As more mainstream libs are discovering Lemmy, we’re seeing a pattern of complaints that opinions outside the ones they deem acceptable are allowed on the platform. We’ve even seen instances defederating because their userbase does not wish to be exposed to these views.
Interestingly, these are the same people who level censorship and control of free speech as their main critique of communists. What we’re seeing is that these people absolutely don’t care about free speech. They understand the necessity of censorship and actively advocate censoring opinions that they find dangerous. Yet, when societies based on values different from their own use these same tools they screech about authoritarianism.
Turns out it’s not authoritarianism libs hate, but having their own views censored. What actually offends them about places like China is that it’s their ideology that’s being suppressed there.
I know It is a hard take but I feel like anarchists got infiltrated just like we did and the worst of unproductive elements are downstream from some three letter agency interference. There is no smoking gun but when I encounter it, it feels like it has cia craftsmanship you know.
There is actually a smoking gun https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2021/10/15/cointelpro-fbi-anarchism-disrupt-left/
Anarchism is pretty much designed to make it easy to infiltrate. You have no central authority, so anybody can say they’re just doing it their own way. There’s no formal structure or means of recall, so you end up with implicit power structures forming around charismatic individuals. The ideology is very broad and nebulous allowing for many creative interpretations leading to ineffective action.
I think it’s also worth noting how anarchism is constantly promoted in the media. Lots of shows and comics teach people about dangers of authority, and promote ad hoc spontaneous organization over collective action. Anarchism provides a safety relief valve for people to vent their frustration without causing any threat to the system as a whole.
Meanwhile, effective organization such as what MLK, Fred Hampton, and Black Panthers results in violent suppression by the state. That’s how we know that ML style organization is seen as a real and credible threat by the system while anarchism is not.
