from a Sino-Roman perspective africa was the second continent/world “discovered”

Is that even the case, though? Certainly not for the Romans (to whom Africa may as well have been next door, whose early rivals were the Carthaginians, and whose writing system ultimately originated from the much more ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs).

And the Chinese trade contacts with Africa, while originally indirect, were such that Africa was not exactly unknown to them (and Zheng He’s voyages were more about establishing direct contact/etc). Distant and mysterious, maybe (like how Rome and China saw each other for most of history) but not “undiscovered” by any means, and with continuous and ancient trade routes.

They are sending their “best,” though. But we’re talking about despicable, trash, truly rotten excuses for human beings, typically coming from shallow gene pools and with even shallower mentalities.

Or housing. Or food insecurity and malnutrition. Or education. Or the treatment of its ethnic minorities. The US is honestly just a shit-tier country, it fits in among its imitators, Nazi Germany and Instreal.

If they did so, I’d probably consider using it as an excuse to apply for asylum 😂

I don’t blame the individuals for how they were raised, but this widespread ignorance is unforgivable. Nearly everyone in the US is in desperate need of reeducation

I don’t blame them, yes (as I used to be one- Canadian myself). But they can either learn- and the knowledge is available- or when the time comes, if they cannot and will not learn, they can get the wall.

As you said, it is unforgivable. It is a level of ignorance that ensures that they will continue the genocidal, monstrous ideologies of Manifest Destiny/settler-colonialism, and that they will stand in the way of progress and as enemies of the rest of humanity.

They can learn or, if unwilling, in any decent system, die (whether through active measures or dying out naturally). Humanity cannot coexist with such evils, even if the rest of humanity tried the nature is such that it would only come back to terrorize them, to repeat the cycle until reeducated or put down for good.

And even onto fictional entities, such as hypothetical AI or aliens - like why would an alien species go this far just to ‘invade’ what is there. It’s not just about technological development, but about the sheer amount of careful coordination and cooperation any venture into space requires.

Honestly, if you ask me, any sufficiently developed AI or aliens, that have managed to venture into space and break past the “great filter,” would have a good chance of recognizing the US as the aberration it is, as a rabid dog that has to be put down with prejudice.

The rest of the world could probably be dealt with on reasonable terms. But the bloody yanks would probably fuck everything up even if given a chance.

Now all we need is for Podolyak to deliver some hot takes on Brazilians’ supposed “intellectual potential.” It’s almost a shame that all these Banderite war criminals and compradors need to hang, they’re such great comedians.

Honestly in this case I wouldn’t be surprised if he meant exactly the worst one out there.

Here’s hoping that someday that map is entirely purple, that whatever white genetics remain are at least 50% enriched with indigenous or melanated genes and cracKKKerism is rejected by the masses (even those who are white).

Whiteness (the “white” identity that is) really is the most pathetic, fragile, and vile of social constructs. The only way they could expand and sustain themselves from the rest of humanity is through genocidal massacres and enforcing racial castes and segregation (even in Europe), and just reverting to the natural process of human intermingling destroys their racial “garden.”

Honestly, the “concerns about grooming kids” schtick has never convinced me (as someone who was raised in a shitty ultra-religious family myself).

The simple truth is that “love the sinner, hate the sin” never actually works that way. For most bigoted types, there’s an inherent hatred already there in fact (founded on insecurities, whether it be of their own sexuality/masculinity/femininity/etc, of the sort where they can’t handle people not living according to their rules and beliefs and it hurts their ego, etc). Anything afterwards is just an excuse, not that they need one, but they’ll certainly use it.

Directing hatred at some distant group also is- its own kind of catharsis? It may be unhealthy, but I suspect it’s pretty common. Personally (as someone who’s trans and queer AF)- as a kid, before I knew or was comfortable with myself, I used to be (and was raised to be) homophobic myself (though I wouldn’t have been nasty to someone if I knew they were gay) and can even remember talking in jr. high about wanting to “kill racists and gays” (to which my teacher had the decency to ask me what gay people had ever done to me- and I walked back on that one. Anyways I was a troubled kid as an understatement).

In my own experience, it was in some considerable part insecurity- but added to that, I wanted an outlet for my anger and bitterness, I suppose. What I’m talking about is over a decade ago at this point (I’m in my late 20s) and I’d like to think I’ve become a much better person since (and can recognize that- on some level, kid me didn’t have much of a chance if any of learning prior).

Cocaine is a hell of a drug

Personally I (critically) support Russia, plain and simple. Others have gone into the details anyone with sense understands, so I won’t expand on them (other than noting my opinion is Russia was not belligerent, and has not been imperialist since the fall of the Tsars, nor colonialist in any sense of the word remotely comparable to that of the Zionist entity or Anglo settler-regimes).

Russia has its problems, and Putin is still a lib (albeit one who is, perhaps, on a path to something somewhat resembling recovery, minus the social conservatism which while unjustified is a pretty common reaction across the global south to western pinkwashed imperialism).

But I see supporting Russia in its resistance against imperialism- against its ethnic kin being genocided (the only reason there’s any debate to be had over it is due to Russian support preventing the worst of it, though they have still been subject, undeniably, of attempts at cultural genocide, countless war crimes, and what can only be described as pogroms), and it itself carved up and returned to the days of shock therapy, I see supporting Russia’s struggle against the west as such as merely a matter of basic decency.

After all, wouldn’t we support Iran, Yemen, or Afghanistan in their similar struggles? Or even India, flawed and debatably descending into fascism as it is? Looking back in hindsight also, it would only be natural to support the Ethiopians (even if it was the monarchy) in their struggle against the Italians, or the human-sacrificing Aztecs and Maya in their struggle against the Spanish, or the Qing in their struggles against the various western and Japanese imperialists, or even the Japanese in their initial struggles to resist and throw off the yoke of unequal treaties (before they joined the ranks of the imperialists themselves).

Anti-imperialism is simply a matter of basic decency, and recognizing that Russia’s struggle in this case is anti-imperialist in every sense of the word is a matter of common sense (sadly not common enough).

I think it’s perfectly fair to describe western publications’ fearmongering about the Taliban as what it is, though. Criticism of the Taliban is more than warranted- but when it’s coming from the same countries that were celebrating the mujaheddin (even in their movies) only a few decades prior and flying Islamic extremists in from all over the globe- when it’s coming from the countries which then afterwards militarily occupied Afghanistan for 2 decades while having tribal warlords/cartels as their collaborator-regime and which continues to destabilize the country through the bloody ISIS (ISIS-K)…

Yeah, western state, mainstream media, and NGO (granted, may as well have said “western state” 3x) crocodile tears about the Taliban are fearmongering. The Taliban is what the west inflicted on Afghanistan, and then everything they have inflicted since has managed to somehow be worse. Criticism of the Taliban from leftists and the global south is valid, but western media doesn’t have a leg to stand on, actually it’s worse than that, the west offers Afghanistan nothing but terrorism, dictatorships, and destruction, and they’re to blame for everything wrong with the Taliban and then some.

Dunno how “smart” they’d have to be, when they themselves are almost certainly made up of the same target demographic.

In hindsight as it got rather long (I ramble)- CW for what I guess is technically suicidality/depression spiel though not active suicidality

Thanks for your message- it’s given me a fair bit to think about. Hearing your experiences was- very different, when I suppose that the one close friend I have who did sex work is a (fit) dude who has since joined the army.

I’ll admit that said, I probably still will end up doing it when I get my shit back together again (losing weight, since a certain mental breakdown quite a while back that’s been an issue and just existing as that in itself is- not something I handle well as someone who has serious complexes over pride/dignity/a very certain idea of appearance).

The honest truth is that (while my circumstances aren’t “everything is on fire” for now) the money could genuinely and immensely improve my life, and that of those I love. And I suppose the honest truth is that I don’t have much self worth if any (whatever I have has always been tied to how much worth- not necessarily measured by capital, but how I measure the worth of continuing to live is I suppose- I’m not suicidal and still aspire for much more/am not done with life, but frankly the greater part of the equation alongside that is that I can’t “afford” to die either- not while I have unfinished business wherein my loved ones and some things I care about have to be taken care of first).

Thanks for sharing your experiences all the same, and- I’ll probably think twice about IRL sex work as such (but the truth is money is money- and probably everyone has a price, for something where it’s just myself on the line I know I certainly do). I’m - I dunno. A shitty person though, someone who’s already enough of a wreck and has always been such, whose whole mentality since I was a kid is that I came from “trash” and have to aspire and work to be more.

Obviously I’m a communist, and have- not just my ideals, but my genuine beliefs and understanding of how things should be, can be, and why they are as they are. But if I were to describe it- well, the main or only reason I’d want to get old as-is would be to not leave my partner. And I’m not someone who I think should exist, nor would want to exist in an ideal world or even just a somewhat better/improved world, in the sense that once I’ve finished my business, at least as I see it now, it’s best on my end to have an expiry date as I already figure that my accumulated experiences, trauma, personality and being are… well honestly pretty miserable and bitter, and not something I want to have to deal with for an overly long time (which I suppose is suicidality of a sort itself).

My circumstances aren’t great, but more than that is also that I simply also am not fine and can’t imagine myself being a level of fine (in truth even if the material conditions improved) to overly care about myself, certainly not more than the people and things I care about or even just my specific sense of pride/dignity/avoiding shame (none of which would be overly affected if at all by sex work as I have no values against it nor care about those values of others in that regard, and all of which admittedly have to do with either material conditions and physical appearance).

If I get old, if I live to get old, it’ll be a burden (on myself, mentally) that I’ll have put up with only for other reasons on the table (things unfinished, also to spend time with my partner or others I care about). Living as is already is a burden in that sense, though I’m not actively suicidal as I have hopes and things I want to do all the same, I have my partner and want to continue living with them, and I have people and things I can’t afford to die on just yet. Past that though- I can’t say living overly long can appeal to me anymore, even in the most ideal of circumstances where all material and physical things were dealt with I’d at least want a mind wipe.

Personally I think that painting it as particularly “men who flock to defend the industry” strikes me as- incorrect from my experience, when it comes to leftist spaces (then again I generally also stick to LGBT spaces myself).

Historically, sex work is one of those “industries” that is easily accessible (not that that is or isn’t a good thing, but it is filling a need- and no, not a sexual one- continue reading but basically an employment/income need) for those communities historically disenfranchised and stigmatized; women (and some men, and- saddeningly and with no justification whatsoever for those who take advantage, moreso than in other cases- children) coming from bad circumstances, POC, those with disabilities or from persecuted communities, the homeless, and of course the LGBT community in particular- sex work is especially visible wherever the lumpenproletariat is, wherever those who are most stomped on and looked down on are, sex work is most prevalent.

As someone who has been homeless- and who is a POC, trans woman, and LGBT+ (haven’t done sex work before myself, but TBH in the future the honest truth is that- I probably should, simply as a basic assessment of my circumstances I should) this portrayal is completely at odds with what I’ve seen, from people I’ve met in-person (not purchasing sex work either, I have never and will never do that- but meeting people in-person from broader community support (non-sex-work related) events, having friends who have done sex work- men included, etc).

Personally, I saw Kollontai quoted here, have read her take on the subject before, and more or less agree (with caveats). But the fact of the matter is that-

(A) Sex work exists, and will exist until the motivators/circumstances driving people into sex work cease to exist. That’s a fact, and will continue to be one likely well into socialism until humanity has truly developed to such an extent that perhaps could be described as “post-scarcity.” It is literally the “oldest occupation,” one that has existed long before capitalism and which has its own counterparts (of sorts) within much of the animal kingdom.

(B) While legitimizing sex work (actual sex work, I’d say that expression through art is a completely different subject though also not without its own complications, and that in regards to videos/film then it gets into the profit motive and consent/etc being a serious issue) may be “icky”- improving the conditions for sex workers is something that we should support, so long as it actually improves the conditions for said workers (and debates over whether it is “work” or not, or talking about how bad it is and how no one should have to do it- which is par for the course in capitalism though I agree sex work, or rather the sex industry (not the workers of course) anyways, is a particularly unique kind of evil- will not change the fact that those under the industry are human beings with the same needs as anyone else and we should be aiding them in acquiring those first- and seriously, until we can say that their needs are covered, pontificating without offering a tangible and immediate alternative is ineffective and in fact counter-productive)

Basically- ideals are nice and all. And sex work is icky, sure, I agree (or the sex “industry” is icky, anyways, the workers or “workers” aren’t). But without an alternative on the table, an alternative we can immediately offer (ie. something that isn’t exactly possible without establishing a dictatorship of the proletariat) the best we can do is minimize the harm, aid those who wish to escape this particularly wretched kind of exploitation, and aid the many who- after judging their material conditions (and doing so better than we can for them- as they have their own life, their own priorities, they know the intricacies of their circumstances best, etc) decide they still “want” or rather need to engage in the work- to aid them to have better outcomes, to have better circumstances even if it is within that “industry.”

Mood. The rest of the world is a bright spot, but the west is basically a torment nexus where hope, decency, and faith in humanity goes to die. I know there’s a hell, because the Anglo settlers and Euro-crackkkerverse created it…

*welfare king (unless he trans’d into a lady?)

I wish, if only someone could flip a switch or something (for him and a whole slew of other chuds just like him). Not that I want to be in any way part of the same community as him, but it’s probably the only way he could gain any empathy for trans people whatseover. His poor daughter…

Honestly, I have to agree to the necessity of assimilation or deportation in this case. The European-descended squatters have not integrated themselves into the native culture despite being around in some cases for generations; they gather in enclaves, disrespect the locals’ traditions and values (and worse), and commit an immense amount of crime and corruption while expecting special treatment for their race.

In the photo above you can even see one such squatter dressed in an appalling manner imitating the (foreign, alien) British gestapo, checkered hat and all. He’s not just failing to assimilate, he’s outright dressed in attire that represents genocidal terrorism and theft of the indigenous population.

some MLs might benefit from re-reading Lenin’s works around WWI, because some subtext around here seems to be picking sides in this inter-imperialist war rather than hoping for peace.

Russia isn’t imperialist, and its actions in the context of the Ukraine war are if anything explicitly anti-imperialist. I imagine that’s why people are disagreeing with you (myself included). Anyone decent will side with Russia (regardless of its genuine issues, none of which involve being imperialist) in its defense of ethnic Russo-Ukranians and other minorities in the region, of its own integrity and resistance against NATO encroachment, and its role as part of the greater global resistance against imperialism as a world system.