I have a union job and all I have to do is text my boss “I’m using PTO today.” 30 minutes before my shift starts.

China keeps taxes low by investing directly in businesses instead of shelling out grants and tax breaks. It’s been incredibly effective.

In my opinion, it’s been a beautiful and cultural exchange.

China wants to keep Western propaganda away from their people because it’s capitalist swill. It’s within their best interest to open up Chinese propaganda to Western audiences though. It’s all about home field advantage.

When Khrushchev took power he had many of the documents from the Stalin and Lenin eras burned. Early Soviet history is essentially non existent and impossible to prove with what little is left. Most official documentation is destroyed. Lenin may have just liked using that quote when he read it elsewhere. We can have truly know.

Oh yeah, I forgot the other social media apps don’t collect data and spew propaganda. Oh wait… They do.

Dialects explains that the world is full of contradictions and opposing forces. When these opposing forces come together, they can form a new thing. An easy example is to look at multiple opposing news sources to piece together the entire truth of an event.

Dialectical materialism is Marx’s concept that contradictions in material conditions of life are what drive historical change. Primarily that the economic base (economic classes, resources, working conditions) is what shapes the superstructure of society (laws, politics, culture.)

I mean, that’s literally the conclusion that Richard Wolff came to. Call it whatever, just as long as we do it.

The boss can still be bossy if elected. Your 5 year rule is silly and does not address the overlying problem, which is that the CEO works for the shareholders and they only care about making record quarterly profit gains at any cost.

CEOs should just be elected by the employees

Vanya did transition to Victor in the show.

This made me realize two things about Harry Potter. 1: why do the wizards not simply use magic AND guns? 2: oculus repairo is a stupid fucking spell. You’re telling me there’s a specific spell just for repairing glasses? That’s just bad writing.

I used to love that dude, too. I also used to go on Reddit though. Thankfully, I’ve outgrown both.

Communism

It’s starting to sound like they should unionize

You’re showing statues of Lenin in countries in which the Dictatorship of the Proletariat failed to cede power to the working class and establish a socialist economic structure.

When Lenin took power, Russia had nothing. It was in the middle of WW1, there were regular famines, almost everyone was illiterate, and it was in no condition to establish a socialist economic plan. So, Lenin created a temporary economic model called The Dictatorship of the Proletariat. This is a centrally planned economy designed to rapidly develop infrastructure and industry in a country that has none. Lenin was already ceding power to the worker’s councils when he died. Stalin decided he liked The Dictatorship of the Proletariat and did not cede power back to the worker’s councils.

Those countries never experienced Communism. They never even experienced socialism. They destroyed those statues because they hated The Dictatorship of the Proletariat. Living in a system designed for a short temporary economic boom for decades is no fun.