• @Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    215 days ago

    Tankies were originally members of the Communist Party of Great Britain who were in favour of Soviet tanks mowing down first Hungarian and secondly Czechoslovakian ( as they were then ) protesters. These days it’s used as a pejorative towards anyone who has a good thing to say about communism / socialism etc.

    • Possibly linux
      link
      fedilink
      English
      13 days ago

      It generally a tankie is someone who rejects facts in favor of beliefs. That is often communism related but I have also seen liberal people who also tend to fall into that category.

      • @Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        13 days ago

        It’s almost like there are people blinded by messianic fervour on both (all) parts of the political spectrum. Who’d’ve thunk it? Humans be deeply flawed creatures - but I love them all. (Apart from actual arm band wearing Nazis.)

    • @goat@sh.itjust.worksM
      link
      fedilink
      English
      215 days ago

      lol no it’s not. You can be a communist and not be a tankie. Tankies are hardly communists themselves.

      Tankies are authoritarians and defend authoritarianism. Do not use apologia.

      • Possibly linux
        link
        fedilink
        English
        1
        edit-2
        3 days ago

        I don’t think communism works without authoritarianism. Communism leads to mass starvation and totalitarianism in the end.

        I think a lot of people would define tankie as someone who is communist or far left. The the key characteristic of a tankie is rejecting factual information in favor of beliefs

      • @Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        215 days ago

        You genuinely have never heard it used in a pejorative way against any red? I never said all commies were tankies. I explained the words etymology and then its subsequent broad (mis)application in current online parlance. Hope you’re not reading theory with those comprehension skills, comrade.

        • @goat@sh.itjust.worksM
          link
          fedilink
          English
          115 days ago

          I’m not the one lacking in reading comprehension.

          Do you not believe that the tankies featured in this community are indeed tankies?

          • @Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            English
            215 days ago

            What I’m saying is that whilst actual Tankies did, and still do, exist you do not have to be one to be called one. It’s now become a catch-all slur applied well outside of its original target.

              • @Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works
                link
                fedilink
                English
                23 days ago

                That’s really tickled me…

                Nice to see humour still exists out there. I can’t believe how all these (apparently) politically literate people (I think predominantly they’re Yanks) throw around these words: fascist, Tankies, liberal, libertarian, conservative etc with little precision. It’s a pity as all it does is stifle interactions - and no one will find common ground. Good way to keep the serfs under the cosh if they’re all bickering amongst themselves.