“This is harm reduction” and “Centrists think you’re the extremist” makes this seem like a cynical response to the constant refrain that voting is harm reduction, but the idea that allowing the worse option to get in is something other than harm maximization is… absurd.
People, including you, are misunderstanding the harm reduction thing. I get why, but take a second to look into it.
Harm reduction is not a dog whistle; it’s literally just a term that means “do (traditionally/commonly bad thing) in (least harmful way possible).”
In the context of voting, which you refer to, this means “do voting for the candidate which does the least bad (aka least genocide or reversal of human rights).”
This comic uses the term in an entirely different context, however, totally divorced from voting, in fact. If you have only been exposed to the voting example, I get the confusion, but it’s important to recognize that you are confused here.
The comic is using “harm reduction” satirically, the cops use the common leftist language as a jab against the protesters.
As in: “Ohh we (the fascist government/cops) have no choice but to oppress you for making your voices heard… what a shame … be grateful we are just arresting and beating you because the alternative is us literally murdering you in the streets!” wink wink “Oh would you look at that, we’re doing ‘harm reduction’”
It’s a confusing comic, not great rhetoric, but I don’t see anyone else correcting the misconception about 50% of people here are having while the rest of us get it, so I hope this helps.
Thank you, I incorrectly took the ‘harm reduction’ comment as satirizing progressives, rather than symbolizing the right-wing’s mocking usage of progressive terminiology.
Now I imagine that there are impressionable people who think this speaks the truth and I’m sad.
What part about it is untrue?
“This is harm reduction” and “Centrists think you’re the extremist” makes this seem like a cynical response to the constant refrain that voting is harm reduction, but the idea that allowing the worse option to get in is something other than harm maximization is… absurd.
The harm reduction is protecting capital. I never got anything to do with voting from this image.
Centrists are just people that want you to sit down and shut up so they can go about their day. Anything inconvenient to them is extreme.
People, including you, are misunderstanding the harm reduction thing. I get why, but take a second to look into it.
Harm reduction is not a dog whistle; it’s literally just a term that means “do (traditionally/commonly bad thing) in (least harmful way possible).”
In the context of voting, which you refer to, this means “do voting for the candidate which does the least bad (aka least genocide or reversal of human rights).”
This comic uses the term in an entirely different context, however, totally divorced from voting, in fact. If you have only been exposed to the voting example, I get the confusion, but it’s important to recognize that you are confused here.
The comic is using “harm reduction” satirically, the cops use the common leftist language as a jab against the protesters.
As in: “Ohh we (the fascist government/cops) have no choice but to oppress you for making your voices heard… what a shame … be grateful we are just arresting and beating you because the alternative is us literally murdering you in the streets!” wink wink “Oh would you look at that, we’re doing ‘harm reduction’”
It’s a confusing comic, not great rhetoric, but I don’t see anyone else correcting the misconception about 50% of people here are having while the rest of us get it, so I hope this helps.
Thank you, I incorrectly took the ‘harm reduction’ comment as satirizing progressives, rather than symbolizing the right-wing’s mocking usage of progressive terminiology.
Yayy glad my explanation made a difference. :)
I like the rhetorical goals of this post but obviously it’s not very effective due to the amount of misunderstanding getting in the way of discourse.