POG Politics Thread Version 3
Come on in! Since Dustin is taking his ball and going home, it's time to start a new politics thread.
I guess I would need to see the source material for that, but to me it seems like the context of those two ideas is very different
When Marx said that religion is the opiate of the masses he was merely saying that the idea of an afterlife and the other comforts religion provides is an escape for the working class from cruelty of the way our society organized under capitalism.
In that sense I do not see how “leftist politics” could be a “religion”. In that sense it’s the very opposite of it because instead of escaping the cruelty it acknowledges it head on
“ The foundation of irreligious criticism is: Man makes religion, religion does not make man. Religion is, indeed, the self-consciousness and self-esteem of man who has either not yet won through to himself, or has already lost himself again. But man is no abstract being squatting outside the world. Man is the world of man – state, society. This state and this society produce religion, which is an inverted consciousness of the world, because they are an inverted world. Religion is the general theory of this world, its encyclopaedic compendium, its logic in popular form, its spiritual point d’honneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement, and its universal basis of consolation and justification. It is the fantastic realization of the human essence since the human essence has not acquired any true reality. The struggle against religion is, therefore, indirectly the struggle against that world whose spiritual aroma is religion.
Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.
The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears of which religion is the halo.”
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“ If people are to know and understand the real world, they must give up superstitious beliefs because they have a narcotic effect on the mind”
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These seem to be making the opposite point as the one you presented, Booker. But maybe that is why you presented it
I'm sure there is some leftist "we are not the same" meme that could encapsulate the idea
I'm a fan of the antiwork movement to a degree but also think some people who post in subreddits about it are some combo or lazy, delusional to the reality of their situation, using it to blame others, escapism etc etc.
Booker could be using left to mean Dem as well.
Some post ages ago about an onlyfans girl arguing sex work is real work then talking about how she'd invest her money in owning property. She got reemed for it but I'm sure there are lots like that as well.
If it's the only movement that "accepts" me then it could be quite comforting, but am I a True Believer?!?!
i def see some similarities between SOME extreme leftists and brainwashed religious people.
it's a kind of unearned faith, some people have. we all have it to some degree, about some thing or another. i think it's human nature to latch on to some ideas, and have faith in whatever idea it is, even though it's not fully earned.
the other night my gf of 2 years said "i don't like extreme right or extreme left" and i said "uhhhh.... babe...."
another funny(?) exchange from my life:
i was talking to my mom on the phone and she was complaining to me "your brother keeps talking about the russian revolution" and i said "oh! i love the russian revolution!"
just confirms you aren't actually extreme left imo
When Marx said that religion is the opiate of the masses he was merely saying that the idea of an afterlife and the other comforts religion provides is an escape for the working class from cruelty of the way our society organized under capitalism.
In that sense I do not see how “leftist politics” could be a “religion”. In that sense it’s the very opposite of it because instead of escaping the cruelty it acknowledges it head on
Then you'd have to conclude that Buddhism is not a religion either since it does the same thing.
Feels like this has become a semantics discussion
Communism is the real movement that seeks to abolish the present state of things
Buddhism or likely any religion is not that
If people just want to say communist are brainwashed then ok
Isn't "xyz is a religion" meant to be a pejorative? I'm not sure you need to read any more into than if he had said "I don't like leftists"
Eh, I also read it that way but I can see how someone might think it these days. To some it may actually apply… I don’t share many values with people who identify as conservative, but our differences in values isn’t actually the cause of our collective hardships. It’s a distraction from it. In that way it compares to religion imho.
Also I’ve always liked booker lol so…
Feels like this has become a semantics discussion
Communism is the real movement that seeks to abolish the present state of things
Buddhism or likely any religion is not that
The goal of Buddhism is to end the suffering of all sentient beings. You can disagree with their methods but the goals are definitely the same. The communists just aren't quite shooting high enough.
Buddhism isn’t a theistic religion so it’s *miraculously* less problematic. Shrug
who knows if this is true, but i'd like to believe it is
The goal of Buddhism is to end the suffering of all sentient beings. You can disagree with their methods but the goals are definitely the same. The communists just aren't quite shooting high enough.
Goals are definitely not the same
What makes you think the goal of communism is to “end suffering of all sentient beings”?
Goals are definitely not the same
What makes you think the goal of communism is to “end suffering of all sentient beings”?
I could have worded that better.
Christianity and other western religions are concerned with individual salvation. Capitalism is a pretty individualistic economic philosophy, whereas Marxism and Buddhism are communal and if the goal of Marixsm isn't to eliminate the suffering of all sentient beings then it's certainly fair to say that the goal is to eliminate some of the suffering-- which is why i said they just don't aim quite high enough.
That was better
Here in New York, Donald Trump’s $370 million civil fraud trial wrapped up Thursday with Trump insulting the judge overseeing the case, and accusing New York Attorney General Letitia James of persecuting him, and saying she should pay him for what he called a “political witch hunt.” As the extraordinary courtroom scene unfolded, Justice Arthur Engoron, who had denied Trump’s request to deliver his own closing statement, instructed his lawyer to “control your client.”
😆
I could have worded that better.
Christianity and other western religions are concerned with individual salvation. Capitalism is a pretty individualistic economic philosophy, whereas Marxism and Buddhism are communal and if the goal of Marixsm isn't to eliminate the suffering of all sentient beings then it's certainly fair to say that the goal is to eliminate some of the suffering-- which is why i said they just don't aim quite high enough.
To be honest I’m not really sure what the point of any this or where you are going with it. I think you completely misunderstand a lot of fundamental aspects of these topics and completely disagree with your conclusions but it’s hard to engage since I don’t even really understand what you are saying
birdman needs a new undertitle
Birdman10687
To be honest I’m not really sure what the point of any this or where you are going with it. I think you completely misunderstand a lot of fundamental aspects of these topics and completely disagree with your conclusions but it’s hard to engage since I don’t even really understand what you are saying
A+
