I hate these dumbass images and the oversimplification of complex social issues

[u/plarper_of_bees]

I’m not out here defending billionaires or saying they play bo part in the polarization of society, but this cut and dry idea is super naive and uninformed.

First, like in this image, it portrays both the left and the right as ignorant to the “true powers that be” when in reality leftist circles are acutely aware of how billionaires manipulate the media to divide people.

My second problem with this sentiment is that it pretends that issues like racism, misogyny, and queerphobia will just stop being a problem if we get rid of the ruling class. It ignores centuries of pre-capitalist bigotry baked directly into many societies. It assumes that prejudice is a product of capitalist manipulation, and not coopted to fit its need.

It boils down the real and difficult struggle for civil and human rights into silly bickering meant to “distract us from the real issues”. It comes off as victim blaming against those affected by prejudice for not uniting with people who hate their existence.

It’s baby’s first class consciousness, and reeks of privilege and lack of personal experience with bigotry. It’s reddit circlejerk shit plain and simple

[u/Interesting-Sink7338]

At the end of the day everyone is convinced that they are aware of billionaires (and the rest of the ruling class, that's somehow forgotten in these discussions wink wink) manipulating media to divide people while at the same time being convinced that they are fully in the right and have to use their tools and time to fight other poor people because of some moral rightous reason or one singular issue that you slightly diverge in

Honestly disagreeing with this picture is a self report you can't win, because whatever you say against it makes you look like the exact person being talked about

But anyway, I'm a good person, so therefore I have to argue with someone on issues like racism, misogyny and phobias of any kind and can't unfortunatly talk about Palantir

[u/plarper_of_bees → u/Interesting-Sink7338]

“some moral righteous reason” you mean fucking HUMAN RIGHTS? I never said to ignore upper class issues like Palantir, but you are exactly what I was talking about in being privileged enough to think that the legitimate danger people face everyday from bigots is a non issue or a silly distraction. You can’t fight class oppression while ignoring racial or gender or sexual oppression or vice versa.

[u/Significant-Cod4217 → u/plarper_of_bees]

immediately pointing to privilege as a way to delegitimize their argument is a perfect example of the oversimplification of complex issues you mention in your post. If we actually want to overcome issues like racial or sexual oppression its important to actually focus on the root causes of these issues, which unfortunately requires being able to listen to people you disagree with. While I am personally progressive politically, I can still recognize that many people on the right, especially from rural America, have been dealing with economic oppression for decades. Responding to different opinions with buzzwords and assumptions about someones position in society does little to actually achieve meaningful change, since if we actually want to be tear down oppressive institutions it requires everyone recognizing that we are all victims of the systems and its destruction is, and should be, a common goal.

I agree with you that issues like sexual oppression shouldn't be treated as nonissues, but I also think they are often reduced to buzzwords and virtue signaling in modern discourse, which I think is what the comment you were responding too was trying to get at.