I voted "somewhat important" rather than "very important", because I think to some extent this is a symptom, rather than a cause. There are conditions outside the narrow world of formal and electoral politics which favour the worst kind of outcomes within that world, and as long as those conditions remain, that is the kind of outcome we can expect. Of course those politicians then re-inforce the conditions (such as general concentration of wealth, and especially ownership of mass media).
Yeah, I ended up wondering today where Mike Flynn wandered off to. January 6th was in many cases just another test run for such attempts around the world. The craziness in Brazil is part of a growing movement, it seems.
i am SO CURIOUS about the people who are saying “very unimportant.” trolling culture is virtually nonexistent here so far, so, like … are they just really not paying any attention whatsoever? or is it a weirdly translated cry for help borne of psychic trauma and denial, a poll-reply version of screaming “i’m not owned” into the void? genuinely very curious what the dynamic is there.
It's important not just because they'll take over some places and do horrible things but because an environment where authoritarianism seems desirable is not one conducive to creating wealth and technology to solve the problems of the world.
This is among my most responded-to polls, and definitely one of the most lopsided.
I am a strong yes also.
I came of age as the Berlin Wall fell, at the so-called "End of History", when liberal democracy was triumphant and global cooperation seemed inevitable.
I think many people of my generation have had a sense of inevitability about the continued opening of the world. It was a natural progression that would happen on its own.
heard "unfulfilled promise" of Bitcoin...born of 90s internet optimism and a desire to bypass the credit card processors that quickly dominated online commerce...co-opted by libertarian anti-government...uh...morons...
Interestingly it was kind of the opposite for me but that's likely because we traveled a lot and I'm just slightly older than you (and you're just a more optimistic person, or at least a bit less of a disappointed optimist, than I am).
I grew up VERY aware of fascism/authoritarianism and, because we lived and traveled in Europe when I was a kid (Anne Frank's house and diaries made a very big impression on me), very aware of the Holocaust and WW2 (also because my grandfather was a soldier in WW2, though he never talked about that with us kids or to anyone but his army buddies and later my brother). We visited Greece when it was under fascist rule (so there were military in the streets), there was a lot of hijacking of planes at that time so it was the start of the militarization of airports in France, when we flew over Cambodia a military jet escorted the plane, etc. (I found people in uniforms with guns pretty terrifying as a kid, maybe because I'd been woken up by a soldier searching the apartment block we lived in during the FLQ crisis here.)
Growing up with an autho... show more
Interestingly it was kind of the opposite for me but that's likely because we traveled a lot and I'm just slightly older than you (and you're just a more optimistic person, or at least a bit less of a disappointed optimist, than I am).
I grew up VERY aware of fascism/authoritarianism and, because we lived and traveled in Europe when I was a kid (Anne Frank's house and diaries made a very big impression on me), very aware of the Holocaust and WW2 (also because my grandfather was a soldier in WW2, though he never talked about that with us kids or to anyone but his army buddies and later my brother). We visited Greece when it was under fascist rule (so there were military in the streets), there was a lot of hijacking of planes at that time so it was the start of the militarization of airports in France, when we flew over Cambodia a military jet escorted the plane, etc. (I found people in uniforms with guns pretty terrifying as a kid, maybe because I'd been woken up by a soldier searching the apartment block we lived in during the FLQ crisis here.)
Growing up with an authoritarian father contributed to my personal worries about freedom and oppression but so did the election of Reagan and the backlash against Otherness that came with the AIDS crisis. Plus growing up around the fight for abortion rights meant that I was very aware of how fragile women's rights are, though even I didn't realize quite how fragile and quickly we could lose them!
Greg
•Evan Prodromou
•Paul Sutton
•Being ignorant of this rise, just throws open the door unchallenged, once they take hold our ability to challenge will be taken away.
Lyle, a walking haunted house
•Rui Seabra
•publius
•Aviva Gary
•More like one of her Dragons.
Stephen Kellat
•jamie hill 🏴☠️
•Charles J Gervasi ⚡🛡️
•Evan Prodromou
•like jam or bootlaces
•bedknobs and bootstraps
•Charles J Gervasi ⚡🛡️
•oigreslima
•Evan Prodromou
•oigreslima
•Evan Prodromou
•You should definitely do your own poll with the wording you prefer!
oigreslima
•Evan Prodromou
•Mayhawke
•Evan Prodromou
•I am a strong yes also.
I came of age as the Berlin Wall fell, at the so-called "End of History", when liberal democracy was triumphant and global cooperation seemed inevitable.
I think many people of my generation have had a sense of inevitability about the continued opening of the world. It was a natural progression that would happen on its own.
Evan Prodromou
•Many people turn to the comfort of nationalism, or even more restricted loyalties.
The growth of human rights isn't a natural process. We have to work for it. It takes time, energy, and will.
James M.
•Yes, we must not give up despite our disappointment.
John Francis
•Post
•P.S. #FreeJulianAssange
Fifi Lamoura
•I grew up VERY aware of fascism/authoritarianism and, because we lived and traveled in Europe when I was a kid (Anne Frank's house and diaries made a very big impression on me), very aware of the Holocaust and WW2 (also because my grandfather was a soldier in WW2, though he never talked about that with us kids or to anyone but his army buddies and later my brother). We visited Greece when it was under fascist rule (so there were military in the streets), there was a lot of hijacking of planes at that time so it was the start of the militarization of airports in France, when we flew over Cambodia a military jet escorted the plane, etc. (I found people in uniforms with guns pretty terrifying as a kid, maybe because I'd been woken up by a soldier searching the apartment block we lived in during the FLQ crisis here.)
Growing up with an autho... show more
I grew up VERY aware of fascism/authoritarianism and, because we lived and traveled in Europe when I was a kid (Anne Frank's house and diaries made a very big impression on me), very aware of the Holocaust and WW2 (also because my grandfather was a soldier in WW2, though he never talked about that with us kids or to anyone but his army buddies and later my brother). We visited Greece when it was under fascist rule (so there were military in the streets), there was a lot of hijacking of planes at that time so it was the start of the militarization of airports in France, when we flew over Cambodia a military jet escorted the plane, etc. (I found people in uniforms with guns pretty terrifying as a kid, maybe because I'd been woken up by a soldier searching the apartment block we lived in during the FLQ crisis here.)
Growing up with an authoritarian father contributed to my personal worries about freedom and oppression but so did the election of Reagan and the backlash against Otherness that came with the AIDS crisis. Plus growing up around the fight for abortion rights meant that I was very aware of how fragile women's rights are, though even I didn't realize quite how fragile and quickly we could lose them!
Moss-Covered Hermit
•...but I don't want to hear it.