Alexis Jacobi wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2024 5:08 am
Holy shit! What you mean is really •ultra-
mega wokism•.
Some sloppy mullings on this.
For me fascism is hierarchy to the point that most kinds of diversity are threatened. You have an autocratic leader, to the hierarchy goes up to a single point with King-like power. There is also a sense not just of correct morals that is more widely invasive than in, say, conservative democratic regimes, but there is an enforcement at the cultural level - how one should dress, the music one should listen to, the food one should eat. I am not saying that there is a complete conflation of morals and law, but there are moves in that direction. Education is indoctrination - so, precisely not exploratory, not so interested in critical thinking and questions, with a pedagogy where the children are passive receptors of truth and this truth will include a very wide range of topics beyond the subjects like math and history. So, I hear the conservative ask - that sounds like communism. Sure, when you go far enough out to the sides, you end up with many similarities. Fascism however really invests in hierarchy and while communist regimes of course have a kind of royalty class, fascism has much more like a caste system - many layers, very clear roles, many steps on the way up. Fascism creates an idealized version of the Volkkultur. Communism tries to flatten and banal-ify culture. It politicizes culture. Fascism says X is the right culture. Communism makes culture an arm of the state. Fascism demands differences in the way the sexes live. It has idealized versions of men and women and this is enforced. Communism tends not to do this - though most countries have many forces and traditions swirling around.
As a kind of tangent: I see corporations as regions of fascism within country cultures that need not be fascist. Very strong hierarchy. Autocratic control. Tremendous control on those on the levels below each level. Restrictions of freedom of speech, clothing style, attitude, emotion.
Hatred of freedom, individuality, creativity, style, taste comes in different forms. Urges to control everyone have some variety also. Fascism tends to want to control more facets of life than communism. Communism is most concerned about individuality vs political power. Everything is politics - but in your home, out of limelight, they don't care much. Fascism sees everything in terms of disgust/disease. So, even things happening in private that are no threat to power in, say, scientific causal chains way, is still seen as very threatening. It could spread. If it makes those in power want to gag - iow they wouldn't want to do that, listen to that, see that, eat that - it is a threat to the nation. Communism is more concerned about politics so their version of causation is newtonian.
Stuff these days is very hybrid. You can't see Biden/democrates + wokies as communism. Wall St. and the banks are giggling away. You can't really call China communist anymore. It's some hybrid thing. Why should power limit itself to certain tools.
Communism and Fascism both have ideals they want to enforce. The ideals are extreme and heartily demonstrate the road to hell is paved with good intentions - though many in both with power are just using the ideals and don't actually have them.
I don't think we can call wokeism fascism because while there are portions of it that have rigid conceptual hierarchies, in practice you have very unclear power roles for most members. The strata are unclear in practice. For example, while there may be an implicit ideological hierarchy with minority groups of various kinds above majority groups, in practice most woke groups are white run. It's all way to chaotic. Also fascism would want much clearer sex roles, to a degree that most conservatives would also find abhorrent. Wokism has a lot of chaos in it and a vast range of tastes in music, dance, culture in general, fashion and so on. And fascism has always wanted a strong military.
It's all hybrid these days. For good and for ill.
