Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2017/11/29/one-two-three-four.html
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Johnny Ramone would be disappointed. Probably Dee Dee & Joey as well.
But they would add, but what do I know?
Communism killed 100 million people. Now it’s hip?
He is a fictional character.
Fascism did a pretty good job, too, as does the capitalist system. Modernity has a high body count.
Also, that’s not a particularly new insight into the commodification of capitalism. You missed that boat way back in 1992, when all the hipsters were wearing Che shirts. Catch up, hon.
I’ve heard rates for deaths caused by capitalism as somewhere around 20m/yr. That’d be between preventable starvation, poisoning from companies allowed to pollute, of course those straight-up murders when the US decides that some developing nation is getting a liiiiiittle too socialist, lack of access to healthcare…
But inspirational and germane.
FTFY.
There are many other forms of communism, but between the Marxist-Leninists, fascists and capitalists they were all crushed to insignificance. Now is the time to look at them again.
When you say “communism” you’re talking about Stalin, who pretty much everyone agrees was a mass-murderer.
When we say “communism”, we’re talking about a society where the wealth is held by the community, as opposed to by a special class of rich people who get to determine who prospers and who starves.
If you want to argue, try to focus on the latter concept. You’re unlikely to find someone who will argue with you about whether Stalin killed millions, nor is that a particularly interesting or useful point.
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