those connections. But constantly doing it is lazy and with over use, will lose effect. Just as for the catholic church, or boy scouts. Sort of a joke.

We don't refer to "the Regan class" even though virtually every problem on planet earth has some roots in Ronald Regan Regime. Without Regan there is no Epstein.

Class > Individual

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[–] AssortedBiscuits@hexbear.net 5 points 1 hour ago

It's on the same level as a slogan. Slogans and jokes are not supposed to be a substitute for serious analysis or even a political programme. It's like getting mad that "peace, land, and bread" doesn't include clean water because aktually people need clean water more than they need bread or arguing that "Black lives matter" shouldn't apply to African comprador leaders in charge of African neocolonies.

[–] segfault11@hexbear.net 10 points 4 hours ago

yeah but what if we called yachts epstein class carriers

[–] Arahnya@hexbear.net 10 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

In my effortpost I said that I dont like the conflation of p**dophilia with class, in the exact phrase "p*do class"

However, "epstein class" is fine, because I think it actually separates itself from the crime in general, and actually defines itself as the crime as committed by the ruling class. So that makes more sense to me. Careful wording does matter in this situation, I think.

[–] Amnesigenic@lemmy.ml 2 points 4 hours ago

I'm seeing a whole bunch of assertions here and fuck all to substantiate them

[–] Hestia@hexbear.net 26 points 10 hours ago

Westerners are not welcoming of leftist ideology. Calling it the Epstein class lets you Trojan horse the concept of class warfare into the thick skulls of Americans.

[–] dead@hexbear.net 34 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

How did a comedy podcast lead to the creation of a website full of people with absolutely zero sense of humor? "Epstein class" is a joke. No person is doing actual class analysis around "Epstein Class".

"with over use, will lose effect. Just as for the catholic church, or boy scouts. Sort of a joke." << Jokes about catholic church and boys scouts pedophilia is not what lessened "the effect" of the label 'pedophilia'. The fact that they don't get prosecuted is what lessens the effect.

The fact that none the fuckers in the Epstein files are being prosecuted is what lessens "the effect" of the Epstein label. THAT IS THE JOKE.

What is a joke? A joke is a contradiction between expectation and outcome. A punchline is an outcome that is unexpected. For example, if you read the punchline before you read the joke, then it become not funny because you already know the outcome.

Expected outcome: Pedophiles should get prosecuted for committing crimes
Real outcome: Pedophiles who were friends with Epstein did not get prosecuted
Contradiction: the existence of a group of pedophiles who are immune to being prosecuted or that the pedophiles control the legal system

The joke is not the pedophilia. Child abuse is awful. The joke is that the most evil people that you could imagine are immune to consequences. The joke points out that pedophilia is wrong and that Epstein affiliates are not being punished. The joke is supposed to make people think "Why aren't Epstein's friends being prosecuted?"

People don't say "Reagan class" because that isn't a joke. Reagan was the expected level of evil. Epstein is cartoonish levels of evil.

A similar joke is like when people point out that Peter Thiel has a blood boy or that Kristi Noem shot her dog.

[–] THEPH0NECOMPANY@hexbear.net 3 points 1 hour ago

It's like the Richard Wolff quote about how socialism is when the government does stuff but instead of stuff it's not making jokes and instead of government it's baby murdering pedophile warlords and instead of Wolff making fun of liberals it's leftists being serious.

[–] MayoPete@hexbear.net 25 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

A problem with leftists is vastly overestimating how smart the average person is. If there's people that will stop and think about class because they know epstein = child abuse and we can get epstein = capitalism = bad guys into burgerlanders' thick skulls that's a good thing.

[–] SootySootySoot@hexbear.net 14 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (2 children)

A problem with leftists is vastly overestimating how smart the average person is

I'd really, to the pit of my heart, argue against this. If anything, the opposite is true.

When people refuse to accept leftism, it's frequently justified as "They're just innately stupid" or "They're just innately evil". Exceptions to every rule etc. but seriously - fuck off with that. It's a sentiment bordering on eugenics.

We are not some big brained uberclass. We just heard and saw the right things to think this way and study more, as a leftist it's your duty to help others do the same. To claim otherwise is so completely antithetical to basic materialism.

Just seeing this sentiment upbeared really makes me lose faith.

Make ideas easy to understand. By all means seize on events and use them as concrete examples. But don't treat people like they're NPCs, you need these people to be your comrades in arms. Your equals. So act like it. Epstein being a concrete example of what the bourgeois class enables has absofuckinglutely nothing to do with peoples' intelligence.

[–] Amnesigenic@lemmy.ml 5 points 4 hours ago

"epstein = capitalism = bad guys" seems like a pretty good example of making an idea easier to understand for a deeply propagandized population

[–] Xavienth@lemmygrad.ml 6 points 6 hours ago

You can replace being not smart with being overly propagandized in their point and it still stands. Epstein class gets through.

[–] BanMeFromPosting@hexbear.net 18 points 11 hours ago

Good agitation material is good agitation material. Right now the job is to make it clear every capitalist is Epstein. A bunch of libs are trying to somehow absolve Bill Clinton, it's insane

[–] coolusername@hexbear.net 11 points 11 hours ago

i like the term epstein class

[–] chgxvjh@hexbear.net 7 points 11 hours ago

It's true enough and people who think about it for a moment will realize that history didn't start and end with Epstein.

[–] BeanisBrain@hexbear.net 50 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (1 children)

I always took it as a reminder that the billionaire class is full of pedophiles. Not "this is all Epstein's fault" but "the entire Western ruling class is built by and for people like Epstein."

[–] hellinkilla@hexbear.net 10 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Look everyone who disagrees with me:

I always took it as a reminder that the billionaire class is full of pedophiles.

this is the kind of simple minded reductionism i am opposed to. perfect example of why it's bad.

the concept of epstein coalition is describing a global oligarchic network where people with different sorts of power act in sympatico with each other, while some tensions between them remain. it's called that because a great deal of recently-released primary source evidence supports JEV as a choreographer over a 10 or maybe 20 year period. pedophilia was involved but not the underlying motivation or facilitator.

Instead of an analysis or criticism of capitalism, imperialism, colonialism, even sexism or wealth inequality it is "eewww pedos".

Essentially, a problem of either individuals or conspiracies. Vs a class.

[–] videogame@hexbear.net 19 points 14 hours ago

I think the left can stand to be stupider. Unless it steps into reactionary tailism. It's the internet, who gives a shit. Propaganda wars aren't won over who makes the best points in the most intelligent way

[–] Lussy@hexbear.net 41 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (3 children)

…You’re really overthinking this here

[–] WokePalpatine@hexbear.net 11 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

We all need to be special little boys who think they're smarter than everyone else.

[–] Crucible@hexbear.net 4 points 4 hours ago

I'll have you know some of us are special little girls, little enbies, little owls, little industrial equipment filled with molten steel who are smarter than everyone else

[–] NephewAlphaBravo@hexbear.net 22 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

nah i think it's fair, i do get a vibe of people (not here) latching onto this joke because it lets them avoid saying the word "capitalists"

[–] Le_Wokisme@hexbear.net 21 points 14 hours ago

i think it's an opportunity for us to escalate rhetorically rather than a corralling of radlibs.

it's not just the epstein class, etc.

[–] hellinkilla@hexbear.net 6 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

I'm not trying to make other people feel bad, sorry.

[–] Lussy@hexbear.net 9 points 6 hours ago

You are literally the washington post right now

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/03/10/epstein-files-pro-iran-propaganda/

To erode public support for the joint U.S.-Israel military operation, Iranian state media has sought to portray those countries’ leaders as part of a corrupt and depraved “Epstein class” or “Epstein regime.” While such content often fails to gain much traction outside Iran, the message is spreading through generically named “news” accounts that researchers say appear to be using the Epstein conspiracy theories to serve pro-Iran talking points to a global audience. “There is a lot of Epstein-related content being pushed out to draw eyeballs,” said Bret Schafer, who directs U.S. research and policy at the nonprofit Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD). The logic: “You come for the Epstein content, and you stay for the propaganda.” The Epstein posts are part of a maelstrom of Iran-related misinformation that has engulfed social media since Feb. 28, when strikes by the United States and Israel killed the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and touched off a conflict that has spread across the Middle East. Mixed in with real footage of the conflict are dramatic videos of missile strikes, downed fighter jets and earth-shaking explosions that have racked up millions of views on X, TikTok, Instagram and Telegram, only to be debunked as AI-generated fakes, real footage from past conflicts being passed off as new, or scenes from video games.

[–] ClathrateG@hexbear.net 37 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (1 children)

Yes it's not an objective material analysis, it's a crude inference that in online arguments where length of replies is constrained and the goal is to sway readers rather than the interlocutor is a useful rhetorical device that helps even the most 'apolitical' identify the enemy and their moral character

Ultimately the advisability of its use depends on the context of said use

[–] SerLava@hexbear.net 37 points 15 hours ago

And they were always molesting kids. They probably used to do it even more honestly. "Epstein Class" is the perfect reminder of what they are

[–] imogen_underscore@hexbear.net 11 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (1 children)

i agree it's obviously not materialist on the face but don't think it's particularly useful rhetorically either. prefer seeing people just say USIsrael or the imperialists. we need to be teaching people what imperialism is and this isn't a step towards that

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 4 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

i refer to them as pedophiles sometimes when i'm also talking about capitalism, both online and irl. sounds impactful and drives home how evil they are.

i find it useful and seize the opportunity. the epstein shit shocked regular people worldwide to the evils they are capable of, and it's the perfect hook to enlighten them on more of the heinous shit they do that makes everyday life worse for all of us.

[–] LeeeroooyJeeenkiiins@hexbear.net 27 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

capitalism can be a big ship where the bourgeoisie are the only ones allowed a hand at the wheel but when you have a subset of the bourgeoisie using clandestine fuckery to effectively hold a gun towards enough of the rest to have enough influence to affect policy ranging from "paywalls on scientific articles" (thanks Maxwell's dad) to "using the entire department of Justice to actively and transparently cover up the sitting president's sexual assault (putting the allegations lightly) and liability as part of this blackmail scheme" and then you try to tell 99% of normal people "but forget about all that and just focus on capitalism" you're going to get ratio'd by people like jackson hinkel and actual nazis all fucking day

[–] LeeeroooyJeeenkiiins@hexbear.net 23 points 15 hours ago

Obviously the answer isn't to let epstein eat the fucking sins of capital, but fucking come on

[–] casskaydee@hexbear.net 21 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Reactionaries have been using the same tired propaganda tropes against us for literal decades, to a great deal of success. They still won't shut up about fucking Tiananmen Square and their propaganda still reigns supreme among westerners. So what exactly is the hypothesis here?

[–] hellinkilla@hexbear.net 5 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

reactionaries are spreading stupid ideas by stupid means. however they have organization and resources. those didn't just come about by propaganda. it is built of material.

success is not due to winning rhetoric. rather: rhetoric becomes convincing off the back of success.

[–] casskaydee@hexbear.net 1 points 1 hour ago

Oh so then it doesn't really matter what rhetoric we use I guess huh

[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 19 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

Without Reagan there is no Epstein! (x2)
Reagan served the bourgeoisie;
Reagan set the markets free.
Preserving the wealthy's libertine ways
Is how our Reagan spent his days:
Through AIDS and crack he waged a war
That gave to the rich and took from the poor;
Through neolib econ reform
He changed the world forevermore:
Without Reagan there is no Epstein! (x2)

freedom-and-democracy

[–] casskaydee@hexbear.net 16 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Forgive my ignorance but what is "JEV"?

[–] hellinkilla@hexbear.net 9 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

JEeVacation@gmail.com which you can read here: jmail.world

[–] Dr_Pepper@hexbear.net 8 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Wow that is a crazy site. Thanks for sharing.

[–] hellinkilla@hexbear.net 8 points 14 hours ago

when I found it I was going to post it but then realized it had been posted months earlier lol

don't stay up too late

[–] carpoftruth@hexbear.net 10 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

100%

on day 1, operation epstein fury and the epstein coalition were great rejoinders. on day 19/20, at best they are played, at worst they are snark masquerading as analysis.

[–] MayoPete@hexbear.net 10 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Repetition is a key to getting ideas to stick. I feel like we should collectively learn more about how marketing and psychology around persuasion works. We have less resources than the enemy so we have to best them by working smarter, being more efficient than them.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 3 points 4 hours ago

100% agree. Century of Self should be applied in critical analysis.