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this post was submitted on 10 Sep 2023
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I always find it telling how authors have to walk on eggshells to even suggest something against the popular narrative, even when it's become so obvious that anyone who bothers to look into it can see the reality. The way this article starts with setting the scene as sort of relaxed, and how the title reads like "We're obviously super great and everything, but is it possible that maybe just this once we're wrong?"
It's the same with the Ukraine conflict. It wasn't until the catastrophic failure of a counterattack that people even began suggesting that it might have been a disaster, or that Ukraine is flawed - at least in more public media - and even then, the earlier stuff starts off so... "Well obviously the Ukrainians are in the right and totally could win, but maybe this was a bad idea".
I don't know, I just find it pretty telling in our freedom-loving society, which values Free Press and Free Speech, that every mainstream journalist acts like they'll get executed if they report something that displeases their masters. I mean, getting fired and blacklisted from a major media outlet would probably serve the same purpose anyway, so...
It's kind of funny how we've now reached a point where the effectiveness of US propaganda is actually starting to become a serious problem for US. Mainstream political discourse has a very narrow Overton window, and anybody who dares voice views that don't fall within the allowed spectrum of opinion is marginalized and silenced. This created a powerful echo chamber where everybody just mindlessly repeats the narrative knowing that saying anything different would be career ending. Naturally, this leads to people drinking their own koolaid because they're never exposed to any contrary views. This kind of environment makes it impossible to pass any rational policy.
It's even wilder when you consider that the gap between the "left" and "right" in the US is closing despite partisanship being fiercer than ever. Both sides are virtually identical at this point, probably more so than any other point in history. Democrats may spout lip service to progressive causes, but don't lift a finger and consistently aid Republican causes. Both parties constantly claim election tampering and the democracy being corrupt, they just disagree on who's responsible. Both support war and corporate power. I'm sure historically the "progressive" party has always been a weak, lying power, but now it feels so bald-faced that I'm amazed anyone can still delude themselves.
The question is, is the US finally going to cross the line and just admit to what they are in some fascist coup, or will the "progressives" accomplish some meager win for human rights at the end and draw millions back into the illusion? I can't tell if it's always been like this and I'm just seeing it for the first time, or if it really is becoming more and more obvious, more unwieldy, closer to collapse.
I think it's pretty likely that there will be some sort of an event like January 6th, that will be used to justify actual fascism in US. Both parties are rapidly militarizing the police and passing draconian laws against protesting and organizing. Much of the state machinery is already in place, and they just need a good excuse to deploy it at this point.
I wouldn't be surprised if they're just waiting for one of the myriad left-leaning orgs to do something like January 6th to justify an anti-communist purge and takeover. Doesn't even have to be actual socialists. It just has to be enough for the media to spin into a justification. I can see it now: every socialist or socdem org being outlawed, any liberal who doesn't become an ardent anti-communist getting arrested for questioning, etc. Finishing what McCarthy started.
After all, all those handy "anti-insurrection" laws didn't come into effect until after the right tried their embarrassing coup. And all of those laws happen to be applicable to any leftist org "trying to overthrow the government". I could see some extremely agitated Antifa action escalating via interference and the media just making it out to be a fullblown takeover. I know people working for the government who swear up and down that Antifa is a highly organized, evil, foreign communist threat because other friends in the government tell them so. It really wouldn't take much convincing.
I love how any leftist movement like Antifa or even right-wing is always blamed on foreigners with the US. Talk about US interference and suddenly it's taking away the agency of the people living in those countries.
Also disturbing and funny how even government workers and officials have the same brainworms as a Facebook grandma.
To ghouls, losing the power and privilege by getting fired/blacklisted probably feels pretty close to an execution. Of course I don't think many of these ghouls have any opinions inside them based enough to get actually executed...for now.
True. But I meant that it feels like an execution. If I were middle-class and could, y'know, relax and enjoy life when I'm not working, I'd probably feel the darkest despair losing a position like that and effectively being blacklisted in the only career field I have experience in. I've always been poor, and am still struggling, still feeling the axe against the neck so to speak. I could only imagine how it must feel to think you're safe and prosperous, only to be thrust down to my position or worse (at least I have a job, and a promising career if I put my mind to it). If you're invested in paying off a house or car, in raising a family or sending a child to a nice school, and suddenly you lose the means to do so, well that just makes it worse.
It's just interesting to see that (on some level) even libs, who think we're so much better and kinder than other countries, recognize they could lose their cushy positions and descend to the level the majority of Americans are at. The fact that they know this implies they're aware of how fucked up it all is, but still they think what they fantasize about other countries doing is worse.