this post was submitted on 26 Feb 2026
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Rest in peace, comrade Michael Parenti (lemmy.ml)
submitted 3 weeks ago by Cowbee@lemmy.ml to c/memes@lemmy.ml
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Rest in peace, comrade.

For those who haven't read or seen Parenti speak, I highly recommend both the "Yellow Parenti" Speech and Blackshirts and Reds | Audiobook both litanies against anti-communist mythos, an examination of the real successes and struggles in the USSR, and an analysis of fascism.

Michael Parenti's Inventing Reality: The Politics of News Media has always been better than Manufacturing Consent. Considering Chomsky's appearance in the Epstein files as being good friends with billionaire pedophiles, On Chomsky is also a fantastic read for why the left should reject him.

Parenti has turned countless westerners into Marxists, and was vital in my own journey to the left. May we carry on his legacy.

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[–] orc_princess@lemmy.ml 15 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I already identified as a commie and was reading theory before looking into Parenti but his speeches are so powerful as they embody a wealth of knowledge and a sense of humility that we can all look up to. It helped me understand how to speak to non communists and it's so accessible. I feel privileged to have access to his lectures, especially the yellow Parenti speech. May we learn from his humility and kindness and become the best communicators we can be as we strive to do what needs to be done.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 13 points 3 weeks ago

Yep, he was incredible at creating new comrades! Hopefully we can carry the torch forward!

[–] RockBottom@feddit.org 7 points 3 weeks ago

This.

[–] pineapple@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 weeks ago

ABC theorists is so funny

[–] Dippy@beehaw.org 2 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Wait, who is saying no to class solidarity?

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

"Left" anti-communists, a subset of western progressives.

[–] Dippy@beehaw.org 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The most powerful model to communicate, imo, is talking about it as 4 pillars of Capitalism, Patriarchy, White Supremacy, and Colonialism. When education is based on the interweavings of those forms of injustice, it is hard to come to any conclusion other than joining in class solidarity as a piece of the puzzle.

And frankly, I most want to talk to those who are already aware of one or two of these pillars as they are most ready to accept the whole picture. Sure, those people are frustrating, but realistically, they are a fundamental part of the Overton funnel towards the left.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Interesting point! I tend to do similar, I try to focus on "blurred areas" where people are open to socialism but not yet aware of it or educated on it. Per bit of energy, it's far more effective in gaining new comrades, and these comrades can in-turn create new comrades from the new "blurred areas!"

[–] Dippy@beehaw.org 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Everyone starts somewhere or nowhere at all. To quote my favorite book, Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson "the most important step isnt the first, is it? No, it's the next step, always the next one."

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Good quote! Need to read Sanderson eventually myself!

[–] Dippy@beehaw.org 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Ive read all of the cosmere at this point. I started with Stormlight archive and Im glad I did, its his strongest writing, and I honestly just think people become better people if they internalize the messages of those books. If you need a shorter starting point, Emperors Soul and Warbreaker are amazing standalones that require no prior knowledge, spoil nothing, and provide context to later developments.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Nice! My coworker recommended Mistborn as a starting place for the Cosmere, but Stormlight sounds fun! I'm reading Game of Thrones now though, but it's really not my style, just trying to finish it for the sake of it at this point. Might move on to Sanderson next for my fiction fix. Thanks for the rec!

[–] Dippy@beehaw.org 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I personally did not like mistborn (era 1) nearly as much as most fans. The setting is very grim, very "life is imminently doomed". Its that way for Elantris as well. I get enough bleakness from reality. Same reason I could barely get through the first Wheel of Time book before dropping that series.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago

Fair enough, I'll keep my headspace in mind for whenever I start. I have to recommend to you to read Piranesi, it's my favorite book I've read in the past few years. It's never bleak due to the way the main character sees and interacts with the world, while still being quite suspenseful.

[–] folaht@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Social Democrats and to a lesser extend Pure Identity Politics Progressives.

But social democrats first and foremost, because the social democrats usually have a couple of charismatic intellectual gurus.
For the US it's Noam Chomsky
Greece has Yanis Varoufakis
the Netherlands has Maarten van Rossem

[–] Thesilverpig@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago

Yanis Varoufakis

Is he a just a social democrat? I am reading Techno Feudalism right now and he comes off as a bit further left than that to me.