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  3. How does fascism happen?

How does fascism happen?

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  • J [email protected]

    I've always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power. Do people not see what is happening? Shouldn't hindsight, foresight and common sense kick in at some point? I used t think they were like mob bosses early on - anyone disagreeing with them ends up in a barrel, but surely were civilized and educated by now?

    It seems the people don't want to jeopardize their comfortable livelihoods and individual lives so expect the 'powerful elected officials' to do their bidding. After all, the public gave them the power to do just that. Otoh, the politicians don't want to jeopardize their cushy jobs and accumulated power by challenging the majority, so are waiting for the public to start a jan6 situation so they can point and say, 'see, the people are unhappy so we should act'.

    It's a shitstorm of no consequences and a man child hacking away at the country and no one seems to be doing anything meaningful. I'm literally watching fascism take place.

    History/ psychology/ sociology majors care to chime in?

    M This user is from outside of this forum
    M This user is from outside of this forum
    [email protected]
    wrote last edited by
    #5

    There's an essay titled "Ur-Fascism" by Eco Umberto. It's available online for free, you can Google it. It might give you some good insight on the subject. It's mandatory reading, imo.

    1 Reply Last reply
    18
    • J [email protected]

      I've always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power. Do people not see what is happening? Shouldn't hindsight, foresight and common sense kick in at some point? I used t think they were like mob bosses early on - anyone disagreeing with them ends up in a barrel, but surely were civilized and educated by now?

      It seems the people don't want to jeopardize their comfortable livelihoods and individual lives so expect the 'powerful elected officials' to do their bidding. After all, the public gave them the power to do just that. Otoh, the politicians don't want to jeopardize their cushy jobs and accumulated power by challenging the majority, so are waiting for the public to start a jan6 situation so they can point and say, 'see, the people are unhappy so we should act'.

      It's a shitstorm of no consequences and a man child hacking away at the country and no one seems to be doing anything meaningful. I'm literally watching fascism take place.

      History/ psychology/ sociology majors care to chime in?

      spankmonkey@lemmy.worldS This user is from outside of this forum
      spankmonkey@lemmy.worldS This user is from outside of this forum
      [email protected]
      wrote last edited by
      #6

      People get frustrated by circumstances they don't necessarily understand. Fascists give them easy targets based on lies that feed the people's prejudice to place their blame, and introduce more and more oppressive social restrictions based on those easy targets while riling up public fears and so on.

      That is how lies about immigrant and minority crime have primed the US populace to be ok with the military occupying the nation's capital based on blatant lies about crime rates.

      J F 2 Replies Last reply
      27
      • J [email protected]

        I've always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power. Do people not see what is happening? Shouldn't hindsight, foresight and common sense kick in at some point? I used t think they were like mob bosses early on - anyone disagreeing with them ends up in a barrel, but surely were civilized and educated by now?

        It seems the people don't want to jeopardize their comfortable livelihoods and individual lives so expect the 'powerful elected officials' to do their bidding. After all, the public gave them the power to do just that. Otoh, the politicians don't want to jeopardize their cushy jobs and accumulated power by challenging the majority, so are waiting for the public to start a jan6 situation so they can point and say, 'see, the people are unhappy so we should act'.

        It's a shitstorm of no consequences and a man child hacking away at the country and no one seems to be doing anything meaningful. I'm literally watching fascism take place.

        History/ psychology/ sociology majors care to chime in?

        F This user is from outside of this forum
        F This user is from outside of this forum
        [email protected]
        wrote last edited by
        #7

        I’ve always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power

        Mate....

        J D thisisamanwhoknowshowtogling@lemmy.dbzer0.comT 3 Replies Last reply
        4
        • J [email protected]

          I've always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power. Do people not see what is happening? Shouldn't hindsight, foresight and common sense kick in at some point? I used t think they were like mob bosses early on - anyone disagreeing with them ends up in a barrel, but surely were civilized and educated by now?

          It seems the people don't want to jeopardize their comfortable livelihoods and individual lives so expect the 'powerful elected officials' to do their bidding. After all, the public gave them the power to do just that. Otoh, the politicians don't want to jeopardize their cushy jobs and accumulated power by challenging the majority, so are waiting for the public to start a jan6 situation so they can point and say, 'see, the people are unhappy so we should act'.

          It's a shitstorm of no consequences and a man child hacking away at the country and no one seems to be doing anything meaningful. I'm literally watching fascism take place.

          History/ psychology/ sociology majors care to chime in?

          F This user is from outside of this forum
          F This user is from outside of this forum
          [email protected]
          wrote last edited by
          #8

          Well you’re in luck because all you have to do is look around because facism is taking hold as we speak

          Y 1 Reply Last reply
          3
          • spankmonkey@lemmy.worldS [email protected]

            People get frustrated by circumstances they don't necessarily understand. Fascists give them easy targets based on lies that feed the people's prejudice to place their blame, and introduce more and more oppressive social restrictions based on those easy targets while riling up public fears and so on.

            That is how lies about immigrant and minority crime have primed the US populace to be ok with the military occupying the nation's capital based on blatant lies about crime rates.

            J This user is from outside of this forum
            J This user is from outside of this forum
            [email protected]
            wrote last edited by
            #9

            I've noted that. Tighten wages, blame the immigrants. Turn sentiment against them, gradually dehumanize them, then use force to ship them out. Apply to group of choice - foreign or domestic. 'Protecting rights' is just a rallying cry and a tool for the politicians.

            F 1 Reply Last reply
            5
            • F [email protected]

              I’ve always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power

              Mate....

              J This user is from outside of this forum
              J This user is from outside of this forum
              [email protected]
              wrote last edited by
              #10

              No really. I'm aware of what's going on right now in the us. Did no one back then see what was happening then either?

              F 1 Reply Last reply
              5
              • J [email protected]

                No really. I'm aware of what's going on right now in the us. Did no one back then see what was happening then either?

                F This user is from outside of this forum
                F This user is from outside of this forum
                [email protected]
                wrote last edited by
                #11

                What have you read?

                J 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • F [email protected]

                  What have you read?

                  J This user is from outside of this forum
                  J This user is from outside of this forum
                  [email protected]
                  wrote last edited by
                  #12

                  Dunno. Trying to make sense of 'mate...'

                  F 1 Reply Last reply
                  5
                  • J [email protected]

                    Dunno. Trying to make sense of 'mate...'

                    F This user is from outside of this forum
                    F This user is from outside of this forum
                    [email protected]
                    wrote last edited by
                    #13

                    If you can't distinguish the two sides of World War Two, it's hard to know where to start. Maybe read an encyclopædia entry.

                    Z 1 Reply Last reply
                    5
                    • J [email protected]

                      I've always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power. Do people not see what is happening? Shouldn't hindsight, foresight and common sense kick in at some point? I used t think they were like mob bosses early on - anyone disagreeing with them ends up in a barrel, but surely were civilized and educated by now?

                      It seems the people don't want to jeopardize their comfortable livelihoods and individual lives so expect the 'powerful elected officials' to do their bidding. After all, the public gave them the power to do just that. Otoh, the politicians don't want to jeopardize their cushy jobs and accumulated power by challenging the majority, so are waiting for the public to start a jan6 situation so they can point and say, 'see, the people are unhappy so we should act'.

                      It's a shitstorm of no consequences and a man child hacking away at the country and no one seems to be doing anything meaningful. I'm literally watching fascism take place.

                      History/ psychology/ sociology majors care to chime in?

                      R This user is from outside of this forum
                      R This user is from outside of this forum
                      [email protected]
                      wrote last edited by
                      #14

                      I recently finished reading The Cult of Trump by Steven Hassan. It’s from 2019 and so depressing with how much has happened since then that’s not accounted for, but it was interesting insight into how people like that can accumulate a following. It might help answer your question.

                      J 1 Reply Last reply
                      5
                      • R [email protected]

                        I recently finished reading The Cult of Trump by Steven Hassan. It’s from 2019 and so depressing with how much has happened since then that’s not accounted for, but it was interesting insight into how people like that can accumulate a following. It might help answer your question.

                        J This user is from outside of this forum
                        J This user is from outside of this forum
                        [email protected]
                        wrote last edited by
                        #15

                        Cool. Will look around for it. Thanks

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        1
                        • F [email protected]

                          If you can't distinguish the two sides of World War Two, it's hard to know where to start. Maybe read an encyclopædia entry.

                          Z This user is from outside of this forum
                          Z This user is from outside of this forum
                          [email protected]
                          wrote last edited by
                          #16

                          Two sides? There were many more.

                          T F 2 Replies Last reply
                          1
                          • F [email protected]

                            I’ve always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power

                            Mate....

                            D This user is from outside of this forum
                            D This user is from outside of this forum
                            [email protected]
                            wrote last edited by
                            #17

                            I wondered how long it would take for a .ml to turn up and contribute absolutely nothing.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            5
                            • J [email protected]

                              I've always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power. Do people not see what is happening? Shouldn't hindsight, foresight and common sense kick in at some point? I used t think they were like mob bosses early on - anyone disagreeing with them ends up in a barrel, but surely were civilized and educated by now?

                              It seems the people don't want to jeopardize their comfortable livelihoods and individual lives so expect the 'powerful elected officials' to do their bidding. After all, the public gave them the power to do just that. Otoh, the politicians don't want to jeopardize their cushy jobs and accumulated power by challenging the majority, so are waiting for the public to start a jan6 situation so they can point and say, 'see, the people are unhappy so we should act'.

                              It's a shitstorm of no consequences and a man child hacking away at the country and no one seems to be doing anything meaningful. I'm literally watching fascism take place.

                              History/ psychology/ sociology majors care to chime in?

                              Z This user is from outside of this forum
                              Z This user is from outside of this forum
                              [email protected]
                              wrote last edited by [email protected]
                              #18

                              Read the little book "The Wave" by Morton Rhue. He showed howit starts, with an impressive little example.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              2
                              • Z [email protected]

                                Two sides? There were many more.

                                T This user is from outside of this forum
                                T This user is from outside of this forum
                                [email protected]
                                wrote last edited by
                                #19

                                Maybe he's not done reading his encyclopedia.

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                1
                                • J [email protected]

                                  I've always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power. Do people not see what is happening? Shouldn't hindsight, foresight and common sense kick in at some point? I used t think they were like mob bosses early on - anyone disagreeing with them ends up in a barrel, but surely were civilized and educated by now?

                                  It seems the people don't want to jeopardize their comfortable livelihoods and individual lives so expect the 'powerful elected officials' to do their bidding. After all, the public gave them the power to do just that. Otoh, the politicians don't want to jeopardize their cushy jobs and accumulated power by challenging the majority, so are waiting for the public to start a jan6 situation so they can point and say, 'see, the people are unhappy so we should act'.

                                  It's a shitstorm of no consequences and a man child hacking away at the country and no one seems to be doing anything meaningful. I'm literally watching fascism take place.

                                  History/ psychology/ sociology majors care to chime in?

                                  I This user is from outside of this forum
                                  I This user is from outside of this forum
                                  [email protected]
                                  wrote last edited by [email protected]
                                  #20

                                  Not the whole answer, but alcohol and other drugs played a large part in the nazi regime (1).

                                  My guess is that authoritarianism, just like drug use, is a response to depression. When you don't (want to) realise the hurt is coming from within, instead you think the world is out to hurt you, then you want more and more control.

                                  J 1 Reply Last reply
                                  3
                                  • J [email protected]

                                    I've always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power. Do people not see what is happening? Shouldn't hindsight, foresight and common sense kick in at some point? I used t think they were like mob bosses early on - anyone disagreeing with them ends up in a barrel, but surely were civilized and educated by now?

                                    It seems the people don't want to jeopardize their comfortable livelihoods and individual lives so expect the 'powerful elected officials' to do their bidding. After all, the public gave them the power to do just that. Otoh, the politicians don't want to jeopardize their cushy jobs and accumulated power by challenging the majority, so are waiting for the public to start a jan6 situation so they can point and say, 'see, the people are unhappy so we should act'.

                                    It's a shitstorm of no consequences and a man child hacking away at the country and no one seems to be doing anything meaningful. I'm literally watching fascism take place.

                                    History/ psychology/ sociology majors care to chime in?

                                    T This user is from outside of this forum
                                    T This user is from outside of this forum
                                    [email protected]
                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #21

                                    Try reading Blackshirts and Reds by Michael Parenti. Early on, it explains how fascism comes to power, who supports it and what can done to resist it.

                                    F 1 Reply Last reply
                                    4
                                    • J [email protected]

                                      I've always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power. Do people not see what is happening? Shouldn't hindsight, foresight and common sense kick in at some point? I used t think they were like mob bosses early on - anyone disagreeing with them ends up in a barrel, but surely were civilized and educated by now?

                                      It seems the people don't want to jeopardize their comfortable livelihoods and individual lives so expect the 'powerful elected officials' to do their bidding. After all, the public gave them the power to do just that. Otoh, the politicians don't want to jeopardize their cushy jobs and accumulated power by challenging the majority, so are waiting for the public to start a jan6 situation so they can point and say, 'see, the people are unhappy so we should act'.

                                      It's a shitstorm of no consequences and a man child hacking away at the country and no one seems to be doing anything meaningful. I'm literally watching fascism take place.

                                      History/ psychology/ sociology majors care to chime in?

                                      O This user is from outside of this forum
                                      O This user is from outside of this forum
                                      [email protected]
                                      wrote last edited by [email protected]
                                      #22

                                      Do you know who Dan Harmon is? Creator of Community and Rick And Morty, IMHO a genius. He had a live podcast named Harmontown where he improvised a history lesson and he came up with this

                                      It explains it all in a more convincing way than any historian could, imho. Besides being funny, he has a deep understanding of what makes humans tick and that's the whole point of how fascism happens

                                      icedraktajino@startrek.websiteI 1 Reply Last reply
                                      1
                                      • F [email protected]

                                        Well you’re in luck because all you have to do is look around because facism is taking hold as we speak

                                        Y This user is from outside of this forum
                                        Y This user is from outside of this forum
                                        [email protected]
                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #23

                                        Its weird because we basically all agree its bad but its happening anyway. I keep feeling like someone should do something, but then like I'm someone and cant really do anything.

                                        Are we all just waiting for someone to do something about it?

                                        P F 2 Replies Last reply
                                        2
                                        • J [email protected]

                                          I've always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power. Do people not see what is happening? Shouldn't hindsight, foresight and common sense kick in at some point? I used t think they were like mob bosses early on - anyone disagreeing with them ends up in a barrel, but surely were civilized and educated by now?

                                          It seems the people don't want to jeopardize their comfortable livelihoods and individual lives so expect the 'powerful elected officials' to do their bidding. After all, the public gave them the power to do just that. Otoh, the politicians don't want to jeopardize their cushy jobs and accumulated power by challenging the majority, so are waiting for the public to start a jan6 situation so they can point and say, 'see, the people are unhappy so we should act'.

                                          It's a shitstorm of no consequences and a man child hacking away at the country and no one seems to be doing anything meaningful. I'm literally watching fascism take place.

                                          History/ psychology/ sociology majors care to chime in?

                                          libb@piefed.socialL This user is from outside of this forum
                                          libb@piefed.socialL This user is from outside of this forum
                                          [email protected]
                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #24
                                          1. Mass of people stop learning/being taught how to deal with their emotions (and frustrations).
                                          2. Instead of being in control of their emotions (it's ok to disagree with anyone, to no like them or not be liked by them, that doesn't mean we should want to kill them or fear them to kill us) they let their emotions control them.
                                          3. They elect the one (who has been pushed forward by highly educated people, mind you) that is promising them all they wish for which, more often than not, revolves around giving them more money/power and a free pass to make hell out of the life of some other group(s) of persons they have long been hating on without any mean to meaningfully hurt them.

                                          Education, or the absence of it, is key im_v_ho.

                                          Which is why, this kind of news should worry and trigger urgent and radical answers from any country in which this happens. I'm not US, I'm French but we have the exact same tragedy that's unfolding here too and, beisde an few individual/isolated attempts, we have an almost exact copy of a total absence of nation-wide reaction. Everything is fine...

                                          (How many US citizens have read the Project 2025? It's a book (not a cheap book, sure but the PDF is officially available for free)? I'm willing to bet not that many, as most people can't be bothered to read at all (they believe scrolling some headlines and tweets, and to have feelings and emotions, is more enough to understand and be the expert they are on absolutely any subject—which is another huge weakness that the lack of of working educative system is helping spread in the general population, one that is over-exploited by highly educated people). And they will even less so be willing to read a 900+ pages brick... even if that book may help them better understand who/what they may be about to vote for.)

                                          Education, self-education at the very least, should be a top priority in a working democracy.

                                          J F 2 Replies Last reply
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