- cross-posted to:
- politicalmemes@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- politicalmemes@lemmy.world
If you think you can actually radicalise liberals you probably haven’t tried talking to them during an election year.
It’s much easier to de-extremify (or even radicalise) a fascist than a liberal, and the reason why is pretty clear to me now - liberals are far, far more invested in the maintenance of the status quo than the rank-and-file fascist is.
“It’s much easier to de-extremify (or even radicalise) a fascist than a liberal, and the reason why is pretty clear to me now - liberals are far, far more invested in the maintenance of the status quo than the rank-and-file fascist is.”
This is super interesting to me, because it simultaneously challenges my assumptions while making intuitive sense. I don’t have any experience trying to de-extremify a fascist, but what you describe feels plausible
There’s a good reason why overtly fascist regimes rely on much, much more overt and direct forms of censorship than liberal ones - it is far easier to throw a spanner into the logic machinery.
The problem with liberals is that liberal propaganda starts making more and more sense the higher up in the working class’ class structure you go - a well-to-do lawyer from an upper-working-class family is going to be far more invested in the capitalist status quo than a hot-dog salesperson who is struggling to pay the rent. The more invested somebody is in the status quo, the more their logic will shield them from critiques of said status quo. Where you sit is where you stand… like the German quote goes.
There’s a distinct class thing going on here which we on the left has completely ignored - you can just hear it in the way liberals talk about people lower down the economic pecking order. Just see how upper-middle class folks talk about the “hillbillies” and “inbreds” that (supposedly) all voted for Trump.
You can’t radicalize a liberal during the worst fucking time to radicalize a liberal. Libs have their hearts in the right place but believe in the system, fascists understand the system is fucked and take the worst possible position in response. Fascists can be converted reasonably quickly but are much easier to convert back. Liberals need you to convince them, and it’ll be slow, and they’ll resist and they’ll probably stay where you leave them.
I don’t want the people more committed to radicalism nearly as much as I want the people more committed to ethics.
You can’t radicalize a liberal during the worst fucking time to radicalize a liberal.
So when is the correct time to radicalise them? When they’re asleep? You know, like they are as long as there’s a lib in the Waffle House?
Libs have their hearts in the right place but believe in the system
How can your heart be in the right place if you believe in the status quo?
Fascists can be converted reasonably quickly
I said it was easier - not quick.
Liberals need you to convince them
They can’t be convinced - and that’s not just my opinion.
they’ll probably stay where you leave them.
I’m afraid not - liberals are perfectly easy to reel back in. The very function of liberalism is to co-opt radical ideas and make them subservient to the status quo - to play the political carrot as opposed to the political stick (the latter being what they keep fascists around for).
I want the people more committed to ethics.
How can you trust people’s ethics when they can be so easily convinced of that which is utterly unethical?
They’re smug too
deleted by creator
Covering my edge with some off color comedy a la Robert Evans to get people on my side.
I dunno, kinda feels to me that liberalism has lost so the polite thing to do would be to give them a dose of reality that could very well save their lives


