what's with this comrade shit

[the last donut of the night]

i think it's creepy and cult-like for you bozos to keep calling each other comrade over the internet. (it's even worse in real life.) the left is a museum and a zoo

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

Because we can never be certain of the gender identity of another person, so it's more respectful to call them comrade because it is gender neutral.

[PC LOAD LETTER]

go home kermit you're drunk

no, really, I agree it's kind of weird even though I've probably said it once or twice. I prefer 'dude' or just calling people by their username.

[Prometeo liberado]

Put much time in over the years with some of the finest humans I will ever meet and they are my comrades. These "bozos" you speak of may in fact be some of those people. Maybe you should spend less time here and more time doing whatever it is that keeps you from forming relations that warrant the use of the term. Maybe you can go to a zoo. dolt.

[Ostrinski]

Meh, I like it. Even if it's kind of corny.

[Flying Purple People Eater]

The left is a museum and a zoo
Says the comrade with a Kermit doll as her/his picture.

[Let's Get Free]

Comrade means friend. Its a word leftists use to hide the utter disdain we feel for each other.

[Rusty Shackleford]

As long as it is not loosely used its fine by me. I would call someone in my Org a comrade, or maybe a close friend/organizer type person one. But, calling anyone who identifies as a leftist type a comrade is fucking ridiculous.


"hey comrades, so i had a question... yadda yadda yadda"

its laaaaaaaaaaaaame. but then again i cant blame people since some may be developing or have a weird fixation on things.

[ВАЛТЕР]

It sounds weird when I say it in English, but in my language it is used all the time even between people who are not leftists. Since it literally means "friend".

[Rusty Shackleford]

It sounds weird when I say it in English, but in my language it is used all the time even between people who are not leftists. Since it literally means "friend".

Genosse?

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

yeah I don't like using it among 'comrades', but sometiems I use it in front of non-leftists just to stir things up a bit

[ВАЛТЕР]

Genosse?

Drug or Drugarica if referring to a female.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Drug or Drugarica if referring to a female.

Gotcha.


If you have ever read or seen "A Clockwork Orange" you'd see "Drug" (Spelled Droog) used as a way to refer to close friends of the main character.

For some reason though i thought you were german. I guess i didnt look at the party name in your profile :lol:

I blame the whole dachshund dealio

Quick question. Is "Drugarica" pronounced "Droogarisa" or "Droogarika" or even "Droogaricha" for us anglophones?

[ВАЛТЕР]

Gotcha.


If you have ever read or seen "A Clockwork Orange" you'd see "Drug" (Spelled Droog) used as a way to refer to close friends of the main character.

For some reason though i thought you were german. I guess i didnt look at the party name in your profile :lol:

I blame the whole dachshund dealio

Quick question. Is "Drugarica" pronounced "Droogarisa" or "Droogarika" or even "Droogaricha" for us anglophones?


I haven't seen that movie, although I have been meaning to for some time now.

I chose dachshund because they are amazing little dogs. lol


and "Drugarica" is pronounced "droogaritza"

[the last donut of the night]

Gotcha.


If you have ever read or seen "A Clockwork Orange" you'd see "Drug" (Spelled Droog) used as a way to refer to close friends of the main character.

For some reason though i thought you were german. I guess i didnt look at the party name in your profile :lol:

I blame the whole dachshund dealio

Quick question. Is "Drugarica" pronounced "Droogarisa" or "Droogarika" or even "Droogaricha" for us anglophones?

droog in nasdat (the clockwork orange language) from the russian word for friend, if i'm not wrong. so it doesn't surprise me the word for friend or comrade in other slavic languages is similar

[bad ideas actualised by alcohol]

This is the issue that keeps you from sleeping at night.
Geezz, start worrying about more important issues, comrade.

[Sentinel]

Meh, I like it. Even if it's kind of corny.

Same here. I mostly use the word comrade when referring to members of my own organisation as opposed to others in sentences such as 'there were 10 comrades and 50 people from other orgs at the event' or 'hey listen, comrades!' etc.

Sounds much better than 'hey, party members!' or something. But I also sign letters to other leftists with 'comradely regards' etc, and use it on other occasions. I'm generally a person who appreciates traditions a lot.


Comrade means friend. Its a word leftists use to hide the utter disdain we feel for each other.

:lol::lol::lol:

[Quail]

I use it to refer to political allies, but it makes me cringe when people overuse it.

[Rugged Collectivist]

I don't really mind it. I think it's best when it's used in the third person though.

Not really a big deal honestly.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Drug or Drugarica if referring to a female.

Lol drug refers to ladies.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Lol drug refers to ladies.

Drug reefers!?


I haven't seen that movie, although I have been meaning to for some time now.

I chose dachshund because they are amazing little dogs. lol


and "Drugarica" is pronounced "droogaritza"

Gotcha haha. And thank you!

As for the movie, its worth it. Like the last donut of the night was talking about, there is a slang in the book and movie called Nadsat which makes for some very interesting slang. Hands are rookers for example. Or there are malenky devotchkas and what not.

[The Machine]

the words "comrade" and "moist" have very different meanings, but very similar effects, especially in the vicinity of females.

[Comrade Samuel]

the words "comrade" and "moist" have very different meanings, but very similar effects, especially in the vicinity of females.

What?

@ OP Personally I like it, I like it so much that when ever a legal document asks my title I will write in "comrade".

[Stand Your Ground]

I like saying comrade.

[MarxSchmarx]

Rituals have value. They help build a common culture and bring alive references to history. Using the term "Comrade" for political allies is like flying the red flag or singing the Internationale. It's part of our heritage. There's a real reason the Stalinists appropriated these for their own uses. Such symbols are an assertion of a continuous stream of struggle, and a recognition of the sacrifices of those that came before us.

[Rugged Collectivist]

the words "comrade" and "moist" have very different meanings, but very similar effects, especially in the vicinity of females.

I find this extremely hard to believe. It probably has the opposite effect.

[Sentinel]

Rituals have value. They help build a common culture and bring alive references to history. Using the term "Comrade" for political allies is like flying the red flag or singing the Internationale. It's part of our heritage. There's a real reason the Stalinists appropriated these for their own uses. Such symbols are an assertion of a continuous stream of struggle, and a recognition of the sacrifices of those that came before us.

Could not have put it better, this is precisely how I see it (and how it is).

[Trap Queen Voxxy]

It's a leftist discussion board, let's realize where we're at and have some humor shall we comrades.

MarxSchmarx does make a point.

[Ismail]

"There's a real reason the Stalinists appropriated these for their own uses..."

I was unaware Stalin suddenly out of nowhere started calling other people comrades and approved of flying red flags around the time Lenin died in an effort to "appropriate" them.

[PC LOAD LETTER]

"There's a real reason the Stalinists appropriated these for their own uses..."

I was unaware Stalin suddenly out of nowhere started calling other people comrades and approved of flying red flags around the time Lenin died in an effort to "appropriate" them.
Stalin was also in the Westboro Baptist Church and the KKK, and was a good friend of Mario Batali. On Tuesdays he would disappear into his secret mad scientist lab behind his bookshelf, concocting potions from the underworld and engaging in illicit necromancy for purposes of sexual gratification.

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

Stalin was also in the Westboro Baptist Church and the KKK, and was a good friend of Mario Batali. On Tuesdays he would disappear into his secret mad scientist lab behind his bookshelf, concocting potions from the underworld and engaging in illicit necromancy for purposes of sexual gratification.

Sounds legit

[black magick hustla]

to me comrade has a very specific meaning, which is people in a similar political trajectory.

[Blake's Baby]

Sure. I'd call you, bmh, a comrade, or Brosa Luxemburg, GourmetPez, Ostrinski, Menocchio or some of the other Left-Comm/ultra-Left ... comrades ... but not DNZ or Cockshott or Yet_Another_Boring_Marxis or Broody Guthrie, because there isn't that shared perspective.

[bad ideas actualised by alcohol]

I only use it on revleft. If I call someone a comrade it usually means I don't hate them.

[The Feral Underclass]

I don't tend to use the word comrade unless referring specifically to someone I am in an organisation with.

[Pelarys]

I use it quite often IRL but it's not so much of an uncommon word in French, not necessarily linked to leftism unless used to directly address someone.

[Landsharks eat metal]

I don't often seem to use comrade myself, but I love it when people call me that because it almost makes it feel like I finally belong somewhere.

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

I'm partial a reimagining of the Wobblies' "Fellow Worker" as "Eff-dub".

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

I don't often seem to use comrade myself, but I love it when people call me that because it almost makes it feel like I finally belong somewhere.

Same here. I think the people ripping on the non-ironic/non-sarcastic use of "comrade" perhaps don't appreciate this. I know at least a couple of comrades in real life now, but back when I first joined this site and was living in the sticks I was very lonely, politically speaking.

I tend to (occasionally) use the word to refer to other revolutionary leftists with whom I have friendly or at least cordial relations. So I know a fair few comrades, and what's wrong with that?

[Die Neue Zeit]

Hola, companeros! (I think)

More accurately there are lots of people here whom I wouldn't call a comrade, based on their specific political perspectives and personal behaviour.

[l'Enfermé]

Sure. I'd call you, bmh, a comrade, or Brosa Luxemburg, GourmetPez, Ostrinski, Menocchio or some of the other Left-Comm/ultra-Left ... comrades ... but not DNZ or Cockshott or Yet_Another_Boring_Marxis or Broody Guthrie, because there isn't that shared perspective.
I think you're exaggerating the differences. Even many Stalinists aren't that bad, most of their hearts are in the right place.

But we are still comrades, right? :(

[ellipsis]

to me comrade has a very specific meaning, which is people in a similar political trajectory.

This. I don't use it the same as friend. I have comrades who are my friends, ones who I interact with only because we are comrades, and friend who are not political and/or comrades. and some comrades who don't understand the difference.

[Quail]

I don't often seem to use comrade myself, but I love it when people call me that because it almost makes it feel like I finally belong somewhere.


Same here. I think the people ripping on the non-ironic/non-sarcastic use of "comrade" perhaps don't appreciate this. I know at least a couple of comrades in real life now, but back when I first joined this site and was living in the sticks I was very lonely, politically speaking.

I tend to (occasionally) use the word to refer to other revolutionary leftists with whom I have friendly or at least cordial relations. So I know a fair few comrades, and what's wrong with that?

You're both comrades of mine :)

[human strike]

As long as it is not loosely used its fine by me. I would call someone in my Org a comrade, or maybe a close friend/organizer type person one. But, calling anyone who identifies as a leftist type a comrade is fucking ridiculous.

This, for me, is exactly the problem with the usage of the word. Far from having an equalising effect, it is used in an elitist way to contribute to an activist hierarchy. If only members of your organisation are your comrade, i.e. your equal, then what does that make everybody else? Use it loosely and generally or don't use it at all.

[GallowsBird]

It is a great word with many uses, in real life and especially on RevLeft.

"Welcome to the forum...comrade?" - Unsure whether you'll be thumbing them up or swearing at them over the keyboard.

"Good post, comrade!" - Agreeing with them because they are the same ideology and you feel the need to both post and thumb them up.

"Great post, "comrade"!" - Oh no, he/she has insulted your glorious leader the only thing now is sarcastically thank them for their post and then call them the worst insult you can think of... comrade.

[Flying Purple People Eater]

Comrade Kim Jong Un, ten thousand years!

[p0is0n]

Whenever I say comrade on english it just sounds incredibly wrong, forced, out of place. Maybe that's just me though. Tovarisch (Russian) sounds much more natural, on the other hand. Kamrat (Swedish) also sounds much more natural than the english variant.

I must admit, though, that I have never thought of it as a gender-neutral, class-neutral, title-neutral way to address eachother. Mostly just something given that we used. It reminds me a bit of Orwell's description of Catalonia:

"Servile and even ceremonial forms of speech had temporarily disappeared. Nobody said 'senor' or 'Don' or even 'Usted'. Everyone called everyone else 'Comrade'".

In that aspect, I can certainly very much appreciate the word and its meaning.

[Comrade Nasser]

i think it's creepy and cult-like for you bozos to keep calling each other comrade over the internet. (it's even worse in real life.) the left is a museum and a zoo

Well other groups usually have names they call each other as a show of Solidarity. I know fascist nazi scumbags call each other "brothers", so why can't we call each other comrades haha.

[Kalinin's Facial Hair]

It's all about the tradition. 'Comrade' is something more than just a friend. It's a freaking comrade.

Which of course implies political nearness.

[MarxArchist]

In my youth I first heard the term used by NAZI's. They call each other comrade as well but we would call them cum rag or cum rags. This was the 1980's. I was young.

[La Guaneña]

We learned it to be usefull in protests, or anytime close to the cops.

Yelling "camarada" or "companheiro" is much safer than the other persons real name.

[Kindness]

I don't say "comrade," except in an ironic sense or when talking to other socialists (and even then, it seems awkward to me). It sounds very out of place here in the Midwest. I just say "friend."