I wouldn’t really be able to know what they’re on about without interacting with them, quite frankly. But I can’t say I really approve of the worship of political figures, historical or not.

I try to approach historical figures as a part of the context in which they existed. It does sound like this person was into theory, so I’d wager their interest in Stalin was more academic than a celebration of the ills that occurred in 20th century Eurasia. But if this person was advocating for Lysenkoism or someshit then you’ve got a grade A idiot.

Like, I find Stalin to be fascinating and the balance of power that he operated both inside and outside the USSR to be remarkable. He can be a very symbolic figure for a kind of struggle against overwhelming odds, which resonates at least on some level with a lot of people, Marxist or not. People get really into things like mob bosses and Scarface so I would try to slate someone’s fandom of Stalin against that, too.

Also, if American, we go over eight decades of rabid anti-communism so sometimes people throw up things like hammers and sickles just as a fuck-you to (Neo)McCarthyism.

It’s more that some people don’t actively condemn him to the satisfaction of others.

The USSR under Stalin defeated Nazi Germany. Idle denunciation of Stalin in 2026 is the classic and most trusted pivot for (crypto)fascists to focus on when cornered or feeling insecure.

That’s the primary scenario that people are accused of ‘defending Stalin’. There’s always a nazi all too willing to spearhead this conversation, 70 years on after his death. Usually can’t even bring up Khrushchev and De-Stalinization usually since it’s not focusing on Stalin enough.

Hey they got movie theatre money out of me for that. It is everyone else who didn’t see it that is clearly at fault for that blunder.

The problem stems from the term ‘GenAI’. These systems use math to predict things. There are a lot of valid mathmatical calculations to predict out there. Rendering lighting is one of them.

Human language and imagery isn’t one of them, which is what idiots have been trying to funnel through these models.

Yeah but it’s this FBI.

“Grok, is evidence of a crime?”

I can note war is bipartisan due to the long tradition of using it to maintain hegemony, if that’s spicy enough.

They’re too different though. Even in some insane scenario where all things were otherwise exactly the same, down to bombing the girls’ school: Harris would still have more support in attacking Iran. EU would probably be joining in too.

Charge by the toe.

There were betrayals and brutal slayings to go around between and through the World Wars.

When I see these sorts of portrayals of communists and anarchists I always wonder why the contemporary actions of the Whites or the Fascists get to enjoy omission.

Like: Mahkno is a popular example and figure, but he and his army were a component of a larger class system. Hryhoriv, a contemporary, was a large reason for the eventual downfall of all the atamans, including Mahkno, even though Mahkno was the one who killed him.

Another example is Durruti in the Spanish Civil War, whom I admittedly don’t know a great deal about. But he died for reasons that are not clear except: war. It’s a topic of literature at any rate.

After the Republican forces lost the war it was Francoist forces that exterminated anarchists in one of many White Terrors of the 20th century.

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut Jr, if I am not mistaken.

Sure, you don’t need them for such things to exist and operate. But until a stateless system is able to supplant this infrastructure, I think it makes sense to have a governing body to recognize how many parts per million of chlorine is okay after dosing the well or the amount of fecal coliform that’s acceptable to be released into the local waterway.

Assuming the capitalist hegemony doesn’t co-op or crush either, there’s something to be said about state management of sewers and drinking water.

Private wells and septic systems can go a long ways but once population density reaches the size of an apartment complex or an industrial process needs treatment, you’re going to want some form of governance over those systems.

I always have to remind myself being able to stream audio from a cellphone while driving across a city is also a pretty crazy development.

The British Bakeoff show is forever weird for me.

TVs became SmartTVs and now need the internet to turn on. The TVs need an OS now to internet to do TV.

Antennae broadcast TV seems like an ancient magic.

Greater Ohios.

Unfortunately this covenant is a deep bond. To sever ties with one is to sever with all.

https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/39695775

A permalink for the original thread that was only posted a few hours ago.

Reminds me of the Palladium monk occupation. Strictly about dodging and the point was monks did NOT attack or fight. Striking an opponent meant being defrocked and losing monk status. I thought it was a neat take (and a direct response to the DnD monk trope.)

Pure dialogue and skill class. Never got a Palladium campaign really going though. Just a sea of worldbuilding.

I don’t really know 5e very well, nor PF, but monks were always kind of an awkward fit in 3.5 too. From what I understand the redesign put then closer to an old 3.5 prestige class with the ki strikes and such.