this post was submitted on 16 Apr 2026
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I know but we outnumber them a million to one so we don’t actually have to put up with this
With what organization? The left is too busy with shit like tone policing for any cohesive narrative to take root.
Turns out when your brain is filled with no-no words that effectively act as thought terminating cliches you end up being unable to effectively communicate with people you disagree with. Crazy how the far right simply does not have this problem, no? Granted they aren't really for 'discussion' or 'debate' or 'deliberation' in the same way leftists are, and their thought terminating cliches are much worse; climate change being one of the big ones.
US left is way too disorganized, but this isn't because of """tone policing""" (no you cannot say slurs) or debating the specifics of ideals (of course the right doesn't do this, they have no ideals, don't copy the child rapists).
It's because of, among other things, a decades-long operation to systemically crack communities, down to there being basically no infrastructure to even meet up at except the library or church, and also to keep everyone so exhausted and distracted they don't bother trying.
Solving problem #1 is harder but problem #2 involves communicating with people locally who you can actually work with (marginalized groups aren't going to work with violent bigots, if this annoys you, talk to the bigots yourself) and joining local orgs to meet needs – rent/utilities assistance, building community toolboxes and fridges, generally moving people away from "barely surviving" so they can actually develop an interest in leftist ideals
There is absolutely hyper-fixation on identity politics over material conditions. This has been an intentional project to move the realm of political discourse and conflict to the immaterial.
Yes, not being a bigoted asshole matters, but also it's a wedge issue that absolutely moves otherwise poor, oppressed people away from solidarity. I don't know how you bridge the problem, but as long as those people are on the other side, that's a problem, and you ignore it at your peril.
Yeah I have no issue with not saying slurs (and saying I can't say slurs is fucking dumb, I choose not to because I understand why I shouldn't — not because trogs on their high horses tell me no), my problem is that you took the phrase 'shit like tone policing' and immediately assumed this must be the singular problem I have with how the left communicates. Thus spurring on an entire comment on why the left doesn't communicate with the right.
I'm not suggesting the left communicate with the right, at all. I'm suggesting the left needs to learn how to communicate amongst itself because things like no no words end up functioning as thought terminating cliches — see your entire comment for reference.
I understand what you're saying, but this is an issue that mostly exists between (don't like this term much but can't think of a better one) extremely terminally-online leftists who do not organize.
Going offline, this is generally just not an issue, the orgs filled with people who just argue over theory also don't do much and shouldn't be listened to. It's a large movement and there are bound to be people who are unfortunately less effective.
I didn't bother discussing how online leftist infighting affects real life, it's not relevant compared to, say, the much realer issue of left-orgs blowing up because of, say, someone being outed as a sex pest or someone slandering someone they don't like anymore (which isn't an issue only relegated to the left, the right does this way more often)
Please don't get me wrong, my motivations were not 'both sides' or something along those lines. Maybe not obviously, but it's clear to me that we both believe the side bringing measles back is the wrong one.
My problem is that these terminally online leftist spaces end up being the narrative sent to (or experienced by) the brainwashed masses on the right. Simply not engaging with an online space is ineffective when trying to combat their manipulation of word of mouth messaging.
I'm not trying to argue for the right to say slurs. Unless they're directed at conservatives, then I'm conflicted.
Ah okay, we have different priorities that I didn't initially consider, my bad. I personally no longer think it's worth bothering trying to manage the right's views. However, I do organizing in youth (~18-24) spaces and see a lot of people saying what boils down to "I want to organize, but keep to myself because what if I say something wrong and get canceled?" and it frustrates me since they regularly quote the phrase "tone policing" as they say it. It's probably like a sleeper activation phrase to me at this point and I got annoyed.
There needs to be a diversity of tactics, so even though I won't do it, I hope you and yours can successfully stop more people from falling into this trap.
I think I should try to be less provocative with my words. Stomping into a conversation with loaded language is not the best way to get my points across, thank you for your demeanor.
I'm sorry, I specifically choose terms like this to set people off. I want them to figure out what actually triggers them about how I'm using the phrase and whether or not it's valid.
I would just like us all to be a little more aware about the what's and why's surrounding things we get emotional about. Otherwise our emotions will inevitably be used against us, directly or indirectly.