this post was submitted on 13 Jul 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] Try to use alt text or image descriptions to allow for greater accessibility


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

We encourage 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.


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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[–] dodecahedron@ttrpg.network 1 points 9 minutes ago

Wait, were do the the Romans and the Mongolians stay in this picture? Were they capitalists as well?

[–] Greyghoster@aussie.zone 1 points 5 hours ago

The Invisible Doctrine does a good job of explaining how capitalism happened and where we are today. Fairly depressing but informative.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/may/29/the-invisible-doctrine-by-george-monbiot-and-peter-hutchison-review-neoliberalisms-ascent

[–] elevenbones@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 hours ago

You want to bind my wrists with the shackles of universal healthcare you monster!

[–] OtakuAllTheWay@sh.itjust.works 11 points 14 hours ago

‘Member when people tried building there own communes outside the US and the CIA intervened.

[–] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 5 points 13 hours ago

People, people, please. You'll be enslaved no matter what economic system you're under.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 14 hours ago

Hello, my name is Marc Parella and I am laughably ignorant of the entirety of human history since roughly 1880.

[–] Malyca@lemmy.zip 7 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Give it a try and tell me how it goes. "If you think you're free, try going into a deli and urinating on the cheese"

[–] mattyroses@lemmy.today 2 points 14 hours ago

Shoot James Brady in the back?

[–] fartographer@lemmy.world 15 points 21 hours ago

Stop trying to enslave me in a world where my neighbor gets to eat! I wanna live in a world where none of us get to eat, and we work all day to maintain our poverty!

[–] hperrin@lemmy.ca 32 points 1 day ago

Nothing stopping you. Well, except for the federal government and its military.

[–] ddplf@szmer.info 10 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Good job, Marc, now you almost get it! You're just a bit confused.

[–] alapakala@quokk.au 2 points 18 hours ago

I actually came here to defend Marc’s clever rhet.: one of these people paid a Nazi to a status symbol. One of is still using capitalist means to aggregate solidarity.

[–] joeljoelle@piefed.blahaj.zone 178 points 1 day ago (6 children)

There is, in fact, a lot stopping people from forming communes all over the place

[–] 0_o7@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 1 day ago

Worker unions bad, police unions enforcing corporate-aligned government rules good.

[–] bitjunkie@lemmy.world 73 points 1 day ago

Namely, capitalism.

[–] theparadox@lemmy.world 67 points 1 day ago (1 children)

...and if you do, hoooooo boy. I hope you like a coup, because you are going to get a coup.

[–] joeljoelle@piefed.blahaj.zone 28 points 1 day ago (1 children)

And don't get too big or the FBI or ATF is on their way

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[–] LodeMike@lemmy.today 46 points 1 day ago

"Nothing" is definitely an interesting way to pronounce "many things"

[–] Jiggle_Physics@quokk.au 28 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Remember, the capitalists caused famine all over the place too!

[–] cecinestpasunecommunication@lemmy.dbzer0.com 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Okay but they weren't communist about it, so it doesnt count. Stop whining Ireland.

[–] Jiggle_Physics@quokk.au 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

uproar from India, Bangladesh, The Congo, Kenya, and about 100 other countries

[–] cecinestpasunecommunication@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yes but they're not white so we don't have to pretend to feel guilty about the atrocities.

[–] ilinamorato@lemmy.world 86 points 1 day ago

"Nothing stopping you" except the government. "Which government?" Most of them.

[–] A404@lemmy.dbzer0.com 55 points 1 day ago (2 children)

To them communism is what capitalism is to us

[–] derek@infosec.pub 7 points 1 day ago

This assigns too much legitimacy to the position. The working class are not capitalists because we have no capital with which to commit legal theft through property law or pay thugs to enforce those laws with violence.

The working class under capitalism are beholden to systems they often do not understand, cannot exercise agency within, and are actively stymied from prospering under.

Capitalism dehumanizes even those who support it. Those who support it are conditioned to reflexively demonize alternative systems. To rise above this culturally ingrained propaganda and advocate for alternatives requires seeing capitalism for what it is.

Alternative systems are to them what the bogeyman is to children.

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[–] Belly_Beanis@hexbear.net 30 points 1 day ago (17 children)

Nothing is stopping you from forming communes all over the place

The USSR, Cuba, North Korea, and Vietnam famously forming unopposed. Capitalists and feudalists famously did not try to invade them and overturn their elections.

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[–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 30 points 1 day ago (4 children)

"Nothing is stopping you" - actually not true, you need government permission and they will just say no.

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