I like to think so at least. I just don’t like when people fall into the “A is bad, B opposes A, therefore B is good” trap.
I do think this is a bit of a thought-terminating cliche. It implies people who are actively recommending reading and understanding the theory that supports their beliefs so you can better judge for yourself are just assuming means from ends.
In reality, Marxists have to read Marx to understand his critique, his philosophy, and his recommendations, because it simply isn’t taught in western education. Lenin is even more unknown to the average person.
Grayox isn’t telling you that you must agree with them, but suggesting reading the same theory they have so you can better discuss it.
That particular statement wasn’t directed at Grayox specifically, it was more about a particular subset self-identified communists on the internet, including (some of?) the lemmy.ml admins, and many users of lemmygrad and hexbear. The ones that correctly identify that the USA is bad, but then prop up the likes of the Soviet Union, the PRC, the DPRK, and even Russia (which doesn’t even claim to be communist) as paragons of good, when often times they’re worse than the US.
I know you don’t see Lemmygrad and Hexbear on a .world account, but none of them think the Russian Federation is a paragon of good, just a bourgeois dictatorship fighting against the worst bourgeois dictatorship, the US. That doesn’t mean Russia is good.
As for support for the USSR, DPRK, and PRC, there is that, yes, but their reasoning certainly isn’t “Capitalism bad, therefore Communism and Socialism good.” You can make an account and ask them about it and they have genuine reasons for their views. You don’t have to agree with these reasons or views, but dismissing them as simply being anti-US and not doing any actual thinking is reductive.
Basically, if you do the reading like Grayox recommended, many of their views become far less mysterious or confusing, even if you don’t agree with them at all in any capacity. Pretending they are just random crazy people is myopic and just weakens any points you may have against them.
I do think this is a bit of a thought-terminating cliche. It implies people who are actively recommending reading and understanding the theory that supports their beliefs so you can better judge for yourself are just assuming means from ends.
In reality, Marxists have to read Marx to understand his critique, his philosophy, and his recommendations, because it simply isn’t taught in western education. Lenin is even more unknown to the average person.
Grayox isn’t telling you that you must agree with them, but suggesting reading the same theory they have so you can better discuss it.
Just my 2 cents.
That particular statement wasn’t directed at Grayox specifically, it was more about a particular subset self-identified communists on the internet, including (some of?) the lemmy.ml admins, and many users of lemmygrad and hexbear. The ones that correctly identify that the USA is bad, but then prop up the likes of the Soviet Union, the PRC, the DPRK, and even Russia (which doesn’t even claim to be communist) as paragons of good, when often times they’re worse than the US.
I know you don’t see Lemmygrad and Hexbear on a .world account, but none of them think the Russian Federation is a paragon of good, just a bourgeois dictatorship fighting against the worst bourgeois dictatorship, the US. That doesn’t mean Russia is good.
As for support for the USSR, DPRK, and PRC, there is that, yes, but their reasoning certainly isn’t “Capitalism bad, therefore Communism and Socialism good.” You can make an account and ask them about it and they have genuine reasons for their views. You don’t have to agree with these reasons or views, but dismissing them as simply being anti-US and not doing any actual thinking is reductive.
Basically, if you do the reading like Grayox recommended, many of their views become far less mysterious or confusing, even if you don’t agree with them at all in any capacity. Pretending they are just random crazy people is myopic and just weakens any points you may have against them.