cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/7373861

This might be a silly question, so I want to preface it with an apology in advance and if you think there is a better place to ask please let me know.

I’ve come across a large number of self-described “anarchists” or “non-communist leftists,” or the like, mostly online,thanks to where I live (谢天谢地). But whenever you look a bit closer, the pattern is the same: underneath the aesthetics and language, it’s just liberalism. Pro-NATO positions, contempt toward the global periphery, and extremely reactionary responses when imperialism or capitalism are seriously questioned.

So my question is: Is adopting these leftist identities a kind of defensive mechanism (an attempt to distance themselves from the real-world damage caused by liberal ideology) or am I misunderstanding what’s actually going on?

  • ProudCascadianEnglish
    9·
    7 days ago

    I mean, Liberals adopt Leftist personas all the time, e.g. Karl Kautsky, Bill Clinton, Ian Kochinski. As for the purpose, it mostly seems to be:

    • to fill the Left with tons of reactionary opinions like the need for border security;
    • mislead the Left by misrepresenting actual Leftist arguments such as “decolonization” and “Socialism in one country”;
    • and making the Left feel hopeless by demonizing actually successful revolutions such as the USSR, PRC, Cuba and DPRK.

    I suppose the consequences of Liberalism would be such balderdash being found out. Liberals are otherwise quite respected across the First World, and don’t really need to hide themselves in shame.