If the social producers are worried about “market manipulation,” there is only one way to “manipulate” it in-kind: to accelerate the mode of production to its absolute development. r/WallStreetBet’s version of “eat the rich” (“bring down the hedgies”) doesn’t factor in that the only way to beat them is to draw them into competition with one another. In other words, these massive asset firms would be compelled to kill each other off. Just as Amazon might kill Wal-Mart off. Or the U.S. might kill off the E.U.. The onus and damages are borne by capital and thus by the state—who manages it and its attempts to expand it (or at least stave off contraction).

The author makes a final—and somewhat interesting—observation about the Left not joining these Redditors who dared to poke the hedge fund bears (and, indirectly, the fascist machine) that I’d like to expand upon:

“Organizing workers and building a working-class movement through unions to build political power is still paramount. But we also have to adapt to the times in which we live and realize that the fight against capitalism is also asymmetrical, decentralized, and digital—especially in the time of COVID. We can’t wait for principled Marxists to emerge fully formed from the womb. We have to meet people where they’re at—even if it’s from the seedier side of Reddit.”

Between OWS, MAGA, r/WallStreetBets, various militias, the Libertarian Party, and other kinds of dissidents—comprised of tens of millions of people, from different income classes, occupations, races, and even politics—I don’t think communists have ever once asked themselves an important question over the past 40 years:

“Are we even necessary?”