Zombiepirate @ Zombiepirate @lemmy.world

Proud anti-fascist & bird-person

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From They Thought They Were Free, the Germans 1933-45:

Because the mass movement of Nazism was nonintellectual in the beginning, when it was only practice, it had to be anti-intellectual before it could be theoretical. What Mussolini’s official philosopher, Giovanni Gentile, said of Fascism could have been better said of Nazi theory: “We think with our blood.” Expertness in thinking, exemplified by the professor, by the high-school teacher, and even by the grammar-school teacher in the village, had to deny the Nazi views of history, economics, literature, art, philosophy, politics, biology, and education itself.

Thus Nazism, as it proceeded from practice to theory, had to deny expertness in thinking and then (this second process was never completed), in order to fill the vacuum, had to establish expert thinking of its own—that is, to find men of inferior or irresponsible caliber whose views conformed dishonestly or, worse yet, honestly to the Party line. The nonpolitical pastor satisfied Nazi requirements by being nonpolitical. But the nonpolitical schoolmaster was, by the very virtue of being nonpolitical, a dangerous man from the first. He himself would not rebel, nor would he, if he could help it, teach rebellion; but he could not help being dangerous—not if he went on teaching what was true. In order to be a theory and not just a practice, National Socialism required the destruction of academic independence.

In the years of its rise the movement little by little brought the community’s attitude toward the teacher around from respect and envy to resentment, from trust and fear to suspicion. The development seems to have been inherent; it needed no planning and had none. As the Nazi emphasis on nonintellectual virtues (patriotism, loyalty, duty, purity, labor, simplicity, “blood,” “folk-ishness”) seeped through Germany, elevating the self-esteem of the “little man,” the academic profession was pushed from the very center to the very periphery of society. Germany was preparing to cut its own head off. By 1933 at least five of my ten friends (and I think six or seven) looked upon “intellectuals” as unreliable and, among these unreliables, upon the academics as the most insidiously situated.

I think we have a slight difference in terms: Biden is not and will never be a leftist. Same with the majority of the Democratic party.

Sure, he's a liberal but liberalism is not a leftist ideology— it's the scaffolding for capitalism.

This is not to say that there is no difference between the Democrats and Republicans (there is a huge difference), but Maher punches left with the same enthusiasm with which he punches right.

He's not on the same level as someone like Hannity or Carlson, but he's always arguing to sell out vulnerable groups— something that the Democrats do constantly without electoral gains to show for it.

I know OP used the word liberal, but I disagree with that characterization: he is a liberal, a "small c" conservative. I was going for brevity, but maybe I should have clarified there.

Took you all morning to think of that gem, huh?

Being a Nazi apologist must consume all of your brainpower.

Exactly this.

He's a transphobic misogynist who only tolerates people under 30 because he wants to fuck them.

He's a hateful, bitter man who thinks he's a free-speech-warrior because he gives fascist freaks like Milo Yiannopoulos and Roger Stone a megaphone from which to spout their reactionary garbage with minimal pushback.

And he doesn't see anything wrong with the genocide in Palestine; in fact, he seems to be a big fan.

Reactionary ideology is all about protecting privilege by demonizing marginalized people. They believe in zero-sum rights and privileges: in their view, expansion of rights for another group inherently means a loss of rights for them.

Oh, I appreciate the heads-up, but I'm well aquatinted with this particular reactionary.

I just think it's important to point out that he's a Nazi apologist; I don't really expect a coherent answer.

What power did he really have?

You're just repeating reactionary talking points, not really a surprise.

He was also one of the most well known of "Trump's men." Here's a hint: each STATE decided whether they would shut things down or not.

Hey, what do we call Nazi apologists?

Fauci isn't a Nazi kleptocrat who is trying to dismantle the administrative state.

Reactionaries sure love to play dumb, huh?

Hey, what do we call Nazi apologists?

So that begs the question: what is this all about?

Wrecking the economy so billionaires can buy up infrastructure at fire-sale prices?

Says the guy who pretends Musk didn't do a Nazi salute.

Oh, I forgot every single comment has to be about how to stop fascism!

Glad you told us how in your post.

Thanks for gracing us with such a smart comment. Sounds like I touched a nerve.

I wasn't looking for advice, and so I don't really care what you have to say, which is why I deleted my comment to debate bro above.

Find another mission.

Fuck every fascist forever, and I don't need the "tut tuts" of moderates. Anger is a very useful motivating emotion, and I'm never letting this fire burn out.

Intentionally so, so spare me more of your condescension.

What kind of music are you into and what do you play?

IMSLP has a ton of stuff.

I always thought it was a Nintendo thing first.

it is incorrect to place the blame on any individual droplet

No, they each made the individual choice to back a fascist.

Absolving them of that responsibility is the same infantilizing condescension that liberal media has been pushing for a decade now.

You don't get to tell me how to feel about those who made the people I love unsafe, and I don't owe a single one of those fascist bastards forgiveness.

I'll never forgive the people who worked to put this fascist in power again.

Oh, agreed.

I'm just saying that white nationalists try to claim Jesus, too.

Normally I'd agree with you.

But so many Americans are pretty goddamned stupid.

"You know, I've given her her due. Just because it makes you feel uncomfortable doesn't mean it has to change," Kelly said. "Jesus was a white man, too. It's like we have, he's a historical figure that's a verifiable fact, as is Santa, I just want kids to know that. How do you revise it in the middle of the legacy in the story and change Santa from white to black?"