#political consciousness

[russia-libertaire]

From social alienation to social purpose

"Many members of Russia's emerging educated elite found themselves alienated from the tsarist state as well as separated from most of Russian society by their education and their disdain for traditional values and relationships. [...] By formulating programs for social development which enabled them to play an integral part in overcoming Russia's poverty, oppressiveness, and backwardness, the intelligentsia provided itself with a social role that seemed to reintegrate it into society as spokesman, conscience, or guide. [...] Personal interest, social idealism, intellect, and cultural experience thus combined to produce in the intelligentsia a fervid, often self-sacrificing, and potentially authoritarian commitment to social transformation in accordance with an idea frequently carried to its logical extreme."

Michael Katz and William Wagner's introduction to What Is to Be Done?, by Nikolai Chernyshevsky

[faerie-hideaway]

Let's collectively reflect on why Luigi's alleged manifesto has not been publicly released and why every other mass murderer and school shooter has their manifesto released within days.

Let's reflect on the manifestos that have been posted on reddit yet they are censoring there and across the news media.

This is a class war and they're censoring information to keep influence in their favor.

[guerrillafae]

Whenever I think of the McDonald's employee who snitched on Luigi Mangione I can't help but wonder how many people did identify him during the week or so he was on the run. Those who, going about their day, saw this dude wearing a beanie and a mask and thought "hey, wouldn't it be funny if he was that shooter guy". Then they caught a better look at his face and realize "damn he does kinda look like him".

I imagine them thinking about those $50.000. Perhaps they even felt tempted for a moment. Perhaps they thought about their own debt to the healthcare industry. Perhaps they thought about clearing their own or a loved ones loans.

Yet they did not. They decided that, wether this guy did or didn't shoot that CEO, what happened the other day in New York matters. It matters so, so much, either in the short or the long run. That it could be the first step towards something big. Maybe that something, just maybe, is change.

And then they kept their mouth shut and continued with their afternoon as if nothing ever happened.

To those people, I wish you nothing but the best. You did what you had to do. And that says a lot about you.

In short, I refuse to believe class consciousness is dead. But guess I'm a romantic like that.

[screwpinecaprice]

I'm retaining my headcanon that he's like a human heater. Perfect for winter seasons.

[via707]

you know, considering everything this country has put us through and considering the absolute hell on earth we're forced to be buckled in for the next four years of.... its kinda nice that we can all smile and hold hands and celebrate the concepts of thoughts and prayers for the ceo of united healthcare 😌

just really love seeing all of america unite and giggle with glee as these billionaires unfortunately meeting their demise...

deny. defend. depose.

us working class do all have one common enemy. the 1%er's...

yes they have an unfathomable amount of money.... but what happens when an immovable object meets and unstoppable force.....

DENY. DEFEND. DEPOSE.

we, the working class, have each other... there's hundreds of thousands, of millions of us..... you 1%er's can barely trust each other... too busy trying to stab each other in the backs because you still think you dont have ENOUGH money.....

question?

DENY. DEFEND. DEPOSE.

how much money will protect you... when the whole world is waiting to see you fall....

hopefully.... whatever you have is enough.....

but for now: sympathy is currently out of network

DENY. DEFEND. DEPOSE.

[tilbageidanmark]

Nobody defends billionaires more than hundredaires.

[artemis-pendragon]

Nathan Mahoney joining the ranks of the USA's Men of the People

[mayasaura]

I do not now, nor have I ever, expected Gideon to take a principaled stance on the forever war. I just don't think it matters to her. Ostensibly she's on her dad's side because her dad has been on a parenting kick lately, and the best she ever got from her mum was goodbye with a stay of execution. But if she were confronted with the ethics of the situation? Asked her opinion? I don't think she'd have one. She may be a prince, but at heart she's still the abused eighteen year old girl who fought tooth and nail to join the army just for a way out

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

*tries to organize my thoughts*

*remembers i'm not in school and therefore beholden to neither heaven nor hell nor any man's grading system*

*joyously shredding & tossing all my carefully arranged 3x5 mental notecards into the air like so much beige confetti. raising my arms in victory, cheering raucously until i accidentally inhale bits of homemade confetti*

(*coughing up itty bits of paper like a cat evicting a hairball with a firm understanding of tenants' rights*) wait wat happens next

[astrosouldivinity]

𝐏𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬: 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲

- Angela Davis

✫ As we enter the era of Pluto in Aquarius, it’s set to be a karmic time for the elites. The recent assassination of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York highlights the escalating tension of this age. This targeted attack serves as a warning that we are approaching a tipping point, one in which solidarity among the proletariat is becoming increasingly essential for survival.

✫ Since Pluto entered Aquarius on November 19, 2024, revolutions are already beginning worldwide. History has a way of repeating itself; consider the Haitian, American, Industrial, and French Revolutions, alongside the beginnings of the Women’s and Abolitionist movements, all occurring during the Pluto in Aquarius era. Each of these movements was fueled by collective consciousness and the desire for change.

✫ The American healthcare system is deeply corrupt. With threats from leaders like Trump to cut essential benefits like VA Healthcare only exacerbate the situation. America operates like a business, prioritizing profit over people, and the exploitation of our healthcare system is utterly unethical. Furthermore, research indicates that life expectancy is higher in countries with publicly funded healthcare compared to those without it.

⋆⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆

✫ This alarming reality in the U.S. reflects a broader pattern of instability and discontent around the world. Similarly, we’re witnessing turmoil globally: France's government has collapsed, South Korea has declared martial law, and protests are erupting in Georgia. These events highlight an increasing wave of rebellion, fueled by a collective desire for change and justice worldwide. Citizens everywhere are standing up against oppressive systems, demanding accountability, and striving for a future that prioritizes their needs and rights.

⋆⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆ ✩ ⁑ ⋆

✫ In the aftermath of Thompson's death, Blue Cross Blue Shield reversed their policy on anesthesia coverage, clearly spooked by the assassination. This swift change demonstrates the power we hold as a collective. The elites may be a small fraction of the population, but this shows that we the people have the strength to demand change. When people have nothing to lose, they become a force to be reckoned with.

✫ I want to clarify that I am not condoning violence. It’s unfortunate that we've reached this point in the world. Historical cycles tend to repeat, and we are witnessing its echoes. Pluto in Aquarius marks the beginning of a new age of rebellion, revolt, and transformation. Pluto symbolizes destruction and renewal, and the energy of Aquarius fosters the desire to break free from outdated traditions. People are fed up and are demanding change.

𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬:

• https://www.npr.org/2024/12/05/nx-s1-5217617/blue-cross-blue-shield-anesthesia-anthem

• https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/12/06/georgia-scenarios-protests-russia-eu-election-democracy-tbilisi/

• https://www.newsweek.com/veterans-health-care-cut-department-government-efficiency-1985641

• https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/12/04/us/brian-thompson-united-healthcare-death

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9653205/

• https://www.npr.org/2024/12/05/nx-s1-5215788/south-korea-martial-law

• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxz934p56qo.amp

𝙼𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝

𝚆𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝙰𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚢𝚜𝚒𝚜

𝙲𝚊𝚙𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚖

𝙲𝚊𝚙𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚖 𝙿𝚝. 2

𝚡𝚡- 𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 (𝙺𝚒𝚔𝚒)

[hussyknee]

Courtesy @crutchesandspice

Please view the video directly on TikTok to support the creator.

Follow Imani Barbarian on bluesky, twitter, Instagram

Please understand the context behind this request: a Black disabled woman is asking those who have the privilege, access and capacity to speak MAGA people, who they might listen to because they come from similar backgrounds, to try and understand them and talk to them. She's not demanding that a mentally ill queer person try to argue their humanity with family members who think they should burn in hell. She's talking about those liberals (especially white ones) who are tempted to dehumanise and write off anyone that voted for Trump as an act of political tribalism instead of engaging with why fascism takes hold of ordinary people.

Video description and transcript under the cut.

Video description:

A TikTok of a Black woman with locs speaking in front of a screenshot. The screenshot is of a YouTube video by Ben Shapiro titled "The EVIL Revolutionary Left Cheers Murder!"

Transcript:

Something is happening. Something is definitely happening. And I would be remiss if I didn't talk about this particular funnel into the alt-right that is informing how the alt-right is reacting to this moment right now. [Screen changes to a diagram titled "Right Wing Content Funnels", showing four red funnels that all point down to "The Alt Right". The first three are obscured by TikToker's head, but she's pointing to one that has "Health, Fitness Cures Holistic" over the funnel labelled "Eugenics".]

Because despite Ben Shapiro uploading this video, this was their response. And we'll all do image descriptions for this but yeah. Yeah.

So Ben Shapiro uploaded this video that says "The Evil Revolutionary Left Cheers Murder!" in reference to the United Healthcare CEO being gunned down in midtown Manhattan. But then something happened. (And shout out to Wild Greeters on Bluesky for bringing this up.) [Screen changes to show a post by user Wild Greeters showing screenshotted comments.] But these are the responses to Ben Shapiro on his own video:

"I'm as much right wing as they come. I have as much empathy as he had for those who lost their lives due to not recieving healthcare."

"Sorry Ben but nobody on either side feels sympathy for this man."

"As a long time Ben Shapiro fan buddy, your wealth is showing. It's not a right or left thing."

And that's what encapsulates this moment the most. Let's go over some more responses.

"Deny. Depose. Defend. We don't recognise him."

"Benny this is a non-partisan issue. Please stop trying to constantly divide the country."

"I'm proud of this comment section."

"Idk why you're trying to keep pushing this as a left issue. It's clearly across the board."

"While I don't agree with people celebrating this man's death, I don't believe this is a partisan issue like you're making it out to be. It's not right or left, it's people who have health insurance (it goes on to say)"

"Ben can afford any healthcare out of pocket plus his wife is a physician, must be nice."

And a lot of people have otherwise been flummoxed. I've even seen sentiments like this from liberals. I myself have gotten comments like "I can't believe that the alt right wants to celebrate this, the right is so violent, that's why they voted for that man."

No. No. This is one of the very few times when a majority of people are agreeing on the exact same thing. And it's important to understand how people get into alt right to understand why the left and the alt right are reacting to the very same thing in the very same way.

And it's because of this funnel right here: the "Health, Fitness, Cures, Holistic" into "Eugenics" and then into the "Alt Right". A lot of people can easily brush off why people get into the alt-right. The reality is that a lot of them did not start off with racism and sexism as their ideals, and the things that the left and liberals attribute to why people voted for Donald Trump. The reality is that with fear-mongering, which the right is very skilled at, they take advantage of people's fear of the healthcare system, not necessarily poor health in and of itself. This is why you're just as likely to find people in the alt right in groups on diabetes, cerebral palsy, autism—because the system itself is so terrifying that people will find any alternative to it. That's why they get into eugenics and then into the alt right. Not necessarily because it starts off that way a 100% of the cases, it's because they fear the very system that would allow for somebody like Brian Thompson to deny them care over and over and over again.

And in general, and this is probably a very unpopular opinion, I find it very irresponsible for people to consistently just boil things down to, "well, they're part of the alt right, they're just hateful," because a lot of the times, people don't start off that way. A lot of the times, their desire to go into the alt right starts with fear. And fear over being rejected as part of these very systems.

The issue is though, what the alt right does, is it blames the individual and not the systems because they want the systems to remain in place, or for those systems to get worse so that people they don't like die. Which is why our healthcare system is considered a medical apartheid.

This is also the reason why I'm not really impressed when you cut off your MAGA family members a 100% of the time, right. You share this moment. If you are not talking to them now about healthcare—and be mindful, I'm not saying berate them or argue with them— but this is the one thing you all relate on! Talk about it!

But yeah. I don't want to hear you cut off your MAGA family members now, and then hear from you two years from now asking everybody what we're gonna do. Now's the time! Now is it! Go out there! Go talk to people! Because if everybody is reacting to this moment the same way, now. Is. Your. Chance. Do you hear me? Now's your chance!

End transcript.

[odinsblog]

Donald Trump and his family absolutely positively knew what was happening on January 6th. Trump and his adult children and their inner circle—they all knew about the violence and the threats of violence, before during and after the fact. They actively celebrated and encouraged the violence in real time (particularly threats against the then-Vice President, Mike Pence).

Trump and the Trump crime syndicate actively sought to pressure Pence to break the law and override the votes of the American people.

Treason.

Tre45son.

Trump encouraged Pence to break the law, and threatened Pence with mob violence if he didn’t succumb to his (Trump’s) pressure.

Trump admitted that he wanted Pence to be dishonest. Trump’s actions and words are proof of consciousness of guilt.

👉🏿 https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258148/gov.uscourts.dcd.258148.252.0.pdf

👉🏿 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/02/us/politics/trump-jan-6-case-jack-smith-evidence.html

[boymanmaletheshequel]

I can’t help but feel as though the case of Luigi mangione has triggered a paradigm shift that has only just begun, yet has been so long coming. So used to, have we as Americans become of the working class being victimized and abused, that we have dismissed it because we’ve been led by capitalism to believe that they deserved it for not working hard enough, for not being patriotic enough, or not being high class enough to justify valuing them. But Luigi is different, he IS the rich, white collar, educated buisness man that corporate capitalism has deemed the ultimate goal of Americans, he is the poster boy of American idealism, and yet, even he fell victim to the system, and when he fought back agaisnt it, he was treated just as poorly as the common man. They are going to kill him. And if he’s not safe, nobody is. I’m calling this now, they’ll find a way to work around the death penalty restrictions in New York, and they will execute him to send a message to keep us in check so they can continue their reign of cruel and inhuman punishment and destruction. But they won’t realize the martyr they will have given us. The government keeps ensuring that the working class has nothing left to live for or to protect, not realizing that by doing so, they’re simultaneously giving them nothing left to loose by fighting back. And that my friends, is how revolutions begin.

[just-your-average-cryptid]

most of us have heard of the red car game. you’re on a road trip, you’re bored, you start looking for red cars to do something.

and then they’re everywhere. you notice them nearly every few minutes.

there aren’t suddenly more red cars now, of course. you were seeing them already, but you weren’t noticing. you weren’t looking.

I am noticing things.

there is a plant I notice everywhere now, a small bushy plant in suburbs, along streets, by shops on the highways. dwarf umbrella bush is what the internet tells me when I look for it’s name. I did this because I wanted to know why,

every time I ever saw it, every place,

it was always dying. always the leaves turning yellow, the branches small and scraggly. inside out - nitrogen deficiency. their soil drained.

I am noticing how many of these landscaping plants are yellowing, how small and sickly they look in just a few years. I am noticing how often the grass outside the house is replaced when it once again turns brown and dry, how the type never changes and the cycle starts again. I am noticing how the unmowed, unkempt spaces on lakesides and roadsides look more alive than this. how the preserve I grew up next to was miles of “messy” unmanicured nature and the ground was covered in leaves instead of grass and there was life.

I am noticing the birds that come by the lake. there was a flash of blue wings and red chest - eastern bluebird, male, relatively common. I had never seen one before. there is a family of ducks that appear every spring; i cannot say if it’s successive generations or different ducks, but I can always look forward to ducklings. there are little brown birds with white heads whose names I do not know - are they some kind of piper? why don’t I already know?

why is it so hard to learn about my native plants (accurately, that is)? why are so many gardening sites littered with people who think a plants value is based on how pretty or useful it is to them, who think a tree shedding leaves is “messy”?

why is knowing about the world we live in so… odd? why is it a hobby and not vital knowledge? I learned about polar equations. I taught myself about mycorrhizal networks and species of insects.

(did you know there are shiny green bees? a special species of wasp pollinating figs? that white flowers bloom at night for moths? do you know? have you looked?)

I cannot look at a lawn and see life anymore. it is a wasteland, devoid of life, dying slowly itself. everywhere is grass, grass, doused in water that runs over into storm drains, soaked in fertilizer and pesticides and a hundred other poisons and sending one clear message:

this is a place of death. life is not welcome here.

I do not think I could live in a city. too loud, yes, too busy, yes, too many people, yes, but the plants would bother me. a tree allotted only a convenient square, surrounded by dead stone and metal.

a forest cleared for this, for burning asphalt streets and racing cars and shops whose bathrooms are “for paying customers only”.

this is a place of death. life is not welcome here.

and now I am noticing.

[guavagyal]

damn, why do the USian conservatives & libertarians get the cool vigilantes who shake things up and the USian leftists get people who talk you to death on the internet? we haven't gotten a folk hero to rally for since the 70s.

[maripoorsa]

Hell yeah

"[...] it's not an issue of right versus left. There is 1% of the population keeping the rest of us, the 99% of us, the majority of us, sick poor confused angry and pointing the finger at one another.

The real terrorism is actually these corporations that work to keep us sick and poor and dying at crazy rates for their own profit. That's the real murder here."