Apologies to the mods.

  • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    3 months ago

    As we already discussed, if the vast majority of Marxists fit the definition of “tankie” you gave, then it’s just a pejorative for Marxists. The Black Panther Party supported and was influenced by the DPRK, if you count that as “glorifying,” in your own words, then the Black Panthers were tankies. If you don’t, and believe them to have been sufficiently nuanced, then “tankies” practically do not exist on Lemmy.

    • irelephant [he/him]🍭@lemm.eeOP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      3 months ago

      Alright, forget the word tankie.
      People who

      • Support modern russia and/or are opposed to Ukraine
      • Deny that the Uyghurs were mistreated by china
      • Think the DRPK is a nice place to live right now.
      • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        3 months ago

        Most Marxists do not uncritically support Russia, though opposition to the Nationalists like Azov in Ukraine is something common on the Left, and believe Russia’s anti-US stance is beneficial for the Global South (see the string of African liberation movements in the past few years). Most Marxists can agree that the Uyghur people have been placed in re-education camps, but most do not believe they are being systemically murdered en masse like many people report. Most Marxists think the DPRK is doing surprisingly well for a country under extreme embargoes and was subject to more tons of bombs than the pacific front in World War II, not that it would be preferable to live there than in a highly developed country free from those problems.

          • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            3 months ago

            I am talking about the majority of the people people on Lemmy call “tankies.” Not everyone has your specific view and nuance of the word, yet when others see you use it to describe people, they think of the worst nightmare of McCarthy. It’s better to not use the word at all, unless you want to antagonize Marxists in general, because that’s what Marxists see it as.

              • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                3 months ago

                My recommendation is to either refrain from using it, or use it with the knowledge that it’s just an anti-communist pejorative. I don’t recommend trying to claim you aren’t an anti-Communist while using the modern version of “pinko,” when everyone hears it as such.

                My biggest recommendation, though, is to just visit places you feel are “tankie” and try to ask questions in good faith. Make a Hexbear account, and participate in the general megathread, browse the news mega, or just lurk, and then you’ll get a better view of what these “tankies” are actually like when they aren’t in an environment hostile to them and dedicated to misrepresenting their words at every instance.

        • DicJacobus@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          0
          ·
          3 months ago

          Maybe they should stop playing devils advocate for Russia in general, If you have to have a conversation about the Genocidal Mob state, and throw a bunch of ifs, ands, or buts in the discussion. You’re already stoking trouble.

          America can be bad, and Russia can be equally bad in the same instance.