A Few Words

Unsurprisingly, the rightwing, has made more words meaningless. They’re now shorthand for BAD, EVIL things.

Such as?

Marxist
     noun
a supporter of the political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

Yeah…okay but what’s that mean in practice?

Marxism is an economic, political, and social philosophy that examines the flaws in capitalism. It looks at the struggle between capitalists (CEOs like Brian Thompson, Leon MusKKK, Enron’s Ken Lay, etc.) and worker bees (you and me).

Marxism argues that capitalism as a form of economic and social reproduction is inherently flawed and will ultimately fail. (source) 

On Threads yesterday, I saw a reply to a post by a Black woman I follow. She’d explained the racist origin of Jingle Bells. The commenter, who clearly gets his talking points from Fox Propaganda for Dimwits, called her a Marxist. ‘the fuck?

While I’m running through a few definitions, what is capitalism?

Capitalism is… a mode of production in which business owners—the capitalists—own all of the means of production, including the factory, the tools and machinery, the raw materials, the final product, and the profits earned from their sale. Workers—labor—are hired for wages and have no ownership stake and no share in the profits. 

Moreover, the wages paid to workers are lower than the economic value that their work creates for the capitalist. This is the source of capitalists’ profits and is at the root of the inherent class struggle between labor and capital.  (source)

Examples of capitalists? Elon again (who just bought the US), Jeff TFG-Suck-Up Bezos, Mark Data-Breach Zuckerberg, to name a few.

I don’t see people called dirty commies so much anymore.

Communism is based on the goal of eliminating socioeconomic class struggles by creating a classless society in which everyone shares the benefits of labor and the state controls all property and wealth. (source)

Sounds lovely, no? In reality however communism doesn’t work. Why ‘zat? Have you met any humans? I mean, besides your caring, giving, wonderful friends. People are greedy motherfuckers. Also, we’re lazy, corrupt, stupid, and shortsighted. The fact that slightly more than half of US citizens (those of us who bothered to get off their asses to participate in democracy) voted to put an abominably incompetent, narcissistic, avaricious grifter and rapist back into office is enough evidence of humanity’s idiocy and indecency for me.

The countries that are still communist (China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and North Korea) aren’t exactly popular. No one’s dreaming about pulling up stakes and moving there. No one’s taking their annual vacation in Pyongyang or Hanoi.

Though seemingly asleep, Skitter is woke.

“Woke” is used as a slam against anyone who expresses a shred of decency and care about their fellow humans. Woke is used to denigrate any law or rule that prompts even a molecule of equity. What the fa-la-la fuck?!

 

* Wheelchair ramps are apparently “woke.”
* Having language interpreters in doctor’s offices is “woke.”
* Not being a douchebag to those who rock a different shade of flesh tone is “woke.”

 As far as I can tell, the word woke simply means having some compassion and empathy—being able to walk a mile in another person’s Vans. Isn’t this something we’re taught in grade school? If not, it sure as hell should be.

Why the fuck would anyone want to turn having a clue and some goddamn decency into an insult?

In conclusion, Republicans (and anyone who watches rightwing, weasel shit "news") should get dictionaries in their Christmas stockings AND be forced to look up their favorite buzzwords.