The 21st Century Proletarian

The 21st Century Proletarian Substack explores the intersections of socialism, society, and culture, with a focus on critiquing capitalism, digital culture's impact, worker's rights, societal loneliness, the role of community and space, and challenging societal norms and structures from a progressive, socialist perspective.

Socialism and Capitalism Digital Culture and Society Worker's Rights and Unionism Social Isolation and Community Cultural Critique and Norms Housing and Landlord Critique Political Activism and Movements Feminism and Gender Equality Technology and Future Society Art and Media Influence

The hottest Substack posts of The 21st Century Proletarian

And their main takeaways

Being "baby" is not anti-capitalist

159 implied HN points • 13 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Youth Identity Social Issues Self-development
  1. Recognizing and accepting the need for rest and vulnerability is important for well-being.
  2. Cultural infantilization can lead to adults feeling like passive objects instead of active agents in society.
  3. Instead of retreating into comfort, embracing responsibility and resilience is crucial for creating positive change in the world.

Mark Fisher was right: The desire for Starbucks really is the thwarted desire for communism

79 implied HN points • 21 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Social Issues Communities Capitalism Revolution
  1. The desire for Starbucks might be a yearning for a communal space like communism, highlighting how economic systems affect our social interactions.
  2. Third places, like coffee houses or the Agora in ancient Athens, play a crucial role in fostering community, political consciousness, and social connections.
  3. The shift from real-life third places to online bubbles has led to increased loneliness, with digital interactions lacking the depth and variety of human connections found in physical communal spaces.

The Internet Has Turned Us Into the ChatGPT of "Takes"

219 implied HN points • 05 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Discourse Social media Activism Influence
  1. Political discussion on the internet has become shallow, filled with predictable buzz-phrases, and lacks a solid theoretical basis.
  2. Social media, especially Twitter, has transformed users into machine-like beings, adapting opinions based on algorithm feedback rather than critical thought.
  3. Engaging in algorithmic discourse for clout and engaging in divisive topics hinders progress towards meaningful political change and unity within movements.

The Dialectic of Quiet Quitters and LinkedIn Lunatics

99 implied HN points • 28 May 23
🎭️ Culture Workplace dynamics Social Behavior
  1. The modern working world is divided between LinkedIn Lunatics (hustle culture enthusiasts) and quiet quitters (disengaged workers), who both suffer personal alienation and economic insecurities.
  2. Both the Lunatics and the quitters lack class consciousness, focusing on individual coping mechanisms instead of collective action for better worker rights.
  3. The emergence of empowered workers through neoliberalism emphasizes optimizing employability and personal control within the capitalist system, impacting how individuals find purpose and meaning in their work.
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The Political Implications of Digital Worlds

39 implied HN points • 06 Aug 23
🌍 World Politics Socialism Capitalism
  1. Socialism is facing challenges in the current political landscape, with capitalism prevailing as the dominant system.
  2. The increasing immersion in digital worlds through technologies like VR may distract us from addressing real-world problems and fuel isolation and inequality.
  3. Hyper-personalization and isolation in virtual spaces could hinder political engagement, highlighting the importance of real-life connections for meaningful change.

Let's Talk About Union Busting Through Media Narratives

59 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Labor Rights Media influence Unionization
  1. Media often portrays workers fighting for their rights as villains, amplifying employer interests to create negative narratives against unions.
  2. Employers use divisive tactics to pit union members against non-union workers, fostering a false belief that their interests conflict.
  3. Growing union membership among workers is crucial to shifting the narrative, building solidarity, and empowering workers to advocate for fair treatment.

In Defense of Artificial Reproduction

59 implied HN points • 15 Jan 23
🏥 Health Politics Reproductive Rights Technology Feminism Social justice Women's Health
  1. Feminists like Shulamith Firestone have argued for technological advances in reproduction to challenge gender stereotypes and hierarchies.
  2. Rejecting the natural connection between women and motherhood is important to move towards gender equality and eliminate gender distinctions.
  3. Advocating for responsible use of artificial wombs can lead to progress in gender equality, but it should be approached cautiously with a focus on societal well-being.

The Antisemitism Behind Conspiracy Theories

59 implied HN points • 13 Oct 22
🎭️ Culture Social Issues History Ideology Economics Philosophy
  1. Conspiracy theories often rooted in antisemitism can distract from the real issue of class conflict which is essential to address for societal progression.
  2. Antisemitism views Jewishness as a force of massive abstract power controlling the world, reflecting a critique of capitalist modernity seeking a return to a pre-modern society.
  3. Critiques blaming elite circles for societal problems without understanding the structural issues of capitalism are simplifications that can perpetuate harmful ideologies and divide the working class.

All Landlords Are Bastards

39 implied HN points • 07 Aug 22
  1. Landlordism is seen as parasitism, and the concept suggests that being a landlord should be made obsolete to free housing from profit motives.
  2. Small and large landlords operate similarly with shared economic interests, leading to the same exploitative behaviors and attitudes towards tenants.
  3. The movement to expropriate large real estate corporations in favor of fairer housing distribution without landlords is gaining support as a socialist policy goal.

Let's stop keeping Pantone relevant. Adobe can disappear along with it.

19 implied HN points • 04 Nov 22
🪑 Design Digital Design Color Theory Software Tools Intellectual Property
  1. Question the necessity of traditional industry standards like Pantone and Adobe in the digital age. Consider alternatives and challenge the status quo.
  2. Empower individuals to create their own color systems and liberate design from corporate influence. Encourage innovation and free access to color.
  3. Advocate for a design revolution by rejecting outdated, overpriced software, and working towards a more inclusive and progressive design community.

Cat City

19 implied HN points • 17 Sep 22
🎭️ Culture Animation Analysis Storytelling Humor Relationships
  1. Cat City is a short animation that tells a deep story about the human experience in just 181 seconds.
  2. The cat protagonist's journey reflects themes of alienation, loneliness, capitalism, and the desire for autonomy and connection.
  3. The animation explores complex emotions and relationships, making viewers reflect on their own feelings and judgments.

Strikepost #1: The Kirkby Rent Strikes (1972)

19 implied HN points • 28 Aug 22
🎭️ Culture History Social movements Labor Rights Activism Community Building
  1. A self-organised women's group initiated a 14-month-long strike in the Kirkby Rent Strikes of 1972, highlighting the importance of worker-tenant collaboration.
  2. The Kirkby Rent Strikes failed due to a lack of national response and support from worker unions, showing the necessity for tenant and worker organizations to work together for impactful class struggle.
  3. Lessons from the Kirkby Rent Strikes emphasize the power of solidarity between tenants and workers, showcasing the need for strong unions to engage in timely initiatives for successful collective action.

Reflections on Workplace Infantilisation

19 implied HN points • 22 Aug 22
🎭️ Culture Workplace dynamics Corporate culture Employee Satisfaction Neoliberalism Solidarity
  1. Modern workplaces are increasingly resembling playgrounds for adults, with fun activities and colorful environments to create a more enjoyable work atmosphere.
  2. The infantilization of office culture can lead to employees feeling disempowered, lacking genuine workplace satisfaction, and being discouraged from advocating for their own interests.
  3. The Stepford employee dynamic, cultivated by companies treating workers like children, can suppress autonomous thinking, hinder collective organizing for better conditions, and foster a culture where employees rely on the company to dictate appropriate behavior.

Let's talk about Milady, Cute Accelerationism, and Network Spirituality

2 HN points • 14 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Technology Philosophy Spirituality Memes Art
  1. The emergence of different philosophies like cute accelerationism highlights the shift towards embracing radical technological progress and addressing existential questions about the future of humanity.
  2. There is a growing divide between techno-optimists advocating for full acceleration and techno-skeptics resisting AI and industrialized civilization, leading to discussions on the role of technology in shaping our future.
  3. Network Spirituality, as seen in the context of Remilia and cute accelerationism, promotes the idea of embracing a shared consciousness and technological domination without resistance, envisioning a future where human existence blends seamlessly with machines.