Left-Wing Discussion Thread

[Luziyca]

Personally, I am some sort of left-leaning person. I believe that the state should at least have a welfare state and nationalize industries crucial for national interests, though I want to preserve small-scale capitalism (ordinary small businesses won't be affected, and neither would large corporations that treat their workers well).

Is that not just social democracy?

Yet, in recent times, I find myself disillusioned with the current state of humanity, and I am no longer certain if it is worth trying to rid humanity of their innate barbaric instincts such as greed, racism, and xenophobia, let alone control them.

Can greed not be a basis for communism?

I don't see how racism and xenophobia are "innate" if the national, ethnic and racial identities they are not innate, but a development over the course of history.

Yes, but I mean like how people are greedy and tend to take the best things for themselves. Capitalism is the best way to exploit greed.

Also, I think for as long as history has existed, there has always been an "us against them" mentality. Since this seems to be witnessed across the world, it is probably human nature. They may have progressed, but the primordial structure remains as is.

National identities though were a more recent innovation, I can tell you that.

[Conscentia]

Ethical subjectivism is untenable, because subjective statements cannot be truth-apt. Moral statements such as "murder is immoral" cannot be 'subjectively true' because that doesn't make sense - truth is objective. It gives way to expressivist moral nihilism.

How do you deal with the Frege-Geach problem?

This is why I've really started to like error theory, over emotivism/expressivism.

I'm not convinced by the Frege-Geach problem. Though maybe I simply don't understand the argument - perhaps Wikipedia's fault. Using Wikipedia's example, I don't think that expressivism means that "It is wrong to tell lies" on it's own must mean something different to "it is wrong to tell lies" as part of the conditional "If it is wrong to tell lies, then it is wrong to get your little brother to lie". "It is wrong to tell lies" expresses the same condemnation of lying in both. The "if" simply instructs one to imagine that the sentiments of "it is wrong to" have been expressed.

"It is wrong to lie." -> "I oppose lying."
"If it is wrong to lie, then it is wrong to convince others to lie." -> "Suppose I oppose lying, then I oppose convincing others to lie."
"Therefore, it is wrong to get your little brother to tell lies." -> "[I oppose lying] therefore I oppose convincing others to lie."

With regards to ethical cognitivism vs non-cognitivism, I haven't been swayed wholly one way or the other. I lean towards a position that some moral statements are expressed in a truth-apt form while others are not. I therefore treat error theory and expressivism as applicable under different contexts. Regardless, all roads lead to nihilism.

[The New Sea Territory]

Thoughts on Jacques Derrida and deconstruction? I've been listening to a lecture on Youtube about his him.

[Communist Xomaniax]

Who is Slavoj Žižek?

[Conscentia]

Who is Slavoj Žižek?

Here's VICE's interview with Slavoj Zizek. The introduction at the beginning would seem to answer your question.

[Conscentia]

Thoughts on Jacques Derrida and deconstruction? I've been listening to a lecture on Youtube about his him.

Derrida is on my queue of people and things I intend to look into, but haven't gotten around to yet. Is the lecture good?

[The New Sea Territory]

Thoughts on Jacques Derrida and deconstruction? I've been listening to a lecture on Youtube about his him.

Derrida is on my queue of people and things I intend to look into, but haven't gotten around to yet. Is the lecture good?

Link

It's very basic, but explains what he was talking about.

[FelrikTheDeleted]

Can anyone suggest me some reading material concerning Anarchism?

[The New Sea Territory]

Can anyone suggest me some reading material concerning Anarchism?

Entry stuff:

Anarchy Works by Peter Gelderloos

An Anarchist FAQ: What is Anarchism?

Some big names in anarchist theory would be Petr Kropotkin, Mikhail Bakunin, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, Max Stirner, Rudolf Rocker, Benjamin Tucker, Noam Chomsky, Alfredo Bonnano, Nestor Makhno, Renzo Novatore and John Zerzan. All of their stuff can be found on the Anarchist Library.

[FelrikTheDeleted]

Can anyone suggest me some reading material concerning Anarchism?

Entry stuff:

Anarchy Works by Peter Gelderloos

An Anarchist FAQ: What is Anarchism?

Some big names in anarchist theory would be Petr Kropotkin, Mikhail Bakunin, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, Max Stirner, Rudolf Rocker, Benjamin Tucker, Noam Chomsky, Alfredo Bonnano, Nestor Makhno, Renzo Novatore and John Zerzan. All of their stuff can be found on the Anarchist Library.

Cheers.

[United Marxist Nations]

I'm pitching this idea to the CDT and RWDT as well, but what do you guys think of a recommended reading list?

[Conscentia]

I'm pitching this idea to the CDT and RWDT as well, but what do you guys think of a recommended reading list?

OP ist tot, so it's not presently feasible. Though if everyone here wants one, we can decide on a list now which I can include in the OP of the next thread.

As for actual suggestions, I'm not sure. I've got some relevant things linked to under General Misc in my signature that could be included unless there are objections. I'd especially recommend Oscar Wilde's "The Soul of Man Under Socialism", due to it's interesting perspective on socialism.

[Kubra]

Can anyone suggest me some reading material concerning Anarchism?

Malatesta's "At the Cafe" was made as an introduction and as far as rly old anarchism goes it's a sound introduction

[The New Sea Territory]

I'm pitching this idea to the CDT and RWDT as well, but what do you guys think of a recommended reading list?

I have my own recommended reading list atm, in my sig.

But if we do make one, I think either Trotsky's "ABC of Materialist Dialectics", The Right to be Greedy or or Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy belong on it.

I'm pitching this idea to the CDT and RWDT as well, but what do you guys think of a recommended reading list?

OP ist tot, so it's not presently feasible.

We will need a new thread soon.

[Zoboyizakoplayoklot]

Just a quick question, but other than in name, is China even anywhere on the left wing? Their economy is essentially capitalist, and their social polices are mostly conservative.

[New Werpland]

Derrida is on my queue of people and things I intend to look into, but haven't gotten around to yet. Is the lecture good?

Link

It's very basic, but explains what he was talking about.

I remember some people talking about how Derrida was superfluous, overrated, and won't be significant in the future. That's all I know about Derrida, hope that quenches your thirst for informed opinions.

[Uiiop]

Just a quick question, but other than in name, is China even anywhere on the left wing? Their economy is essentially capitalist, and their social polices are mostly conservative.

Unless the government turns out to be accelerationists probably not.

[The New Sea Territory]

Link

It's very basic, but explains what he was talking about.

I remember some people talking about how Derrida was superfluous, overrated, and won't be significant in the future.

All of these are probably true. However, I don't think this should be used as an excuse to ignore his ideas.

[New Werpland]

I remember some people talking about how Derrida was superfluous, overrated, and won't be significant in the future.

All of these are probably true. However, I don't think this should be used as an excuse to ignore his ideas.

You are definitely correct there.

[Conscentia]

I have my own recommended reading list atm, in my sig.

But if we do make one, I think either Trotsky's "ABC of Materialist Dialectics", The Right to be Greedy or or Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy belong on it.

Why "The Birth of Tragedy"?

We will need a new thread soon.

Well, yes. That's why I suggested in my post that we could come up with one anyway for the next thread.

[Mattopilos]

I have my own recommended reading list atm, in my sig.

But if we do make one, I think either Trotsky's "ABC of Materialist Dialectics", The Right to be Greedy or or Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy belong on it.

Why "The Birth of Tragedy"?

We will need a new thread soon.

Well, yes. That's why I suggested in my post that we could come up with one anyway for the next thread.

The work focuses on individualism. Which is kinda a big thing in anarchism.

[The New Sea Territory]

I have my own recommended reading list atm, in my sig.

But if we do make one, I think either Trotsky's "ABC of Materialist Dialectics", The Right to be Greedy or or Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy belong on it.

Why "The Birth of Tragedy"?

It's Nietzsche's first book, so I think it's the best place to start with Nietzsche's works. Leftists would benefit from understanding Nietzsche.

The work focuses on individualism. Which is kinda a big thing in anarchism.

It focuses on contrasting the Dionysian and Apollonian archetypes, and a Dionysian attitude is very compatible with individualist anarchism. I don't think that book is about individualism, though.

[The United States of the South Pole]

Whats the Nation State's Left think about Privatized Prisons? What about School Vouchers? Sales Tax?

[Pandeeria]

Why "The Birth of Tragedy"?

It's Nietzsche's first book, so I think it's the best place to start with Nietzsche's works. Leftists would benefit from understanding Nietzsche.

The work focuses on individualism. Which is kinda a big thing in anarchism.

It focuses on contrasting the Dionysian and Apollonian archetypes, and a Dionysian attitude is very compatible with individualist anarchism. I don't think that book is about individualism, though.

Reading is a spook.

[PaNTuXIa]

Who is Slavoj Žižek?

The Secretary-General of the coming United Soviets of America.

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