Professor Paradox
Region: US
Friday 09 October 2026 06:21:36 GMT
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ernestomejia9415 :
Kind of reminds me of the Good Place where Michael explains to the judge (or one of the other characters I forget) in the IHOP how you can’t really be good as they defined it empirically without engaging with harm-filled actions/systems
2026-10-09 06:51:45
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Carter :
I just think if it was possible to change the evil system from within, you'd hear at least one story of somebody becoming a cop and defeating the corruption in their local PD. but you never hear that story. we'll never vote our way out of capitalism, only organize our way out. they wouldn't give you the tools to overthrow them
2026-10-09 13:32:53
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🦕 :
With the entry of a socialist into the government, and class domination continuing to exist, the bourgeois government doesn’t transform itself into a socialist government, but a socialist transforms himself into a bourgeois minister.
2026-10-10 01:18:29
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Parkrose4 :
I think about this daily.
2026-10-09 23:47:45
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DavyWwW :
Being revolutionary is pragmatic, especially in the least pragmatic of times(which is where we are)
2026-10-09 20:25:37
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Tim :
I respect that you are more knowledgeable about left wing politics and history. But I think the claim that we would go full fascist before becoming socialist (and that socialism would have to be built out of the ashes) is engaging in a type of accelerationist determinism. While I think the current time/context is certainly much closer to that reality, I don't think it's impossible to imagine modern movements toward labor organizing and social democracy actually bearing fruit, in which case the relative probabilities of fascism vs socialism may swing in the other direction. I also don't really believe there's much value in sacrificing the ability to weild power and use it build or advance such movements merely to avoid compromise with one's moral compass. That's putting ideology ahead of materialism to me. But I'm also a labor organizer so I think my flavor of socialism is based on pragmatic use of power
2026-10-09 13:21:02
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ARegularGuy :
I think we're entering an era of ideological orthodoxy in all politics. There was always contingents of it in our politics. but I think the vice gripe of climate catastrophe, thw rise of a multipolar world (which means more open and direct conflict) and heightened conflict in America means more cloistering and grouping off
2026-10-09 13:59:53
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Ayanna :
This is the conversation I have with myself everyday 😭
2026-10-09 18:41:50
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Bornh0lio :
Genuine question: is there a hard definition of leftist? Like I feel like I’m needing an operational definition on this one because im starting to feel like I really don’t know what qualifies
2026-10-09 11:23:32
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EJ :
Well the foundational aspect of pragmatic debate is defining one’s terms and agreeing upon those terms with your adversary. I don’t even think we will get past go considering so much of the US is under the impression that our way of life and political system is all that is possible, that this is a ball that will keep rolling regardless of ‘meager’ leftist obstruction. Whereas for many leftists it is understood that this is one of many fallible regimes in the scheme of human history especially if you factor in an environmentally conscious perspective it’s downfall is inevitable due to lack of sustainability; capitalism is a cancer and cancers are either eliminated or live on to kill their host. Personally I believe that it’s the leftists job to dream of other worlds and systems in tandem with the palliative care of mutual aid considering we are facing a country full of folks who can’t even fathom another world. So short answer: sometimes! When people are doing boots on the ground action that must be rooted in what is actually happening but when we’re not on the frontlines it’s important that our dreams for what could be are boundless.
2026-10-09 16:51:26
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No 1 is illegal on stolen land :
If we can remove dark money and corporate lobbying we MIGHT have a chance to have a better chance.
2026-10-09 21:55:54
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TheTvMartian :
Wait imma just need to check why do you think he’s on the wrong side of leftist politics cuz some ppl have just straight turned antisemitic on here
2026-10-09 06:43:00
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Calzoneenjoyer :
No. We are well passed pragmatism
2026-10-09 19:18:58
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mushroom baedling :
imo queer nihilist anarchism already has this already figured out
2026-10-09 22:06:52
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Leah Grace :
I've been waiting on someone with a platform to say this.
2026-10-09 23:44:36
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Tiffany Patterson Author :
I see you like posting the easy questions 😩
2026-10-09 08:16:47
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Sarah Cage :
It is impossible.
2026-10-09 16:52:48
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Butternut :
There’s a difference between being a politician and actually governing
2026-10-09 06:51:18
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CommonGoon :
I honestly think that America won't fix what's necessary, won't be proactive in these recurring issues we are in without potentially looking like China. All the things needed to ensure we dont end up here again will make us look like the countries that we culturally have made into great american taboos😕
2026-10-09 13:50:07
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Horus D. Guffy🫨5️⃣ :
I think the definition of politician needs to be changed. but currently its not possible to be leftist or be a good politician. in order to make any splash, all politicians must compromise SOMETHING. for some, its not much, but for others it fundamentally changes what side of the coin they truly are on
2026-10-09 06:29:52
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Moreblessingma :
I’ve been thinking through this question too. It feels impossible to avoid elite capture of leftist politics once it enters electoral politics. And I think I have a core belief that the change we are fighting for can’t be won in the electoral arena. HOWEVER I don’t think the tangible benefits to people under the governance of leftists can be overstated. And people don’t lose out (or lose out less) when the people in charge of managing their city have leftist politics.
2026-10-09 12:50:41
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Mohamed Aboul-Saoud :
Hey professor paradox I’m interested in political thought in leftism as well as approaching it philosophically due to our reliance on labeling things as “left” and “right,” which of course allows us to ally ourselves with similar thought in an efficient timeframe, but also may make us misconstrue people’s conceptions on life and politics based on a heuristic that we initially make. Is there any fundamental texts I can get ahold of that develop leftist thought to disseminate discussion as I want to understand the policy that could truly make me a leftist in a system that makes these texts hardly accessible/knowable. Thanks!
2026-10-09 18:23:39
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Tiana.thinks :
Interesting conversation. People have told me to get into politics and I’m not interested either. Caveat being, somebody with better ideals for society has to do it if we want change cause lord knows the guy with strong negative opinions about everyone and everything is gonna get in there in wreak havoc 😂 I’m (sadly) questioned for a moment if Mandani is a psyop after everything that is going on, but I think he’s a great example of progressive ideals tampered by a capitalist society. So many people satisfied with him and he’s only doing ‘simple’ things - like the snow shoveling sidewalks, govt grocery stores, rent laws - incremental but have drastically improved the lives of people via many little actions - even if he can’t get it done on a macro scale. I guess we just need to empower the ones who have good ideals AND don’t mind joining the good fight on the “world stage.” 😁
2026-10-09 16:44:09
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fr_gator :
I know modern capatlist democracy has unique problems. But it also seems like a universal problem that there is a human tendency towards Fascism (or maybe just hierarchy more broadly). I dunno, feels hard to fix.
2026-10-10 02:00:58
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Tiamba (Tee-AHM-ba) :
My position now is there can be no truly leftist politician in the U.S., so I've decided my requirements is the politician is at least campaigning on REAL capitalist harm reduction/prevention policy, (that includes continuing to send money to Is, for me. but we see how difficult even getting THAT is)...I don't think we can expect more from politicians under this system...at MOST we can hope for Mamdani-style policy. We MUST at least require they raising taxes on the wealthy, that they legislate automatic regularly scheduled living wage adjustments to the minimum wage, reduction of military spending, adequately and equitably fund social welfare programs, and public education, including higher education, they eliminate student loan debt or make it more consumer-focused by taking private banking out of student loan debt industry, expandind repayment options, and eliminating interest rates on student debt, they must advance and fully fund at least apublic healthcare option. They must address and break up corporate monopolies...could go on and on...BUT as I list them, NO politician is touching even these basic Keynesian liberal policies nowadays...so, it's disheartening really
2026-10-09 17:51:15
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