I came across a Romanian Reddit thread today that left me confused and feeling mixed feelings.

[diemkay@hachyderm.io]

I came across a Romanian Reddit thread today that left me confused and feeling mixed feelings.

Someone asked if anyone uses Mastodon, and most responses were neutral or mildly curious. One commenter dismissed it immediately: “much too left-wing”. They complained about decentralization, the fediverse concept, calling it too complex for average users, with declining engagement.

The OP asked a simple question: “in what sense too left-wing?” And got no response, just several downvotes.

I sat with that for a bit.

Yes, federation does mean anyone can run a server. Users control their data. No single corporation owns the network. If you think about it through the lens of “seize the means of production” - and I am kinda joking but also not - it IS seizing the means of production for social media. The opposite of corporate control.

But this person rejected it as “too left” while presumably continuing to use platforms owned by billionaires who can read sell their data, train AI and o manipulate their feed. The irony would be almost funny if it wasn’t sad.

[max@poliverso.org]

@diemkay

If you're omolesbotransfobic or racist or fascist you feel perfectly at ease on Meta/X social networks. This doesn't mean all people on those social networks is that way but if you're that way you feel perfectly at ease there.

If you're not that way (this is the meaning of "left wing") you don't feel at ease, you search for something different and you probably reach the Fediverse. I think this is the way most of us came here.

So no doubt the Fediverse is left wing, meaning that a high percentage of people joining the Fediverse value equality, inclusion, sustainability, human rights and in this society they're clearly perceived as left wing values (yes... they should be universally accepted values, the basis for a modern society but look around and you'll see they're not).

And I know people can now say "hey wait... I'm not leftist and I'm here". It's not all black and white, there are also some gray areas, but I don't see anything strange if the Fediverse is perceived leftist.