Do you think Communism should be despised as much as Nazism?

[krtek a houby]

I have a Conservative friend who thinks that Margaret Thatcher is the best thing since sliced bread and thinks that Communism is as evil as Nazism and represents the same totalitarianism, genocide, dictatorship, etc.

Trying to explain to him that Communism is not the same as Stalinism or Maoism, that Communism wants to abolish the state (it will eventually wither away), etc is like talking to a brick wall. Similarly, when I point out the good things that happened during the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, etc, he calls me an “apologist”, but the same person will defend Thatcher till pigs start flying despite all of what happened in Britain during the 1980s; he actually thinks that this country is in a much better place today because of her.

He also repeats the same old cliches such as Conservatism being more ‘natural’ because people are ‘naturally greedy and selfish’. When I asked him to prove that an innate human nature exists he stumbles and changed the subject.

He hasn’t even read any of the basic socialist or communist books so god knows where he gets his ideas from about left-wing ideas. Perhaps the Daily Mail.

He’s such an oddball when I compare him to some other friends who are Conservative voters. He’s the type of person who wants everyone to know his political beliefs and doesn’t like any form of criticism, even if it is constructive criticism. He even sometimes wears political t-shirts when he goes to pubs! Needless to say that things have got heated in the past.

What do you think?

Think that Xmas has delivered, a great gift, which should be savoured.

 

[krtek a houby]

.

 

[Jay Park]

I have a Conservative friend who thinks that Margaret Thatcher is the best thing since sliced bread and thinks that Communism is as evil as Nazism and represents the same totalitarianism, genocide, dictatorship, etc.

Trying to explain to him that Communism is not the same as Stalinism or Maoism, that Communism wants to abolish the state (it will eventually wither away), etc is like talking to a brick wall. Similarly, when I point out the good things that happened during the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, etc, he calls me an “apologist”, but the same person will defend Thatcher till pigs start flying despite all of what happened in Britain during the 1980s; he actually thinks that this country is in a much better place today because of her.

He also repeats the same old cliches such as Conservatism being more ‘natural’ because people are ‘naturally greedy and selfish’. When I asked him to prove that an innate human nature exists he stumbles and changed the subject.

He hasn’t even read any of the basic socialist or communist books so god knows where he gets his ideas from about left-wing ideas. Perhaps the Daily Mail.

He’s such an oddball when I compare him to some other friends who are Conservative voters. He’s the type of person who wants everyone to know his political beliefs and doesn’t like any form of criticism, even if it is constructive criticism. He even sometimes wears political t-shirts when he goes to pubs! Needless to say that things have got heated in the past.

What do you think?

what was the best thing before sliced bread?

 

[8ball]

what was the best thing before sliced bread?

Wrapped bread, I believe. Though some argue for the electric light bulb.

 

[Kevbad the Bad]

.

 

[tim]

Have you ever had any problems in the past because you wore badges?

I made the mistake of wearing a Magpie badge when my Cub pack appeared on Blue Peter. Biddy Baxter set Fred/Freda, who hadn't been fed for 3 days, on me. She told me that was my "One For Sorrow" and that I was lucky that Shep was in rehab at the time.

 

[Jay Park]

I made the mistake of wearing a Magpie badge when my Cub pack appeared on Blue Peter. Biddy Baxter set Fred/Freda who hadn't been fed for 3 days on me. She told me that was my "One For Sorrow" and that I was lucky that Shep was in rehab at the time.

sectarian b*stards

 

[RD2003]

I have a Conservative friend who thinks that Margaret Thatcher is the best thing since sliced bread and thinks that Communism is as evil as Nazism and represents the same totalitarianism, genocide, dictatorship, etc.

Trying to explain to him that Communism is not the same as Stalinism or Maoism, that Communism wants to abolish the state (it will eventually wither away), etc is like talking to a brick wall. Similarly, when I point out the good things that happened during the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, etc, he calls me an “apologist”, but the same person will defend Thatcher till pigs start flying despite all of what happened in Britain during the 1980s; he actually thinks that this country is in a much better place today because of her.

He also repeats the same old cliches such as Conservatism being more ‘natural’ because people are ‘naturally greedy and selfish’. When I asked him to prove that an innate human nature exists he stumbles and changed the subject.

He hasn’t even read any of the basic socialist or communist books so god knows where he gets his ideas from about left-wing ideas. Perhaps the Daily Mail.

He’s such an oddball when I compare him to some other friends who are Conservative voters. He’s the type of person who wants everyone to know his political beliefs and doesn’t like any form of criticism, even if it is constructive criticism. He even sometimes wears political t-shirts when he goes to pubs! Needless to say that things have got heated in the past.

What do you think?

Fucking hell, Covid restrictions or not, is this all you've got to do on Xmas day?

 

[JimW]

Santa has a very commie beard, dresses in red, goes in for commodity distribution and keeps a List.

 

[8ball]

Santa has a very commie beard, dresses in red, goes in for commodity distribution and keeps a List.

Dresses in red as popularised by a capitalist company selling aspirations in the form of overpriced sugar water.
Distributes gifts in a manner extremely segregated by parental income.
Pioneered Big Data.

 

[RD2003]

'Just wait-I'm gonna leave it until Christmas Day, when none of 'em are looking, and start asking the really awkward questions.'

 

[yield]

Dresses in red as popularised by a capitalist company selling aspirations in the form of overpriced sugar water.
Distributes gifts in a manner extremely segregated by parental income.
Pioneered Big Data.

Santa and Magic Mushrooms: The Shamanic Origins of Christmas Traditions
Medium 02/12/2018

One could trace the origin of the story of Santa Claus and Christmas tradition to several theories, the most famous one being the story of Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century Greek saint known for his generosity.

Another theory links Santa Claus’ red and white color scheme to a genius Coca-Cola advertising campaign. Yet, elements of Santa Claus’ tale and life, especially from the very popular ’Twas The Night Before Christmas’ poem recited every year by millions around the world, reveal a different story.

Santa Claus’ archetypal image can be dated to hundreds if not thousands of years, even found in the most unpredictable places and times.

Since pre-Christian times, this time of year has always been a time of festivities and celebration, with music, dancing, banquets, and gatherings.

Germanic peoples, for example, had the Midwinter festival, Yule, which occurred around the Winter Solstice (21st December). Also, the Romans had the festival of Saturnalia, an ancient festival in honor of the god Saturn, held on the 17th of December through to the 23rd of December.

In the case of this article, we’ll be dealing with the Siberian and Arctic regions, where shamans dropped into locals’ homes with a bag full of magic mushrooms as presents in late December.

 

[Jay Park]

Santa and Magic Mushrooms: The Shamanic Origins of Christmas Traditions
Medium 02/12/2018

those were the days

 

[krtek a houby]

Saint Nicholas, Old Nick. Santa being an anagram of Satan.

Join the dots, sheeple.

 

[Funky_monks]

Santa and Magic Mushrooms: The Shamanic Origins of Christmas Traditions
Medium 02/12/2018

Santa Claus is Odin.

 

[Serge Forward]

He’s got t-shirts with Margaret Thatcher’s face and things like “I Voted Tory” or “Vote Tory” on them.

Have you tried hitting the cunt with a stool? That'll put him right.

 

[Doodler]

I made the mistake of wearing a Magpie badge when my Cub pack appeared on Blue Peter. Biddy Baxter set Fred/Freda who hadn't been fed for 3 days on me. She told me that was my "One For Sorrow" and that I was lucky that Shep was in rehab at the time.

Hope it wasn't you who wrecked the Blue Peter garden in revenge. Percy Thrower was visibly upset.

 

[CNT36]

Think that Xmas has delivered, a great gift, which should be savoured.

Should we all chip in for a nice card to thank Schwartz's mum for the new Ipad?

 

[Pickman's model]

Santa Claus is Odin.

Odin famously only had one eye so which of Santa Claus's is false?

 

[Funky_monks]

Odin famously only had one eye so which of Santa Claus's is false?

Im sure santa has occasionally been depicted with an eyepatch, but Google as I might, I can't find an image of it.....

 

[seventh bullet]

There were two revolutions in 1917 and both for the most part were peaceful. There was no real violence during the October Revolution.

The ‘Red Terror’ what you are referring to happened during the Russian Civil War and not during either revolution.

Lenin died in 1924 and between 1917-1924 no one was killed for having an opposing political view to the Bolsheviks. In fact, there were plenty of discussions and debates about different political views. If you can cite a source which states otherwise then go ahead.

The real crimes happened after Lenin’s death.

Even historians like Orlando Figes concede what I have mentioned.

Check out the following debate between him and Alan Woods:

A poacher turned gamekeeper said in 1918: We stand for organised terror. This should be frankly admitted.

You're a shit troll. It's Boxing Day FFS. I'm getting pleasantly wasted on Tramadol while watching Gremlins.

 

[Pickman's model]

A poacher turned gamekeeper said in 1918: We stand for organised terror. This should be frankly admitted.

You're a shit troll. It's Boxing Day FFS. I'm getting pleasantly wasted on Tramadol while watching Gremlins.

A shit troll but the best we could afford from the server fund

 

[fishfinger]

A shit troll but the best we could afford from the server fund

We have to pay for this dreck?

 

[A380]

Say what you like about Lenin, without him we’d have just had some decent tunes from Paul.

 

[Edie]

Why didn’t communism work? By this I mean why did it descend so quickly into a dictatorship?

(I have read the wiki page on the history of communism but it doesn’t really address this. I’m afraid I’m pretty ignorant about the history of that time. I have read that there was meant to be a dictatorship of the proletariat, which is a transitional stage to a more utopia kind of communism, and I’m guessing it went pretty badly wrong soon after that process started?)

 

[girasol]

As a random aside, the reason I exist was my paternal grandparents fled Russia and Ukraine in 1917. My maternal grandparents left Italy due to poverty. My parents were born in Brazil... I ended up in London... Weird how things work out

 

[JimW]

Why didn’t communism work? By this I mean why did it descend so quickly into a dictatorship?

The classic excuse I read is the major revolutions succeeded in countries without a democratic tradition, whereas Marx had envisioned it more as the final culmination of the struggle for democracy in the more "modern" industrial nations with mature working class organisations to keep things in line.

 

[tufty79]

I posted this on the wrong thread

This is a print off and cut out and wear badge - if you'd like one, you're welcome to use this one (that goes for all urbs).

 

[Schwartz]

Admittedly funnier than any of the Christmas cracker jokes this year.

Lenin the gentle, oh how long must his good name be dragged through the mud?

Are you 17? Cos I used to say and think stuff like this when I was 17 and had only been told what to think and had not, you know, actually read any books

You’re misinterpreting my points and using a strawman argument.

I’m not claiming that Lenin was a Saint and was against violence. I’m pointing out the fact that the violence happened during a civil war and there was violence on both sides.

I’ve read loads of books on this topic. In fact, more than likely more than yo

There was little opposition to the Revolution because nearly everyone wanted an end to the war. So all kinds of people supported it initially. After that the Civil War developed. Not everything happened all at once. It took time for the sheer viciousness of the new regime to become apparent, partly because of the effectiveness of their propaganda machine and the censorship. The Civil War, as it is often called, only really happened when the Bolsheviks tried to extend their power outside of the Russian heartlands.

Again, you are changing your time as you continue to post.

No, the civil war can’t be blamed solely on the Bolsheviks alone. It happened because of both opposing sides - the Bolsheviks and the Red Army and the Allies forced and the White Army had different views on the future of Russia. The Bolsheviks undoubtedly had many enemies. What about the Social Revolutionaries? What about the Czech Legion? Etc. It happened for many reasons and not just simply “because of the bolsheviks

Have you tried hitting the cunt with a stool? That'll put him right.

He’s already “right”.

Why didn’t communism work? By this I mean why did it descend so quickly into a dictatorship?

(I have read the wiki page on the history of communism but it doesn’t really address this. I’m afraid I’m pretty ignorant about the history of that time. I have read that there was meant to be a dictatorship of the proletariat, which is a transitional stage to a more utopia kind of communism, and I’m guessing it went pretty badly wrong soon after that process started?)

Communism hasn’t always just quickly been a disaster for people. There have been lots of cases in history where communism has been successful. Google “primitive communism”. To think that the dictatorships of Chairman Mao, Joseph Stalin, etc, represent communism is wrong.

 

[Schwartz]

Do some people on here think that the Russians were treated nicely by the Tsars? A few people on here need to brush up on their knowledge of Russia history!