i don’t think it’s so simple as they worship power. i think there’s a very strong inbuilt desire to belong to an “in-group” when you feel insecure and vulnerable
and if unchecked neoliberal capitalism has done anything over the last half century, it’s made average americans feel insecure. financially and emotionally
so sort of the same reason there’s race-based prison gangs is the same reason fascism tends to flare up when the system is going through severe stress. just like when your immune system is weak and the herpes virus manages to break out. we always have fascism possible yet most of the time the immune system is strong enough.
2008 + covid + ukraine + more have left us vulnerable
Fair enough, I agree it is common to go for more authoritative figures during times of stress. Which also creates incentive for authoritative figures to keep the stress factors going. But I think there is also some innate desire in humans to worship powerful figures.
i don’t think it’s so simple as they worship power. i think there’s a very strong inbuilt desire to belong to an “in-group” when you feel insecure and vulnerable
and if unchecked neoliberal capitalism has done anything over the last half century, it’s made average americans feel insecure. financially and emotionally
so sort of the same reason there’s race-based prison gangs is the same reason fascism tends to flare up when the system is going through severe stress. just like when your immune system is weak and the herpes virus manages to break out. we always have fascism possible yet most of the time the immune system is strong enough.
2008 + covid + ukraine + more have left us vulnerable
Fair enough, I agree it is common to go for more authoritative figures during times of stress. Which also creates incentive for authoritative figures to keep the stress factors going. But I think there is also some innate desire in humans to worship powerful figures.