this post was submitted on 28 Jan 2024
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Alternatives to "leftist" or "progressive"? (lemmygrad.ml)
submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Any tips for identifying oneself to new folks that let you "skip intro" and get into the results-focused conversations about improving our condition?

In union work I've identified myself as a socialist for awhile, but now just say communist if I'm friendly with the party or avoid it all together. The west has so poisoned the lexicon that I feel variations of "pragmatist" are all that reliably skip the small talk and moves us straight into serious convos.

In my opinion, left/right framing is standard eurocentric good/bad BS that creates an antagonistic stage from the outset that passively endorses the current system and linear thinking. If the language itself comes out of the failed French Revolution, are there not better terms we can use to distance ourselves from the ideological lib stench surrounding Left/Progressive today and simultaneously indicate we're here to get shit done?

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

“I’m a Stalinist but I’ve also been reading a lot of Mao lately and really starting to appreciate his work”

This accomplishes three things at once:

  1. The standard left/right framing is completely off the table now
  2. It demonstrates that there are different strands of communism and you know the differences
  3. The attention is now completely off of “so you’re saying you’re a commie” and instead goes to “wait what’s the difference between Stalin and Mao?”

That’s your way in. About 2/3 of the people I’ve talked to ended up being more curious about why I make it such a big deal between Stalin and Mao rather than going straight into their preprogrammed “oh you’re just a commie” schtick. You now have a small window to educate them.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

So appreciate everyone's feedback and I think this (and variations of this) is what I'll go with. Thank you!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

to new people i just say anti-imperialist

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Pro-Global South?

Marxist-Leninist?

Some about Anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist, et anti-reactionarism...

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

Soviet hardliner.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

"I stand with people around the world who have to actually work for a living."

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

I agree with others about not labeling oneself in if you're introducing yourself. Labels are useful exactly for the reason you stated:

identifying oneself to new folks that let you “skip intro” and get into the results-focused conversations

The problem is, you have no way to guarantee that when you say "leftist", "progressive", "Marxist", "Communist", or similar, they actually understand what you mean. If they have no idea what Marxism, Communism is, they will probably bring to mind the preconceived notions of bourgeois ideology, and they will either ask more useless and tiring questions or will completely shut off contact with you

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Stalinist.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I remember when I caught up to someone I hadn't talked to in a long time the way I revealed my political journey was to make a point about how you can make edgy jokes without being racist, for example: Stalin did nothing wrong.

They just went stone cold silent before going ".... uuhhhmm... I don't really.. do extreme left or right...." the absolute stunlock was priceless.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

Same, quick and to the point.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

Marxist or Communist. We have to take those words back.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

'Marxist'

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

I call myself a red angry gamer.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Scientific Socialist: The original Marxist Leninist. It's way more descriptive to the average person and has zero cold war baggage, and the best part is if they want to know more you can segue right into dialectical materialism.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

Materialist works for me in most settings, but I usually don't lead with my own label.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

I call myself a constructivist, as opposed to an essentialist.

Almost everything else follows from that.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

I think I like some version of "I stand with the oppressed".

It will take a while before bonjoursie is systematically oppressed and I have to think of something else. But for now, it feels like it mostly works.

Agree?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You could just not use any political label when introducing yourself. Let them gradually figure out your opinions on things through the conversations you have.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

thanks fam! that's what works best overall so far. "sweetie pie socialist" worked well in 2020 and quickly got ppl talking without some hesitancy from folks who want to know where you stand on things before saying too much. Not as efficient now so I hope there's a 2024 term ppl have found which indicates "this conversation is a wholesome space, go off".