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There are two groups of people who insist that the only two political choices we have are communism and fascism, those groups being communists and fascists. But even on the moderate left there is a forgiving attitude towards communism, a belief that while fascism is inherently evil, communism is only “potentially evil” or “evil if you get the recipe wrong”. In the revisionist history being sold by the modern (uh, postmodern) left, the crimes of the Soviet Union were merely a misapplication of Marxism, or a deliberate corruption of the ideology by one power-mad individual.

We’re supposed to just accept one of the two as the “lesser evil”, and not be concerned by left-wing authoritarians abusing power on university campuses. After all, they’re not occupying real power in Western countries, unlike right-wing populists who have been equated to fascists (in some cases fairly). This campus Stalinism is just harmless kid’s stuff - radical students discovering themselves before they graduate and become hedge fund managers.

I reject both extremes, but more than that, I reject the double standard applied to them. However intellectually appealing some may find Marx’s theories or the mutated derivatives thereof such as intersectional identity politics, remember that if a Marxist is not killing or imprisoning those who disagree with him/her, it is only because he/she lacks the power to do so. Gulags are not a bug, they’re a feature. The SJW kids and the postmodernist professors weaponizing them are not harmless because of their ideology, but in spite of it.

Don’t choose a lesser evil. Reject both.

   

Carfentanyl.

   

Just keep the conversation sensible. Like with none of this crap that the kind of soft-socialism of public health care or keeping the bankers well regulated so they don't loot the entire fucking country isn't made out to mean "you must want to live in Venezuela!" nonsense that the current crop of right-wing extremists get off on wallowing in. That kind of silliness is for the children who think Ayn Rand made a lot of sense or that trickle-down economics are a real thing instead of a pure fantasy, not for any sort of functioning adults interested in serious discussions.

I get your entire point on this, dude, especially the part about how dangerous the SJW's are. That being said if capitalism hadn't failed so many people so badly over the last thirty years then things like hardcore socialism, if not outright communism, wouldn't be having this current intellectual revival it's enjoying. The Mammonites have simply gone too far too many times and left too many people in sheer misery to be left to their own devices anymore. The system has to be rebuilt to focus on the good of the many instead of the constant enrichment of the most reprehensible few.

   

Spock... is that you?

   

Yes, the conversation does seem to have degenerated into extremists yelling at each other on social media. And while I agree with you about not conflating social democratic elements in a mixed economy with Marxism, it goes the other way as well. Being concerned about the cultural impact of large-scale immigration or skeptical about numbering genders in the double-digits does not necessarily make one “alt-right”. Many on the left overused the term “fascist” over the last few decades such that when the wolf really showed up, people in the middle of the spectrum tuned them out.

   

Yup. Agree 100%. Extremisms become very appealing to the street when the centre turns into an unresponsive and inaccessible elite that tunes out what they don't want to hear.

   

It isn't just social media. On Saturday I was in Davis, California for an event and I was wearing my NRA jacket and a snowflake made an issue of it. Fucker took a swing at me when I told him to fuck off* and it did not turn out well for him. Davis PD were present and witnessed it and immediately arrested the little prick.

Exact words: Fuck off you goddamned fairy faggot bastard!

Probably the last time I bother visiting Davis.

   

You needed Nazi in there to check all the boxes. Very disappointed in you.

   

Those were my words I quoted.

The snowflake did indeed call me a Nazi and thus my response. I'm sick of that shit.

The little fucker got off with just a dislocated right elbow so it wasn't much of a confrontation. Stupid idiot kept telegraphing his punch to me and allowed me to prepare.

   

You should have called him a nazi. That would teach him. Use the left's stupidity against them.

Telegraphed punches are the best punches.

   

Oh I thought we would be talking about different things,
not two sides of the same coin.

   

Yes, but one side of the coin is being pounded into university students’ head by their professors and peers. And the people calling them out on it, like Jordan Peterson and Lindsay Shepherd, and being called Nazis for their troubles.

   

As I understand Fascism....

   

Here's how I see fascism in its correct context:

Socialism is when government regulates and taxes society not just to provide for basic government services but to provide for services to individuals such as education, health care, retirement, and other social services. Socialism may involve government intervention in industry and perhaps even significant intervention.

Fascism takes the above a step further and does all of the above while adding government as a partner or shareholder in industry. Industry is no longer just taxed but it is co-owned by the government and the government takes a direct hand in controlling the production of goods. Small businesses are typically not directly controlled by the government.

Communism takes all of the above and implements national ownership of all industry and businesses.

Therefore fascism is just a waystation between socialism and communism. But it is clearly in the spectrum of socialism and communism.

   

Based upon the above criteria Venezuela is currently employing a hybrid model where industry is controlled under a communist model and small businesses are controlled under a fascist model.

   

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