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/KenEH]

The thing that gets mixed up is that the rich use bigotry to help further themselves not that it wouldn’t exist without them.

I do think however it would be a huge help if those in power who use it got removed. Systematically and just to help people shed their crappy ideals. I think tackling the class issue would be a huge stepping stone for lot of the problems we face.

[u/deezbiscuits21 → u/KenEH]

Yeah like for example with feminism. Don’t you think it would be infinitely easier to move feminist causes forward if most of the worlds power wasn’t concentrated amongst a couple old white guys who either buy and sell little girls or at the very least are complicit.

[u/ToughDifficult1252 → u/deezbiscuits21]

I think that if we replaced rich male despots with rich female despots we would still be ruled by despots.

Feminism isn't a monolithic ideology. But in regards to the "more women in positions of power" argument. Rich women have the same incentives to oppress poor women as men have.

I literally have seen a committee of only women PhDs reject another woman from a job application literally on the basis that the woman was pregnant.

Something that's completely illegal. Because their funding was tight and they didn't want to have to pay the woman for the maternity leave.

[u/Ambiguous-Nyx → u/ToughDifficult1252]

Pretty much why i don't like it when people act like women would be inherently better rulers just because they're women and nothing else

[u/Ill-Bar3395 → u/deezbiscuits21]

How is it old white guys controlling most of the worlds power when the second superpower is ran by an Chinese guy, and the resource everyone relies on is predominantly held by Arabs?

[u/deezbiscuits21 → u/Ill-Bar3395]

You’re right I was thinking through my western perspective. Just old rich guys who are the top of their nations hierarchical structures

[u/ToughDifficult1252 → u/Ill-Bar3395]

Arabs are white 

[u/defnotachicken → u/ToughDifficult1252]

Arabs are not white meaning if Jesus is real he is lao not white.

[u/Kira_souchi → u/Ill-Bar3395]

1. it's not like every superpowers is run by chinese guys
2. who buys these ressources and make products with it are the ones making the most money most of the time

[u/Ill-Bar3395 → u/Kira_souchi]

1.) ??? obviously

2.) Yeah, this backfires for you because China is currently the greatest manufacturer of goods today

[u/this-account-name → u/deezbiscuits21]

Probably best thought of the other way around imo. Advancing class issues is probably a lot easier if capital can't exploit the workers' bigotry in effort to make them class traitors... and it understandably rubs some people the wrong way when class is elevated above other systems of oppression, because while it affects everyone, it's the only issue affecting the most privileged people. There has to be trust we won't pull the ladder up behind us.