For the record.
Fuck Israel.
And fuck it’s supporters and enablers, too.
Really helps you get a new level of respect for Muhammed Ali who was actually a massive celebrity on the right side of history.
It’s been interesting. It’s a real life answer to, “But how did the Nazis gain power?”
It’s also terrifying.
Never again!!!
What’s even sadder than the quote is the fact that it’s not true. Some people will never make an about face, even if they should because they have nothing to lose 10 or 20 years from now.
Take a look at Vietnam or the Iraq War. How many people who supported those when they happened or in the decade after they happened later went public and admitted that they got it wrong? Some people did, but many never would. Part of that is their identity. They never cared about the loss of life, and they never will, but they do care about signaling to their allies what’s important.
“When the lights turned on, everyone was in the resistance from the very beginning”
- a German comedian whose name I forgot
“When the lights turned on, everyone was in the resistance from the very beginning”
This pretty much explains my feelings about the Jojo Rabbit movie.
Been saying this is exactly what will happen with Trump if he loses again. Watch people start backpedaling in the next few years, saying they weren’t really a big fan.
They were never big fans. Most Republican voters support Trump for the same reason Democrats support Biden. He’s their colored guy.
The analogy of Trump is insanely ironic as the real analogy should be “Blue MAGA Democrats will come out and say they never supported Biden/Harris” who are doing the current Genocide.
That’s what we expected when Biden won in 2020, then Jan 6 happened and Trump is running again. There’s an implication that things will gradually return to some 2007/2008 status quo (which was also very polarized) and right-wing extremism will simmer down. But there’s no reason for it, no cultural forces for it. Right now there’s no reason to think another Trump or someone worse won’t take up the mantle of owning the libs by grifting the right.
I’m pretty sure Paul Ryan will come out of his rock when Trump time is over. He stepped down as speaker because he knew the shit storm was coming.
It’s what will happen if he wins again.
watching this situation play out in real time in my life with pictures and videos all over social media and a majority of people hating it, but looking the other way and supporting leaders who enable it anyways makes me suspect that this his how all genocides takes place; the ruling classes lets it happen and they’re enabled by their own liberals & conservatives masses.
Its a behavioral problem within hierarchical social structures. These things happened long before we had conservatives and liberals. Its an issue with how we structure our societies to “follow those at the top”. When the top wants to murder and pillage, historically they dont have a hard time convincing the lower strata to cooperate.
You’ve hit the nail on the head. A mix of propaganda, whataboutism, and short attention spans creates social intractability. Manufacturing Consent by Noam Chomsky is a good media criticism book that speaks to this if anyone is curious.
i’ve been reluctant to read up on chomsky’s works due to his response about visiting epstein’s child fuck island (tldr: he said it’s none of your business).
it diminishes his legacy and makes me wonder if his work is truly inspired or just high quality rantings of a smart man.
Inventing Reality by Michael Parenti is basically the same book.
i haven’t heard of this one; thank you
That’s definitely fucked up. That said, the book was a collaboration with another economist, Edward Herman. So it isnt entirely his work. It is still generally used as a text in economics and sociology programs across the world.
i’m aware of it and it’s on my list; just lower in priority due to the epstein update.
Shit. That’s very disappointing. This is my first time hearing about it. Guess I’m glad I listened to Understanding Power through alternative means
never meet your heros, i guess
The Epstein update absolutely made me think less of him as a person, no exceptions should be made for that kind of shit. That said, his work on foreign policy like Manufacturing Consent, On Palestine, and Consequences of Capitalism are all extremely detailed and well done.
Gotta separate the art from the artist. And if you don’t want to give that person money because they’re terrible, pirate their stuff.
I understand when that just isn’t possible, however. I’ll never be able to enjoy The Cosby Show again, for example.
Shout out to Library Genesis and Used Book Copies. Sometimes the audiobook are free on an Audible subscription, but I’m not sure how the money flows for that one
i don’t think anyone doubts that it’s well done.
I don’t see why his behaviour should have any correlation with the technical merits of his book. With that said, I haven’t actually read it yet (it’s on my list)
only in that he benefits from it; i think.
Just out of curiosity, what’s your take on the war in Ukraine?
it’s a nation whose ruling class wants to change it’s old hegemony for a new one that’s genociding gazans and the old hegemony has the means to force them to stay through a war and the new hegemony is using it’s wealth to help that nation’s ruling class achieve its goals by providing weaponry; logistics; and experience for that war.
Yeah… I figured you were going to say something like this. And what’s your opinion about the Uyghur genocide?
a country’s ruling class is disenfranchising a ethnic group in every way possible for social, political & financial means.
Again… figured that’s what you were going to say. So how are different from the people you’re referring to in your original comment? You use a buzz word like “disenfranchising” instead of persecute or suppress which could ultimately be perceived as turning a blind eye to the issues. So how are you different?
i’m no different and we’re all the same where it matters.
a tiny portion of us are lucky to have more wealth and education; but we’re all human beings with the same foibles and blind spots. those lucky ones sometimes decide that their own desires outweigh others rights and they use their wealth to work with other like minded individuals and we end up w genocides as a result; among other things.
So you’re wealthy?
This right here.
When we stop being afraid of the fuck ups who are doing this, we can stop it from ever happening again. Unfortunately the population is ruled by fear, bread, and circus.
