I have complained about it before but I heard on of the guests from guerrilla history on the deprogram make this argument and it made me want to gouge my eyes out. This kind of trans historical argumentation is both stupid and unmarxist, just stop! Sorry I felt the need to vent.

These states were not imperialist and they weren't settler colonies. This framing doesn't make any fucking sense when transfered to a medieval context. Like the best you could say is that the Italian city states represented an early firm of merchant capital, but even then that is an incredibly complex phenomenon that has only a tenuous connection to modern capitalism. Calling these city states early capitalism is just a fancy way of saying "lol u hate capitalism yet you exchange good or service! Curious!"

Seriously just stop. I don't know why this set me off but it was like a week ago and I am still mad about it.

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[–] Nakoichi@hexbear.net 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Which guest?

[–] CrimsonSage@hexbear.net 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It wasn't Bret, it was the guy who said he is living in Russia, I don't remember the name. As I said I got incredibly and irrationally angry lol.

[–] GinAndJuche@hexbear.net 17 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

God damn, name a bigger consistent L than every time the deprogram boys try to include a Russian.

The last time they did they included a transphobic ultra.

Edit: I mean this as a condemnation of their judgement, not Russians. I can see how that might not be clear. It’s just weird how they are consistently getting shitty guests. Upon further reflection they also included a transphobic Mexican. They’re just bad with guests in general.

[–] Ram_The_Manparts@hexbear.net 13 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It's a USAmerican living in Russia

[–] GinAndJuche@hexbear.net 10 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Wow, that’s a cursed combo. Imagine calling yourself a leftist and moving to the country actively courting social conservative immigrants.

[–] Ram_The_Manparts@hexbear.net 11 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I don't know anything about the guy, but seeing as how he's involved with the dude from RevLeftRadio I very much doubt that he's some sort of "patsoc" weirdo or whatever.

He may have mentioned why he moved to Russia on the show but I don't remember.

[–] GinAndJuche@hexbear.net 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

That’s fair, the DP lads just have a terrible track record when it comes to guests who upon further inspection suck.

[–] Ram_The_Manparts@hexbear.net 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Apart from that russian ultra dude, who?

I pretty much only listen to the eps that they have guests on, and I honestly can't remember

[–] MiguelParenti@hexbear.net 3 points 10 months ago

what is an ultra?

[–] tripartitegraph@hexbear.net 8 points 10 months ago

He (Henry Hakamaki) just helped write the latest English translation of Losurdo’s Stalin. I don’t always agree with him, but he’s usually seemed pretty good to me. I don’t listen to The Deprogram though, so this definitely could have been a miss from him.

[–] Kaplya@hexbear.net 13 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

The last time they did they included a transphobic ultra.

Konstantin Syomin? lol.

He used to be a Russian TV host based in New York, then he “found” Marxism and started what is essentially a Russian Breadtube channel with a sizable audience. (Do all Breadtubers have their start in New York or something?)

I found his channel through one of his videos making fun of HBO’s Chernobyl a few years back, but most of the content are your typical ultras/Trots stuff - “international solidarity of workers! everyone else is an imperialist!”

His position on China has gotten even worse now. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, he was still “hmmm…. China has so many billionaires and yet claiming to be socialist…. very suspicious….”, this year he went full “China is red imperialist” with his 1.5 hour-long video essay telling you why China is anti-socialist and anti-communist lol.