See, almost all of that, I agree with. Pretty much the only part I disagree with is “whose inherent contradictions guarantee a descent into fascism no matter what.” The existence of strong structural forces which tend towards fascism doesn’t guarantee that they will win. There are plenty of historical examples of countries subject to the exact same universal structural forces resisting fascism. And, refusing to engage at all with any part of the system or try to work to make things better makes that descent quite a lot more likely.
I’d be interested to hear about these countries subject to the exact same universal structural forces resisting fascism, because I don’t think many other countries had millions of dollars flowing in from their foreign rivals propping up fascism over decades to make sure that it grows and takes root.
True. One of the essential tenets of the way the US government was supposed to be structured was free press and an educated populace, so that the decisions they’re making when they vote can be the right ones. What we have right now is so laughably far removed from that, that I’m a little bit surprised it’s survived this far before the collapse. I actually think Trump and the catastrophe that’s coming is a perfectly predictable result of how we’ve structured media and education in this country, and certainly having skilled and well-funded bad actors trying to wreck the whole thing also hasn’t been helping.
IOW we’re fucked. I wish I saw a happy ending somewhere.
See, almost all of that, I agree with. Pretty much the only part I disagree with is “whose inherent contradictions guarantee a descent into fascism no matter what.” The existence of strong structural forces which tend towards fascism doesn’t guarantee that they will win. There are plenty of historical examples of countries subject to the exact same universal structural forces resisting fascism. And, refusing to engage at all with any part of the system or try to work to make things better makes that descent quite a lot more likely.
I’d be interested to hear about these countries subject to the exact same universal structural forces resisting fascism, because I don’t think many other countries had millions of dollars flowing in from their foreign rivals propping up fascism over decades to make sure that it grows and takes root.
True. One of the essential tenets of the way the US government was supposed to be structured was free press and an educated populace, so that the decisions they’re making when they vote can be the right ones. What we have right now is so laughably far removed from that, that I’m a little bit surprised it’s survived this far before the collapse. I actually think Trump and the catastrophe that’s coming is a perfectly predictable result of how we’ve structured media and education in this country, and certainly having skilled and well-funded bad actors trying to wreck the whole thing also hasn’t been helping.
IOW we’re fucked. I wish I saw a happy ending somewhere.