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Meme has become a by-word of contemporary digital culture. And that makes sense, because when you think of it, meta-jokes allow us to communicate things in a way more complex way. Sometimes, it’s the other way around. When the subject of a conversation is fundamentally intricate, it begs for an unorthodox way to talk about things.

Like, capitalism. Many of us know how painful it may be to work late hours like there’s no tomorrow, like your family doesn’t exist, to sit by the desk without a day off, trying hard to deliver your very best daily, only to realize it’s been like this for the past decade. Here you go, I just described one of the memes in this list.

And while the capitalist society is spinning its wheels harder than ever before, with long-awaited hope of minimum wage being raised to $15 in the US, these anti-capitalist memes seem more relevant than ever. Someone's calling us overdramatic?

And to whoever is not into hard topics in life, this batch of memes speak of society and its flaws in a funny, like cringe funny, “oh my, it’s me” way. Psst! Another batch of anti-capitalist jokes can be found in our previous post here.

#1

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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phanmo
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a tax credit scam. The grocery store makes a donation in their name with all the money collected and gets a tax credit.

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To find out more about the complex dynamics between capitalism and internet jokes, Bored Panda reached out to Dovydas Skarolskis, a Vilnius-based connoisseur of the contemporary political and cultural climate.

First off, Dovydas said that there’s no mathematically accurate answer to whether capitalism and the free market are evil. “The economic historians defending the free market have estimated that it is only because of the ideas of capitalism and industrialization that people have been able to rise out of poverty.”

Meanwhile, he explained that many researchers and activists of the field see our contemporary society as full of various forms of exploitation. “The fight between these and many other political ideas is perfectly illustrated by the Political Compass memes that ridicule one position or the other, as well as mock the assumptions about them and the ideas behind them."

According to Dovydas, when tackling a vast array of different opinions, “humor is an excellent way to find like-minded people as well as attract new people who’d be interested in the ideas or even change their point of view.”

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Dovydas likes to divide all the memes and jokes that criticize capitalism into a couple of categories. “First, it’s jokes that defend more radical ideas, irony and satire. They don’t require taking extreme measures to disrupt the functioning of our society, like replacing liberal democracy run by free trade with  socialist or even anarchist or communist principles of public governance.”

#6

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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troux avatar
Troux
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Try leasing poverty. Go to the laundromat instead of using your own machine, cash a check at Amscot/WU instead of at your own bank, or try some rent-to-own furniture. You'll see just how expensive it is to be poor.

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#7

🤷🏼‍♂️

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Kay blue
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For some reason lots of people like to attack single mothers and think that because they need a bit of extra support they are a drain on society. What about all the fathers who did a runner and don't help to support their offspring. The pro-birthers don't want women to have abortions but also don't want to help support the child once it is separate human.

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However, Dovydas sees the flaws of this type of humor. “The biggest problem with these jokes is that they often justify historical crimes associated with radical leftist movements, or promise happiness by abandoning what we have in the name of something that has never been implemented before.”

“The second category of jokes falls under the softer criticism of capitalism and the free market that targets particular problems, exposing the absurdity of everydayness. We can name a number of problems associated with the modern free world: starting with the exploitation of third-world workers, corporate tax evasion, illegal and sometimes even legal pollution, and a number of others. In summary, the second type can be described as more moderate individuals who fight against obvious manifestations of social injustice.”

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#10

Nah, It's Probly Just Teachers

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Troux
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

...not to mention increasing access to info that shows us what other countries do.

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#11

How True

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Sleepyhead
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember reading the news and seeing this tweet, and it is spooky how quiet it’s been. Like, would I get low-key eliminated by a dark web hacker for this comment?

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Winx
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because the wealthy own the news and they made sure that s**t stayed quiet

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Jovonne Bolar
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because all rich people are in charge. They are not putting their friends or themselves in jail or give up any money.

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El Dee
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Except Caruana Galizia was murdered for linking corrupt politicians to this..

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Nea
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Everyone involved did come out unscathed. This is actually creepy!

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Annie Niemands
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Except one of the journalists who helped uncover this, Caruana Galizia, who was killed in a car bomb. Never forget.

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CatWoman312
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ultimately one day when the poor are too poor and we’ve had enough we’ll stop cooking their meals and wiping their asses. They’ll witter and die because they can’t do s**t for themselves

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Jagerzamo
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't have problems with the rich people. My problem is that ALMOST EVERY politician of my country is in that list...

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Son of Philosoraptor
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We've been told that there's nothing we can do... That these people are "smart." And they've rigged the system so there is nothing much we can do! Except vote like our survival depends on it. Because it does.

soniw avatar
soni w
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They didn't rig the system or find loopholes. The system is designed to allow corruption. No one was charged because Noone broke the law. Politicians stepped down because they take your tax money and can't be seen not paying thiers. S**t system.

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Leo Domitrix
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Probably b/c it happened in a US election year... And I say that as an American.

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Marcellus the Third
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Much of these tax haven problems where deliberately created by the UK government, as a way of letting ex-colonies (Cayman Islands and so forth) become self-supporting instead of costing them money forever after they'd mismanaged them for a century or more. Panama is an exception in not being (ex-)Commonwealth.

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Ian Milne
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Unfortunately the tax laws in most countries allow this to happen legally. Most governments don’t have the appetite or desire to do anything about it - in several instances politicians or their family/friends/associates were some of those who held funds offshore. It’s morally and ethically wrong, but in most cases it complies with national laws.

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Yort
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We ALL already KNEW THAT. It wasn’t some groundbreaking info that rich people dodge taxes. We knew that already. And wtf did you want us to do? Throw them in jail? They all have lawyers.

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#14

Cool

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River Webb
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

who cares about healthcare? what REALLY matters is that our precious overpriced buffalo wings are still available

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The third kind is what Dovydas calls “the post-ironic” approach. “It’s when joking, or rather the act of creating a joke itself, happens just for the sake of self-realization. The person who creates or likes this kind of content can be free from political ideas, or even if one has a particular political view, they don’t have to expect to change something about it.”

According to Dovydas, it’s totally enough to make fun of the world around us to collect a few or a few more likes. “Doomers, who believe that modern capitalism is a sort of dystopia they cannot escape, also fall under this category. This third group can also be named nihilists, pessimists, and post-ironicists.”

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#17

It’s Time To Stop

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Ray Martin
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Damon Tripodi - Nobody likes you Damon. It's not because you're a horrible person, though. It's because you're a horrible person who seems compelled to share his unpleasant opinions about everything.

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#18

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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Sum Guy
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It usually is the rich parents... or having a family to fall back on.

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#19

I Wish We Had A Choice.

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Mewton’s Third Paw
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s literally that simple. Except for me i make the distinction between just capitalism vs unregulated capitalism.

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#21

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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Gurnox
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be fair, I've not got an issue with someone getting a leg up from their parents. I would do it for my kids. It's when the person being helped pulls the ladder up after them, and adopts an 'I'm alright Jack' attitude, that there is a problem.

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#23

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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Paradise
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Trump goes on the show to get some $ to pay his debts. Gets answers wrong, sues the show for being losers and fake. He rightfully won and in fact got the answers right - like "what is the capital of Florida?"and he says Mar a Lago.

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#24

Haha Commercial Money Go Brrr

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Levels of irony
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ye what more do they need like what do they do just make us money defiantly not

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#25

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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River Webb
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

even if a rich person is supernaturally terrorised I still really doubt they'd share

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#28

74 Of The Most Accurate Capitalism Tweets And Jokes That Prove We Already Live In A Dystopia

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Harrison Miller
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That only comes out to 16.82285 billion. Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos is sitting in his $250 million estates counting his billions.

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#33

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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Helen Haley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No kidding. What customer is going through the checkout line throwing hissy fits and elbows because someone is sitting while scanning?

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#34

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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Leo Domitrix
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The internet was made for fun by nerds. Then capitalists charged for access to it. History in a fortune cookie.

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#35

"But People Starve Under Socialism!"

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Sleepyhead
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’d like to ask other countries what they don’t like about the United States, but the people of the United States would say I’m not UnitedStatesan. CUZ MURICA

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#36

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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Troux
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They'll notice when you use that first vacation day and treat you like a slacker. :)

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#40

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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Something
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The thing is, though, the types of socialism that people want aren't even the opposite of capitalism. With the type of mixed economy that exists now, it is actually possible for the system to become both more socialist and more capitalist at the same time.

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#41

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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#42

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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Something
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Communism is also bad though. And unnecessary because there are a lot of other good ideas to solve the problems in the current system.

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#45

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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CatWoman312
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Shh the cancel culture squad might overhear you and declare this offensive

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#47

Fascism vs. Capitalism

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Levels of irony
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow clowny is there to entertain you while you are in serious debt and need to work work and work until your body disnagrates

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#48

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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Julie C Rose
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

New Zealand closes its department stores whenever we go into soft lockdown and also banned online shopping from department stores when we were in our strict lockdown. This gets rid of covid so well that we usually don’t have to deal with the situation this person is describing, but I notice that this is never the kind of solution that people like this are looking for...

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#49

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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Solrac
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, in communist countries you work to make the party oligarchs rich, only they pose as servants of the people.

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#50

Capitalism-Jokes-Tweets

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River Webb
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

what are you talking about? every single one of those generic, harmful, plastic bottles has a unique and original design!

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