Re: <nettime> the silence on the rising fascism

[Joseph Rabie via nettime-l <nettime-l@lists.nettime.org>]

> Le 28 déc. 2023 à 05:55, Brian Holmes <bhcontinentaldrift@gmail.com> a écrit :
> 
> Humanity is something that no one simply has by nature. Humanity is something that one must strive for, recover, repair, remake in every generation. There are no "just wars" - that is a self-serving and dangerous illusion. The only dignity is to break the silence in one's own self, and use the tragic consciousness of unjust violence and murder most foul as a force for ceasefire and negotiation.


A question, that this seems to point in the direction of, is that of leadership and its worthiness. Sometimes I think that if we want true peace and generalised wellbeing, the first step would be to get rid of the politicians.

An adjoining question is that concerning the need or even ardent desire of social groups to be led.

Considering it a given to have to choose a leader, or accept one being imposed, to whom one is willing to cede all personal responsibility. The job of leadership should be to conduct the affairs of society for the benefit of all, not simply “make the trains run on time”. But we invariably get  leaders who impose their agenda, ideology, personal ambition and desire for domination. And expect everyone to march to their tune, which so many do, eagerly. Leaders who usually do a terrible job, at least as far as the common good is concerned. More so as they are beholden to the interests of their backers, which effectively become their own.

Donald Trump could never succeed without the blank check written him by the Republican Party, its congress women and men, its senators. The mechanism of obedience that he imposes over these people, guaranteeing his own advancement, is terrifying. It is difficult to believe that their support for Trump is sincere, given what he represents. More likely cynicism in order to bolster their own position, or fear of losing it if they become the target for his ire.

So now the world awaits his possible return, meshing into the rising authoritarian zeitgeist that is throttling the world - one might say to safeguard capitalism’s stranglehold over a brutalised planet? How does one break out of such a nefarious cycle? How is it that such leaders fascinate and win the support of such large parts of their populations?

Where are the Mandelas, those who bring wisdom to the job and truly represent human decency?

Joe.



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