Infrapink (he/his/him)

#Federati: Do you think it's acceptable to use #Lemmy given that the developer is a hardcore #tankie?

#Fediverse #RedditMigration #KBin

(Boost for reach is appreciated).

Yes
27.8%
Yes if you don't federate with tankies
41.7%
No, but forks are OK
20.8%
No, not even forks
9.7%
Poll ended at .
Jun 17, 2023 at 3:47pmWeb
Show threadđź’  Dave No One đź’ Jun 17, 2023
@Infrapink What is a tankie?
Show threadInfrapink (he/his/him)Jun 17, 2023

@dans_root One who supports communist dictatorships just because they aren't capitalist. This often entails denying the oppression and genocide in the #USSR and #PRC. The hardcore tankies also support #NorthKorea and deny anything bad ever happens there. The truly loonie ones think #PolPot was a goodie.

(1/2)

Show threadInfrapink (he/his/him)Jun 17, 2023

@dans_root

Originally, the term referred to people in capitalist countries who cheered for the #SovietUnion sending tanks into #WarsawPact countries to violently prevent people from asking that their countries stop being puppets of Moscow.

In modern times, this attitude manifests as a fetishisation of Russia as the global good guys because they oppose America on the world stage and used to be communist. Modern tankies support Putin the way American conservatives support Trump.

Show threadđź’  Dave No One đź’ Jun 18, 2023
@Infrapink OMG! These people really exist? My first thought was that they would be called “tankies“ because they might be hardcore-fans of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), denying the Tian-An-Men massacre, where lots of innocent people were killed by tanks (I remember that famous “tank man” photo). But that’s also part of your explanation.
Even more astonishing, as the countries you mention (e.g. Russia, China) are hardcore capitalist countries, only with an authoritarian regime.
Show threadđź’  Dave No One đź’ Jun 17, 2023
@Infrapink OK, following the #tankie hashtag I learned that “tankies“ seem to be some kind of weird old-fashioned communist folks. I’ve shortly visited “Lemmygrad” and was both surprised and amused.
Anyway, I think that one can easily use #Lemmy and still avoid those weirdos. I would see defederation as the last possible resort, because defederation can ultimately destroy the #Fediverse if used too much. And a solely feelgood-place without any controversy might also be boring…
Show threadJaime HerazoJun 17, 2023
@Infrapink
I mean, that's one advantage of federation, you don't have to interact with them
Show threadWhiteyJun 17, 2023
@Infrapink I used Lemmy once and now my social credit score is through the roof!
Show threadJob BautistaJun 17, 2023
@Infrapink "Yes if you don't federate with tankies", and that includes lemmy.ml (even if it's the main instance like mastodon.social). Otherwise you're complicit in normalizing and promoting the tankies' narrative, even if not intended.
Show threadEverett PalmerJun 17, 2023
@Infrapink Must learn what a #tankie is. somesort of ols school communist?
Show threadInfrapink (he/his/him)Jun 17, 2023

@everett780 People who support communist dictatorships just because they aren't capitalist. They deny that Russia, China, or Venezuela have ever done anything bad. The really hardcore tankies also defend North Korea, and the truly deranged ones defend Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge.

They also tend to fetishise Russia as a supporter and defender of all that is good, because Russia used to be communist and opposes America, which they consider to be the Great Satan.

Show threadAlexJun 23, 2023
@everett780 it’s a deragatory term for anyone that liberals/leftists believe is wrong. Who they call a tankie varies widely depending on their position. Typically supporting the USSR or modern China is the cut-off point but I’ve heard increasingy broad usage of the term from folks as of late.
Show threadVenia Silente  Jun 19, 2023

@Infrapink It's acceptable, in as much as if it'd allow you to get something *positive* done. "Separate the work from the author" and all that.

Plus, the technology itself even gives you the option to separate yourself completely from its author: you can fork the code, you can defederate from their instances, you can even remove their © notice if you feel Extra Petty (you *can*; you *shouldn't*).

Show threadMiakoda Jun 22, 2023
@Infrapink @Infrapink
What's a tankie?
Show threadInfrapink (he/his/him)Jun 22, 2023

@hellomiakoda
One who supports authoritarian dictatorships just because they oppose America and are, or used to be, communist. #ParentisShotgun in particular has lionised the USSR and PRC, and supports the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The term was originally coined to refer to people in capitalist countries who cheered the USSR sending tanks to violently suppress democratic protests in Hungary.

Show threadMiakoda Jun 22, 2023

@Infrapink
You seem to imply communist = authoritarian...

?

Show threadInfrapink (he/his/him)Jun 22, 2023
@hellomiakoda Not my intention. I was specifically referring to the likes of the USSR, mainland China, and North Korea.