Welcome again to everybody! Make yourself at home. Feel free to marvel at our stockpile of high-tech spy balloons. In the time-honoured tradition of our group, here is our weekly discussion thread! We have our own Matrix homeserver at https://genzedong.org, and a Matrix space; see [this thread](https://lemmygrad.ml/post/484053) for more information. [Discord](https://discord.gg/QA72fD89hb) Short reading list for new MLs [here](https://teddit.net/r/communism/comments/wisiw). To find theory (and other books), you can use [z-lib](https://z-lib.is), [libgen](https://libgen.is), or [Sci-Hub](https://sci-hub.ru/about) (for scientific articles). If an article is unavailable, try [the Wayback Machine](https://archive.org).

## What is Matrix? Preemptive TL;DR: `Matrix ≈ Discord - tracking + end-to-end encryption by default` Matrix is a protocol for real-time communication (text, audio, and video) followed by various applications ("clients") -- the official one is [Element](https://element.io/download) for Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS), but there are many others (e.g. those listed [here](https://matrix.org/clients)). It's also federated, like Lemmy. To use a Matrix client, you need to make a Matrix account at one of the Matrix *homeservers* (similar to how you can make an account on lemmygrad.ml or lemmy.ml but still access both of them). We have our own Matrix homeserver at https://genzedong.org, and you don't need an email address to register an account there. ## How do I use it? 1. Download a Matrix client (e.g. [Element](https://element.io/download)) on whatever device you prefer. 2. Create an account in the client. You can select `genzedong.org` as your homeserver here; if you choose the default `matrix.org`, you'll need to enter an email address. 3. Log in. Search for the room `#welcome:genzedong.org`. 4. If you already have a Lemmygrad account with a posting history, just mention it in the "Welcome" room and you'll be invited to the GenZedong *space* (basically just a collection of rooms -- the main one is `#general:genzedong.org`). Otherwise, you'll have to answer some vetting questions similar to the ones needed to register on Lemmygrad. ## How active is it? Not very active at the moment, but you -- yes, *you* (!!!) -- can help change this! Wow! Amazing! ## Important info - Encryption is currently disabled in the GenZedong Matrix rooms.

Evidently the Bakmuht campaign is not going well. I say allegedly because, as usual, the sources of this are pretty shaky. Hopefully it's not true because this is a major escalation otherwise. Like point-of-no-return level.

Russia's SMO is approaching its 1 year anniversary. I am interested in learning what people have to say about the war, how it's going, and how it will end up. Do you think this will end in the foreseeable future? Will it escalate further? How will the media represent whatever result happens?

Despite the US blowing up infrastructure and sanctioning its adversaries, China is the country many in the West see as a “threat” to world peace. That lie has become more apparent as the US impedes China’s ability to help quake-hit Syria. ... The laughably fake portrayal of China as “bad” and the US as “good” is becoming more and more clear as Beijing struggles against America’s political games to send much-needed aid to the people of earthquake-hit Syria, and a shocking expose about the US being behind the Nord Stream pipeline explosions shows the levels Washington will go to to stay on top while smashing every other country down, even their so-called allies. At least 12,000 people have lost their lives so far after a massive 7.8 earthquake hit Turkey and Syria on February 6, with many governments scrambling to send rescue teams and aid to the two countries. China already has a top 82-member rescue team in Turkey, and has also sent 40 million RMB is emergency aid, as well as urgently needed disaster relief supplies. But when it comes to Syria, there’s a problem: Syria is heavily sanctioned by the US, whose military currently occupies an oil-rich area in the northeastern part of the country. This means that much-needed aid cannot reach the government there. China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said: “The devastating earthquakes - on top of years of war and turmoil - have left Syria in a terrible humanitarian crisis. The UN and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have called for emergency aid to Syria to avoid further deterioration of its humanitarian situation. The US has long been engaged in the Syrian crisis. Its frequent military strikes and harsh economic sanctions have caused huge civilian casualties and taken away the means to subsistence of the Syrians. As we speak, the US troops continue to occupy Syria’s principal oil-producing regions. They have plundered more than 80% of Syria’s oil production and smuggled and burned Syria’s grain stock. All this has made Syria’s humanitarian crisis even worse. In the wake of the catastrophe, the US should put aside geopolitical obsessions and immediately lift the unilateral sanctions on Syria, to unlock the doors for humanitarian aid to Syria.”

link: http://www.pbc.gov.cn/en/3688110/3688172/4756445/4788631/index.html

By the time you figure out that Russian soldiers are not like Afghani toddlers, it's too late...

Thoughts? They apparently have "experts" https://www.insider.com/north-korean-girl-youtube-subscribers-song-a-propaganda-videos-2023-2

Aka it is 100% factual

https://www.sm28.org/articles/j11-the-return-of-the-cuban-proletariat/ I’m wondering your thoughts on this. I think they are ancoms and/or leftcoms, so obviously I took everything with a grain of salt. They have both been to Cuba in the last few years, and talked to people there. I’m pretty sure they are talking about “#soscuba.” This is what they claim: -the Cuban people have become disillusioned with communism -since the economy is mostly based on tourism the state puts a lot of money into resorts for foreigners instead of caring for their people, Cuba therefore basically already has capitalism, especially because most of their economy relies on exports and trading with companies like nestle -the people were originally supportive of the revolution, but since Fidel died stuff has gotten worse -Cuba really peaked in the 90s when people took care of each other and there were cool farming programs and stuff -since, the farming stuff has ceased and most people are food insecure -the government is bureaucratic and is very strict not wanting people to do anything they don’t directly approve of -at this point the Cuban people don’t even care about political ideology, they just want an end to it -one claimed most people on the street will express disapproval of the gov, while the other claimed most people say they want capitalism -they say Cuba has a very small amount of crime and then claim that they have a high incarceration which is mostly political prisoners -the Cuban anarchist they interview claims there was no cia involvement, but if there were they would have welcomed it My assumption was that the sanctions on Cuba are what is causing most of these problems, but they deny it as the underlying problem. They acknowledge the “Stalinist” talking points that Batista was worse, etc and say they’re right, but that doesn’t mean Cuba’s gov isn’t bad. Then they say something about Communism naturally coming to be hated by people in places like Cuba and the USSR, (of course they think their own specific brand of communism would be better), and this rubs me the wrong way, as the people of the USSR didn’t want it to end, in fact they almost voted the communist party back into power after the undemocratic dissillusion. So, what do you think? Is the US’ strategy of sanctioning countries til their people get desperate working? Is cuba a degenerated workers state?

This post will self-destruct in 10 seconds (no it won't) The alt hunt account is still ongoing comrades, not until I say it's over. First time? Read this: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/500112 Second time? Then get to hunting. I'm waiting. Third time? Read carefully 😉

Seems like the narative around demand from China has changed every few hours for like a year. Either too many covid restrictions or too much covid. Either opening up will drive prices up or opening up is underwhelming but still driving prices up? It's hard to follow I swear the last year or so China narratives are just market manipulation tactics

Hi folks, Today we'll be discussing: **The Red Deal - The Red Nation - Discussion 2.** Today's discussion is: * 2/8 - The Red Deal - The Red Nation - Discussion 2, Part 2, "Heal our bodies - reinvest in our common humanity" There's a copy available here: https://therednation.org/environmental-justice/ . Under "articles - the Red Deal". My physical copy finally came in, though! **Discussion Prompts** These are some ideas to address while considering this work. None of them are essential, and any of your own thoughts are very much welcome! I'll be adding my own thoughts later today. * What seems to be the main point of this work? What question is the author trying to answer? * What have they missed? Are they wrong about anything? * Did anything surprise you? * Is this work applicable outside of the U$? * Is this really a “nonessential” or would it be good for any communist to read it? **Next Discussion** The next book will be: * 2/15 - The Red Deal - Red Nation - discussion 3. -"Heal our planet: Reinvest in our common future" * 2/22 - The Red Deal - Red Nation - discussion 4 - Appendices and summary **Next Title** If you would like to suggest the next title please put in a separate comment with the words "submission suggestion". I think the highest voted title should win. Books should be: * not suggested for beginners. * not overly technical or philosophical (I’m just not smart enough to lead those discussions). * relatively short (so as not to lose too much momentum). * regionally or subject specific (like Che’s Guerilla Warfare is topically specific, or Decolonization is Not a Metaphor is regionally specific?). * readily available. Thanks for your time! :)

Unfortunately the silesian autonomists are libertarians and no one is treating them seriously, but the silesian nationality is the problem that is being shushed in Poland hard since Poland has tried hard to prevent it from emerging as true nation for over 100 years now.

https://miralatinalab.com/es/artista/wara-vargas/

I’ll wager that the pretext of the war will now be used to dismantle the social safety net in Europe and create mass austerity to feed the war industry. European capitalists will be thrilled because social safety net is what sets the standard for the quality of working conditions. As we see in shitholes like US, when you create horrific conditions for the unemployed then people will be willing to accept slightly less horrific conditions at work.


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