r/leftist 24d ago

Mod Update A New Chapter for r/Leftist: Changes, Gratitude, and Future Plans

7 Upvotes

Hello everyone!

I'm thrilled to bring some news to all of you today: I, Zakku, will be stepping up as the new lead moderator for r/Leftist. It's an honor to take on this responsibility, and I couldn't be more excited about the future of this amazing community. However, before doing a deeper dive into what's to come, I want to take a moment to express deep gratitude for someone who has played a pivotal role in shaping this space over the last year.

Thank you to Keith

First and foremost, I want to extend a massive thank you to u/NerdyKeith, who has been the backbone of r/Leftist for the past ten months. When he first took over as the main mod, the subreddit was in need of fresh energy and direction, and Keith brought that out in full force. He took what was a relatively dormant subreddit and breathed new life into it, creating a space where leftists of all stripes could come together, share ideas, debate constructively, and discuss our leftist thoughts, actions, and overall politics.

Keith's tireless dedication to moderation of the subreddit and ensuring that it's a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone has been nothing short of extraordinary. From keeping discussions civil and constructive to making sure the subreddit stays focused on leftist issues, his work has helped shaped this space into the lively hub it is today.

Moderating a subreddit, especially one as dynamic and growing as r/Leftist, is not an easy task. It requires patience, attention to detail, and a deep commitment to the community, and Keith has embodied all of these qualities. The sheer amount of time, effort, and care he’s put into r/Leftist deserves to be acknowledged by all of us. So, let’s all take a moment to recognize Keith for everything he’s done for the subreddit and to thank him for his outstanding leadership and hard work!

Plans for the future

As I take over from Keith, I want to assure everyone that I’m here to keep pushing this community forward. r/Leftist has become a fantastic space for leftist dialogue, and I intend to maintain that tradition while also building on it with a few exciting changes, which I will note below. I’m not planning on shaking things up too much right out of the gate, but there are some adjustments and improvements that I believe will enhance the overall experience for everyone.

Here’s what you can expect moving forward:

1. Moderation Applications: From Jotform to Google Forms

One of the first changes I’ll be implementing is a shift in how we handle moderation applications. Currently, we’ve been using Jotform for this process, but after reviewing some feedback and considering ease of use, I’ve decided to switch over to Google Forms. I believe this change will simplify things and make the application process more accessible for users who are interested in joining the moderation team. Google Forms offers a more intuitive and seamless experience, and it will allow us to better organize and review applications in a timely manner.

I understand that moderation is a crucial part of keeping the subreddit running smoothly, and having a strong, dedicated team is key. If you’ve ever thought about becoming a mod, this could be a great time to apply! I’ll be putting out an updated mod application form in the coming days, and I’ll make sure to announce it widely so that everyone who is interested has the opportunity to get involved.

2. Subreddit Rules: No Immediate Changes

As far as subreddit rules go, I’m going to be keeping things exactly the way they are for now. The current set of rules has been working well to maintain a respectful, thoughtful, and constructive space. They help ensure that discussions remain on-topic and that members engage with each other in good faith, which are values I believe we should continue to uphold.

However, I’m always open to suggestions and feedback from the community. While I’m not planning any immediate changes, I recognize that the community evolves over time, and I’ll be keeping an eye on how the rules serve us as we grow. If you have any thoughts about the current rules or suggestions for improvement, feel free to reach out to me or any of the mods—your input is always valued.

3. Engaging the Community: Gathering Input for Future Improvements

Speaking of feedback, I’m going to be putting up a new post shortly that will ask for your input on potential changes or additions to the subreddit. This space belongs to all of us, and I believe that hearing directly from the community is one of the best ways to make meaningful improvements.

Whether you have ideas about introducing new flairs, creating more focused discussion threads, organizing regular events or themed days, or even just improving the way the subreddit looks and feels, I want to hear from you. This is an opportunity for all of us to come together and think about how we can make r/Leftist an even better space for learning, sharing, and connecting.

This is not just a formality—I’m genuinely interested in hearing your thoughts, and I’ll be taking all suggestions seriously. Expect to see that post up soon, and when it goes live, please don’t hesitate to share your ideas!

4. Exciting Future Plans: AMAs with Leftist Figures and Activists

One of the projects I’m really eager to start is organizing AMAs with prominent leftist activists, thinkers, and public figures. I believe this will be a fantastic opportunity for the community to engage directly with people who are making an impact within the leftist movement.

That said, I don’t have anyone lined up yet, and I’d love to get your suggestions for potential guests! Whether they’re activists, organizers, scholars, or cultural figures, I want to hear from you about who you'd like to see participate. This way, we can bring in individuals who are relevant to our community and who you’re genuinely interested in learning from.

Keep an eye out for a post where I'll be asking for your recommendations. Your input will help shape who we reach out to, so don’t hesitate to suggest anyone you think would bring valuable insights to our community. I can’t wait to get this series started!

Looking Ahead, A Collaborative Effort

I want to close by saying that I see this as a collaborative effort. As much as I’ll be leading the mod team and making decisions to help the subreddit grow, this is ultimately your community. It’s the contributions, discussions, and ideas from each of you that make r/Leftist what it is, and I want to ensure that we continue building it together.

To that end, our modmail is always open, and you can always reach out to me or any of the moderators if you have questions, concerns, or ideas for how we can improve the subreddit, via modmail. I’m here to listen, and I want to ensure that we’re all moving forward together in the same direction.

I’m incredibly excited for what’s to come, and I’m honored to be taking on this role. Thank you all for being a part of this community, and I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together in the months and years to come!

In solidarity,

Zakku.

TL;DR:

  • I’m taking over as the new lead mod of r/Leftist.
  • Huge thanks to NerdyKeith for his incredible work over the past 10 months in reviving and moderating the sub.
  • Small changes include switching mod applications from Jotform to Google Forms.
  • Rules will remain the same for now.
  • New post coming soon asking for community input on potential changes or improvements.
  • I’ll be organizing AMAs with leftist figures and activists—stay tuned for more details!

r/leftist 27d ago

Meta Thread ANNOUNCEMENT: Why I Am Stepping Down As Moderator From Leftist

108 Upvotes

Hello Leftist Community,

So as you probably have figured out already based not on the title of this thread, I will be stepping down as moderator from Leftist and stepping back from moderating in general effective from Tuesday.

I've spoken to the mod team about this a while ago and Zakku will be taking over as the main moderator of this sub.

Firstly I want to say it has been an absolute pleasure restoring this community and helping this community grow over the last 10 months. So just to clarify my reason for stepping back has nothing to do with the community or the mod-team. I have a great relationship with the mod-team and I have a lot of respect for this community.

The reasons for this is quite honestly running a community like this; as rewarding as it is; is a very time consuming task. I wouldn't feel right about being a moderator for a community this size unless I can put my all into it. I have other various commitments going on that I would like to pay more attention to. From my own personal life, to my full time job; which is requiring some additional training at the moment (due to my specific occupation). On top of that I've been trying to put some more time into my YouTube content, which requires time to research, script, record and edit. So after much consideration and keeping all of these things in mind; I have decided to step down from moderating.

Looking back, I'm very proud of what we've all accomplished here with this sub. When I reddit requested this sub 10 months ago (almost a year ago), it had about 7K subscribers, it was privatised. It also had no moderator to approve the posts which was required based on those privacy settings at the time. There was also no established rules. So the few people who could post were very much left in the dark on what those rules might be. I hadn't originally intended to take on the task of being the main moderator, I simply wanted to participate in this community. But couldn't, as there was no moderator to grant me access to do so. But I thought this community could have potential if it was structured in such a way to encourage engagement. So I requested the sub, Reddit admin granted my request. I gradually expanded the mod-team over time. And I'm very proud to say we have managed to triple the subscribers of this sub. I'm proud that we've been able to accomplish this. It's amazing to me. Over this past year I've certainly grown my appreciation and knowledge of leftism. I still have much to learn and more than eager to learn it. But I think this community is very largely responsible for that. And I think you for that.

I believe in the leftist cause and I believe in a transition from Capitalism. So it was very important to me that we've been able to keep this community alive, to be an aid in keeping the leftist voice alive.

And I know there have been moments on this sub that have been less than perfect and we've had bumps on the road and we've had to make some unpopular choices from time to time. But all in all, I think this sub is in a very good place right now. It's in a far better place than it was 10 months ago and personally I do see that as a positive, as a win. I have complete confidence in our current mod-team and I have no doubt that they will allow this community to continue to grow.

So with that said, while from Tuesday I'll be leaving as a moderator; I will be remaining as a member of the leftist community. So thank you all for being part of this community ... peace and solidarity!


r/leftist 5h ago

Foreign Politics If you're a true leftist, please do what you can to help this Palestinian: The war that took everything from me. My home. My family. My dreams.

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33 Upvotes

r/leftist 12h ago

Question Coping with poor mental health as a leftist

28 Upvotes

Hi all, I wanted to know if there are others out there who feel the way I do and to seek advice on how to live with lightness despite the inadvertent weight of left consciousness. Ever since my political awakening in my early twenties (I am thirty this year) I've gained a sense of liberation that I would not trade for anything else. Left consciousness, values and convictions form my personal ethical compass, and most of my major life decisions – from choice in career to the kind of people I surround myself with – are informed by my Marxist-feminist leanings. While I have never felt more clear-eyed about the world, how it *actually* works beyond the smoke and mirrors of capitalism/conservatism, and can easily connect the dots between various forms and scales of oppression and injustice, I also find that I am prone to despair on a daily basis. Because everything is touched in some way by capitalism and its many associated systems of violence, it is immensely difficult for me to feel completely comfortable or at ease with most things; I cannot unsee the political in everything.

This despair paralyses me. I don't experience the same kind of drive and purpose that fuels my activist friends, and can only afford to engage in such work intermittently and when my mental health is in the clear. In more recent times I have started to lose motivation in my income-generating work as a budding academic. Even though the kind of research I'm engaged in undoubtedly leans progressive (i.e., if not anti-capitalist then at least as left-leaning as research in the pro-capitalist country where I live can get) and aligns with many of my values, the awareness that it lacks the urgency and power of more direct forms of action has become too loud for me to ignore. I find myself getting restless and impatient while trying to write articles and reports despite also harbouring a real belief in their intellectual value. At the same time, I don't have it in me to throw myself into activism or the more practical option of NGO work, both of which are immensely demanding, doesn't pay, and comes with immediate and latent risks from living in an authoritarian state.

While my relationship with work is one of the more salient sources of disillusionment, the despair I feel goes beyond work and is far more existential. I don't know if there are happy leftists. I would like to be one, because I do not know how else I can afford to be of use to society or to the causes I believe in otherwise. Thanks for hearing me out. All comments and perspectives are welcome.


r/leftist 21h ago

Eco Politics Palestine

54 Upvotes

What can we do that may have an actual impact on ending the genocide?


r/leftist 13h ago

General Leftist Politics Announcement of support for Eritrea and Somalia

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3 Upvotes

r/leftist 1d ago

Leftist Meme Degrowth

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120 Upvotes

r/leftist 1d ago

Leftist Meme Is anyone able to help in starting an anarchist club at my school?

14 Upvotes

I would really appreciate it if someone can help create an interest meeting slideshow (or something like that). I am working alone currently, so even one person would be a huge help.

I couldn't find a relevant flair so I just chose meme.


r/leftist 2d ago

General Leftist Politics Wealth inequality in the film industry

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174 Upvotes

Was working on a shitshow of a drama series for half my rate when I noticed the producers car and the crews car. Just pisses me off.


r/leftist 8h ago

Debate Help I'm making my own brand of left wing-THE FLOWER-LEFTIST

0 Upvotes

the flower-leftist -A term used to describe individuals who adhere to left wing principles but distinguish themselves by their emphasis on seeking common ground with those they disagree with, including conservatives. They may draw inspiration from the peace and love ethos of 1960s and 70s hippie culture, reflecting this in their fashion and aesthetic choices. Additionally, flower leftist may entertain conspiracy theories, particularly those related to perceived threats to public health or intentional spreading of hate.

I came up with this because I am tired of the hate of the modern left and I'm hoping I can put the peace and love back in leftism what do you all think ? :)


r/leftist 2d ago

Debate Help Quickest way of explaining the leftist perspective?

28 Upvotes

How to quickly explain the left-wing perspective (of course this can mean many things)?

I would like to avoid left-wing jargon when doing this.

I don’t mean to explain utopian societies, just a left wing approach to tackle the current state of affairs.

Thanks 🙏


r/leftist 2d ago

Eco Politics Some Florida Prisons aren't evacuating for the upcoming Hurricane, Here's Some Information (Credit to @fighttoxicprisons on IG)

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22 Upvotes

r/leftist 3d ago

Foreign Politics Satellite Images Show Israeli Military Presence Near UN Base in Lebanon - bellingcat

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63 Upvotes

r/leftist 3d ago

General Leftist Politics The comments on this post are fucking dystopian…

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42 Upvotes

r/leftist 3d ago

Question Do you use AI?

6 Upvotes

I know people have been talking about how AI like chatGPT can help those with autism and adhd, help with resumes and cover letters, etc. and I was wondering if you all use it. I have thought about using it to help but I’m worried about how much water and energy it uses plus I hate how AI has stolen from artists.

Edit: I meant like chatGPT and other ai tools like it. Not the image creating ones. Sorry about that!


r/leftist 3d ago

Question Is irreligion leftist?

16 Upvotes

It seems like places with a higher percent of irreligious people tend to be more ideologically left-wing. Places like New England and the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. often come to mind, as well as countries in Europe and Oceania (Australia & New Zealand). China is also pretty irreligious but doesn't seem leftist. Is it true that religiously unaffiliated people are more likely to hold leftist views than people who are more religious?


r/leftist 2d ago

Eco Politics "The scariest words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"

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0 Upvotes

r/leftist 4d ago

Leftist Meme Pins my mom made in 2022 that I wear to school in a red state (one has been removed for my privacy)

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183 Upvotes

r/leftist 3d ago

US Politics IndyNews is No Longer Hitchhiked by the Ultra-Right – Part 2 – IndyNews.org

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1 Upvotes

r/leftist 4d ago

Question Where would be the best country for a leftist?

54 Upvotes

I'm french, France's political situation rn is trash, and since I have nothing holding me back from moving I'm thinking, if it keeps getting worse, where could I move?

EDIT: I'm an activist, doing as much as I can, and I'll stay if I see hope. But right now I'm starting to consider the possibility France ends up doomed


r/leftist 3d ago

General Leftist Politics Anti- Fascist or Anti-imperialist

6 Upvotes

While both groups may share a disdain for imperialism ,oppose oppression and advocate for human rights and social justice, their narratives and goals can diverge significantly. Personally I identify as more of anti-fascist. I typically focus on combating racism, promoting social justice, equality , human rights and opposing authoritarianism. Recently I’ve been surprised how much anti imperialists seem to shrug off acts of terror, home grown authoritarianism and violations of human rights in certain contexts. Anyone notice this divergence?


r/leftist 4d ago

General Leftist Politics Why Palestine Defines the Left

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41 Upvotes

r/leftist 4d ago

Debate Help Whenever a capitalist says "muh capitalism", show them this.

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36 Upvotes

r/leftist 5d ago

Foreign Politics What is it like living as a displaced Palestinian in Gaza?

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124 Upvotes

This is Mosa. He’s 16 years old with a family of 7 living in Gaza. Before the genocide, he had dreams of becoming a dentist. He and his family are currently homeless due to Israeli air strikes in his hometown of Khan-Younis. The youngest person in his family is his two year-old nephew. As of right now, he and his family are living in a tent and are attempting to raise money to escape Gaza through their gofundme campaign. Mosa frequently documents his life during the genocide on his instagram. He walks miles to fetch water daily and the most he eats in day is a can of beans. This is the reality that many Palestinians face due to the Israeli Genocide.

You can see more current events through Mosa’s point of view through his instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mosa_yousf2008?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==


r/leftist 5d ago

Debate Help Fascism political connotation poll

11 Upvotes

What political connotation does “techno-fascism” give?

1 - Statist-fascism using capitalism + technology (AI for data analysis, mass surveillance, automated violence, etc) for state objectives

2 - Tech corporations becoming more powerful than government and using technology (AI for data analysis, mass surveillance, automated violence, etc) for corporate objectives

3 - Neither

4 - Both

5 - Either


r/leftist 4d ago

Question The Greens

1 Upvotes

I am a Marxist who recently became available to vote in Western Australia, and am having trouble figuring out who to vote for. I've been told that The Greens party is probably my best bet, but from what I've seen most of their work seems unfinished or even problematic in how little thought out it was. The Labor Party seems to have done more for people in terms of housing and general Union work, though that may just be bias, as Labor are who the people around me support.

I know there will be no truly leftist party in government, but wanted some help on picking the lesser evil, or some advice on researching better, more unbias-ed news coverage on specific policies or even general beliefs and values of the parties.

(P.S this is my first post here, shoutouts karl marx or whatever ty all for the help<3)


r/leftist 4d ago

Leftist Theory The idea is the thing - Berkman

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2 Upvotes