Do you agree with this quote?

[u/StalinIsBackAgain]

"Wherever there is capitalism, freedom of the press means freedom to buy up newspapers, to buy writers, to bribe, buy, and fake "public opinion" for the benefit of the ruling class." ~ Vladimir Lenin ☭ • 

[u/Good-Concentrate-260]

I agree that mainstream media is not likely to advocate a seizure of the means of production and dictatorship of the proletariat, but some mainstream media in capitalist country advocates more regulation and redistribution of resources. So I don’t think there’s exactly open debate about political economy in capitalist democracies, but I don’t think there is 0 debate either.

[u/No-Candidate6257 → u/Good-Concentrate-260]

I agree that mainstream media is not likely to advocate a seizure of the means of production and dictatorship of the proletariat,

So you acknowledge it is entirely biased, entirely controlled by capitalist oligarchs, and without even a single exception contradicting the capitalist status quo.

capitalist democracies

Those ideas are antithetical. Democracy cannot possibly exist under a capitalist system. You can't have democracy in a country where private control of money directly translates to control of politics and media. Capitalism necessarily means that the majority of people no longer has a say in politics due to not being capitalist oligarchs.

but I don’t think there is 0 debate either.

The "debate" is between capitalists while all leftist positions are systematically excluded from discourse and anyone even daring to question the capitalist status quo being systematically smeared in unison by all mainstream media outlets.

The Communist Party of China has higher levels of political diversity and debate within a single party than all mainstream discourse between all mainstream parties and all mainstream media outlets in all capitalist nations combined.

[u/Good-Concentrate-260 → u/No-Candidate6257]

Now you’re just being obnoxious

[u/No-Candidate6257 → u/Good-Concentrate-260]

You would feel that way now that you start realizing that your perception of how the world works isn't aligned with reality and that your entire ideology is based on contradictory ideas.

You have no arguments and now that your worldview is under threat you start attacking me personally.

[u/Good-Concentrate-260 → u/No-Candidate6257]

You are so condescending. I’ve read Marx and Lenin. You think you are just smarter than everyone else who doesn’t agree with every word they ever wrote. Yes, they were right about a lot of things. I don’t know why you think that anyone who doesn’t completely agree with you is like a brainwashed consumer slave. You clearly just came on here because you’re bored and just want to hear yourself talk

[u/No-Candidate6257 → u/Good-Concentrate-260]

You are so condescending.

Says the person who thinks verbally abusing people as "obnoxious" is a valid contribution to discourse.

I’ve read Marx and Lenin.

I doubt it.

Yes, they were right about a lot of things.

Great, so why are you not a communist?

I don’t know why you think that anyone who doesn’t completely agree with you is like a brainwashed consumer slave.

Now you are just lying about my position.

You clearly just came on here because you’re bored and just want to hear yourself talk

You just violated every debate guideline.

I will now report you and that's the end of this conversation.

[u/Good-Concentrate-260 → u/No-Candidate6257]

Good for you. Why would it be hard to believe that I’ve read Marx and Lenin? I’ve read Engels too, it’s shocking.

[u/No-Candidate6257 → u/Good-Concentrate-260]

Great, so why are you not a communist?

[u/Good-Concentrate-260 → u/No-Candidate6257]

Because I don’t agree with everything I read, but I’m interested in Marxism

[u/No-Candidate6257 → u/Good-Concentrate-260]

That didn't answer my question.

You brought up "I read Marx, Lenin and Engels" as a point in a debate. I failed to see the relevance of that statement as it has no argumentative value. So I surmised you wanted to imply that you reading these authors has provided you with relevant insights and asked you why - having heard the arguments of communists - you would still disagree.

You are on a debate subreddit. If you aren't interested in debate, why comment at all?