((Slight doomer mindset ahead))
I feel like the reason western media doesn’t go too hard on censoring socialism like they used to is because western capitalism and its culture is so meshed with western consciousness that the fate of western capitalism has been secured. They don’t have to struggle against socialism anymore when everyone’s liberal and don’t actually want the change in the system (even if they wanted, the working class isn’t united and thus can’t really threaten capital), they know most people only want bare minimum social welfare. Capitalism has been cemented and will probably never be threatened for a few years. I give it until climate change starts really fucking the world up, but for now they don’t care too much.
On the other hand, western capitalism is basically imperialism first. The imperialism is the main driving force of western capitalism right now. That is why they’ve been much more unforgiving of anti-imperialism, and it’s much harder to cement something so global (especially during times like these) compared to your local capitalist system. If you’re anti-imperialist, you are going to be blackballed in media. Look at Jeffrey Sachs now, bro took one stance and all of a sudden he’s being fucked over. There’s a reason why when we speak of western censorship in the modern era, the people being censored are those who oppose imperialism and imperialist narratives.
Being a socialist or Communist in the west doesn’t mean shit to me unless you’re actually anti-imperialist. Like all socialist struggles, it has to be anti-imperialist at its core.
What are your thoughts?
I think because of the amount of work they put into the initial Red Scare, over *decades *, anti-communist sentiments just became part of the culture without having to actively sow the propaganda anymore.
Communism isn’t illegal in Canada anymore, we have a communist party, but because of the history against the party and communism in general they tend not to get as much attention in the media nor is the federal and provincial governments worried about them taking power. Our education system, at least from when I was a kid, wasn’t explicitly anti-communist. It was actually just never really talked about. Even World War Two atrocities were minimized. We learned about the invincible hand and trickle down economics, that’s probably where we learned to trust capitalism.
We do unfortunately have a “memorial” to “victims of communism” and multiple monuments dedicated to Nazis too, so that does hinder the movement. Then again it seems with more young people going to university and “coming out communist” (courtesy of Danielle Smith) there is a chance for an intellectual shift.
I’ve seen with this pandemic that there’s been a fundamental political switch. Many people are getting more and more irritated, especially now with the hurricane on the east side and the federal reaction to the war. The vaccine mandates and public health measures sowed even more resentment in the population. The convoy and the politicians who supported it have made more people a lot louder with their fascist views. But we’ve also seen people making a switch to the left.
The only real disappointment is that, while the fascists were incredibly quick to organize with the convoy, people on the left, or at least those sympathetic to the left, tend to be incredibly unmotivated. I’ve complained about our utility bills and how we need to fight against the supplier, but my family members always say “it sucks but that’s just how it is”. I think that quote sums up the common attitude.
Canadian culture was always to be complacent and never ask for too much. We’re better off than other countries so don’t be ungrateful. You might get hurt so don’t fight for anything. You don’t want to lose a stable job so don’t organize.
I do believe that a lot more people are becoming aware of just how bad things are, with politicians be more confident spewing their vitriol, and seeing the injustice facing the working class (surplus money being stolen), it’s prime time to start organizing and getting shit done. I think a Lenin type of figure is needed to get the ball rolling. We can have outwardly fascist politicians in power and broadcasted, it’s time for our communists to do the same.
The spirit of Lenin lives in all of us❤🫂
Counterpoint: suppression of Bernie Sanders’ two presedential bids, as a social democrat.
And sheesh, I get the FUCK censored out of me when I try talking about China, Ukraine, hell the last 6 months I can barely even say “capitalism,” let alone “socialism.”
The censorship is evolved, more subtle. And yes more automated and self-replicating. But it is still required by our enemies and they still expend a shitload of resources maintaining pro-war, pro-capitalist, anti-socialist propaganda. I mean, hey, I even think all the anticommunist Western leftist “tankie” hysteria is some psyop fed shit.
Do not despair, they still fear us, not as we stand now but for what we could become if we overcome their sly tricks and they run out of fresh cards. Even Americans will not be able to ignore their increasingly worse lives compared to the increasingly better lives of the Chinese in a decade.
