In socialist society you have a right to work and will be found useful labor you are capable of preforming. Even as far back as Plato different qualities of labor were recognized with mercantile and clerical work being reserved for the weak. Even on the shop floor the old dogs are put to clerical work rather than to pasture. I don’t see space for honest criticism when there is plenty of useful labor for people of minor intelligence and strength. How many people do you really think are incapable of doing anything useful for anyone? Not everyone is expected to do the most intense and demanding jobs but they are expected to do something of equal effort to their abilities. If you aren’t willing to do that much then why should you eat? (This being aimed at bourgeois anarchist and antiwork liberals who stubbornly insist on being lazy). Society is a team effort. You’re expected to put forward your best effort and encouraged to ascend to the heights of your capacity.
Arguments seemingly white-knighting on behalf of the one thousandth part of the people are wearing sheep’s clothes for the lazy and the do-as-thou-wilt types which we might never save the west from.
That’s fair enough, I suppose, but anarchists really seem to be the only people who interpret the quote in this way. Back when Lenin said it (referencing, as @whoami pointed out, the Christian gospels), everyone seemed to understand it as “people like capitalists and aristocrats, who are able to work and refuse to, aren’t going to be to be fed. So if you’re an able-bodied adult, better roll up your sleeves and get to it!” The Soviet state from the beginning, remember, recognized that there would always be a minority of people who were unable to work for legitimate reasons, and saw to their support.
working—building homes, feeding the population, providing medicine–just waaaay too hierarchical man. Lemme just smash this starbucks window and gatekeep my local punk scene instead
I’ve seen anarchists completely lose it over this quote, which is hilarious.
It’s because they’re afraid that people mean the differently abled who may have a hard time making profits for those who dont work shouldn’t eat.
And it’s fair. We shouldnt pretend that such a statement isnt entirely loaded with all kinds of implications depending on who is saying it.
It serves all viewpoints as a statement… So it isnt worth saying.
In socialist society you have a right to work and will be found useful labor you are capable of preforming. Even as far back as Plato different qualities of labor were recognized with mercantile and clerical work being reserved for the weak. Even on the shop floor the old dogs are put to clerical work rather than to pasture. I don’t see space for honest criticism when there is plenty of useful labor for people of minor intelligence and strength. How many people do you really think are incapable of doing anything useful for anyone? Not everyone is expected to do the most intense and demanding jobs but they are expected to do something of equal effort to their abilities. If you aren’t willing to do that much then why should you eat? (This being aimed at bourgeois anarchist and antiwork liberals who stubbornly insist on being lazy). Society is a team effort. You’re expected to put forward your best effort and encouraged to ascend to the heights of your capacity.
Arguments seemingly white-knighting on behalf of the one thousandth part of the people are wearing sheep’s clothes for the lazy and the do-as-thou-wilt types which we might never save the west from.
Then again there’s also “To each according to their ability” so…
(i’m not sure if you’re joking? but…) the slogan is actually From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs
Ah yes sorry, I misremembered. English isn’t my first language.
That’s fair enough, I suppose, but anarchists really seem to be the only people who interpret the quote in this way. Back when Lenin said it (referencing, as @whoami pointed out, the Christian gospels), everyone seemed to understand it as “people like capitalists and aristocrats, who are able to work and refuse to, aren’t going to be to be fed. So if you’re an able-bodied adult, better roll up your sleeves and get to it!” The Soviet state from the beginning, remember, recognized that there would always be a minority of people who were unable to work for legitimate reasons, and saw to their support.
Yeah I agree with this 👍 genuinely think this is an excellent point to make.
working—building homes, feeding the population, providing medicine–just waaaay too hierarchical man. Lemme just smash this starbucks window and gatekeep my local punk scene instead
Feeding ppl and building homes is authoritarian, just let them live and be free okay???
Smashing windows of businesses is based, but I agree with your sentiment.
They feel targeted