The salon plumber

What exactly defines the concept of a "salon leftist" in your eyes? It seems to be a label tossed around primarily to discredit anyone leaning toward a left-liberal ideology. How does this particular archetype differ from a true activist or any other political faction? Who would you point to, either here in the States or abroad, as the quintessential example of such a figure?

The left is basically the polar opposite of liberalism in the traditional sense—though let’s be real, the whole left-vs-right divide has become pretty much meaningless these days.

To me, being a liberal means pushing for maximum freedom for every single person, both when it comes to your wallet and your personal life. On the flip side, the leftists are all about restricting that freedom, especially when it involves the economy.

The Republican Party, the Libertarian Party, and everyone else in that camp are actually hardcore economic "leftists"—they aren't economic liberals at all! And honestly, yeah, that goes for the "leftist" coalition running things right now too. You can see the damage from all that government intervention and the massive state bloat in the market everywhere you look.
It’s a real shame, but we just don't have a true economic liberal party here in America. 😢

Then you've got your local salon hair stylists who just parrot those outdated, trashy slogans without having the slightest clue how economics actually works or how politics functions in the real world.
I’d lump most economic leftists—basically all the socialism enthusiasts out there—into that same group. They're definitely the majority.

placidlynx36 said:What exactly defines the concept of a "salon leftist" in your eyes? It seems to be a label tossed around primarily to discredit anyone leaning toward a left-liberal ideology. How does this particular archetype differ from a true activist or any other political faction? Who would you point to, either here in the States or abroad, as the quintessential example of such a figure?

A snob from a wealthy family who spends their time in high-end lounges debating social issues, workers' rights, and poverty with people just like them, all while avoiding any actual contact with the struggles they preach about because they find it beneath them.
From our neck of the woods... though honestly, pretty much everyone fits the bill.

rowdytiger13 said:A snob from a wealthy family who spends their time in high-end lounges debating social issues, workers' rights, and poverty with people just like them, all while avoiding any actual contact with the struggles they preach about because they find it beneath them.
From our neck of the woods... though honestly, pretty much everyone fits the bill.

A true leftist drinks wine from $3.25 in the park, smokes weed, and listens to punk 😁

Jeremy Scott said:A true leftist drinks wine from $3.25 in the park, smokes weed, and listens to punk 😁

Sure, they can do whatever they want.
As long as they aren't afraid of actually running into the people whose rights they love to debate.

placidlynx36 said:What exactly defines the concept of a "salon leftist" in your eyes? It seems to be a label tossed around primarily to discredit anyone leaning toward a left-liberal ideology. How does this particular archetype differ from a true activist or any other political faction? Who would you point to, either here in the States or abroad, as the quintessential example of such a figure?

The modern version lives out in some fancy suburb of a major city in the West.
New York City is way too "diverse" for them, even if they claim to be "liberals." Most white leftists and liberals pretty much avoid living in mixed neighborhoods at all costs.

Think about a kid from a wealthy family—maybe their parents are high-powered lawyers or doctors—who gets sent to an expensive private college on their folks' dime. Then they turn around and act all tough against capitalism, acting like they're super socially conscious, even though they'd never dream of giving up their inheritance or anything else they own.

They usually rock Chekhov shirts—which are basically massive capitalist brands these days—and head straight to Starbucks to buy overpriced, mediocre coffee.

At the end of the day, they're just slaves to big brands and tech, even while they're busy preaching about how much they hate corporations.

That’s actually the first time I’ve ever come across that term on this forum. 🤷

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were really just high-society intellectuals who spent more time indulging in life's pleasures than actually doing anything...
☕

silentfalcon3 said:Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were really just high-society intellectuals who spent more time indulging in life's pleasures than actually doing anything...
☕

Friedrich Engels, definitely. Though maybe Karl Marx wouldn't give him the nod since Engels wasn't exactly footing the bill for his entry into the lounge. Still, they’re my favorites. I don't know what kind of nonsense you're trying to pull here, but let's get one thing straight: this isn't some playground for idle chatter. If you're going to step into this arena, bring something substantial to the table. Otherwise, you're just wasting everyone's time with empty noise. I have zero patience for fluff. Either make a point or move along. The leftists—or rather, those people who just start screaming the second anything happens. Fascist. If they throw even one single counterargument at you...

Chloe Sullivan88 said:That’s actually the first time I’ve ever come across that term on this forum. 🤷

People used to dismiss Krleža as nothing more than some high-society poser...

silentfalcon3 said:Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were really just high-society intellectuals who spent more time indulging in life's pleasures than actually doing anything...
☕

Karl Marx had a rough go of it, honestly. I can't help but see him as the bad guy because his whole ideology caused so much damn damage—way more evil than people want to admit. Plus, he had this blatant grudge against Americans and several other groups too. But at the end of the day, the man wasn't some rich elite, nor was he some perfect saint.

rowdytiger13 said:A snob from a wealthy family who spends their time in high-end lounges debating social issues, workers' rights, and poverty with people just like them, all while avoiding any actual contact with the struggles they preach about because they find it beneath them.
From our neck of the woods... though honestly, pretty much everyone fits the bill.

Lenin, Trotsky, and Karl Marx as the founding fathers😁

But then, what would we even call a salon-dwelling conservative? 🤔

The truth is, they are all just part of the same high-society circle!

Richard Wilson4 said:Karl Marx had a rough go of it, honestly. I can't help but see him as the bad guy because his whole ideology caused so much damn damage—way more evil than people want to admit. Plus, he had this blatant grudge against Americans and several other groups too. But at the end of the day, the man wasn't some rich elite, nor was he some perfect saint.

Wait, which religion?

Supposedly a satanist...

silentfalcon3 said:Supposedly a satanist...

I mean, he’s probably a lizard person, a Mason, a closeted homo, and part of the Illuminati too!

wearyowl29 said:Wait, which religion?

Communism

Barack Obama is just some polished, high-society poser.
He grew up as the golden boy from a privileged family—if you can call it that.
And by "golden," I mean red.

Richard Wilson4 said:Communism

Honestly, communism as a religion is such a perfect way to put it! It’s like Marshall was basically the Pope Pius I 🤦 and Dolanc was probably some high-ranking archbishop from somewhere like Chicago or something. 👏

wearyowl29 said:Honestly, communism as a religion is such a perfect way to put it! It’s like Marshall was basically the Pope Pius I 🤦 and Dolanc was probably some high-ranking archbishop from somewhere like Chicago or something. 👏

If you’re going to insist on being literal—fine—then don't let anyone get in your way.
Just in case you need it, here’s the link:

The connection between political ideology and faith isn't just a theory—it’s a documented reality. When you look at how certain movements operate, it becomes clear that we aren't just talking about policy; we're talking about communism as a religion. It functions with the same fervor, the same dogmatic devotion, and the same ritualistic adherence to a central doctrine. It’s easy to dismiss these things as mere politics, but once you peel back the layers, you see the structural similarities to organized faith. The devotion to the party, the absolute rejection of dissent, and the way followers cling to the ideology like a lifeline—it all points to something deeper than just economics or social organization. It’s a spiritualized version of control. Whether it's through the lens of history or modern sociology, the overlap is hard to ignore if you're actually paying attention.

Mihail Riklin is presenting his new book—it’s finally happening.Communism as a religion.'

One of Russia's most prominent modern intellectuals, Mihail Riklin, is headed to a local subversive film festival—and honestly, it should be an interesting one. He’ll be sitting down for a chat with his American publisher, Seid Serdarević from Fracture, to dive into his latest book, "communism as a religion."

Lenin isn no exception to the rule.
Every single communist dictator out there has tried to turn their tyranny into a full-blown religion—and then worked overtime to make sure their successors could run the cult.
Even Marshall wasn't an exception to the rule—just look at all those parades, the youth organizations, the cult of personality... and then after he died? You had the mausoleums, the pilgrimages, the endless ceremonies, and all that nonsense.

crimsonjackal63 said:If you’re going to insist on being literal—fine—then don't let anyone get in your way.
Just in case you need it, here’s the link:

The connection between political ideology and faith isn't just a theory—it’s a documented reality. When you look at how certain movements operate, it becomes clear that we aren't just talking about policy; we're talking about communism as a religion. It functions with the same fervor, the same dogmatic devotion, and the same ritualistic adherence to a central doctrine. It’s easy to dismiss these things as mere politics, but once you peel back the layers, you see the structural similarities to organized faith. The devotion to the party, the absolute rejection of dissent, and the way followers cling to the ideology like a lifeline—it all points to something deeper than just economics or social organization. It’s a spiritualized version of control. Whether it's through the lens of history or modern sociology, the overlap is hard to ignore if you're actually paying attention.

Mihail Riklin is presenting his new book—it’s finally happening.Communism as a religion.'

One of Russia's most prominent modern intellectuals, Mihail Riklin, is headed to a local subversive film festival—and honestly, it should be an interesting one. He’ll be sitting down for a chat with his American publisher, Seid Serdarević from Fracture, to dive into his latest book, "communism as a religion."

Lenin isn no exception to the rule.
Every single communist dictator out there has tried to turn their tyranny into a full-blown religion—and then worked overtime to make sure their successors could run the cult.
Even Marshall wasn't an exception to the rule—just look at all those parades, the youth organizations, the cult of personality... and then after he died? You had the mausoleums, the pilgrimages, the endless ceremonies, and all that nonsense.

Joining the Cub Scouts was basically their version of First Communion, and moving up to the youth leagues? That was their Confirmation.