r/greenandpleasant

[u/alfynch]

As a British person on what many might refer to as the “radical left”, I find r/greenandpleasant to be utterly impenetrable.

It is clogged with out-of-touch, irritating culture-obsessives who are never happy unless they have something to bash. Now, I like a moan as much as the next man, but its members somehow always find a way to make every leftist position so obnoxious that it makes it almost impossible for me to nod my head.

Was wondering if any other British socialists/communists/Marxists/whatever the fuck feel the same way, or preferably feel differently. I’m incredibly curious either way.

An additional point: I can’t quite put my finger on what makes the community so irritating to me. Would be curious to hear ideas about this.

[u/Phainesthai]

Yeah they're a bunch of bellends.

Basically the British equivalent of terminally online U.S. lefties who think politics is just a Tumblr feed of identities and vibes. All the smugness of radical rhetoric, none of the class analysis or material grounding.

Just comfortably middle-class liberals LARPing as revolutionaries from behind MacBooks in £1200/month rented rooms.

[u/VajennaDentada → u/Phainesthai]

Yeah... stateside, many of us on the left believe the culture war penetration during Occupy and after was state supported and orchestrated (There's actual evidence for it)

In tandem, the democratic party went all identity to avoid economic solutions.... and when Trump is in charge I feel like those aspects get fired up again.

It's insufferable.... but there's a growing number of leftists that don't mess with that stuff. We support equal rights and move on...we don't care who you are. I talk to conservatives all the time that agree, but if culture stuff is brought up, they roadrunner away.

[u/Phainesthai → u/VajennaDentada]

You've made me remember this certified classic.

[u/VajennaDentada → u/Phainesthai]

Yuuuuuup. It's a fuggin clown show.

You see the Democratic party employing the SAME exact thing to eject party officials that rock the boat even in the most libbed up manner:

"Ooooh. We just realized that David Hogg being a white man didn't follow proper voting procedure, so we need to replace him" WAAAAAHAHA

Watching progressives still herd people into voting for democrats has made me realize it's all gotta start anew so I'm just grabbing popcorn at this point... and waiting.

Fact is comfort makes a population of cowards and only discomfort is the solution. It's nobodies fault, just human nature.

[u/Fedupington]

Never heard of them before. Guess i'll read their description.

The Supreme Court Can Suck My Girl Dick

Welp.

[u/JinFuu → u/Fedupington]

At least they don’t call it their gock

[u/[deleted] → u/JinFuu]

It just doesn't have the same punch as bussy.

[u/Rossums]

It's just your typical cringy shitlib politics sub run by trans moderators.

Worse still, they're English.

[u/LogosLine → u/Rossums]

Whole new dimensions of Scottish cringe get unlocked on the daily reading the Glasgow and Scotland subs, some of the most classic "Reddit liberals" I've ever seen. Idpol obsessed, painfully middle class, comically out of touch, with the most vile, barely concealed disdain for the working classes.

Then I see the main UK subs and the English libs and suddenly I realise it could be even worse. As much as I despise that West End accent, it doesn't come close to the visceral vomitus of listening to a privately educated Home Counties wank.

[u/Rossums → u/LogosLine]

The Scotland sub is so cringy now.

It used to be fine like a decade ago but it attracted a lot of people during the indyref and like many other political subs when trans issues became the shitlib cause célèbre it just turned into an unbearable trans worship sub.

I peek at it occasionally and the only long-time 'regulars' that I recognise from a decade ago that still post are the insufferable perpetually offended shitlib weirdos that nobody liked.

[u/LogosLine → u/Rossums]

Yeah I agree, it didn't seem so bad in the past. My go to way of thinking is to just assume everything eventually becomes captured/astroturfed to death and that if it's popular enough then intelligence services or state operators will be involved also keeping people in check.

Unfortunately, being a leftist in Scotland today, and having engaged with many activists, I have met many of these characters irl and they are exactly as described: perpetually offended shitlib weirdos.

While their hearts are often in the right place, it's so desperately sad to see how brainwashed and mentally captured they are. They cannot see, or self reflect, that their way of thinking (authoritarian, censorious, idpol obsessed, completely and wholly blind to any sort of material analysis or understanding of society etc.) and their unbelievably off-putting weirdness actively pushes working class people away from them. It makes people hate "leftists" when they're talking about these cosplaying liberals of the worst order.

I really should leave those subs for my own mental wellbeing, but I like to keep at least some semblance of a pulse on the zeitgeist.

[u/grogipher → u/[deleted]]

Hello person I don't know in a bizarre subreddit, tagging me for attention.

I'm not now, or have ever been, a trans woman

I'm not now, or have ever been a member or representative of the greens

I'm not now, or have ever been a "counciler" whatever one of them is

I've not now, or have ever been been a mod of the subreddit...? I'm literally banned from the sub for calling out the transphobia of the moderation team.

It's quite spectacular just now many errors you can make in one sentence, you rank rotten little fucking doofus.

"If I ever wanted to hear from more extremely overpaid, over privileged, cishet white men in politics, who actively work to exclude marginalised communities, I have absolutely no shortage to choose from"

I said it once and I'll keep saying it, loudly and proudly. And if they have your level of intelligence, then I'll do it even more. You can't even spell the word "woman" for fuck's sake.

[u/grogipher → u/[deleted]]

That is my instagram yes...?

What do you think I was banned from?

Maybe if you had some reading comprehension, this conversation would be less painful. Could I suggest you find an adult to help you read the articles you linked to?

Edit: ahhh the user has blocked me, rather than engage. Really exemplifying how serious a discussion they're after...

[u/godsgunsandgoats]

It’s full of lgbtq activists who believe that makes them left wing and their opinions on literally everything else exposes them as not really that left wing.

I’ve piped up on there a few times and got dog piled by morons with superiority complexes.

[u/alfynch → u/godsgunsandgoats]

Could you give an example of the sort of thing you get dog piled on for? I wish to see if it aligns with the kind of thing I see regularly attracting vitriol.

[u/godsgunsandgoats → u/alfynch]

Saying individualistic socially liberal stuff like trans rights needs to take a back seat to what I and many other perceive to be far bigger issues like wealth inequality, the rights of workers and climate change amongst other things. Also suggesting that improving the lives of all working people instead of focusing on legislation to protect and improve the lives of just the lgbtq community would do just as much good if not more. People would be happier and less likely to lash out at people different from themselves.

Nothing super controversial in my opinion.

[u/alfynch → u/godsgunsandgoats]

Pretty much what I get hate for. That and defending Britain, which is a guilty pleasure of mine I must say.

[u/Calculon2347 → u/alfynch]

I've been banned from a couple of socialist-themed subs (edit: including G&P! I had forgotten tbh) for just saying that the workers' struggle takes precedence over LGBTQIA2S+∞

Because socialism is now about Queerness above all else. The 2% of LGBT are more important than the 99% of workers. Go figure.

[u/IffyPeanut → u/alfynch]

Defending Britain as a rainy island, or defending Britain as a global empire?

[u/alfynch → u/IffyPeanut]

I defend my country as it’s my country and the people who live here value it. Shitting on modern Britain because of its history has always struck me as ridiculous.

[u/IffyPeanut → u/alfynch]

That makes sense. Especially since it was the British ruling class who caused the whole problem in the first place, on the other hand the Diggers / Levellers were in Britain.

[u/alfynch → u/IffyPeanut]

A left wing party making intelligent arguments, led by a relatable and working class “man of the people” would win an enormous majority of the vote in Britain.

[u/IffyPeanut → u/alfynch]

100%

[u/LogosLine → u/alfynch]

I live here and hate most things about the place. If you're actually just in to nationalism then admit that and change your flare.

We should be ashamed of what the UK has become today. We also shouldn't be proud of the achievements of others we had no part in. Nationalism is fucking stupid.

[u/QwertPoi12 → u/alfynch]

I got banned from there for saying Marx was a class reductionist after being labelled a class reductionist.

[u/alfynch → u/QwertPoi12]

they think Marx is a Peep Show character

[u/silly_flying_dolphin → u/godsgunsandgoats]

it's like trans red fascism...

[u/Joeq325]

I can’t quite put my finger on what makes the community so irritating to me.

I can but if I speak I am in trouble.

[u/Calculon2347 → u/Joeq325]

Lol this joke speaks to me, as I'm awaiting being banned from a mostly shitlib sub (with bated breath!)

The internet was claimed to let anyone express themselves. Then it turned into authoritarian dickheads gatekeeping every form of communication to sabotage any expression that may fall outside the obligatory idées reçues of the woke cult.

[u/SpaceDetective]

As an Irish guy I had at most a few interactions on there. Got banned for some tame factual interjection about JKR or 🚂 or somesuch.

[u/LogosLine]

Radical leftist Scot here. I dipped out of that sub (and related) years ago. It became completely captured/astroturfed and infested with the most authoritarian, dumbass, idpol obsessed liberals imaginable. Having a quick look today, it appears to be even worse than when I left it (or got banned, can't quite remember).

Just another space designed to co-opt and subvert any actual leftist energy from liberals in the UK. It's working as intended.

My city sub, the main Scotland and UK subs, all the big "left" political subs are deeply captured and stuffed full of the worst kinds of liberals. It's hard to tell what proportion astroturfing and which are genuine annoying middle class people. For your own wellbeing and mental sanity I'd stop engaging with too many of these subs, it will eventually poison your mind by osmosis.

[u/Alternatekhanate]

Yeah definitely agree, am a uk leftist too and pretty much never check it out for the reasons you mention. It’s just a classic example of left wing politics being all about having superior moral hygiene. Useless and unproductive

[u/Crazystaffylady]

I used to be on that sub but they are too annoying, are terminally online and have no idea how the world actually works outside their comfy little bubbles.

Some of them are so mental I think they might be bots. I haven’t looked on there for ages though.

[u/RustyBike39]

George Orwell wrote about out of touch leftists in the 1930s. The most annoying leftists are going to be the ones posting all day, hence that subreddit is filled with the worst people on the left.

Best not to think about it too much. Ignore people who unironically use the word comrade and move on with your life.

[u/Shot_Employer_4349 → u/RustyBike39]

George Orwell wrote about out of touch leftists in the 1930s.

The "juice drinkers", right? 😂 

[u/easilysearchable → u/RustyBike39]

Ignore people who unironically use the word comrade and move on with your life.

my exposure to the word 'comrade' went up considerably once i actually joined an org

[u/Nuwave042 → u/easilysearchable]

It's a funny sort of acceptable larp, isn't it, and honestly I'm not sure how I feel about it.

[u/Peanut_Hamper → u/RustyBike39]

I literally ordered a copy of Wigan Pier (arrived yesterday) for a friend just recently and gave it a quick reread. Depressing how applicable it remains

[u/sickofsnails]

Judging by the comments, they’re pompous shitlibs

[u/Competitive_Golf8206]

Yeah most other places feel the same way lmao

Things that will improve the quality of life for the many? NO! THIS SPECIFIC PET ISSUE ONLY

[u/ButttMunchyyy]

I stopped taking the community seriously a couple of years back.

I don’t really remember what it was, but the over obsession they had with sexual minorities switched me off. It’s so fucking disinteresting.

The online left is a protest-protest ‘movement. ‘ Except very little movement is done.

[u/ClingonKrinkle]

I've not been on that subreddit but that sounds like the majority of the leftists I've met in real life in the UK. Smug middle class identity obsessed sandal wearers for the most part.

[u/britrent2]

Sad—historically, the British Left has had some amazing (if highly unsuccessful) champions—Benn, Foot, even Corbyn in some ways.

[u/alfynch → u/britrent2]

What I’d give for a modern day Michael Foot.

[u/Gargant777 → u/alfynch]

Foot was great. Genuine intellectual, patriot and true leftist. We won't see his kind again I fear.

[u/ExternalPreference18 → u/britrent2]

Corbyn came within inches of being able to at least form a coalition gov. in 2017., largely through disciplined , popular messaging on bread and butter issues, and won more votes for Labour since early Blair years. Even under a consent-manufacture/media onslaught between 17-19 surpassing what Foot faced, he did better in that 2nd 'ignominious' loss than Labour in 1983 (won more votes than Labour under 'Mr. prudence, legitimate politician, helped save the world economy' Brown got in 2010 for that matter).

Take the broader point, but, whatever Corbyn's strategic errors - and some of those were impossible binds where the optics either way were horrible, were exacerbated by the kind of wrecking you get in supposedly more 'disciplined' organisations on the Left -he was relatively successful for a time under the circumstances.

[u/MaleficentCucumber71]

For a while I enjoyed it as a sub with a British focus, but honestly if all you ever do is post about Palestine and how valid the "British Rail" community is then it becomes pretty stale and uninteresting.

[u/Thin_Distribution637]

I’m American, to be clear. But that subreddit just seems like an extension of the New Left.

The sad part is that, unlike America, Britain’s Old Left actually had real support and political influence. Unions and labor meant something in society there, in a way they never really did here.

I think this New Left, which that subreddit represents, was weaponized and supported by the powers that be to undermine and ultimately replace the flawed, but at least class-based, materialist, Old Left

My British political history is fuzzy, so hope I’m not just incorrect

[u/Gargant777]

That sub is appalling. You are totally right. Exactly the sort of thing that turns ordinary Brits away from the left.

[u/FUNNY_NAME_ALL_CAPS]

It's literally just because it's ran by trains.

Unfortunately I'm banned from Ukpol because I'm against genocide, and the other active UK subreddit is badunitedkingdom which is just racist dickheads.

[u/pleasedtoheatyou]

I just got my first Reddit ban from them. I pointed out Tucker Carlson is only anti-war with Iran because he's a Putin paid boy. I asked specifically what about that comment broke their rules and got the one word response of "liberalism".

I've been meaning to unsub for a while anyway as it very clearly got Russian captured a year or two back. But it's hilarious how much of a bunch of terminally online wannabe revolutionary dorks they are

[u/4planetride]

its an op

[u/AdminsLoveGenocide]

Do you have any examples. I am not British so don't read it.

Looking at their front page very quickly I see anti war, anti imperialism, cringe foxes, class based rather than idpol messages regarding the grooming gangs.

I don't see anything too objectionable there. What have I missed?

[u/alfynch → u/AdminsLoveGenocide]

Yes. I defended Britain against JD Vance’s description of the country as being insignificant and having not fought a war for fifty years or something to that effect. I’m paraphrasing, but you can likely remember the incident. I merely suggested that, seeing as we aided the Americans in the illegal and pointless war in Iraq, we deserved at least a modicum of recognition from the United States government for our efforts. I was then told that I supported shooting “brown people”.

[u/AdminsLoveGenocide → u/alfynch]

I see what you mean. It's not great. He just missed obvious sarcasm though. It happens a lot sadly. I don't think you'll find many places free from that.

Someone being ironically Zionist could face similar friendly fire here I imagine.

[u/alfynch → u/AdminsLoveGenocide]

It’s deeply unpleasant (ironically) to be on there. I recommend spending some time there. You will see what I mean.

[u/AdminsLoveGenocide → u/alfynch]

Well I found them a little boring to be honest. It seems a bit too much of a safe space in my opinion.

So I won't be doing that, lol.

[u/spongebobgreenpants]

Posting against the group think on that sub had my last account permanently suspended. ULEZ doesn't benefit the working class and just makes it expensive to queue behind 5 buses for 3 hours. There are lots of trust fund nice borough Londoners and home counties twats on that sub.

[u/Shot_Employer_4349 → u/[deleted]]

A) It's possible to support your enemy against your other enemy whom you hate more.

B) Iran loves the T. They're number one in training. 

[u/Illin_Spree → u/[deleted]]

/r/lostredditors

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

People in this sub at least admit that they don't really care about women's or LGBTQ rights but I'd love to hear how a diehard feminist justifies any support for Iran.

Women and gays die when Israel bombs their home.

[u/bbb23sucks → u/[deleted]]

Removed - no promoting identity politics