Not the OP, and these are not Marxist sources, but:

Simplicious the Thinker, on Substack has done an excellent job breaking down what is going on in Ukraine, both on the battlefields, but more critically in the political arena of both Ukraine and Russia.

History Legends on Youtube has also been doing an excellent job breaking down events on the battlefield, usually debunking Ukrainian and Western lies about the war. The best part is that he is definitely not pro-Russian, and actually started out as a pro-Ukrainian.

UN special rappartoire on Palestine.

Very outspoken against israeli war crimes. Find her and listen to her talk.

That is an excellent remark.

Well, the important bit to focus on is that lumpenproletariats lack any sort of class conscioussness, and they can’t acquire it due to their experiences and character. That doesn’t mean all criminals are lumpenproletariats.

Like another person said, the Black Panthers showed that people typically considered lumpenproletariats by Marx and Engels, could be reformed and made revolutionary. But that’s a topic that requires study and discussion.

Yes, but don’t focus on who is in the group. It doesn’t matter. The main characteristic is that a lumpenproletariat lacks any sort of class conscioussness.

You are correct. I can’t speak much for Mao’s writings, but Marx and Engels consider them useless and even dangerous to the revolution, based on their own experiences at the time.

As the name suggests, they are proletarians. However, they lack any sort of class consciousness, and for various reasons, they argue that it would be extremely hard to reform them. Furthermore, they are very susceptible to becoming tools for reactionaries. Marx and Engels had observed this first and third hand in many occasions.

They’ve kept the term very vague, but they do define it somewhat sometimes

The lumpenproletariat is passive decaying matter of the lowest layers of the old society, is here and there thrust into the [progressive] movement by a proletarian revolution; [however,] in accordance with its whole way of life, it is more likely to sell out to reactionary intrigues.

The Communist Manifesto, Marx & Engels

Alongside ruined roués with questionable means of support and of dubious origin, degenerate and adventurous scions of the bourgeoisie, there were vagabonds, discharged soldiers, discharged convicts, runaway galley slaves, swindlers, charlatans, lazzaroni, pickpockets, tricksters, gamblers, procurers, brothel keepers, porters, literati, organ grinders, rag-pickers, knife-grinders, tinkers, beggars; in short, the entirely undefined, disintegrating mass, thrown hither and yon, which the French call la bohème.

The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Napoleon, Marx

So these are the main groups of lumpenproletariat, and why they can’t be trusted:

1. The criminals: They are self-serving and greedy to the extreme, and their activities usually involve exploiting other proletarians through threats, violence or deception. If placed inside a movement, they would have no qualms about betraying it by acting as spies, informants or sabboteurs.

2. Prostitutes, drunkards, beggars, addicts: Poverty or addiction has turned these extremely desperate. Their desperation can be exploited and made to also turn into informants.

3. On-and-off workers: Meaning workers who work here and there at various jobs without having a steady salary. Very common thing in the 19th century, where people would gather at a particular street, and then bosses would come by, shout they need these many workers for this work and this pay, and then these people would rush to sign up. Extremely exploited, as they would outcompete each other over who will do the most work for the least pay. Due to their desperation, they are often utilized as strikebreakers.

4. Other people: Who for whatever reason will always be loyal to reactionary forces. In today’s terms, that would mean for example an anti-gay Christian conservative in the US, who is dirt poor, but will always support someone like Lindsay Graham, because of his devotion to being anti-gay. If I recall correctly, Marx in a letter referred to retired German soldiers who are conditioned into protecting the upper classes at all costs.

Now, this is a controversial issue, and it’s great that you stumbled upon it because, one has to understand that:

a) Marx and Engels lived 200 years ago. Some of their ideas conform more to that time period than to today.

b) You don’t have to agree on everything with Marx, as long as you agree with the basics.

Mao, on the other hand, even if he did agree with Marx mostly, he believed it’s possible to reform lumpenproletariat, or at least manipulate them, into serving the purposes of the revolution without betraying it.

The important bit:

As you yourself experienced, discussions on the lumpenproletariat usually devolve into arguments about whether or not one should empathize with the lumpenproletariat. This makes people tend to forget whether they should heed Marx’s and Engels’ warning. I believe 20th century history is rife with examples of why the Lumpenproletariat should not be trusted. Notably:

• All fascists had a base core of supporters from the lumpenproletariat, who became the most devoted foot soldiers for those regimes.

• During the cold war, the most anti-communist segment of the western populace was the lumpenproletariat. To the extend where criminal gangs openly colluded with government organizations like the CIA to destroy socialist movements (e.g. The Mafia collaborating with the CIA in Italy and the US).

• The lumpenproletariat was used extensively to infiltrate leftist parties and break them apart from within. They’ve also been used as the primary strikebreaking force.

In 2033 Germany will be having federal elections (parliament + chancellor).

Fake probably.

1. Too good to be true

2. Security would be surrounding him on all sides, not open up for a photo op, particularly leaving a clean shot on the whole face and body.

3. Security would try to protect him from the embarassment.

4. A photographer getting this close, in the middle of their escape path, and then aiming his camera at him would probably get shot or arrested after an event like this. At the very least, the photos would be immediately confiscated and deleted.

5. People in the background would be on the ground or rushing to the exits. Not just stand there looking shocked.

6. Trump was positioned on a dais, and was evacuated from the backstage, not through the crowds. Even if we didn’t have that footage, it doesn’t make sense that security would evacuate him through the whole ballroom, and not from the nearest exit to his position.

7. Melania is supposed to be with him as they evacuate, according to footage.

8. There are supposed to be multiple militarized police with body armor and assault rifles separating him from the crowd, according to footage. Also there were way more than just 4 suit agents. More like 6-8.

9. Trump is too stupid to pee his pants.

deleted by creator

Pornography is used in sex education in some countries. Not very widely, and usually at the later stages and ages, but still used.

I’m not an expert in sex education, so I’ll refer you to this article as a jumping off point: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/03/teaching-porn-literacy

You might also be interested in catching up on Nina Hartley, a retired porn actress, who is also a communist and a feminist, and now an activist for sex literacy: https://thehumanist.com/magazine/september-october-2010/features/atheism-ethics-and-pornography-an-interview-with-nina-hartley/

EDIT: Just so we are clear, since I saw your edit after answering, sex education isn’t just about practicing safe sex. It’s also about dealing with sexuality emotionally. Including being able to assess sexual content (in regards to consent, morality, etc), body positivity, avoiding feelings of guilt regarding sex, sexual orientation, sexual preferences and sexual content, and identifying signs of bad sexual tendencies and helping to overcome them (e.g. linking violence and sex). In that regard, sometimes letting kids view certain porn can help to reinforce these lessons. Especially in regards to sexual orientation and preferences.

What does a safe environment mean? And why let kids experience that kind of content?

They will experience it eventually, at some point in their lives, whether as kids or as adults. Giving them a controlled way to experience these things can help them fortify themselves better against their worst consequences. It’s the same approach taken by many parents regarding cigarettes and alcohol. Warn the child against it, but if they are determined to try it, it’s better that they try it together with the parent, than alone or with friends, where they can binge, get carried away, be harmed by it, etc.

The mystique and the thrill of doing something forbidden plays a huge role in driving kids towards these things. And the adrenaline of having done something forbidden can actually reinforce the behavior and make it even more addictive. However, if there’s the option of doing whatever in a safe manner and supervised, then kids tend to not consider it so attractive anymore. It’s something to experience, sure, but there’s no longer a strong urge to over-indulge. And whoever is supervising them gets the chance to help them through certain emotions about the experience, rather than let them deal with it alone, whether it’s porn, horror, gore, violence, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, etc.

I’m not saying let the kids experience anything willy-nilly, just because it’s futile to stop them. I’m saying let them have an option to experience it safely, with someone who is going to be able to help them comprehend its consequences. For example, with porn, it’d be helpful if they are informed about how exploitative sex work can be, how certain porn is not made with consent, or even used as sex education.

They are right in that teens will always be looking for porn, even just out of curiosity. They’ll find ways to access it, even if heavily regulated and secured. Working at a school, I can tell you I’ve seen some pretty explicit stuff on some kids’ devices. No matter what you do, you can’t prevent it, short of completely disabling access to electronics, and posting security at every venue that makes these things available.

That doesn’t mean one should be making it publicly available. Not everyone is ready for that kind of stuff.

And it’s a particularly vile argument if they are talking about pedophiliac content (depicting underage people).

But they are also not wrong when they say that it’s better to let kids experience this kind of content in a safe environment. Ideally, that should fall under parenting though. I think that when kids go about it in secrecy, they end up harming themselves emotionally and mentally.

Yeah, it annoys me to no end as well. I just ignore those posts but it can get grating.

DD Geopolitics, but be careful of their opinion pieces. Frequent updates. Good sources. Usually reports things earlier than others. Middle East and Ukraine-Russia.

Ukraine Watch. Measured and doesn’t exaggerate usually. Won’t post minute by minute stuff, but is good for summaries of important events each day. Ukraine-Russia, and Middle East only for important news.

Intel Slava, but also be careful of their opinion pieces. They mostly repost things from other channels, so they are good as a summary channel, but they don’t give credit usually. Frequent updates. Ukraine-Russia, but also Middle East when things heat up or makes summaries.

Rybar (English), good for regular overviews on Ukraine, opinion pieces vary in quality. Very few posts, but always accompanied with high-quality graphics showing troop movements, deployments, etc. Mostly Ukraine-Russia. Sometimes Middle East or other places.

The Simurgh - Excellent for Middle East, gathers information from other channels very well, decent opinion pieces, usually the only one who fully translates Arabic press releases (e.g. Hezbollah announcements, etc). Exclusively Middle East

Fortros Resistance - Iranian-based. Often reports how things are for them on the ground. Posting frequency varies. Exclusively Middle East and usually specifically Iran.

Generally, avoid channels that tend to advertise a lot or beg for money constantly. Those will usually also try to sensationalize as much as possible for views. Channels with low subscriber counts can be surprisingly excellent, compared to more popular ones. Don’t be afraid to test channels out and then leave.

Also, mute every channel you join. Some channels can post upwards of 100 posts per day. You don’t want 100 x “channels you’ve subscribed” notifications on your phone. That way, you also protect yourself from engagement addiction. Just go see updates when YOU want to.

Orban is playing both sides, just like Erdogan. He doesn’t condemn Russia along with the rest of Europe, because much of Hungary’s economy still depends on Russia, and also lately on China. At the same time he provides Ukraine with fuel and electricity, while NATO bases in Hungary are used as resupplying stations for Ukrainians, and Orban himself has agreed every single European policy regarding the war in Ukraine. He regularly catches headlines as being opposed to the EU, because he always wants something in exchange for his consent. He regularly forms coalitions around Hungary that veto nearly all European policies, and then uses those vetoes as bargaining chips to negotiate himself into a better position within the EU.

He’s also a far-right anti-immigration anti-gay anti-“liberal” devout Pentecostal Christian (which plays really well with American Pentecostals), and he was one of the few non-US politicians who supported Trump’s election both times. It is very likely that he provided Trump with intelligence on how the Europeans were attempting to turn the tide for Biden/Kamala in the latest elections. It is also very likely that the US is using Orban as a Trojan horse to further weaken the EU, either by influencing/buying his vote in the EU, or by just publicly supporting him and making the other Europeans suspicious.

Also, don’t forget that Orban’s government is supported by the descendants of Nazi collaborators and also those who organized the Hungarian Uprising. Ultimately, they deeply hate the Russians, and their goal is to see an independent Hungary out of the EU, or in a very much weakened EU. Right now they are prioritizing the EU front, as they see that as a threat to sovereignty and source of immigration.

I’m sorry I don’t have the time to make a more nuanced and sourced post, but here’s some factors:

During Soviet times:

1. The Baltic states were historically very rich and developed areas compared to their neighbours, ever since the 1600s. The major Baltic cities were heavily subsidized and developed for centuries by German and Polish-Lithuanian settlers even before they achieved prosperity. They were all built in very strategic geographic locations that enabled them to act as important centers of commerce for the whole area, linking Russia and Eastern Europe with Scandinavia and Northern Europe.

2. As a result, before their incorporation into the Soviet Union, these states had an already largely educated and specialized workforce, developed industry and established infrastructure for a more advanced economy. It was only natural that the Soviet Union leaned into these strengths. It’s also natural that further investments in such an environment would be much different in cost and effect compared to investments in a more rural and backwards states. This is an unequal reality dictated by material conditions that developed through centuries of history. I think on this point, it’s a bit unfair to judge the Soviet Union by just looking at the costs of investments, as it’s like comparing the price of building a computer with the price of building a desk. Investing in complex manufacturing industry vs investing in agricultural development are two very different things. There’s also no telling how the Soviet Union would change its policies in the future, as other areas caught up to the development of the Baltics.

3. The Baltic states were constantly exhibiting signs of secession. They had been given independence from the Russian Empire after the Revolution. Then they turned fascist before World War 2. Then they were incorporated back into the Soviet Union. Then the Soviet Union spent 10 years trying to put down various CIA-funded guerilla groups (akin to what was going on in Ukraine with the Banderite remnants). Then they started grumblings again in the 80s. There is a sense that the Soviet Union was also attempting to bribe the Baltic states into submission. This is a much fairer point to criticize the Soviet Union on, but there’s no clear indications it was actually the intention here, up until Perestroika occurred.

During dissolution:

1. The Baltic states were the first SSRs, together with Poland to start shifting to a capitalist model, even before the dissolution. They asked help from the Americans, and the Americans gave it amply and honestly. They designed functional economical instruments to facilitate the shift and they were given massive subsidies to jumpstart the free market economy.

2. Due to their small size and small population, the cost to the West for helping the Baltics was miniscule. There’s also an argument to be made that the Baltic peoples were seen as brother Europeans (don’t forget their Germanic settler roots), compared to most other former SSRs. Probably even more so than states like Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.

3. This is the critical point: The West probably helped the Baltics so much as a lure for the rest of the Soviet Union. Remember that at this time, the dissolution hadn’t started yet. As is described by Jeffrey Sachs (the main economic guru brought in to facilitate shifting to capitalism in the Baltics, and later on in Russia), a year after working with the Baltics, Russia came along and asked for the same help. But this time, the US was adamantly withholding much of the resources and aid given to the Baltics, with the clear intention of causing newly-found Russia to flounder and fail as a state.

4. Also, by aiding the Baltics so much, the West gained them as loyal lapdogs for any future aggressive action against their former compatriots, especially the Russians. A similar aid was given for example to Poland and Romania, who bordered Russia. But Bulgaria and Moldova were left largely to their own devices, as their geographic location did not make them as important players against Russia as the others.

What do you mean by “less exploited”?

Musk makes around 30 million dollars per hour.

The average payout of the US lottery is 150 million dollars.

Which means Musk gets to win the lottery 4 times per day.

Or he gets paid the hourly wages of 4 000 000 minimum wage US workers per hour.

Anything in particular from Parenti?

deleted by creator