A disturbing read. My hope is that most of the authoritarian cults of personality seem to have emerged and prevailed in states where there was no real tradition of democratic governance. For all of its faults - and there are clearly many - the US has historically had a functioning democracy with effective institutions. My hope/ prayer is that there is sufficient memory within our people of a better way that we will not fully succumb. That the “better angels”will prevail. I have no illusions. I live in a very red community and the 35% or so of people who are fully invested psycho emotionally in the Trump cult are simply not persuadable. But there are those who voted for Trump who I don’t think are fully committed to the cult. I think this is a moment for all of us that want to preserve democratic institutions and American traditions need to make our voice heard. I will be attending a No Kings event in our little red community tomorrow. Not sure what to expect. But the current moment seems existential. As Lincoln said: “We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth”.
What do we call the US now? How about the Orange Make-up Republic? After all, we do not grow bananas here in any significant amount. Or maybe the Bloated Orange State’s of America?
How about OS of A? ('Orbanised States of America'? The Orban blueprint has been markedly adhered to, and should be properly acknowledged: mock the Press; pollute the judiciary; kiss up to the oligarchs; present bigotry as national pride)
America's def. entered into Soft Fascism...how's about SoFa America? Does sound like a comfty state. Something one can just sink into, while being told the Real Truth ( 'what they don't want you to know') by Faux, Salem, Sinclair
Loved your take-down of Curtis Yarvin, my candidate for one of the brrr-iest 'bros' on the planet. Can you do an in-depth featuring 1) some of his more alarming suggestions, such as resolving the problem of the poor in an AI Oligarch ruled society by using the prisons as rendering facilities to turn them into biofuel? and 2) one of your cogent analyses of, eg how he has wormed his way into the psyches of so many of our tech-oriented young men? Gracias, Doctor.
As a political gambit, why not announce the west coast states are meeting to define and establish a new government, brought about by a non-violent rejection of the current government form.
Sometimes I wonder if a parliamentary form might be a better fit, especially with all the factions in the DNC.
We've been told (we live in OR) that people are fleeing the socialist woke world for "freedom." I think the opposite would happen.
I wrote my state congressional rep about leaving the USA and he wrote back to ask if I was serious, and them proceeded to expand on the positive aspects of secession. 😉
“In 2016, I declared I am your voice. Today I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice, and for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution.” CPAC, March 4, 2023. The tools have remained common and effective for thousands of years - from the Egyptian god Set to the Putins and Orbans. What is the antidote?
How about a 7.62mm Nato standard cartridge as an "antidote"? History has amply shown that those strongmen who "live by the sword, die by the sword", or its "termination-with-extreme-prejudice" equivalent.
Yup, we in America—The U S of A—are doomed. Unless. Unless, we stand strong for our true principles, even in the face of danger, and resist. Resist, dear friends, resist as if your life (or way of life) depended on it, because it does. And please do not forget the poor and needy. They will suffer the most, at least initially, until the effects of tyranny catches up to the rest of us.
Brian, given your vast knowledge and studies, perhaps you could follow up this essay with one that addresses how some societies have resisted and defeated wannabe dictators. What works and what doesn’t.
Such a grim read. Especially when it is happening in the country where you live. As a longtime resident of Los Angeles, witnessing the federal usurping of the city and by extent, the State of California, is a scary shock. Authoritarianism is on blatant display here in the US. During Trump's first term, there were still enough of, what I call 'normal' republicans, to provide some guard rails for the derangement. I remember thinking, some, if not most of MAGA, would surely find their way back to reality. You know, there's the Trump at rallies and in interviews which could easily pass as 'kooky' by his endeared but then you have the actual policies and practices which fly in the face of democracy. Unfortunately, sanity has not prevailed. Trump 2.0 is even more aggressively unhinged but this time around, he's surrounded by yes men, and women, who are equally deranged and, in some cases, more so than Trump. If a sitting, democratically elected, US senator can be forcibly removed from a press conference led by the head of homeland security, AND, forced to the ground and handcuffed all while being filmed, any notion of freedom and democracy is well off the radar of the current sitting president along with his MAGA followers. The same folks who read the second amendment as a god given right but turn a blind eye to the first amendment. Where is the states' rights crowd, the 'don't tread on me' guys and the militia movements preparing for federal takeover. The conservative, cut government spending, seem ok with a multi-million dollar birthday parade. Democrat officials by and large are also MIA save for donation requests streaming in. A demagogue, or dictator, in a small african or eastern european nation is one thing but leading arguably the most powerful country on the planet is entirely different. Hopefully the mass protests planned for tomorrow reap some reward.
"...they’re also signalling that they are willing to violate moral principles to obtain power..."
today's GOP, writ large. All declines begin as moral declines. The GOP started realizing, sometime in the 2000's, that they were seen as staid, and 'losing the room', and perhaps from panic. became Colourful, fielding 17 candidates in 2016, and then chosing Most Colourful from that groupling as its nominee. Damn if it didn't actually work. They obtained Power.
They lost Power....but, stayed relevant in the Attention Age, due to trump Stunts. Performance is Power. They've decided to keep each other.
" Don't think, but observe"
- Wittgenstein
That Marx guy opined 'first time through, it's Tragedy; second time around it's Farce'....he was talking 'two Napoleons', but trump 1.0 and 2.0 fit the bill.
The Presidential Brand. Quite simply, it's what many influencers mimic and portray online—complete with merchandise and hype that takes on a cult-like quality. But the internet calls it trending. Sad times, how easily so many are taken in by such hysteria.
A disturbing read. My hope is that most of the authoritarian cults of personality seem to have emerged and prevailed in states where there was no real tradition of democratic governance. For all of its faults - and there are clearly many - the US has historically had a functioning democracy with effective institutions. My hope/ prayer is that there is sufficient memory within our people of a better way that we will not fully succumb. That the “better angels”will prevail. I have no illusions. I live in a very red community and the 35% or so of people who are fully invested psycho emotionally in the Trump cult are simply not persuadable. But there are those who voted for Trump who I don’t think are fully committed to the cult. I think this is a moment for all of us that want to preserve democratic institutions and American traditions need to make our voice heard. I will be attending a No Kings event in our little red community tomorrow. Not sure what to expect. But the current moment seems existential. As Lincoln said: “We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth”.
What do we call the US now? How about the Orange Make-up Republic? After all, we do not grow bananas here in any significant amount. Or maybe the Bloated Orange State’s of America?
How about OS of A? ('Orbanised States of America'? The Orban blueprint has been markedly adhered to, and should be properly acknowledged: mock the Press; pollute the judiciary; kiss up to the oligarchs; present bigotry as national pride)
America's def. entered into Soft Fascism...how's about SoFa America? Does sound like a comfty state. Something one can just sink into, while being told the Real Truth ( 'what they don't want you to know') by Faux, Salem, Sinclair
It has a ring to it, but most MAGA don’t even know who Orban is and it would be lost on them.
Walter Lippmann: “we must keep on hoping that the mob will one day grow intelligent,”
Loved your take-down of Curtis Yarvin, my candidate for one of the brrr-iest 'bros' on the planet. Can you do an in-depth featuring 1) some of his more alarming suggestions, such as resolving the problem of the poor in an AI Oligarch ruled society by using the prisons as rendering facilities to turn them into biofuel? and 2) one of your cogent analyses of, eg how he has wormed his way into the psyches of so many of our tech-oriented young men? Gracias, Doctor.
As a political gambit, why not announce the west coast states are meeting to define and establish a new government, brought about by a non-violent rejection of the current government form.
Sometimes I wonder if a parliamentary form might be a better fit, especially with all the factions in the DNC.
We've been told (we live in OR) that people are fleeing the socialist woke world for "freedom." I think the opposite would happen.
I wrote my state congressional rep about leaving the USA and he wrote back to ask if I was serious, and them proceeded to expand on the positive aspects of secession. 😉
Think of the economic powerhouse we could be; connected to our free trading partners of Canada and Mexico... and Japan, South Korea, Australia, etc.
“In 2016, I declared I am your voice. Today I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice, and for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution.” CPAC, March 4, 2023. The tools have remained common and effective for thousands of years - from the Egyptian god Set to the Putins and Orbans. What is the antidote?
How about a 7.62mm Nato standard cartridge as an "antidote"? History has amply shown that those strongmen who "live by the sword, die by the sword", or its "termination-with-extreme-prejudice" equivalent.
Yup, we in America—The U S of A—are doomed. Unless. Unless, we stand strong for our true principles, even in the face of danger, and resist. Resist, dear friends, resist as if your life (or way of life) depended on it, because it does. And please do not forget the poor and needy. They will suffer the most, at least initially, until the effects of tyranny catches up to the rest of us.
Brian, given your vast knowledge and studies, perhaps you could follow up this essay with one that addresses how some societies have resisted and defeated wannabe dictators. What works and what doesn’t.
Such a grim read. Especially when it is happening in the country where you live. As a longtime resident of Los Angeles, witnessing the federal usurping of the city and by extent, the State of California, is a scary shock. Authoritarianism is on blatant display here in the US. During Trump's first term, there were still enough of, what I call 'normal' republicans, to provide some guard rails for the derangement. I remember thinking, some, if not most of MAGA, would surely find their way back to reality. You know, there's the Trump at rallies and in interviews which could easily pass as 'kooky' by his endeared but then you have the actual policies and practices which fly in the face of democracy. Unfortunately, sanity has not prevailed. Trump 2.0 is even more aggressively unhinged but this time around, he's surrounded by yes men, and women, who are equally deranged and, in some cases, more so than Trump. If a sitting, democratically elected, US senator can be forcibly removed from a press conference led by the head of homeland security, AND, forced to the ground and handcuffed all while being filmed, any notion of freedom and democracy is well off the radar of the current sitting president along with his MAGA followers. The same folks who read the second amendment as a god given right but turn a blind eye to the first amendment. Where is the states' rights crowd, the 'don't tread on me' guys and the militia movements preparing for federal takeover. The conservative, cut government spending, seem ok with a multi-million dollar birthday parade. Democrat officials by and large are also MIA save for donation requests streaming in. A demagogue, or dictator, in a small african or eastern european nation is one thing but leading arguably the most powerful country on the planet is entirely different. Hopefully the mass protests planned for tomorrow reap some reward.
It's totally beyond ridiculous. And, it's absolutely horrific. I hope we're capable of mocking and battling this regime.
"...they’re also signalling that they are willing to violate moral principles to obtain power..."
today's GOP, writ large. All declines begin as moral declines. The GOP started realizing, sometime in the 2000's, that they were seen as staid, and 'losing the room', and perhaps from panic. became Colourful, fielding 17 candidates in 2016, and then chosing Most Colourful from that groupling as its nominee. Damn if it didn't actually work. They obtained Power.
They lost Power....but, stayed relevant in the Attention Age, due to trump Stunts. Performance is Power. They've decided to keep each other.
" Don't think, but observe"
- Wittgenstein
That Marx guy opined 'first time through, it's Tragedy; second time around it's Farce'....he was talking 'two Napoleons', but trump 1.0 and 2.0 fit the bill.
The Presidential Brand. Quite simply, it's what many influencers mimic and portray online—complete with merchandise and hype that takes on a cult-like quality. But the internet calls it trending. Sad times, how easily so many are taken in by such hysteria.
Thanks, Dr Klaas. Is this a process which just happens to dictators or is it consciously striven for in this and other cases?