All the little things..

[Flying Purple People Eater]

I can take philosophical arguments. I can take debates on politics, history and economics. I can stay persuasive and consider opposing arguments.

So then why is it that lines like these are so frustrating!?


Human beings are non compatible with communism, as they are too individualistic and selfish. Communism is a nice idea, but socialism is as far as it can go.

The simplicity! The ignorance! The lack of reasoning! The ridiculous assumptions, taken for granted! The worst of all is that the morons who peddle this shit don't want a debate or a response; they just state this and walk off!

I used to attack this stuff furiously, but it's regurgitated so often that it's too exhausting. I feel as if there's no point responding to this at demonstrations because of how shallow it is (and because the person saying this clearly is not ready to engage in a debate over their own views), but at the same time you can just tell that this shit garners an emotional response and that people are going to get affected by 'way things are' reasoning.

Does anyone else have this problem when they're at demos and talking with other people? I mean there are some decent arguments to be made but fucking hell "humans are incompatible because they're selfish" I want to throw liberal salmons like this inside a bucket and throw them off a building.

The rant has thus ended.

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

I think a snappy response, not for the person who made the idiotic statement, but all else present can be extremely useful. Obviously, anyone who says that has no interest for a serious discussion of the potential of communism; the other people around however?

In fact, a person who says something like this is doing you a favour - you now have the opportunity to debunk this shit without looking like a didactic asshole.

My personal favourite:

"Oh, so people are too selfish to govern themselves, yet not too selfish govern others? I see you've really thought this through."

[MarxSchmarx]

I understand your frustration, but people who claim socialism/communism "is a good idea" are more than half way there IMO.

I don't think we should worry about them so much as people who, yeah, even ethically disagree it's a good idea at all.

The view that an alternative to capitalism is naive offers an opening - naivete is predicated on the desirability of an outcome. I think the task is to convey that you agree it's difficult to transcend capitalism, but that the pros outweigh the cons.