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What it means to be left wing
In the modern world there are three main ideological groupings. Broadly the right, the left, and liberals/neoliberals. These don't appear on a line, they're a triangle and each has something in common with the others. The left, generally speaking, is anti-war, for example, and so are parts of the right, especially paleocons. Liberals are very identity politics focused and the left has sympathy for that, but isn't as dedicated to it. The left's primary focus is on economic issues and relationships and the relationship to IP is more of "of course everyone should be treated equally."
By Welsh's definition, I'm on the left. I'm not identity-politics focused but I do strongly believe that everyone should be treated equally.
Also:
Left wingers are the opposition to capitalism. The most extreme versions want an end to it entirely, the moderate versions want it under firm control, made to contribute to mass prosperity, not turned to produce billionaires.
I'm most definitely moderate-left on capitalism. Markets are excellent servants but cruel, wicked masters. Also, capitalism is often in opposition to free markets.
Photographer Susan Schiffman's charming photos of rent-stabilized apartments in New York's East Village are intended as portraits of the unseen tenants who live in them.
Anna Kodé at the New York Times:
Ms. Schiffman pointed to a photo of a white sink — surrounded by towels, dishes and a mirror — as revealing of the quotidian scenes she is hoping to document. It’s the only sink in that tenant’s apartment, said Ms. Schiffman, who also has just a single sink in her home. “You have to do everything in that sink — when we have to go to a wedding or a thing, there’s a schedule.”
Schiffman moved into her husband’s railroad-style apartment in 1997, and they’ve lived there since.
Because the apartments are rent-stabilized, landlords don’t renovate them, so the photos cross time. Many of the subjects have lived in their homes for decades. “One tenant said to the photographer, ‘I know that these are the same floorboards walked on from the time this building was built in 1898.’”
But the neighborhoods change.
One tenant who had been living in her apartment since the 1990s said to Ms. Schiffman, “At least a crack addict would say good morning to you. Now I say good morning to these young tenants and they look at me like, ‘Why are you talking to me?’”
Tyler Cowen interviews Neal Stephenson on history, spycraft, parallels between the 20th Century US and Soviet Union and more. Stephenson's new book is Polostan, a historical novel set in the 1930s; it's the beginning of a new series.
Kevin Smith's "Dogma" turns 25
"Dogma" is one of Smith's best movies. It's surprisingly thoughtful as well as crudely funny.
Smith is Catholic, or at least was raised in the religion. He clearly respects Catholicism and is wrestling with it.
Kevin E. G. Perry at The Independent:
"It's a funny, funny flick, and it makes you think," said Smith. "You walk out of the movie and maybe you think about your own faith or your own spirituality, or maybe not, [but] at least you've been entertained."
Also: "I always felt that -- with her infinite patience -- God had to be both a woman and Canadian."
Good news for fans: Smith says there are plans to re-release the film in 2025. "Dogma" has been unavailable on streaming, and the last physical release was a Blu-Ray in 2008, because the rights are owned by Harvey Weinstein and his brother Bob.
Tulsi Gabbard’s Nomination Is a National-Security Risk. She has vehemently and often spoken in support of Syria and Russia against the United States.
The latest Jesus movie mixes Christianity with MMA fighting. The Forward, a Jewish publication, criticizes a movie about Jesus as a mixed martial artist for being unrealistic and historically inaccurate.
I'm Jewish myself, and I read the Forward regularly. I'm baffled why they chose to run this review of this movie. I read it, and I'm now sharing it, so maybe that's my answer.
Why do so many people, including liberals, now hold Democrats in contempt?
I have been distinctly uncomfortable with the whole “we must find ourselves a Joe Rogan” [—] a guy’s guy who can talk to the men who we desperately need to appease in order to win elections. [Certainly, liberals and progressives do] need to adapt themselves to a new media landscape and claim some of that territory for ourselves. This is a new world and the old so-called liberal media is dysfunctional. But the canonization of the dumbshit bro talk as the the only way to do it strikes me as wishful thinking on the part of a whole lot of lefties (you know who you are) who really relate to that stuff and think the whole “girlification” of the Democrats is a drag.
These liberals think it's a liability that "the majority of Democrats are women… Good to know."
There needs to be some creativity here, people. Running with stupid (or pretending to) isn't going to get it done. Looking down on the Democratic party for not being the kind of people you want to have a beer with is well… stupid. This isn't about your social life.
And Digby quotes Josh Marshall: "Voters often want new leaders. But things are always a bit out of joint when it's leaders who want new voters."
Related: On Threads yesterday, journalist Taylor Lorenz asked male podcast listeners to recommend favorite podcasts that aren't as big as Joe Rogan yet.
"Who are some of the up and coming men in the male podcast space that bros are listening to?" she asked.
I recommended Ezra Klein, Dan Savage, Everett Rummage (Age of Napoleon), John Green, Dan Carlin (Hardcore History), Tyler Cowen, Nilay Patel and David Pierce (Vergecast), Gilbert Gottfried, Casey Newton and Kevin Roose (Hard Fork), Jonathan Goldstein (Heavyweight), PJ Vogt, Ryan Broderick, Dominick Sandbrook and Tom Holland (The Rest is History), John Gruber and Ira Glass.
I was kinda trolling Lorenz a bit — because I am not a bro. I am a fucking grown-ass man. And none of those podcasters are bros. Bros are children with car keys and liquor; I want nothing to do with them.
What’s the Deal With Pete Hegseth’s Crusader Tattoos? His body is covered in symbols celebrating violent Christian nationalism.