The Batlord

I had to look up the Christian Identity League. Those people sound like winners. It's nice to know that I'm apparently descended from the ancient Israelites, though, and that modern "Jews" are imposters.

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Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra

Eh, the Mormons believe it.

chiron

I've always considered communism as the religion of "no-god", or at least that's what it has devolved into(as with most religions) regardless of how it started. And instead of idols they worship positions within the party.

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Exterminate all rational thought.

Mykonos

I'm a very, very left-leaning person, and capitalism's one of the few subjects that disgusts me to the point where I would probably punch those that preach it if they tried anything on me, but I'm no communist. I'm behind the State offering things like welfare and benefits, but I don't think they should take away our individual lives and replace them with any kind of indentured service to them. I know there's far more to communism than that, but I don't support the concept of the state controlling our liberties.

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'Not that Becktionary, the Rhyming Becktionary!'- Bender Bending Rodriguez

Colby4780

Never, I am an American to the very last bone in my body, besides, Communism doesn't work, the state eventually falls.

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sonar1

To the extent that the evils of Capitalism are adjusted against by more and more regulation aimed at protecting The Public from rapacious corporations who think nothing of poisoning the public's environment, in order to make a buck, living in California IS a little bit like living in a grim Communist State, as Communist States have developed historically (not Marxism).

Marx saw the dilema of the modern worker as being forced to be a product himself, taking no joy in his labor and working without direct satisfaction of contributing to progress of mankind. Marx saw that the proletariat was separated from job satisfaction by the business arrangement that duped him.

My 40 years in Industry was exactly that: somewhat like a sentence in a Gulag with no hope for an appeal to the Governor for a pardon. Then, once retired, my hard-fought-for benefits were commodities to be traded themselves under the Rule of Law. So much for the right to confer in good faith and negotiate. I lost ground. All done legally however, as I NEVER DID REALLY HAVE THE RIGHT TO CONFER IN GOOD FAITH. It was just a dog and pony show to keep us from picking up sniper rifles, called The Brown Act, which apparently had a shelf life, called: "until it cramped Industries profit."


The American Labor Movement was at one time prime for Communism and in fact inroads were made into Unions by Communists then, but the Gov't was idealogically opposed to anything that wasn't ultimately stroking their beloved Capitalism, which is what this Country stands for, and now exports -violently- worldwide.

I was once just such a Political Technician: green fatigues, M-16; flak-jacket and helmet: the whole bit. Back in the late sixties the gov't was giving those Political Technician jobs away.

All you had to do was pass a draft physical. But I digress.

What is the difference between the Social Engineering of Marxism, and "adjusted" Capitalism?

To the proletariat: no difference, though under real Marxism, there would be a difference. That is however, what "living in/under a Communist State," seems to be like however.

To the 99%'ers: Insider Trading Congress; Captains of Industry, in Multi-National Corporations: the difference is everything.

It's free reign, but backed by the State, and called Laissez-faire.

So what ultimately brought the end to John Locke's economic vision (right for commoners to own land, and profit from the work of their hands, etc, as opposed to serfdom and indentured servanthood, etc) was not Communism, but rot from within.

Now the dead horse of Capitalism is laying in the street being beaten upon in the hopes that it will rise one last time and drag the wagon ten more feet (in China). Isn't THAT ironic?

Would I live in a Communistic State? You mean even moreso?

I suspect my children's children may find out what that is like, if the Islamic Jihadists don't blow the planet up first. But personally, likely I'll be taking a long dirt nap before the US "actually calls itself" Communistic. After another round of Facism probably, which will be called Americanism, right?

Howard the Duck

is there even such a thing as a Communist country these days?

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Malaise is THE dominant human predilection.

The Batlord

@ Sonar1

Honestly, your post was kinda ranty and I'm not completely sure I understand you, but I pretty much feel your disillusionment with capitalism and the whole "American Dream" is right on.

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Farfisa

I don't think communism ever worked, there was always someone who had all of the power (Mao, Stalin, ect...)

lucifer_sam

Aleksandr Solzenitsyn (one of the few reputable Soviet-era novelists) said something similar. When asked why he thought Communism failed Russia, his response was simply "Men have forgotten God."

I didn't understand what he meant up until a few weeks ago (I thought he was just showing solidarity with the institutionalized Orthodox Church), but it completely clicks for me now.

How I interpret it: trying to live your life entirely in the ethical realm doesn't really work. Humans need something beyond that.

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first.am