Being called a fascist
Big word trigger warning Palingenetic ultranationalism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palingene ... ationalism
There is this thing about fascism to do with being like the sherriff come to clean up this town, only in a militant fashion on steroids, a very urgent requirement to cleanse and regenerate the streets and society via persecution of whichever scapegoat is targeted.
I have read no books about fascism, but just looking at the net found that there was some kind of fascist international conference in france before WW2. They could not agree on who to persecute.
There were no representatives from Germany, Italy or Spain, and another international conference was not held.
Anyway, George Orwell was complaining in the 40s that the word fascist had come to mean merely someone that one did not like, and it appears to have persisted in that meaning.
Umberto Eco provides a pretty clear take on what defines fascism.
https://www.openculture.com/2016/11/umb ... scism.html
The cult of tradition. “One has only to look at the syllabus of every fascist movement to find the major traditionalist thinkers. The Nazi gnosis was nourished by traditionalist, syncretistic, occult elements.”
The rejection of modernism. “The Enlightenment, the Age of Reason, is seen as the beginning of modern depravity. In this sense Ur-Fascism can be defined as irrationalism.”
The cult of action for action’s sake. “Action being beautiful in itself, it must be taken before, or without, any previous reflection. Thinking is a form of emasculation.”
Disagreement is treason. “The critical spirit makes distinctions, and to distinguish is a sign of modernism. In modern culture the scientific community praises disagreement as a way to improve knowledge.”
Fear of difference. “The first appeal of a fascist or prematurely fascist movement is an appeal against the intruders. Thus Ur-Fascism is racist by definition.”
Appeal to social frustration. “One of the most typical features of the historical fascism was the appeal to a frustrated middle class, a class suffering from an economic crisis or feelings of political humiliation, and frightened by the pressure of lower social groups.”
The obsession with a plot. “Thus at the root of the Ur-Fascist psychology there is the obsession with a plot, possibly an international one. The followers must feel besieged.”
The enemy is both strong and weak. “By a continuous shifting of rhetorical focus, the enemies are at the same time too strong and too weak.”
Pacifism is trafficking with the enemy. “For Ur-Fascism there is no struggle for life but, rather, life is lived for struggle.”
Contempt for the weak. “Elitism is a typical aspect of any reactionary ideology.”
Everybody is educated to become a hero. “In Ur-Fascist ideology, heroism is the norm. This cult of heroism is strictly linked with the cult of death.”
Machismo and weaponry. “Machismo implies both disdain for women and intolerance and condemnation of nonstandard sexual habits, from chastity to homosexuality.”
Selective populism. “There is in our future a TV or Internet populism, in which the emotional response of a selected group of citizens can be presented and accepted as the Voice of the People.”
Ur-Fascism speaks Newspeak. “All the Nazi or Fascist schoolbooks made use of an impoverished vocabulary, and an elementary syntax, in order to limit the instruments for complex and critical reasoning.”
As a moderator, I will keep treating calling someone "fascist" as an insult. After all calling someone "dumb" is regarded an insult even if one has obviously proven it fits.
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Let's not confuse being normal with being mentally healthy.
<not moderating PPR stuff concerning East Europe>
So let's not bring up the term "free thinking" then when it comes to talking about racism or fascism or even the words.
I am a free/independent-thinker and won't have others define the boundaries of my free-thinking.
This not 1984, and the China*s* haven't invaded Australia.
What happens now?
Congratulations you are a "group thinker" well done.
You are having difficulty with the concept of what "groupthink" is, apparently.
You can dodge this problem by calling something Fascistic, meaning it partakes of some of the qualities of it.
"The word "racism" is like ketchup. It can be put on practically anything - and demanding evidence makes you a "racisr"" Thomas Sowell.
So, when confronted, they can't tell us what they mean?
It makes more sense not to use a word you don't understand the meaning of.
Then why do I get so offended when they call me, or imply, I am a fascist?
Maybe because it is so closely linked to Nazism?
And because it is *meant* as a pejorative.
Here is my advice, if someone just tosses a term at you an have no idea what it means and it is not even related to what you say, that means they looked stupid.
I, like Sheldon Cooper, become unhappy when people are stupid.
I don't want to feel unhappy.
BTW, did I *ask* for your advice?
I am happy to hear your opinion, though.
If they were ignorant, it would be in my right to educate them.
If they were being aggressive/intimidating/manipulative/antisocial/insulting, I would have the right to declare their bad behaviour.
On this forum, what you would be doing here is mocking the person, as opposed to making a joke.
"Mocking" is against the rulz, here on WP.
You are entitled to your opinion.
As am I.
Been there and I have found they don't want to be educated because they see it as "shoving your beliefs into their face" and "forcing it on them."
I had this first experience with my ex and I have encountered this again and again with people online. People now call online haters "trolls."
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Son: Diagnosed w/anxiety and ADHD. Also academic delayed.
Daughter: NT, no diagnoses.
I am never bored.
I was pointing out how some people use the word "fascist" as an insult, and won't clarify why they use it against people.
Insulting people is against WP rulz, I believe.
If not, I am more than willing to insult the person insulting me, if it is allowed.
Is it allowed?
What happens now?
Congratulations you are a "group thinker" well done.
You are having difficulty with the concept of what "groupthink" is, apparently.
You seemed to imply in this thread that group thinking is what people think because others think the same and have you ever considered just because I know of something doesn't mean I am following the crowd or being a sheep, I just happen to have a belief that the majority of the population has or that is socially acceptable to share.
Also I looked up free thinking and it seems to mean not following a religion so by google definition, I am a free thinker because I don't believe in god and don't have a religion.
This not 1984, and the China*s* haven't invaded Australia.
Then you create misunderstandings and change the context of the situation and then you wonder why people accuse you of being something. It's a matter of learning when to not bring things up and when to not mention certain labels or else people get the wrong idea what you are saying. I know from experience.
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Son: Diagnosed w/anxiety and ADHD. Also academic delayed.
Daughter: NT, no diagnoses.
Been there and I have found they don't want to be educated because they see it as "shoving your beliefs into their face" and "forcing it on them."
I had this first experience with my ex and I have encountered this again and again with people online. People now call online haters "trolls."
Firstly, trolls run for the hills when they confront me.
I seriously don't know why.
Secondly, I gain satisfaction in unveiling irrational thinking.
It is enjoyment for me.
Hence, my involvement, whether or not the recipient of my wisdom can appreciate it, is self-satisfactory.
What happens now?
Congratulations you are a "group thinker" well done.
You are having difficulty with the concept of what "groupthink" is, apparently.
You seemed to imply in this thread that group thinking is what people think because others think the same and have you ever considered just because I know of something doesn't mean I am following the crowd or being a sheep, I just happen to have a belief that the majority of the population has or that is socially acceptable to share.
Here is the definition of groupthink.
Hopefully, it will clarify what I mean.
Partisanship is an example of "Groupthink".
There seems to be a lot of it around.
Been there and I have found they don't want to be educated because they see it as "shoving your beliefs into their face" and "forcing it on them."
I had this first experience with my ex and I have encountered this again and again with people online. People now call online haters "trolls."
Firstly, trolls run for the hills when they confront me.
I seriously don't know why.
Secondly, I gain satisfaction in unveiling irrational thinking.
It is enjoyment for me.
Hence, my involvement, whether or not the recipient of my wisdom can appreciate it, is self-satisfactory.
For me trolls run when I ignore them. They are just wanting attention and they go find another random target for a reaction. Unless they are bullying me, that becomes a different story.
_________________
Son: Diagnosed w/anxiety and ADHD. Also academic delayed.
Daughter: NT, no diagnoses.
What happens now?
Congratulations you are a "group thinker" well done.
You are having difficulty with the concept of what "groupthink" is, apparently.
You seemed to imply in this thread that group thinking is what people think because others think the same and have you ever considered just because I know of something doesn't mean I am following the crowd or being a sheep, I just happen to have a belief that the majority of the population has or that is socially acceptable to share.
Here is the definition of groupthink.
Hopefully, it will clarify what I mean.
Partisanship is an example of "Groupthink".
There seems to be a lot of it around.
Also just because people are silent and say nothing does not mean they agree, maybe they just have a contrary opinion and I learned as a young child if you have a different opinion than the majority, you are judged harshly and insulted. As a kid if you didn't care for school buses with green seats, you were stupid. Every kid I knew at school hated those school buses. Talk about kid politics.
Many people struggle with office politics because of kafka traps. If you say nothing, you must disagree with them so you are bad. But you also gotta pretend you agree with them by saying it so you are not bad. I am glad I never had to deal with office politics.
_________________
Son: Diagnosed w/anxiety and ADHD. Also academic delayed.
Daughter: NT, no diagnoses.
You seemed to imply in this thread that group thinking is what people think because others think the same and have you ever considered just because I know of something doesn't mean I am following the crowd or being a sheep, I just happen to have a belief that the majority of the population has or that is socially acceptable to share.
Also I looked up free thinking and it seems to mean not following a religion so by google definition, I am a free thinker because I don't believe in god and don't have a religion.
This is the definition I am using when I use the term "Free-Thinker".
\
Definition of freethinker
: a person who thinks freely or independently : one who forms opinions on the basis of reason independently of authority
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freethinker
This not 1984, and the China*s* haven't invaded Australia.
Actually, if you look at the definition, which I have presented, of the term "Free-Thinker", I have not.
Case close, if it pleases the court.
The topic is about being called a fascist. I mention about rethinking of your actions and you bring up the term free thinking into this. I'll say this again.
This is what I mean by you create misunderstandings then. Case closed. Many people don't care about dictionary definitions and that argument won't go with them when you explain your position.
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Son: Diagnosed w/anxiety and ADHD. Also academic delayed.
Daughter: NT, no diagnoses.
funeralxempire
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It's not an insult if they can't speak.
If right wing populism focused on a charismatic leader is fascism, why can't we call those who espouse it or openly sympathize with literally what they are? Why do we have to adopt euphemisms which they will inevitably end up complaining are also insults at some point in the future?
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there’s no both sidesing a genocide, either you're against it or you're condoning it
戦争ではなく戦争と戦う