More serious, though, I kinda think this demonstrates how unhelpful “fascist” is as a political description in the 21st century. Like, what makes you something, what makes you a liberal or a socialist or a conservative or a fascist isn’t just what you think or believe. It’s how you act, what you do, that actually makes you something. So, if you look at most US americans… they aren’t really anything more than Workers on the clock and Consumers off the clock. They believe and think all sorts of things (fully contradictory things, often enough), but until any of those thoughts or beliefs translate to real action, they may as well not exist.
But when we talk and type about these things, there’s often a more relaxed threshold; “a communist believes in more bigger government”, “a libertarian is someone who thinks you should be allowed to indentured servitude your offspring”. (I think, for the english speaking world, it’s partly do to an ingrained Protestant culture - what makes you a Christian isn’t necessarily what you do or the community you keep, it’s the personal thoughts and intentions you have that God is always keeping tally of.) If our criteria for “fascist” is simply “thinks/believes X, Y, and Z” then we’re going to be including far more people in that category than if it were action-dependent, like “acts to harm marginalized communities”.
It doesn’t help that the word is being thrown about with a lot more abandon. Liberals will call anyone who votes for Trump fascist. And, like, sure, voting is an action (barely). But I don’t really think my well meaning neighbors who are (rightly) frustrated with the state of things belong in the same political category as skinheads and klan members just because they voted for the funny orange man or repeat some vile talking points they got from cable television.
Mixed feelings on this, but when someone accepts racist arguments and repeats them uncritically…what are you supposed to call them?
For me, the association of MAGA with fascism has 2 key elements.
Fear of and blame on the “other”. Immigrants coming to take your jobs and commit crimes, and “queer commies” brainwashing your kids.
Return to a previous perceived greatness. Make America Great Again, it’s literally in the name.
Idk what to call MAGA except fascism. And people who support fascism are fascists.
Edit: Not to mention incorporating religion into government and control over people’s bodies, which are both things the Dems aren’t quite as fascy about.
Mixed feelings on this, but when someone accepts racist arguments and repeats them uncritically…what are you supposed to call them?
Well, prejudiced or racist always work.
Maybe I’m using the term wrong, but I always thought of fascism as specifically when a government (or group) carries out a campaign of suffering and death on a civilian population. So, when Trump talks about mass deportations, I’d consider that fascist (although I’m skeptical there’s really the will, let alone the capacity, to actually attempt it). When he talks about Making America Great Again, that’s just reactionary talk - it was better in the past, so we are re-enacting the past. Fascism often has reactionary elements, and reaction can be used to justify fascist actions, but they don’t always show up together.
Normally I wouldn’t bother to get pushy about this, but if I’m doin’ time I may as well do the crime:
I still haven’t heard Amber make the kind of bad take that would justify the anger she generates.
Amber.
Amber bot has been stalwartly posting through this
Amber.
shush you
shilling for right wingers while posing as a leftist should allow criticism
More serious, though, I kinda think this demonstrates how unhelpful “fascist” is as a political description in the 21st century. Like, what makes you something, what makes you a liberal or a socialist or a conservative or a fascist isn’t just what you think or believe. It’s how you act, what you do, that actually makes you something. So, if you look at most US americans… they aren’t really anything more than Workers on the clock and Consumers off the clock. They believe and think all sorts of things (fully contradictory things, often enough), but until any of those thoughts or beliefs translate to real action, they may as well not exist.
But when we talk and type about these things, there’s often a more relaxed threshold; “a communist believes in more bigger government”, “a libertarian is someone who thinks you should be allowed to indentured servitude your offspring”. (I think, for the english speaking world, it’s partly do to an ingrained Protestant culture - what makes you a Christian isn’t necessarily what you do or the community you keep, it’s the personal thoughts and intentions you have that God is always keeping tally of.) If our criteria for “fascist” is simply “thinks/believes X, Y, and Z” then we’re going to be including far more people in that category than if it were action-dependent, like “acts to harm marginalized communities”.
It doesn’t help that the word is being thrown about with a lot more abandon. Liberals will call anyone who votes for Trump fascist. And, like, sure, voting is an action (barely). But I don’t really think my well meaning neighbors who are (rightly) frustrated with the state of things belong in the same political category as skinheads and klan members just because they voted for the funny orange man or repeat some vile talking points they got from cable television.
Mixed feelings on this, but when someone accepts racist arguments and repeats them uncritically…what are you supposed to call them?
For me, the association of MAGA with fascism has 2 key elements.
Fear of and blame on the “other”. Immigrants coming to take your jobs and commit crimes, and “queer commies” brainwashing your kids.
Return to a previous perceived greatness. Make America Great Again, it’s literally in the name.
Idk what to call MAGA except fascism. And people who support fascism are fascists.
Edit: Not to mention incorporating religion into government and control over people’s bodies, which are both things the Dems aren’t quite as fascy about.
Well, prejudiced or racist always work.
Maybe I’m using the term wrong, but I always thought of fascism as specifically when a government (or group) carries out a campaign of suffering and death on a civilian population. So, when Trump talks about mass deportations, I’d consider that fascist (although I’m skeptical there’s really the will, let alone the capacity, to actually attempt it). When he talks about Making America Great Again, that’s just reactionary talk - it was better in the past, so we are re-enacting the past. Fascism often has reactionary elements, and reaction can be used to justify fascist actions, but they don’t always show up together.