It has been fascinating to watch over the last decade as I have become steadily more extreme Right Wing™
Of course, my principles haven't changed much at all. But (classical) libertarian views on things like freedom of speech, individual responsibility, and even freedom itself are seen as being "far-right" positions these days.
But, as many have pointed out, the battleground isn't really left vs right, it's about authoritarianism vs individual freedoms. There has been a very successful, and long-running, propaganda campaign to equate 'right wing', of even the slightest hue, as being somehow immoral.
You vill have nothing, even your own views. And you vill eat ze bugs.
Great post, as usual, el Gato. But I especially wanted to thank you for pointing out that fascism is a far LEFT ideology. It drives me nuts that 99 percent of people in general, and every single imbecilic media talking head, equates fascism with conservatism run amok, somehow.
I don’t think people should trust any politician. All politicians seem to be technocrats using the culture war to gain power. When will a politician come along who says the government doesn’t have the power to impose that solution but here are some possible suggestions based on my experience. The only politician I might trust is one who doesn’t have a Twitter account.
“Meloni has described Moscow’s invasion as an “unacceptable large scale act of war by Putin’s Russia against Ukraine” and advocates sending weapons to the government in Kyiv.” Yep, another NATO supporter cleverly using the divide caused by a cultural war to advance A nuclear one.
That CBS "news" clip was amazing. I have almost as much contempt for reporters who've discarded ethics and objectivity as I do for the people at the helm of this move towards totalitarianism. Once (if?) this insanity breaks, I would make it mandatory that only thrice-divorced, chain-smoking, extraordinarily cynical 55+ yo men be reporters.
Very interesting! I voted to leave the EU precisely because of Brussels and the unaccountable people like Ursula!
Not that it's made much difference to things in the UK though.
Depressingly, I really doubt the People of the western democracies will be doing any rising up in the near future. Most people really just don't care. Don't care who's in charge. Don't care who's watching them. Don't care what they're told to do. So long as they have a bit of money on the app/in the bank/in the wallet, the holiday to somewhere sunny, the takeaways, the TV reality. That'll do. They take their medicine, do what's required, don't really give it much thought. By the time they realise, it will be too late and they will sigh and go back to eating pizza whilst watching some reality crap on TV.
I think the frustration many of us have trying to reason with the crowd shouting out "fascist"& "neo-nazi" is they are all social media educated. They do not have an actual education nor the depth to reason with. All they have is a talking point and a loud platform. It is literally the pot calling the kettle black. But if we tell them that - we are racist bc we said black or kettle or something. The divide in the country is widening and soon (it is here) it will be home schooled vs. Government indoctrination schooling. One will be able to critically think and the other will just be able to regurgitate the next talking point. Gato keep teaching!! We need an El Gato kids addition (TM).
The best part of the current left is their sheer incompetence at what they do. Each of them is such a bumbling fool that sometimes it feels like the right actively encourages them to get on a platform so they can open their mouths and confirm their stupidity to the world.
Yet there are apparently huge numbers of people who increasingly look to the state to run their lives for them. Social welfare and state handouts have become a way of life for far too many and the state creates each crisis to drive even more citizens into dependency, psychologically and financially.
With high dependency comes enslavement and relinquishing of freedoms as the state imposes limits and restrictions with no real accountability. eg net zero, online harms bill etc etc.
Communism and fascism are competing forms of socialism. The former has direct government control of the means of production. The latter has government control of those who own the means of production. Communists and fascists do not like each other. Those who call themselves 'Antifa' are communists.
Great essay. Isn't it funny how reality makes so much sense once someone explains it clearly?
On the "history rhyming" bit ... There's a theory that society predictably swings between extremes of individualism ("Me") and collectivism ("We"). According to this theory, we're at the halfway point of the 40-year "We" cycle, which is when the ideals of connection and togetherness all start to go terribly wrong, devolving into oppression and witch-hunts.
If the new upcoming female prime minister were from the centre or even better, a leftie or greenie then MSM would be full of bedtime cute stories how this new woke princess is such a sophisticated and educated pioneer for women's rights globally. Supposedly a real fountain of wisdom and virtues with studio quality and airbrushed posing photos.
Now it is nothing like, they choose the worst photo they can find and then titles like "Grandkid of Mussolini", "Democracy is broken in Italy", "Dangerous roads ahead for Italy". HA HA HA!
It looks like we have a long way down to go yet. Ursula is talking about just now beginning to use the tools she has to make people suffer to get what she wants. Power mad fools like her are in place everywhere and you ain't seen nothing yet. All of Stalin, Hitler, and Mao's children are out there playing their licks. They will wield their power for destruction to get their kicks. (Apologies to Bob Seger.) The results will be the same but on a world wide scale, because there's no place to run and no 1940s America to come save us.
Articles like this will be essential for the rebuilding of civilization, but it all has to come crashing down first. Power will not be given up willingly. TINVOWOOT. It can either be wrested away by force or withered away by collapse. There is no force capable of wresting power away because the people are too divided.
It has been fascinating to watch over the last decade as I have become steadily more extreme Right Wing™
Of course, my principles haven't changed much at all. But (classical) libertarian views on things like freedom of speech, individual responsibility, and even freedom itself are seen as being "far-right" positions these days.
But, as many have pointed out, the battleground isn't really left vs right, it's about authoritarianism vs individual freedoms. There has been a very successful, and long-running, propaganda campaign to equate 'right wing', of even the slightest hue, as being somehow immoral.
You vill have nothing, even your own views. And you vill eat ze bugs.
Great post, as usual, el Gato. But I especially wanted to thank you for pointing out that fascism is a far LEFT ideology. It drives me nuts that 99 percent of people in general, and every single imbecilic media talking head, equates fascism with conservatism run amok, somehow.
I don’t think people should trust any politician. All politicians seem to be technocrats using the culture war to gain power. When will a politician come along who says the government doesn’t have the power to impose that solution but here are some possible suggestions based on my experience. The only politician I might trust is one who doesn’t have a Twitter account.
"i certainly do not agree with all of meloni’s policies or principles, but i can also certainly see how she has come to prominence"
So can I. She joined the Aspen Institute in 2021 (Gates Foundation funded) and was skilfully managed into place.
“Meloni has described Moscow’s invasion as an “unacceptable large scale act of war by Putin’s Russia against Ukraine” and advocates sending weapons to the government in Kyiv.” Yep, another NATO supporter cleverly using the divide caused by a cultural war to advance A nuclear one.
That CBS "news" clip was amazing. I have almost as much contempt for reporters who've discarded ethics and objectivity as I do for the people at the helm of this move towards totalitarianism. Once (if?) this insanity breaks, I would make it mandatory that only thrice-divorced, chain-smoking, extraordinarily cynical 55+ yo men be reporters.
Very interesting! I voted to leave the EU precisely because of Brussels and the unaccountable people like Ursula!
Not that it's made much difference to things in the UK though.
Depressingly, I really doubt the People of the western democracies will be doing any rising up in the near future. Most people really just don't care. Don't care who's in charge. Don't care who's watching them. Don't care what they're told to do. So long as they have a bit of money on the app/in the bank/in the wallet, the holiday to somewhere sunny, the takeaways, the TV reality. That'll do. They take their medicine, do what's required, don't really give it much thought. By the time they realise, it will be too late and they will sigh and go back to eating pizza whilst watching some reality crap on TV.
I think the frustration many of us have trying to reason with the crowd shouting out "fascist"& "neo-nazi" is they are all social media educated. They do not have an actual education nor the depth to reason with. All they have is a talking point and a loud platform. It is literally the pot calling the kettle black. But if we tell them that - we are racist bc we said black or kettle or something. The divide in the country is widening and soon (it is here) it will be home schooled vs. Government indoctrination schooling. One will be able to critically think and the other will just be able to regurgitate the next talking point. Gato keep teaching!! We need an El Gato kids addition (TM).
The best part of the current left is their sheer incompetence at what they do. Each of them is such a bumbling fool that sometimes it feels like the right actively encourages them to get on a platform so they can open their mouths and confirm their stupidity to the world.
cant they get some different people for a change ... ONLY nazis or kids of nazis ??? nobody else there???
Yet there are apparently huge numbers of people who increasingly look to the state to run their lives for them. Social welfare and state handouts have become a way of life for far too many and the state creates each crisis to drive even more citizens into dependency, psychologically and financially.
With high dependency comes enslavement and relinquishing of freedoms as the state imposes limits and restrictions with no real accountability. eg net zero, online harms bill etc etc.
Communism and fascism are competing forms of socialism. The former has direct government control of the means of production. The latter has government control of those who own the means of production. Communists and fascists do not like each other. Those who call themselves 'Antifa' are communists.
Great essay. Isn't it funny how reality makes so much sense once someone explains it clearly?
On the "history rhyming" bit ... There's a theory that society predictably swings between extremes of individualism ("Me") and collectivism ("We"). According to this theory, we're at the halfway point of the 40-year "We" cycle, which is when the ideals of connection and togetherness all start to go terribly wrong, devolving into oppression and witch-hunts.
https://dystopianliving.substack.com/p/pendulum-explains-why-society-predictably
Right / Left is utterly meaningless and childish tribalism. There are no principles or standards, just endless flipfloping and name calling.
Is it a coincidence that the popular terminology used to describe is the most basic non-descript polarity? Leave the left / right delusion behind.
If the new upcoming female prime minister were from the centre or even better, a leftie or greenie then MSM would be full of bedtime cute stories how this new woke princess is such a sophisticated and educated pioneer for women's rights globally. Supposedly a real fountain of wisdom and virtues with studio quality and airbrushed posing photos.
Now it is nothing like, they choose the worst photo they can find and then titles like "Grandkid of Mussolini", "Democracy is broken in Italy", "Dangerous roads ahead for Italy". HA HA HA!
It looks like we have a long way down to go yet. Ursula is talking about just now beginning to use the tools she has to make people suffer to get what she wants. Power mad fools like her are in place everywhere and you ain't seen nothing yet. All of Stalin, Hitler, and Mao's children are out there playing their licks. They will wield their power for destruction to get their kicks. (Apologies to Bob Seger.) The results will be the same but on a world wide scale, because there's no place to run and no 1940s America to come save us.
Articles like this will be essential for the rebuilding of civilization, but it all has to come crashing down first. Power will not be given up willingly. TINVOWOOT. It can either be wrested away by force or withered away by collapse. There is no force capable of wresting power away because the people are too divided.