On Tyranny represents a pretty good guidebook for concrete specific things you can do, well informed by historical research. This interview has a slight introduction to a couple of the main recommendations and the reasons for them.
This poll 2 years ago would not show “revenge” and “dictatorship” as the top answers. We’ve had issues for a while. They’re escalating.
So yes. The escalation to our current level of battshittery is relatively new. Previous answers would have been things like border security, trade deficit, etc. – still stupid but not in the ballpark of where we are today.
I have some great ideas: improve education, reduce inequality, introduce preferential voting.
Seriously though, these problems are occuring the world over. I’m not an anthropologist but IMO the root cause is income inequality. Basically the working class are increasingly dissatisfied and the frustration manifests in very strange ways. There’s no fix for this other than societal collapse as a result of economic, environmental, or societal unrest. This part of the cycle will probably take 300 years or so, depending on the whole climate change thing.
The only way out of this political era has to come from outside this structure of politics, because the two parties in the US consent to the same economic arrangement that causes this problem. MAGA and Trump are a reaction to economic conditions that neither party is going to change, and actually rely on not changing.
You vote: vote every time, every election, from local to federal level. Every time. It’s easy to be cynical about it, throw hands up and say, “nothing I do makes any difference - why bother,” but it matters. The last few elections have made it plain as day that these battles are coming down to small numbers of votes so they all count.
Really feels like MAGA voters themselves are a threat to America. I don’t say that lightly and am willing to be persuaded.
If it really is the case… What do we do about them? They don’t want to be educated on the issues and are immune to shame. What’s left to do?
Economic solutions are preferable to more aggressive options. Any ideas?
You’re just feeling this now…?
On Tyranny represents a pretty good guidebook for concrete specific things you can do, well informed by historical research. This interview has a slight introduction to a couple of the main recommendations and the reasons for them.
This poll 2 years ago would not show “revenge” and “dictatorship” as the top answers. We’ve had issues for a while. They’re escalating.
So yes. The escalation to our current level of battshittery is relatively new. Previous answers would have been things like border security, trade deficit, etc. – still stupid but not in the ballpark of where we are today.
If you think this is new you have not been paying attention which isn’t surprising given where the us is today.
Fascists are a problem, yes
I have some great ideas: improve education, reduce inequality, introduce preferential voting.
Seriously though, these problems are occuring the world over. I’m not an anthropologist but IMO the root cause is income inequality. Basically the working class are increasingly dissatisfied and the frustration manifests in very strange ways. There’s no fix for this other than societal collapse as a result of economic, environmental, or societal unrest. This part of the cycle will probably take 300 years or so, depending on the whole climate change thing.
The only way out of this political era has to come from outside this structure of politics, because the two parties in the US consent to the same economic arrangement that causes this problem. MAGA and Trump are a reaction to economic conditions that neither party is going to change, and actually rely on not changing.
“Put them in camps before they put us in camps” is probably the tactically smart if ethically questionable answer.
This is absolutely the case. Something something self-defense.
You vote: vote every time, every election, from local to federal level. Every time. It’s easy to be cynical about it, throw hands up and say, “nothing I do makes any difference - why bother,” but it matters. The last few elections have made it plain as day that these battles are coming down to small numbers of votes so they all count.
What’s the name of the cave?
The worst part is that a lot of them realize the party is shit, but “both sides” everything.
Given the apparently compounding rates of long COVID in subsequent reinfections, this is a problem that will take care of itself.
Fun fact: Civil War is actually very difficult to participate in if you get winded going up a flight of stairs and have a constant mental fog.