Read on Twitter
Ok.
Let's talk about fascism.
If we want to beat this thing, we have to be able to identify its hallmarks & strike at it hard.
And the best place to start is Umberto Eco's 1995 essay simply titled "Ur-Fascism."
So pipe down, strap in, & let's talk about the 14 properties.
Let's talk about fascism.
If we want to beat this thing, we have to be able to identify its hallmarks & strike at it hard.
And the best place to start is Umberto Eco's 1995 essay simply titled "Ur-Fascism."
So pipe down, strap in, & let's talk about the 14 properties.
First: who is Umberto Eco?
Well, he's an Italian philosopher & medievalist, but he also lived through the rise of fascism in Italy when he was a young boy.
So not only does he have the knowledge required to speak on the subject, but also the experience of living through it.
Well, he's an Italian philosopher & medievalist, but he also lived through the rise of fascism in Italy when he was a young boy.
So not only does he have the knowledge required to speak on the subject, but also the experience of living through it.
He chose the term "Ur-Fascism" as it allowed for the incorporation of previous governments & rulers who technically preceded fascism but who were by all accounts fascist given a historical lens.
And he identified 14 key properties that all fascist movements might rally around.
And he identified 14 key properties that all fascist movements might rally around.
I say "might" because he was clear that not all 14 could really be incorporated into a coherent system. Rather, that the presence of any one of these 14 properties could each individually - or in conjunction with a few others - be used to organize a fascist movement & ideology.
Thus, we can think of these less like "14 things all fascist movements do" & more like "14 places fascist movements can grow from."
Or put another way: no fascist movement incorporates all 14, but the presence of even one is enough to indicate fascism.
I hope that makes sense.
Or put another way: no fascist movement incorporates all 14, but the presence of even one is enough to indicate fascism.
I hope that makes sense.
The first property is the Cult of Tradition. Eco notes that fascist movements will appropriate from any traditions they find worth incorporating, even if it doesn't necessarily make sense. This is what a lot of paganists are currently dealing with neo-nazi co-opting of runes btw.
By focusing on tradition alone & tradition as the source of all answers, the focus on learning is taken away from the new & modern & just strictly refining & reinterpreting what is old. It is purposefully embracing an intellectual stagnation & regress.
AND SPEAKING OF MODERNITY!
AND SPEAKING OF MODERNITY!
Property #2 is a rejection of modernity! You know that meme "reject modernity, embrace tradition"? That's directly from Eco's famous work on fascism & these two properties are often found heavily utilized by fascists because of how well they work together. It's like nazi PB&J.
But it's important to point out that fascists do not reject superficial modern advancements & often use technologies like radio or weapons advancements or the internet as a way for them to show their superiority. No, the modernity rejected are only moral & philosophical advances.
The 3rd property is what Eco calls "action for action's sake" which is a bit tricky to explain, but really we've seen a very recent example of it:
The capitol insurrection.
In fascist ideology, taking action is itself valuable & can & should be done without reflecting on it.
The capitol insurrection.
In fascist ideology, taking action is itself valuable & can & should be done without reflecting on it.
Just do the thing, it doesn't have to make sense. Post your outrage, march to the capitol, shout all lives matter. It doesn't matter the mental value because the action is the value.
It's a show of force.
And it's a way to keep fascists unquestioning in what they ultimately do.
It's a show of force.
And it's a way to keep fascists unquestioning in what they ultimately do.
Because, as we've recently seen, some of the people who went to the capitol did have a sort of back pedal once it was all said & done. Given a moment of reflection on their actions, they tried to say they hadn't meant it.
It's the same with the "just following orders" mentality.
It's the same with the "just following orders" mentality.
Property 4 is pretty self-explanatory & a byproduct of many other properties: disagreement is treason. We've seen it all throughout the last 5 years, anyone who doesn't agree with exactly how things are being done is a traitor, a weakling, or worthless. But it's also insidious.
It, much like action for action's sake, is putting reactionary action & mentality before reasoning & positive discourse. That's because any critical diagnosis of fascism will always see how dangerous & destructive it is. Which is why fascists are so quick to end critical thought.
Property 5 is "fear of difference," because if there's an easy way to unite people under you it's telling them that that other group is full of scary foreigners who want to take away everything you know & love, no don't talk to them & discover they're people to, just hate them.
The 6th property is appealing to the frustrated middle class, because nothing helps those at the top keep their power like convincing the ones just below them that it's actually those miserable poors who are really the scary ones.
This is why unions are so dangerous to fascism.
This is why unions are so dangerous to fascism.
Because when there's class solidarity between the lower & middle classes then the upper classes can be properly held accountable.
But keep the middle class talking about how unreasonable $15/hr is & how we have to have means testing for stimulus checks & you'll keep ruling fine.
But keep the middle class talking about how unreasonable $15/hr is & how we have to have means testing for stimulus checks & you'll keep ruling fine.
#7 is what Eco calls "obsession with a plot" & this is one of the more esoteric properties. Basically, though, fascists are obsessed with justifying their thoughtless actions through history (see property 1). And in doing so, they will often construct a narrative for themselves.
We saw this with the nazis & the way they constructed all that Aryan nonsense & we've seen it with the alt-right & their attempts to make America "great again." It all loops back into the idea that if they can build the proper story, they can sell what they want to do as justice.
Thus, conspiracy theories like the idea of a new world order play well into fascisms hands. The notion that history has been constructed around key moments done by a shadowy cabal & that we need action taken by brave souls to stand against its tyranny.
Its recasting the villain.
Its recasting the villain.
The ninth property is known as pacifism is trafficking with the enemy, which naturally leads to life being permanently warfare.
It's a natural outgrowth of the othering needed for fascist ideologies to survive. You can't meet for peace because that might lead to understanding.
It's a natural outgrowth of the othering needed for fascist ideologies to survive. You can't meet for peace because that might lead to understanding.
Because fascism is such a self-centered ideology, it must always have someone to fight, someone to other, someone to blame its failures on. If it's not the conniving cabal, then it's the poors, and if it's not the poors, then its the immigrants.
There must always be an enemy.
There must always be an enemy.
Which leads to a pretty painful contradiction at the heart of all fascist movements, because fascists like to see themselves as heroes & conquerors, the great unifiers & winners.
But if you're always fighting someone then how can you ever truly win?
But fascists don't care.
But if you're always fighting someone then how can you ever truly win?
But fascists don't care.
Often because of property 10: contempt for weakness.
And this is, as Eco himself notes, one of the most toxic traits fascism can present.
Because showing how you're not as weak as others lets you feel like you're part of the strong, right? That's where it starts initially.
And this is, as Eco himself notes, one of the most toxic traits fascism can present.
Because showing how you're not as weak as others lets you feel like you're part of the strong, right? That's where it starts initially.
But once you've identified the weakness in the other you'll then look at the weakness around you. Eventually this mentality poisons everyone you know, as either you come to see them as weakness to be overcome, or someone feigning superiority who must be made low. It's very tense.
And it leads directly to all of the infighting & hierarchical bloodshed you see in fascist groups. It's a constant game of trying to show you're the best while proving others are the worst, until, when you're at the top, you just hate everyone for being so worthless to you.
Property 11 is one Eco calls Everybody is Educated to Become a Hero, and it's a natural outgrowth of many other properties.
After all, any story needs a hero, and every war needs a good soldier.
Thus, most fascist regimes descend into this death cult like mindset of education.
After all, any story needs a hero, and every war needs a good soldier.
Thus, most fascist regimes descend into this death cult like mindset of education.
The good fascist must be ready to act, ready to disparage, ready to show strength, ready to die in order to prove how superior they are & how worthy their particular part in the story is worth remembering and lionizing.
It's one of the most outright destructive properties of it.
It's one of the most outright destructive properties of it.
Property 12 is one Eco calls Machismo, and in this day & age we might better call it toxic masculinity imo. You could go so far as to say hetero-patriarchy, because in the fascist mind, anything that's not manly & heroic is crap & worth destroying.
And I mean anything.
And I mean anything.
What's often been noted by scholars of trans history is how Germany actually had one of the largest bodies of research on trans identities going for it.
Then the fascists came to power & guess what were some of the first books thrown onto those lovely bonfires they so liked?
Then the fascists came to power & guess what were some of the first books thrown onto those lovely bonfires they so liked?
We see it in modern times with the embrace of pick-up artistry, the whole chad/alpha male discourse, and how closely linked the alt-right has become with folks like "men's rights activists."
Women & femininity are often seen as life giving. Life is antithetical to the fascist.
Women & femininity are often seen as life giving. Life is antithetical to the fascist.
Property 13 is one those in the US have faced quite recently: selective populism.
Basically, the chosen of people of fascism are all of one voice. If things go against the will of that chosen voice, as interpreted by the leaders of said fascist movement, then it must be ended.
Basically, the chosen of people of fascism are all of one voice. If things go against the will of that chosen voice, as interpreted by the leaders of said fascist movement, then it must be ended.
Did the Kaiser do things not to the liking of Hitler? Then it's against the will of the people and is undemocratic.
Did the election not go the way Trump wanted it to? Then it's against the will of the people and is undemocratic.
"Gee, Riley, you're using a lot of US examples."
Did the election not go the way Trump wanted it to? Then it's against the will of the people and is undemocratic.
"Gee, Riley, you're using a lot of US examples."
If you haven't figured out why yet, then congrats you're in the right spot this thread is 100% for you!
But on to the last property: newspeak.
This one might be familiar to many, as it's directly taken from George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984.
It is speaking around meaning.
But on to the last property: newspeak.
This one might be familiar to many, as it's directly taken from George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984.
It is speaking around meaning.
It's the way fascists will talk about something without really talking about it. It's dog whistles like "all lives matter" or the way that Trump says there's very fine people on both sides.
It's the way the news labels BLM as terrorists & the insurrectionists as protesters.
It's the way the news labels BLM as terrorists & the insurrectionists as protesters.
And those are the 14 properties of fascism as laid out by Umberto Eco.
And yes, if you're looking at the list & realizing now that practically every single point can be applied to the United States... that's because they virtually all can be.
It is exactly as bad as that is.
And yes, if you're looking at the list & realizing now that practically every single point can be applied to the United States... that's because they virtually all can be.
It is exactly as bad as that is.
I did say at the start of this that not all 14 could really be incorporated into a coherent system.
But I was burying the lede a bit.
Because fascism isn't a coherent system. It can never be anything that makes sense as a whole because so much of itself contradicts what it is.
But I was burying the lede a bit.
Because fascism isn't a coherent system. It can never be anything that makes sense as a whole because so much of itself contradicts what it is.
The idea that there are superior qualities out there is in direct contrast with how we know different things can accomplish the same thing just as good.
The idea of there always being an enemy to fight means that fascism can never win, never truly be superior to anything else.
The idea of there always being an enemy to fight means that fascism can never win, never truly be superior to anything else.
Fascists will tell you that action is the only way forward, no matter the cost, don't think about it, but then hold their tacticians up as brilliant, hold innovators of industry up as worthy of being heroes.
The whole thing is a contrivance for only one purpose: getting power.
The whole thing is a contrivance for only one purpose: getting power.
And the moment people start realizing the incongruities & incoherence, the moment loyal underlings begin to doubt the leadership, is the moment fascists turn on their supporters.
Because they have to.
The moment critical thought is applied is when fascism begins to truly die.
Because they have to.
The moment critical thought is applied is when fascism begins to truly die.
So how do we counter fascism?
We do the opposite.
We think critically, about tradition, about disagreements, about our actions, about conspiracies, about those we might perceive as weaker than ourselves.
We think & keep thinking & keep pushing ourselves to grow in thought.
We do the opposite.
We think critically, about tradition, about disagreements, about our actions, about conspiracies, about those we might perceive as weaker than ourselves.
We think & keep thinking & keep pushing ourselves to grow in thought.
And most importantly, we speak out.
We speak out for those who might not have a voice, we converse with those who are different than us, and we condemn those who would embrace one of the properties that allow fascism to flourish.
We must condemn anyone in embrace of that.
We speak out for those who might not have a voice, we converse with those who are different than us, and we condemn those who would embrace one of the properties that allow fascism to flourish.
We must condemn anyone in embrace of that.
Because the moment we don't, the moment we let them try to legitimize their beliefs, is the moment we let fascism take root.
If we are to truly overcome that threat we must wipe it out the moment it's seen.
No exceptions. No holds barred.
Because the moment we don't, they win.
If we are to truly overcome that threat we must wipe it out the moment it's seen.
No exceptions. No holds barred.
Because the moment we don't, they win.
