I’m curious whether calling someone an ultra has a generally agreed upon meaning here.

Not to defend any accused ultras or whatever. Recent post got me thinking about it though. It feels like a very loaded word and using it seems like in-group/out-group differentiation signalling or … I dunno.

Maybe another way to put it is often when I see the term being used it feels like its serves a similar purpose to the “tankie” label’s utility for anarchists and liberals.

I might just be running up against tone parsing issues or something, and so maybe this is just me or a figment of my imagination, but it often seems to limit or shape discussion when it pops up early in a discussion.

Again I’m sure I’m just Wrong about this, but it almost feels like a mild thought terminating cliche at least some of the time.

Not trying to fight with anyone, I’m just curious about the nuances (if there are any) with the term.

What does it mean to you and do you have any thoughts you feel like sharing regarding the role it plays in online leftist spaces?

  • Hyper_red [she/her, she/her]@hexbear.netEnglish
    6·
    11 days ago

    https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1921/apr/21.htm

    Also Lenin would disagree with you

    “State capitalism would be a step forward as compared with the present state of affairs in our Soviet Republic. If in approximately six months’ time state capitalism became established in our Republic, this would be a great success and a sure guarantee that within a year socialism will have gained a permanently firm hold and will have become invincible in this country.”

    Here he is writing about transitioning the ussr into state capitalism, it wasn’t even socialist yet.

    I fail to see why people can’t comprehend the fact that a country doesn’t just press the communism button the second a communist party is in charge.

    • LeeeroooyJeeenkiiins [none/use name]@hexbear.netEnglish
      2·
      11 days ago

      Also Lenin would disagree with you

      “State capitalism would be a step forward as compared with the present state of affairs in our Soviet Republic. If in approximately six months’ time state capitalism became established in our Republic, this would be a great success and a sure guarantee that within a year socialism will have gained a permanently firm hold and will have become invincible in this country.”

      Here he is writing about transitioning the ussr into state capitalism, it wasn’t even socialist yet.

      And yet the bolsheviks were still a communist party. Because they were attempting to establish communism.

      • Hyper_red [she/her, she/her]@hexbear.netEnglish
        6·
        11 days ago

        I never disagreed with this. Neither would lenin. I’m a leninist, I have his books in print.

        If I became communist dictator of America right now, if wouldn’t stop being a capitalist country over night.

        The government would now be communist but the economic mode of production would still be capitalist. It would take years to change to socialism.

        That’s the entire point of the tax in Kind