Slight content warning: mention of the word “naked”
“To say: I ‘appreciate’ your political, approach, ‘but’ it is only a political one and we ‘also need an economic one’, is tantamount to saying: I ‘appreciate’ your point that in taking that particular step you are liable to break your neck, but you must also take into consideration that it is better to be clothed and well-fed than to go naked and hungry.” - Lenin, Once Again On The Trade Unions, The Current Situation and the Mistakes of Trotsky and Buhkarin (https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1921/jan/25.htm)
" Unless you have investigated a problem, you will be deprived of the right to speak on it. Isn’t that too harsh? Not in the least. When you have not probed into a problem, into the present facts and its past history, and know nothing of its essentials, whatever you say about it will undoubtedly be nonsense. Talking nonsense solves no problems, as everyone knows, so why is it unjust to deprive you of the right to speak? Quite a few comrades always keep their eyes shut and talk nonsense, and for a Communist that is disgraceful. How can a Communist keep his eyes shut and talk nonsense?
It won’t do!
It won’t do!
You must investigate!
You must not talk nonsense!"
Mao Zedong
Much harder to adhere to than it sounds. We’re but humans still depending on cognitive shortcuts and mental crutches from ancient times. It wasn’t too long ago that I cautioned a comrade against defying these words and they did it anyway.
I was scared and thought you were criticizing a post or reply of mine haha (scared laughter). What was the context behind your comrade defying your advice?
It involved a subject matter that was poorly understood and illicits a lot of kneejerk reactions and ignorance similar to the DPRK. I’Il DM it to you. It’s a sensitive matter.