Agreed, he can’t just tease us like this. Take it all down!

Honestly, while I wouldn’t promote it as a good thing nor support it, I can’t say I’d be overly saddened (if at all) if vice versa happened to the Brits, French, or honestly any “former imperialist” west European nations. What is good for the goose, must be good for the gander after all…

And if white, western “civilization” were to vanish entirely (according to their own standards, anyways- ie. through intermarriage and demographic decline) I can’t say I wouldn’t at least somewhat support that process and see it as a positive thing (due to all the baggage that grouping has built up to distance themselves from the rest of humanity), as well.

Not that either would happen, (sadly for the latter), but the world would be a whole lot better off IMO if the latter did. The only decent white societies west of the Balkans as I see it (not that there aren’t many decent white westerners) are the Irish, maybe the Icelanders, and a smattering of other peoples without independence (Basques, Corsicans, Scots, Bretons, Welsh, Sami, etc) and effective microstates like Malta. Without such convenient fantasies (the west always manages to dream up better realities, for fearmongering purposes) humanity will simply have to go through the slow and painful process of weeding out the poisonous “garden.”

Agreed (Canadian and this country is just as complicit, and guilty of equal crimes).

Honestly at this point I feel that even if Yellowstone were to erupt, or all of Anglophone North America were to vanish suddenly, it would likely be a net positive for humanity by a fair margin. Things are just that fucked; if humanity wants a future beyond constant settler-genocidal expansion, genocidal forever wars, imperialism in general, etc… hell, if humanity wants a future at all, the Burger regime needs to go, one way or another.

Agreed, the west never changes. Honestly- even as someone living in and raised in the west, I look forward to the multipolarity and western decline to come- for among many things, simply the consequences of 500 years of non-stop (actual) barbarism and unparalleled crimes in scope and severity, coming down upon western ““civilization.””

The west should be grateful that the rest of the world is not seeking revenge; and that they (western society after 500 years of ever-worsening contradictions and distancing from the rest of humanity) are an aberration, whereas normal societies are capable of dialogue and empathy (something possible in western individuals, but especially since the unipolar moment completely lacking in western societies and institutions).

But reparations will have to be had, and more than that, the west should never be trusted (not that trust should be given freely between states and societies, but the west should specifically be distrusted even to such an extent as to expect them to be a malicious, self-destructive actor), and I hope they will not be, and that the ghosts of colonialism, of genociding the majority of three continents’ worth of native peoples, of plundering and terrorizing the entire globe and destroying the cores of at least two cradles of civilization, etc… will haunt them and their reputation for a long time to come; even generations after they begin reform, up until the last roots of evil (imperialism and colonial mentality) have died out from their societies.

Perhaps I’m being limited by my perspective, living in a “post colonial” world that still is far from being free of colonialism, let alone its legacies- and seeing the western “civilization,” through many rationales (racism, greed, hegemonic ambitions, having drunk the supremacy/“end of history” koolaid, etc)- almost all wholly and completely unsympathetic in nature- goosestep their way, eagerly, into WW3, into more genocides, into knowingly and gleefully threatening all of humanity… perhaps from such a perspective, I have some serious issues and bitterness about it all.

But I can’t help but feel that- even should 1000 years pass, and the west be not merely brought down to parity, but even lagging behind- or even in a scenario where the theorized end-goal of a worldwide communism which has progressed past the need for the state and perhaps even past scarcity itself- the west should be treated with at least some suspicion, so long as something identifiable remains to be denoted as “western” in contrast to the rest of humanity. The crimes they have committed are that great, and the evils- the societal poisons cultivated over 500 years, are that potent, that it will be a long time as I see it, before the west should be truly and fully seen as on even ground with the rest of humanity, and trusted accordingly.

Yet despite all this, of course, if the west would only choose peace, if they would only choose mutual prosperity, win-win cooperation and dialogue, the rest of the world should offer it fully in turn. But that’s the thing- they won’t, they haven’t and I think we all know that a large chunk of their society (if not the overwhelming majority- certainly, all their institutions) never will, not until it is too late, or till they are disarmed fully, and even then the poisons will linger for generations to come.

Personally I’d find any protest movements in Zimbabwe, Angola, South Africa, Mozambique or Namibia incredibly suspect to say the least. Those don’t sound like a path to a “Red Africa,” they sound like a path towards a revitalized colonization of Africa, tbh for all of Uganda and Nigeria’s (also mentioned in the article) serious issues it still could sound like a strategic targeting of BRICS member states and applicants in the continent.

Full support to the protesters in Kenya, though. Ruto can get fucked.

If it helps, the shoe will be on the other foot soon enough. And there is no shortage of true- unlike the slander against the Soviets and other communist, anti-imperialist movements- crimes that the west should and must be held accountable for.

If the US and the various European empires do not take their rightful place, firmly, alongside Nazi Germany (and as responsible for and the inspirations for Nazi Germany, and equally as terrible in their own right) in the dustbin of history in the collective consciousness in the future- I think that it will have been a severe failing, on our and (and all of humanity’s) part, and it will come back to haunt us in the most horrible ways imaginable.

Personally flipflopped between downvoting you or not (currently have not, if I did it would be -3 atm). The reason being, I wholly disagree with your characterization of Russia as a “mini imperialist” state. Are they capitalist? Yes, undeniably and tragically so. Are they reactionary? Domestically at least, yes, though it must be said that the western-backed alternatives (like Navalny) are infinitely more so. But when you look at it- they retain the inclusive, federation (civilization) state model that the Soviets established, their minorities have meaningful and substantial semi-autonomy as well as a say and stake in the collective state, and their policies as such- domestically as well as (especially) in foreign affairs- I do not think can be called “imperialist.”

Is it sus? All you have to complain about him is regarding a soft treatment of Myanmar’s military (a soft bias, perhaps- but is the article in itself inaccurate or particularly misleading?)

The Russian side in this war, is in every way the honest and justified side in this war. It would be another thing entirely if they had a NATO or Ukraine flag on their profile; in a similar fashion to how it would be if someone had an Isntreal flag (whereas having a Palestine flag simply means one is at least in some extent of a decent human being who stands against genocide)

About that “prototype…” I knew “something” had come of it, had seen it online before- but basically after over a decade, Musk came up with this:

https://youtu.be/djfYafWFWtk?si=vdzxPxrY3d6I-eRP

Basically a neon abortion of private, one-lane tunnels with Tesla taxis… of course, it’s over now as well 😂

On one hand, agreed, on the other hand, CPUSA has no leg to stand on either…

their lithography systems

Dutch lithography systems, you mean 😂 the US is essentially dismantling all western monopolies on its way out…

Agreed, really the only complaint is that they took the Cornish down with them.

Really goes to show how ghoulish this fascist (youtuber) is. Imagine taking before-and-after photos of American or British POWs who received the worst hospitality the Japanese had to offer- or taking photos of other holocaust victims and concentration camp survivors (like this guy) and then mocking them for their torment, and smearing them as war criminals.

Honestly, I genuinely hope they die, sooner than later, painfully and slowly (in Minecraft).

China’s undergoing a (controlled) demolition of its real estate speculation market, returning it back to being an industry and foundation for the people, rather than finance. All the developments are still there, and the actual industry (not speculators, actual productive capabilities) will remain as well, and unlike in the west there’s no mass evictions and impoverishment of the people, either.

Naturally, the west thinks this is a bad thing and a sign of collapse…

Agreed, you put it more succinctly than I did.

Europe (and Japan, and the rest of the Anglosphere outside the US) has a choice to make; between being increasing devoured by US capital, or making terms with the rest of humanity and arranging a more or less graceful (still difficult, still one they’ll fight like hell domestically and internationally to resist) descent from their business model of neocolonial superprofits.

Uncle Sam is blowing the war horn; they’ve bought off the political establishments of the west (those that they didn’t build outright) and now the debts are due; it’s time for the west to close ranks, circle the wagons (consolidate capital and industry in the US), and accept US mercantilism- we’ve come full circle (from that of the UK trying to push that on the 13 colonies, to the other way around). The Euros are particularly screwed, but it’s not like they’ll have time (or cheap gas) for all that industry and trade with BRICS, they’re the next battering rams lined up to face Russia after all (Scholz welcoming long-range nuclear capable US missiles as a perfect example). Oh, and also it’s time for them to start paying up for the costs of the US’ protection racket… This is a massive oversimplification for brevity, but more or less how I see it.

In this context, I don’t think it would make sense for Russia to cut the gas completely, either way. Everything the west does to escalate simply cuts off their own nose- yet the continued dependence on Russia all the same, is tearing apart NATO and the EU as a result, even if they appear more unified, the support is crumbling from within.

The Europeans with half a brain cell or more are horrified, and those states with halfways sensible government are torn between Russia (and the broader world), and US diktat. Hungary and Slovakia’s current spat with Ukraine (which cut off gas from Russia recently- likely with EU instigating) is just among the many examples of this- Europe is scrambling, to consolidate power under Brussels, to crack the whip on the east and south Europeans, to suppress European (working class and corporate alike) dissent at the realization that Europe is actively and continually committing suicide to maintain the US empire…

Meanwhile, Turkey and India are making bank, and in Turkey’s case, this is yet another fraying point for NATO. And India loves playing both sides, yet more and more, it becomes clear that they will be forced- by their own capitalistic interests if nothing else, to choose a side, and it won’t be the side the west likes.

Russia has no need to engage in such self-destructive actions (which would not necessarily be beneficial, even if Russia were still communist). It’s a very similar situation to China’s trade with the US; there’s no need to cut the capitalists off, it’s better to just show the rest of the world who the reasonable and reliable ones are, cause the western capitalists to tear themselves apart from within simply by being consistent business partners, let them continue to butt their heads against the brick wall of reality, and let them remain as dependent as they wish (and they will- because they’re capitalists- though otherwise they’re simply going to destroy themselves more still by resorting to- what, American gas? Saudi gas? Or will they stretch the empire thinner going on some goosestepping misadventures to conquer and extract oil elsewhere?).

…and then, if and when Russia really wants to cut off the tap- same as with China, actually- if and when things get so bad, despite the fact that by-and-large keeping the tap running is massively beneficial to both respective countries and to the development of multipolarity and undermining of capitalist consolidation and unity- the results will be absolutely c a t a s t r o p h i c. It’ll be beautiful and it’ll send the imperial order right off a cliff, one they have just kept digging for themselves 😂

As much as it sounds that way from an uninformed perspective, this isn’t in any way their fault this time around. You can blame the rich dudes in your own country, for having created an imperial system predicated on debt- indebting other countries to their dollar, forcing countries to use their dollar for trade (often at gunpoint- literally, many nations have been destroyed by the US with maintaining this as one of the primary objectives), exporting the dollar as inflation, coercing countries into this system of essentially subsidizing the US and storing their capital (not wealth, capital) in the US (or else- for instance the understanding with the Sauds before they had options, with Japan as well no doubt, was a genuine "or else you’re dead)…

Believe it or not, in this case, Japan (and the rest of the world) has been the victim here, not the US (the US working class is absolutely the victims of their leaders for this situation, however). In this context the Japanese ruling class are not “ruining your life”- they are literally taking actions to prevent the burden, that the US has imposed on them and their country ever since the end of WW2 and American occupation, from ruining their lives and economies any further.

Exactly, China is everything that India could become- that the rest of the world could become. They have proven that a system that- gasp- educates their citizens, seeks to better their conditions of life, secure shelter and food and employment for them, etc. is more efficient and productive than one that keeps their people desperate and at the brink of destruction, so as to exploit them more (and rob them blind for what little is given).

They have proven that a system that builds on its infrastructure and exports development and cooperation abroad, is more efficient and productive than one that charges as much as possible for what infrastructure exists (rentier behavior), or even outright prevents further developments (NIMBY behavior) to increase rents, etc… and which instead of developing abroad or at home, simply seeks to kneecap the competition (the “Tonya Harding” strategy- applied internationally, with bombs, regime change, debt traps, funding terrorists and insurgencies, etc).

They have proven that a system that focuses its energies on solving problems- healthcare, transportation, poverty alleviation and intergenerational poverty/the disenfranchisement of the lumpenproletariat, economic bubbles/speculation, etc- rather than creating new ones and profiteering hand-over-fist for individuals, is more efficient, more prosperous overall.

Hilariously, they have proven that many (not all) of the original theories of the classical liberals, work- when capital is suborned to the will of the people; communism evolved from their work, after all, critiquing the contradictions and thus explaining what would be required to move forward. They have proven that democracy works; that a genuine rules-based (consensus-driven rules and equitable negotiations) system works.

They have proven that “liberty, equality, fraternity” and “the pursuit of happiness” works- when that freedom applies first and foremost to the positive freedoms- freedom from hunger, homelessness, unemployment, education-lessness, etc. (and I fully I believe that as circumstances permit, the other freedoms will follow- though rather than “freedom to do drugs” it will be, “freedom from the coercive and addicting nature of drugs, and use, if permitted at all, only allowed after thorough consent and understanding of what one is getting into” for instance) And when that equality applies to all, rather than selectively depending on the wealth and status of the few. And when that fraternity, and pursuit of happiness, is unrestrained by capital and imperialism as its highest form- when the people’s collective, the dictatorship of the proletariat, fraternizes with the common purpose of improving all their material conditions, and defending themselves from those who would seek to destroy said development!

China has proven that near everything they claim they stand for (while never acting as such in practice), save for the “freedom of capital” (to do as it pleases, and fuck anyone else in the process) works. They have proven that maximizing freedom works (when first one focuses on maximizing the positive freedoms, the freedoms of ALL rather than the few, the empowering freedoms that allow people to actually rise up). They have proven that competition works (when the proletariat is there to prevent monopolies and undue influence from forming- ie. trustbreaking and anti-corruption measures that most of the OG, classical liberals would wholly approve of). They have proven bettering the human condition works.

And the west has exposed themselves, as always, as the antithesis of almost everything they claim in turn (outside of neoliberalism).

also resolves the paradox of why ‘White’ foreigners were treated so differently from ‘Black’ foreigners;

In this regard, sadly, while it’s not nationalism (a sensible nationalist would if anything, dislike white westerners in particular and may even find common cause with other non-whites, particularly those who also aren’t western)… black stereotypes play only one small part in that IMO, and if anything probably a considerably lesser part than the obvious- white worship, white beauty standards, etc… the “post-colonial” mentality is all around us, and no part of the world is exactly exempt from that.

“White” foreigners, particularly those from the “wealthy/prestigious” west, have a particular premium- the kind that comes from having roamed about with extraterritoriality in most places, with enforced racial supremacy and with near-undisputed hegemony for centuries (how many centuries differs by region, but China has over a century of trauma for instance in this regard). I hear of the same, or very similar, treatment being given to Asians (east, south, west), to visibly mixed/non-white Latinos, etc… whiteness simply happens to be a currency in its own right, and not just in Asia, as far as I’ve very credibly heard second-hand, or seen online, the same goes for Africa and Latin America as well (LatAm having its own messed up racial hierarchies very similar in nature tbh).

In that same vein, western-ness has its own prestige as well; I imagine an African-American might, despite all the negative stereotypes, be seen in a much better light in Asia than an African from Africa or the Caribbean (not that people would dislike the African, necessarily/probably?) I certainly (often, not always) experienced better treatment with strangers for my own Canadian accent, despite being fully Asian.

And as this is regarding the treatment of black/white foreigners in Asia- if it helps, I don’t think the stereotypes carry over as much to black people (even tourists) in Asia, nor to black people who don’t present themselves as part of “gangsta culture.” African-Americans in Asia aren’t exactly likely to behave in such a manner, after all- so it really is a matter of white prestige (and on some level also colorism, which has a much longer history than colonialism in Asia and I don’t really think is tied to nationalism either).

Other than that- I’m aware of the Boondocks, while I’ve not watched it (eventually) I’ve really enjoyed a lot of the show’s clips, tbh. Their take on BET seems absolutely spot-on… IMO a very similar phenomenon is very visible (and widely complained about in the Asian diasporic community) against Asians in western media as well- though in its case it has none of the glamor or “self-made” culture or associated pride attached to it (fetishization of Asian women, emasculation of Asian men, and a serious otherization and blatant disdain for both) so it just pisses people off, those who don’t go all self-hating due to it, anyways. The (generally seen as, in practice 50/50 and still harmful) stereotypes and glamor/“self-made”/pride narrative comes in with the “model minority” myth instead.

As a side note, it just surprises me that the horribly-exploitative colonizing nations, which can be understandably stereotyped as ‘White’, haven’t also had a similar racial demonization. I suspect its similar to here, where the rich haute thief with a smile is looked over but the poor petit thief is a brute.

That’s how it is all over the world and for most of history, I think… only education can solve it. And even those who have sympathy for those in poverty, and who are in the same lot, will naturally at least dislike, if not hate, those who do act like brutes (the haute thieves hire their own brutes- not all petite thieves are brutes on the other hand, hell I’d say many are more than justified in doing what they do if it’s the right targets). And brutes are always the most visible and immediately threatening lot, when they’re around…

Lumpen can be great people, and have great revolutionary, positive, community-building potential. Some of the greatest comrades, like Stalin, were first lumpen. But those who take from their community (their actual community- fellow proles, those who are struggling just the same) are at least scum on some level at the time of the act. Honest truth is I’ve done it before (if not much, and not in a long time), while I’d not say I had sticky fingers (kid me, maybe somewhat) there’s still a very strong self-taught impulse, or debatably, survival mechanism, that tells me not to let an opportunity slip by, that I have to “claw my way up” and “take what I want” etc… I’ve always had a strong sense of decency/morals/pride to go with it at least, but it is what it is.

Maybe more unilateral oil price caps could do the trick? Or they can add another 100% to those upcoming China tariffs… 😂