I think it’s even more severe than that. I think in the American version, each of them places their own individual selves on top of their own little hierarchy (whether white or not or whatever), and everyone else is in the “no rights” group. That’s why they booed Trump when he talked about the vaccine instead of suddenly falling into line 1984-style behind the new idea. That’s why they were genuinely confused by the capitol police fighting back against them – you hear over and over again in videos people saying things like “We’re on your side” to the cops, like they genuinely expected the cops in the capitol building to suddenly turn around and become part of the mob that was in their mind “the good guys.”
IDK, maybe it was always that way. But I feel like with classical fascism there was some kind of genuine awareness of the reality of what they were asking for. Say whatever you want about Hitler; he was in the infantry, he saw quite a lot of combat, he wasn’t scared of physical confrontation. Trump talks a big game but he mostly pussies out if it comes to any kind of real confrontation, and his followers are inspired likewise. Look at the tiny size of the post-January-6th rallies in support of Trump; his movement is still dangerous because a lot of them have appetite for doing anonymous violent things, but for the most part they don’t seem like they’re down for street fighting or going to prison or things that might come right back at them.
I think it’s even more severe than that. I think in the American version, each of them places their own individual selves on top of their own little hierarchy (whether white or not or whatever), and everyone else is in the “no rights” group. That’s why they booed Trump when he talked about the vaccine instead of suddenly falling into line 1984-style behind the new idea. That’s why they were genuinely confused by the capitol police fighting back against them – you hear over and over again in videos people saying things like “We’re on your side” to the cops, like they genuinely expected the cops in the capitol building to suddenly turn around and become part of the mob that was in their mind “the good guys.”
IDK, maybe it was always that way. But I feel like with classical fascism there was some kind of genuine awareness of the reality of what they were asking for. Say whatever you want about Hitler; he was in the infantry, he saw quite a lot of combat, he wasn’t scared of physical confrontation. Trump talks a big game but he mostly pussies out if it comes to any kind of real confrontation, and his followers are inspired likewise. Look at the tiny size of the post-January-6th rallies in support of Trump; his movement is still dangerous because a lot of them have appetite for doing anonymous violent things, but for the most part they don’t seem like they’re down for street fighting or going to prison or things that might come right back at them.