![User banner](https://lemmygrad.ml/pictrs/image/73cf06f4-61be-4325-92f4-0f1f8e7b488c.jpeg)
Anything by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. Roadside picnic is quite popular (because of the film), Beetle in the anthill is also an interesting one.
I think at the moment being against the empire within the empire is kind of an outlier situation. Materially, most people benefit from imperialism (in the empire). But then there are areas where capitalism fails no matter the material conditions, even for the imperial core, like climate change or queer liberation. For me personally the gateway to marxism were queer studies. I think with the contradictions sharpening (i know, very cliche), there will be more gateway topics like these to use as anchors for further class consciousness, and with worsening material conditions there of course will be more questions towards the status quo.
I can answer some of these from my perspective.
-
The way I see it, it is impossible to ignore the contradictions of capital for the human psyche, so something must be used to explain them. Because of the lack of education, corporate funded media etc. etc., the blame falls on immigrants and poor people. Also because of the widespread notion of the "middle class" nobody really sees themselves as the lower class.
-
I am not born in the empire but i do live in it. And i really don't like the exceptionalist attitude. Being ML doesn't make you a "chosen one" or the lucky few. In terms of common thread, it's material conditions necessary to be dissatisfied with status quo+ interest in history/politics.
Spiritual values is just stuff like the cishet family, defending the motherland etc. Russia has been positioning itself as the spiritually and morally superior nation compared to the west in their media.
Yeah I had this problem with the literature com
I would argue that the destruction of major productive centers would be as disastrous as climate change. Why can’t both be true?
I could also be minimizing the threat of climate change by saying that the world won’t end because of it. It is an unreasonable bar however for us to consider something to be destructive. I don’t think it’s controversial to not want millions of deaths.
I've been meaning to read Socialist States and the Environment, which is an account of the ecological achievements of socialist states, including USSR.
True, I do enjoy reading more. Any literature you can recommend on the topic? I'm mostly relying on my understanding of nuclear famine, and the logical consequences of destroying vast amounts of infrastructure and population.
Japan had the infrastructure left to rebuild those cities. If a full nuclear exchange occurs, there will be no infrastructure, no healthy land for agriculture, no population to rebuild anything, there is just no possibility of recovery. I'm sorry but your take is unhinged.
for me the arguments would be mostly negative because:
- using it does not train your research skills
- using it does not train your creative and academic writing skills
- it is often just wrong when synthesizing text
so to me those are major cons in an educational context some positives would perhaps be:
- it is useful as a phrase bank, as it can quickly give ideas on how to put words together.
- it is alright at giving direction when starting research, sort of like wikipedia
thats all i can think of so far
It's always cool to make socialist connections irl!
Planned Obsolescence Will Kill Us All
![](https://lemmygrad.ml/pictrs/image/aedcbf92-57ca-4705-94ce-c8581a0298ea.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=512)
YouTube Video
Click to view this content.
UE gives an overview of planned obsolescence. Pretty classic stuff, but also contains some more in depth economics perspectives that were new to me
Heterodox economics 101 course (for free)
Was listening to rev left radio and they had a guest who talked about this course! From their description:
> Economics for Emancipation (E4E) is a seven-module introductory curriculum with interactive and participatory workshops. It offers a deep critical dive into the current political economic system, exploration of alternative economic systems, and dynamic tools to dream and build the economy that centers care, relationship, and liberation.
Theres lots of info, readings, takeaways. All around well made course. If anyone knows similar courses/adjacent stuff would love to hear about it!
yeah i got to visit a couple of debates! everyone was super friendly and the topics were super diverse
it was a lot of fun!
hanged out with PSL folks while I was in the states. very interesting to see their progress as a party!