We’re seeing the slow rise of fascism in the U.S. as surely as the world witnessed this happening in Spain, Germany, and Italy, in the last century. Often things that happen in the U.S. come to Australia some years later. We can only hope that pattern is not repeated in this case.
Fascism is never about the single fanatical leader. It’s about the millions, or tens of millions, of people who find the message seductive. They want someone who hates people who are different, who promotes violence and division, and it’s a great bonus if they are overtly misogynistic. So for me the question comes back to WHY we find these things SO attractive – why are we drawn to hatred, violence, racism, misogyny, etc?
Since this has happened repeatedly throughout recent history, I think we have to decide if it is nature or nurture. Is it inevitable that human beings will find it seductive to follow a dictator and to embrace a platform of fear and anger? Or is the commonality the messages we give children in traditional parenting?
For me, the analysis is pretty simple. We are attracted to what is familiar because it feels comfortable. Why would it feel familiar to have someone more powerful than us tell us what to do?
Where would this familiarity come from? It’s almost the definition of traditional parenting, and in my opinion is why people love to be told what to do (or what is “right” or “wrong”) by someone they perceive as having greater power (fascist leaders, religion/cults, judges, etc .).
On a more subtle level, people are attracted to being told what to do because they don’t trust themselves. People are fearful of anyone who is different because they don’t have a strong sense of their own self worth. And where did they learn not to trust themselves and that they were not worthwhile? Traditional parenting; which is conditional, power based and inherently judgmental.
Fascist leaders in the last century were not seizing power by force; they have been voted in. It is still happening in 2024, and in my view, people are voting for what is comfortable: someone powerful telling them what to do, just like when they were children.
I think this reality can motivate us to resolve to raise our children differently. I believe that children with a strong sense of self-worth and self-trust will not find it seductive to have someone telling them what to do, and will not be attracted to appeals to fear and hatred.
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