Ruth Ben-Ghiat: What is frightful is a right-wing reaction in America and Europe. The forces of Marine le Pen are powerful in France. The AfD is surprisingly strong in war-chastened Germany, and we don't need new administration personalities (Trump/Musk) encouraging a pro-Nazi resurgence in Germany. Apparently Trump is meeting with Italy's right-wing Giorgia Meloni.
America now intentionally owns its genocidal and lynching past and elects this generation's white supremacists.
"Make America Great Again." Yeah, right.
We each need to focus our opposition on singular issues of humanity.
Mine will be on the human dignity and for due process for each immigrant.
It is unbearable to see the racist rants and racial inflammation from the now mainstreamed extreme right.
This brings violence on innocents.
Not least is the organized violence of Governor Greg Abbott, who on the Rio Grande entangles in military barbed wire a young mom and her little children.
The barbed wire trap in the river does nothing to stop gangs, drug or human trafficking.
But it drowns little children with their mom.
I must support LULAC -- the League of United Latin American Citizens, founded 1929 -- to protect the due process rights and human dignity of each immigrant.
“We each need to focus our opposition on singular issues of humanity.” Such a clear post and good recommendation—for each to focus on particular areas of abuse, corruption or hypocrisy in this devolution worldwide, but particularly American governance—what our government is choosing.
I am with you 100%, especially since I live in El Paso and know what good immigrants bring to our country. no matter where they are from, what their religion is, or what their skin color is. My father was an immigrant who definitely contributed to our country in his work. I will have to look into LULAC.
Who is not an immigrant or their descendent in the USA, is a Native or descendent of a native or someone who was brought against their will. That is what this country has been made of. To understand the right wing reaction against immigrants, which is really a mask and code for non-Whites, see Prof. Kathleen Belew's book Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America. She explains how the US White Supremacists decided to tone down their racist rhetoric to become more politically mainstream and instead complain about immigrants. Of course, no one is saying Melania has to leave or her parents. They might want to get rid of JDVance's wife though. Not clear. Indians are having a new status as Whites, since the definition of being White has changed in history.
The hatred for people south of the border is not the European stemming people, but those who are indigenous or of African heritage, or mixed with either one.
You and I share the core values of human dignity and the protection of each human person, with special care of the most vulnerable in our society, which, for the present, are the immigrants.
The cruelty of Greg Abbott, Stephen Miller, Thomas Homan towards Latino mothers and children is revolting, and we will oppose them.
“Democracy “ … “patriotism” … MAGA’s gift to the world is not only corrupt politics but corrupt language. Common parlance—the right has benumbed us all.
Indeed! Those media outlets that push fascism need to be dismantled. The only reason why Fox and Newsmax didn't get removed was because wealthy elites wanted them to stay. It seems that many media owners want fascism.
“Consistent with their agenda of transforming America into an autocracy”—sadly, I think it has already been transformed … and we’re just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Waiting our fate with bated breath.
We have momentum in a bad direction and it will be difficult to turn it around, especially since MAGA blames the "left" for the degradation of America. This is exactly the kind of hate and division that tRump has promoted. Every fascist leader needs an internal enemy.
Speaking with a tRumper after the election, it was clear that these people live in a fantasy land built by their lunatic hero. Those with FPP (Fantasy Prone Personality) are suckers for fascism.
Way back in 1958, when I was young and totally out of it socially, I could still somehow see that our country was on the wrong track. I felt like I was watching the fall of the Roman Empire. This far out, I have no idea what I was seeing back then, but it's clear that we've been on a bad track for a long time, with very few reprieves.
Dear Dr. Ben-Ghiat. Great analysis of how heroes in other countries stepped forward to block self-coups and insurrections. Unfortunately, the USA was lacking in the commitment to democratic principles that you noted. As the recent history of the decline of American democracy is written, there are four culprits that deserve mention for their instrumental roles:
The Bush crime family, namely George W. and Jeb, for their roles in the Florida voting fraud fiasco
The Supreme Court, for their continued support of decisions that favored the advancement of authoritarian ideals
Mitch McConnell, who owned the political clout to impeach Trump following the January 6, 2021, insurrection
and Merrick Garland, for failure to follow the chain of responsibility in the Oklahoma City bombing and his failure to aggressively, but reasonably, prosecute Trump in a timely manner following the January 6 coup attempt.
Though painful to admit, the three branches of the Federal government have failed the US citizenship during the 21st century.
It is always easy to blame the other guy for whatever we think has gone wrong. The fact is that we are all to some degree at fault here. As a nation, we have failed to instruct ourselves and our children in the full nature of the most extraordinary, most crucial, riskiest, and most complex experiment in human government ever attempted. Such instruction should be a primary focus of our educational system, and we have not done so. We can hardly expect that a nation of voters will consistently defend in the voting booth a system they do not fully understand or the loss of which they cannot fully comprehend.
As much as I hate to say it, I think that Trump 2.0 is a test we need. The man who, among us all, perhaps best understood both the promise and the peril of our Republic put it this way in 1863. “Now we are engaged in a great Civil War, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure”.
Let’s not fool ourselves. The conflict over who we are has been going on in one way or another for nearly as long as we’ve been a country. It began with the initial excursions into party politics, what the Founders called ‘factionalism’ when Jefferson and Monroe inaugurated the Democrat Republicans (I’ve always loved the irony of the name) in order to combat what they thought of as the monarchical aspirations of the Federalists. That split resulted in one of the nastiest presidential campaigns in our history in 1800.
It has blossomed into violence on more than one occasion, starting with the riots over our quasi war with France which resulted in the Adams’ administration's Alien and Sedition Acts, which returned in a slightly different guise during WWI, the internment camps of WWII, and which Trump’s coalition has continued to echo with their talk of ‘enemies within’.
For the next half century and more the conflict was fought largely over slavery (our Original Sin), and echoes of that fight, too have continued into our time. Anyone doubting that didn’t live through the sixties and early seventies.
And let’s not forget that for over half our existence, there was continuing conflict over whether or not to include women in the franchise, a conflict not without its moments of violence.
The industrial violence that arose so strongly during the latter half of the nineteenth century between workers and management was yet another conflict that has continued since.
Well within my lifetime, the violence over the Vietnam War, which seems largely forgotten by younger Americans, at the time loomed very large.
So Trumpism is merely one more in a long series of tests we’ve undergone. It is still, at bottom, about different views of the nation we were designed to be. And until we are far clearer than many of us are about that design and the circumstances of and reasons for our founding, it is likely to continue apace.
I very much agree with what you've said. That said, I'm not sure trump has any view of our nation or what it was designed to be (other than to make him obscenely rich). It's mostly the people he's enabled to carry out whatever programs they want - as long as it makes him richer and keeps him from accountability.
I agree that he’s got no sense of who we were meant to be, nor does he care. But for him it’s not just about wealth (although that’s a large part of it). What he really craves is acceptance, attention and adoration. Without trying to over analyze the business, Trump spent years trying to gain entry into the upper echelons of New York Society and failing. He was always seen as simply a crude, self-promoting parvenue. So much of this is a kind of revenge for years of being rejected. And I suspect he has some serious Daddy issues. I think he is a profoundly unhappy and insecure man. I don’t say that as excusing him from anything. But a man so dedicated to grievance politics doesn’t emerge from nowhere.
His childhood was a total disaster, as documented by Mary Trump. His father, Fred was a sociopath and so is Donald. Agree that he is very insecure but wears a mask of grandiose omnipotence to cover his weakness. He totally rejects society and its norms. He can fake warmth and charisma but has none in reality.
We must become more watchful and aware of what our elected officials are up to. It is part of our responsibility as citizens of this country to protect our democracy. Encouraging civic education and activities in ourselves and others is a start. This year especially, is a perfect opportunity for it. Public libraries, senior centers , school activities can be places for civic activity that will inform others. Think of ways to participate and things to do. Encourage young people to participate in book groups, plays, movies, discussion groups . Girl and boy scouts etc. We must be willing to begin to try and preserve our democracy
These names are figureheads. Gotta dig deeper to their funders, that is where the power lies. It used to be the businesses and industry lobbies, but as the pharmaceutical industry and lobby is finding out, the real power is that of influence and media. Social Networks are now were the majority get their "news" but they are not regulated like TV, radio, and Print.
So Who runs the world? Ian Bremmer is on to something here....and gives a really good TED talk about the power of influence.
An interesting talk, but Mr Bremmer failed to make an essential connection. He talked about Nature v Nurture, which is certainly a long-standing debate at many levels. But the question he asked about how those who control the digital world didn’t take our nature fully into account.
Who are we? Among other characteristics, we are a very parochial species, a trait we brought with us across the boundary from mammal to ape to man. Ethologists call it territoriality, and up until we became human, it was crucial survival mechanism, one of reasons for its genetic strength. Now it has become a curse. We persist in separating ourselves into all sorts of groupings, using any and all criteria we can come up with - sex, race, religious, political, class, wealth, education; you name it, some group has used it to try to distinguish itself from some other group or groups. And ever since at least 4 thousand years ago and probably longer, we’ve periodically fought wars over the boundaries we’ve thus created. The last time we did this resulted in the greatest man-made catastrophe in our history. If we do it again, we may well cease to exist, along with much of this lovely world.
Our digital capacity has geometrically exacerbated this parochialism, and our social media platforms are completely on board with this because it increases their income. Those who control those platforms have no incentive to alter that situation. Appeals to ‘the good of humanity’ have never had much effect on damping down on either the profit motive or that increasingly lethal parochialism.
One remembers English Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey’s remark as pressure mounted for England to enter WWI. “England will act according to her interests”.
His more famous utterance as Europe descended into that maelstrom was and remains a fireball in the night. “The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our life-time".
Digital parochialism is as likely as not to lead to something far more permanent.
I think he makes a great point, the power lies in the ability to influence the masses. Control communication technology for good or bad or for manipulation, and you can control more than actual government leaders can. Destroy the trust in government leadership, which has been happening for decades now. Elon and his Libertarian friends allied with authoritarian regimes is the new Cambridge Analytical on steroids.
Our descent into fascism depends upon the polarization of society into waring tribes, and the rise of a destructive charismatic leader. Yes, social media was one of the primary tools to accomplish this end.
The only positive end in sight I can see for our soon to be dictator is if those who voted for him come face to face with the realization that he lied to them to get their vote. This seems to be happening already according to people posting on X, but will it continue and will those who wake up to this revelation be silenced. Christian Nationalists have provided a support system to him that would need to be revealed as self-serving for their own and not the rest of America. I have "smart" relatives who voted for Trump who didn't and still don't see the threat here. That is very depressing to me.
I enjoyed the zoom meeting last night and look forward to the next. Thank you.
I wonder whether Trump will name himself First Citizen … and SCOTUS will let him, as long as they get final word on how laws are enforced (see the Loper Bright decision.)
So many don’t see the threat and understand what is going on. How prone to believing in a convenient story, a rationalization for wrongdoing or an outright denial of it. How rare is honesty and courage? Until someone comes at you or the ones you care for with a lethal intent? Can we finally overturn this kingdom of fear?
This weekend, Trump hosted Italy’s far-right Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, for dinner at Mar-a-Lago, followed by a screening of a big-lie “documentary” featuring John Eastman — the MAGA lawyer indicted and disbarred for leading Trump’s unlawful efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
They were also joined by several other MAGA sycophants, including Mike Flynn and Rudy Giuliani.
(quote from Dash Dobrovsky of Gen Z Perspective Substack)
How is it that so many Americans have come to a place where they wish destruction on their fellow citizens. I can't wrap my brain around the number of people surrounding a madman and the definition of an idiot who have to know the suffering and pain that is about to hit not only the citizens of this country, but a constitution that has been a model for the world and young democracies, an environment that needs to be healthy and nurtured to survive, wildlife that conservationists, our indigenous brothers/sisters and scientists have now taught us to be stewards of the wildlife and natural wonders on land and in the sea, the millions of people who work hard to raise families and build communities, a healthcare system that is in trouble but has to tools to heal the most vulnerable among us...I could go on. I have been attentive to this creeping oligarchy and authoritarian desire of a few for decades. It's as if the wave has crashed for a few, but my god. There are more people in power who can stop this, with great wealth that can make an impact on diverting this, and elected officials who are there for the majority who want a thriving constitution and democracy. We forget that there are millions of citizens who HAVE ACTIVELY been working to prevent this takeover. A man is about to be sworn in who incited an insurrection, explicitly disqualifying in the constitution!!! I'm not hearing from Democracy warriors who we elected to stop a convicted felon, rapist and treasonous man from being sworn in.
I don't think the legal consequences matter since no one will prosecute. Certainly not the DOJ. Not any state that wants to keep federal funds. And even civil cases will be deferred while he's in office (and for years after).
I hope there's a way the law can be used to enforce consequences, but I've largely given up hope. Good luck
Thank you for this brilliant post. You give me strength because you help me/us see more clearly the ways of the fascist/authoritarian mind, and by understanding that better, we might successfully strategize its demise.
Thank you, Ruth, for educating us on the pathocratic forces at work. From the insecurity and entitlement of wealth and threatened “whiteness” we get abusive power, a power complex that challenges enlightenment ideals and democracy. I hope we can cultivate enduring power.
On her Substack site, Open Windows, the great Ann Telnaes posted the following this afternoon:
With gratitude
I am overwhelmed by the response
I wanted to say how much I appreciate and am sincerely touched by all your notes of support. Because I work on my own and the amount of correspondence received since Friday evening, I’m still wading through all the emails so please have patience with me. I am truly grateful for your encouraging words, the letters written to the Post which you’ve shared with me, and your articulate views about the state of our free press. Thank you also to my fellow substackers for their posts.
My colleagues have been so supportive, for which I am also so very grateful. My wonderful colleague Steve Brodner suggested that other cartoonists create their own version of the killed cartoon, which I’ve included a few below (more to come; please send me yours).
Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of the Charlie Hebdo murders. I’ll post my visual essay on the state of editorial cartooning today so please check back. I’ve also offered cartoonists rights organizations the free use of this piece so if any other press freedom websites would like to post it, please let me know.
I saw a great editorial cartoon by a Dutch cartoonist. It showed the a Washington Post building the sign above the entrance was being changed from "Democracy Dies in Darkness" to "Whatever You Want Jeff". Bezos is walking in with everyone kowtowing to him. Off to the side is a very plain door marked " Exit - cartoonists and reporters this way"
I am disgusted by the lack of action against trump. Given that he has been adjudicated as an insurrectionist, he should not be allowed to take office. It would be easy enough for 20% of democrats in both houses to refuse to certify the electoral votes. But what is also clear is that there may be legitimate fear of violence if they try that. The whole situation is very depressing.
Ruth Ben-Ghiat: I hope you will continue to include in your analyses and discussions the big picture, meaning an international view. What the U.S. is doing in its foreign policy and aid, whether in support of democratic developments and basic human rights, or the support of autocratic developments, states and their actions. Is the US opposing, just standing by, or furthering these developments by what we say and support? Is the rationale that he’s “our friend”, a “real man”, a fellow Jew, Christian or Muslim”—or idealized White Guy, Rich Guy, Tech Bro, ultimate Progressive, or Avatar of stripe. Whomever it is, autocratic orientation and uses of power have taken over. And this devolution that reflects how so many understand, seek and use power. Through painful experience and hindsight mist can learn. But in anticipation, here, in the United States? My answer surprises even me:
We can and will do better—assuredly at the last minute when the wall of real catastrophe is speeding towards us. Why? Because this time a clown is leading us, a TV clown, and our flicker of humor will flare into a light. The false and ridiculous will loom into view, and this time, illumination will register.
What we have needed is both honesty and courage, but these are hard we are too afraid. Humor, however, is a free spirit and it can release us from our oppressions by fear. Let us fan the flame of humorous insight—including by cartoons!
Ruth Ben-Ghiat: What is frightful is a right-wing reaction in America and Europe. The forces of Marine le Pen are powerful in France. The AfD is surprisingly strong in war-chastened Germany, and we don't need new administration personalities (Trump/Musk) encouraging a pro-Nazi resurgence in Germany. Apparently Trump is meeting with Italy's right-wing Giorgia Meloni.
America now intentionally owns its genocidal and lynching past and elects this generation's white supremacists.
"Make America Great Again." Yeah, right.
We each need to focus our opposition on singular issues of humanity.
Mine will be on the human dignity and for due process for each immigrant.
It is unbearable to see the racist rants and racial inflammation from the now mainstreamed extreme right.
This brings violence on innocents.
Not least is the organized violence of Governor Greg Abbott, who on the Rio Grande entangles in military barbed wire a young mom and her little children.
The barbed wire trap in the river does nothing to stop gangs, drug or human trafficking.
But it drowns little children with their mom.
I must support LULAC -- the League of United Latin American Citizens, founded 1929 -- to protect the due process rights and human dignity of each immigrant.
“We each need to focus our opposition on singular issues of humanity.” Such a clear post and good recommendation—for each to focus on particular areas of abuse, corruption or hypocrisy in this devolution worldwide, but particularly American governance—what our government is choosing.
Cecelia Blair: Thank you so much for your generosity.
My heart is broken for the violence, division and racial hatred.
When the iron fist of the Government is clenched against an immigrant mom and her little children, we must act.
We will oppose;
We will protest;
We will speak;
We will be heard;
We will be seen;
We will persevere!
I am with you 100%, especially since I live in El Paso and know what good immigrants bring to our country. no matter where they are from, what their religion is, or what their skin color is. My father was an immigrant who definitely contributed to our country in his work. I will have to look into LULAC.
Susan Stone: As a displaced Tucsonan (now living in a suburb of Memphis to be near grandkids), I LOVE El Paso.
You express a good, caring spirit.
Keep strong.
We can only do so much, each, but there are millions of us, and little bits of light from each in opposition can help bring goodness.
Who is not an immigrant or their descendent in the USA, is a Native or descendent of a native or someone who was brought against their will. That is what this country has been made of. To understand the right wing reaction against immigrants, which is really a mask and code for non-Whites, see Prof. Kathleen Belew's book Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America. She explains how the US White Supremacists decided to tone down their racist rhetoric to become more politically mainstream and instead complain about immigrants. Of course, no one is saying Melania has to leave or her parents. They might want to get rid of JDVance's wife though. Not clear. Indians are having a new status as Whites, since the definition of being White has changed in history.
The hatred for people south of the border is not the European stemming people, but those who are indigenous or of African heritage, or mixed with either one.
Linda Weide: You are right on all counts.
You and I share the core values of human dignity and the protection of each human person, with special care of the most vulnerable in our society, which, for the present, are the immigrants.
The cruelty of Greg Abbott, Stephen Miller, Thomas Homan towards Latino mothers and children is revolting, and we will oppose them.
“Democracy “ … “patriotism” … MAGA’s gift to the world is not only corrupt politics but corrupt language. Common parlance—the right has benumbed us all.
We need to start making America sane again.
Making America (and the world) sane again requires turning off the disinformation/propaganda machine.
Indeed! Those media outlets that push fascism need to be dismantled. The only reason why Fox and Newsmax didn't get removed was because wealthy elites wanted them to stay. It seems that many media owners want fascism.
“Consistent with their agenda of transforming America into an autocracy”—sadly, I think it has already been transformed … and we’re just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Waiting our fate with bated breath.
We have momentum in a bad direction and it will be difficult to turn it around, especially since MAGA blames the "left" for the degradation of America. This is exactly the kind of hate and division that tRump has promoted. Every fascist leader needs an internal enemy.
Speaking with a tRumper after the election, it was clear that these people live in a fantasy land built by their lunatic hero. Those with FPP (Fantasy Prone Personality) are suckers for fascism.
Why am I not delighted at having a ringside opportunity to watch the fall of an empire?
Way back in 1958, when I was young and totally out of it socially, I could still somehow see that our country was on the wrong track. I felt like I was watching the fall of the Roman Empire. This far out, I have no idea what I was seeing back then, but it's clear that we've been on a bad track for a long time, with very few reprieves.
1958?
What happened then to created that unease?
Living history … avoid the rewrite.
Dear Dr. Ben-Ghiat. Great analysis of how heroes in other countries stepped forward to block self-coups and insurrections. Unfortunately, the USA was lacking in the commitment to democratic principles that you noted. As the recent history of the decline of American democracy is written, there are four culprits that deserve mention for their instrumental roles:
The Bush crime family, namely George W. and Jeb, for their roles in the Florida voting fraud fiasco
The Supreme Court, for their continued support of decisions that favored the advancement of authoritarian ideals
Mitch McConnell, who owned the political clout to impeach Trump following the January 6, 2021, insurrection
and Merrick Garland, for failure to follow the chain of responsibility in the Oklahoma City bombing and his failure to aggressively, but reasonably, prosecute Trump in a timely manner following the January 6 coup attempt.
Though painful to admit, the three branches of the Federal government have failed the US citizenship during the 21st century.
It is always easy to blame the other guy for whatever we think has gone wrong. The fact is that we are all to some degree at fault here. As a nation, we have failed to instruct ourselves and our children in the full nature of the most extraordinary, most crucial, riskiest, and most complex experiment in human government ever attempted. Such instruction should be a primary focus of our educational system, and we have not done so. We can hardly expect that a nation of voters will consistently defend in the voting booth a system they do not fully understand or the loss of which they cannot fully comprehend.
As much as I hate to say it, I think that Trump 2.0 is a test we need. The man who, among us all, perhaps best understood both the promise and the peril of our Republic put it this way in 1863. “Now we are engaged in a great Civil War, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure”.
Let’s not fool ourselves. The conflict over who we are has been going on in one way or another for nearly as long as we’ve been a country. It began with the initial excursions into party politics, what the Founders called ‘factionalism’ when Jefferson and Monroe inaugurated the Democrat Republicans (I’ve always loved the irony of the name) in order to combat what they thought of as the monarchical aspirations of the Federalists. That split resulted in one of the nastiest presidential campaigns in our history in 1800.
It has blossomed into violence on more than one occasion, starting with the riots over our quasi war with France which resulted in the Adams’ administration's Alien and Sedition Acts, which returned in a slightly different guise during WWI, the internment camps of WWII, and which Trump’s coalition has continued to echo with their talk of ‘enemies within’.
For the next half century and more the conflict was fought largely over slavery (our Original Sin), and echoes of that fight, too have continued into our time. Anyone doubting that didn’t live through the sixties and early seventies.
And let’s not forget that for over half our existence, there was continuing conflict over whether or not to include women in the franchise, a conflict not without its moments of violence.
The industrial violence that arose so strongly during the latter half of the nineteenth century between workers and management was yet another conflict that has continued since.
Well within my lifetime, the violence over the Vietnam War, which seems largely forgotten by younger Americans, at the time loomed very large.
So Trumpism is merely one more in a long series of tests we’ve undergone. It is still, at bottom, about different views of the nation we were designed to be. And until we are far clearer than many of us are about that design and the circumstances of and reasons for our founding, it is likely to continue apace.
I very much agree with what you've said. That said, I'm not sure trump has any view of our nation or what it was designed to be (other than to make him obscenely rich). It's mostly the people he's enabled to carry out whatever programs they want - as long as it makes him richer and keeps him from accountability.
I agree that he’s got no sense of who we were meant to be, nor does he care. But for him it’s not just about wealth (although that’s a large part of it). What he really craves is acceptance, attention and adoration. Without trying to over analyze the business, Trump spent years trying to gain entry into the upper echelons of New York Society and failing. He was always seen as simply a crude, self-promoting parvenue. So much of this is a kind of revenge for years of being rejected. And I suspect he has some serious Daddy issues. I think he is a profoundly unhappy and insecure man. I don’t say that as excusing him from anything. But a man so dedicated to grievance politics doesn’t emerge from nowhere.
His childhood was a total disaster, as documented by Mary Trump. His father, Fred was a sociopath and so is Donald. Agree that he is very insecure but wears a mask of grandiose omnipotence to cover his weakness. He totally rejects society and its norms. He can fake warmth and charisma but has none in reality.
We must become more watchful and aware of what our elected officials are up to. It is part of our responsibility as citizens of this country to protect our democracy. Encouraging civic education and activities in ourselves and others is a start. This year especially, is a perfect opportunity for it. Public libraries, senior centers , school activities can be places for civic activity that will inform others. Think of ways to participate and things to do. Encourage young people to participate in book groups, plays, movies, discussion groups . Girl and boy scouts etc. We must be willing to begin to try and preserve our democracy
What they are up to and where they get their campaign funding from.
These names are figureheads. Gotta dig deeper to their funders, that is where the power lies. It used to be the businesses and industry lobbies, but as the pharmaceutical industry and lobby is finding out, the real power is that of influence and media. Social Networks are now were the majority get their "news" but they are not regulated like TV, radio, and Print.
So Who runs the world? Ian Bremmer is on to something here....and gives a really good TED talk about the power of influence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiUPD-z9DTg
An interesting talk, but Mr Bremmer failed to make an essential connection. He talked about Nature v Nurture, which is certainly a long-standing debate at many levels. But the question he asked about how those who control the digital world didn’t take our nature fully into account.
Who are we? Among other characteristics, we are a very parochial species, a trait we brought with us across the boundary from mammal to ape to man. Ethologists call it territoriality, and up until we became human, it was crucial survival mechanism, one of reasons for its genetic strength. Now it has become a curse. We persist in separating ourselves into all sorts of groupings, using any and all criteria we can come up with - sex, race, religious, political, class, wealth, education; you name it, some group has used it to try to distinguish itself from some other group or groups. And ever since at least 4 thousand years ago and probably longer, we’ve periodically fought wars over the boundaries we’ve thus created. The last time we did this resulted in the greatest man-made catastrophe in our history. If we do it again, we may well cease to exist, along with much of this lovely world.
Our digital capacity has geometrically exacerbated this parochialism, and our social media platforms are completely on board with this because it increases their income. Those who control those platforms have no incentive to alter that situation. Appeals to ‘the good of humanity’ have never had much effect on damping down on either the profit motive or that increasingly lethal parochialism.
One remembers English Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey’s remark as pressure mounted for England to enter WWI. “England will act according to her interests”.
His more famous utterance as Europe descended into that maelstrom was and remains a fireball in the night. “The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our life-time".
Digital parochialism is as likely as not to lead to something far more permanent.
I think he makes a great point, the power lies in the ability to influence the masses. Control communication technology for good or bad or for manipulation, and you can control more than actual government leaders can. Destroy the trust in government leadership, which has been happening for decades now. Elon and his Libertarian friends allied with authoritarian regimes is the new Cambridge Analytical on steroids.
Our descent into fascism depends upon the polarization of society into waring tribes, and the rise of a destructive charismatic leader. Yes, social media was one of the primary tools to accomplish this end.
The only positive end in sight I can see for our soon to be dictator is if those who voted for him come face to face with the realization that he lied to them to get their vote. This seems to be happening already according to people posting on X, but will it continue and will those who wake up to this revelation be silenced. Christian Nationalists have provided a support system to him that would need to be revealed as self-serving for their own and not the rest of America. I have "smart" relatives who voted for Trump who didn't and still don't see the threat here. That is very depressing to me.
I enjoyed the zoom meeting last night and look forward to the next. Thank you.
I wonder whether Trump will name himself First Citizen … and SCOTUS will let him, as long as they get final word on how laws are enforced (see the Loper Bright decision.)
All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than other ...huh?
I and my many followers send a hearty woof-woof and raise our paws to you!
One has to ask: Had the Maduro coup failed in Venezuela, would he have sought to share quarters with Elon Musk at Mar-a-Lago?
So many don’t see the threat and understand what is going on. How prone to believing in a convenient story, a rationalization for wrongdoing or an outright denial of it. How rare is honesty and courage? Until someone comes at you or the ones you care for with a lethal intent? Can we finally overturn this kingdom of fear?
I was wondering what happened to Flynn.
Speaking of far-right parties
This weekend, Trump hosted Italy’s far-right Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, for dinner at Mar-a-Lago, followed by a screening of a big-lie “documentary” featuring John Eastman — the MAGA lawyer indicted and disbarred for leading Trump’s unlawful efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
They were also joined by several other MAGA sycophants, including Mike Flynn and Rudy Giuliani.
(quote from Dash Dobrovsky of Gen Z Perspective Substack)
How is it that so many Americans have come to a place where they wish destruction on their fellow citizens. I can't wrap my brain around the number of people surrounding a madman and the definition of an idiot who have to know the suffering and pain that is about to hit not only the citizens of this country, but a constitution that has been a model for the world and young democracies, an environment that needs to be healthy and nurtured to survive, wildlife that conservationists, our indigenous brothers/sisters and scientists have now taught us to be stewards of the wildlife and natural wonders on land and in the sea, the millions of people who work hard to raise families and build communities, a healthcare system that is in trouble but has to tools to heal the most vulnerable among us...I could go on. I have been attentive to this creeping oligarchy and authoritarian desire of a few for decades. It's as if the wave has crashed for a few, but my god. There are more people in power who can stop this, with great wealth that can make an impact on diverting this, and elected officials who are there for the majority who want a thriving constitution and democracy. We forget that there are millions of citizens who HAVE ACTIVELY been working to prevent this takeover. A man is about to be sworn in who incited an insurrection, explicitly disqualifying in the constitution!!! I'm not hearing from Democracy warriors who we elected to stop a convicted felon, rapist and treasonous man from being sworn in.
A man is about to be sworn in who's hand on the Bible should burn as did Hester Prynne's scarlet letter on her breast.
We should attend the inauguration in mourning garb. I might go as Emma Lazarus.
Love the idea of him bursting I to flames for lying under oath
I’m been researching the legal consiquences of giving a false oath. I’ll keep you posted.
I don't think the legal consequences matter since no one will prosecute. Certainly not the DOJ. Not any state that wants to keep federal funds. And even civil cases will be deferred while he's in office (and for years after).
I hope there's a way the law can be used to enforce consequences, but I've largely given up hope. Good luck
Thank you for this brilliant post. You give me strength because you help me/us see more clearly the ways of the fascist/authoritarian mind, and by understanding that better, we might successfully strategize its demise.
Thank you, Ruth, for educating us on the pathocratic forces at work. From the insecurity and entitlement of wealth and threatened “whiteness” we get abusive power, a power complex that challenges enlightenment ideals and democracy. I hope we can cultivate enduring power.
Which of Six Power Types Will You Embody and Support? | Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-pacific-heart/202209/which-of-six-power-types-will-you-embody-and-support
On her Substack site, Open Windows, the great Ann Telnaes posted the following this afternoon:
With gratitude
I am overwhelmed by the response
I wanted to say how much I appreciate and am sincerely touched by all your notes of support. Because I work on my own and the amount of correspondence received since Friday evening, I’m still wading through all the emails so please have patience with me. I am truly grateful for your encouraging words, the letters written to the Post which you’ve shared with me, and your articulate views about the state of our free press. Thank you also to my fellow substackers for their posts.
My colleagues have been so supportive, for which I am also so very grateful. My wonderful colleague Steve Brodner suggested that other cartoonists create their own version of the killed cartoon, which I’ve included a few below (more to come; please send me yours).
Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of the Charlie Hebdo murders. I’ll post my visual essay on the state of editorial cartooning today so please check back. I’ve also offered cartoonists rights organizations the free use of this piece so if any other press freedom websites would like to post it, please let me know.
I saw a great editorial cartoon by a Dutch cartoonist. It showed the a Washington Post building the sign above the entrance was being changed from "Democracy Dies in Darkness" to "Whatever You Want Jeff". Bezos is walking in with everyone kowtowing to him. Off to the side is a very plain door marked " Exit - cartoonists and reporters this way"
I am disgusted by the lack of action against trump. Given that he has been adjudicated as an insurrectionist, he should not be allowed to take office. It would be easy enough for 20% of democrats in both houses to refuse to certify the electoral votes. But what is also clear is that there may be legitimate fear of violence if they try that. The whole situation is very depressing.
Ruth Ben-Ghiat: I hope you will continue to include in your analyses and discussions the big picture, meaning an international view. What the U.S. is doing in its foreign policy and aid, whether in support of democratic developments and basic human rights, or the support of autocratic developments, states and their actions. Is the US opposing, just standing by, or furthering these developments by what we say and support? Is the rationale that he’s “our friend”, a “real man”, a fellow Jew, Christian or Muslim”—or idealized White Guy, Rich Guy, Tech Bro, ultimate Progressive, or Avatar of stripe. Whomever it is, autocratic orientation and uses of power have taken over. And this devolution that reflects how so many understand, seek and use power. Through painful experience and hindsight mist can learn. But in anticipation, here, in the United States? My answer surprises even me:
We can and will do better—assuredly at the last minute when the wall of real catastrophe is speeding towards us. Why? Because this time a clown is leading us, a TV clown, and our flicker of humor will flare into a light. The false and ridiculous will loom into view, and this time, illumination will register.
What we have needed is both honesty and courage, but these are hard we are too afraid. Humor, however, is a free spirit and it can release us from our oppressions by fear. Let us fan the flame of humorous insight—including by cartoons!