If there’s a part of you that still holds out hope that, for all his autocratic tendencies, Donald Trump will revert to a sort of political normality as president, you need to read Masha Gessen’s chilling but essential article “Autocracy: Rules for Survival” in The New York Review of Books.
Gessen, a journalist who has devoted much of her career to making sense of Russia under Vladimir Putin, offers a number of hard-won lessons for surviving in the autocracy that we may soon find ourselves living in here in the US.
The first and in some ways most important lesson for those still holding out hope for a more-or-less normal presidency:
Believe the autocrat. He means what he says. Whenever you find yourself thinking, or hear others claiming, that he is exaggerating, that is our innate tendency to reach for a rationalization. This will happen often: humans seem to have evolved to practice denial when confronted publicly with the unacceptable. Back in the 1930s, The New York Times assured its readers that Hitler’s anti-Semitism was all posture.
I think we’re going to have to suspend Godwin’s Law for the length of Trump’s presidency; the comparisons are simply too apt.
He has received the support he needed to win, and the adulation he craves, precisely because of his outrageous threats. Trump rally crowds have chanted “Lock her up!” They, and he, meant every word. … Trump has made his plans clear, and he has made a compact with his voters to carry them out. These plans include not only dismantling legislation such as Obamacare but also doing away with judicial restraint—and, yes, punishing opponents.
Gessen’s other rules:
Rule #2: Do not be taken in by small signs of normality. Consider the financial markets this week, which, having tanked overnight, rebounded following the Clinton and Obama speeches. Confronted with political volatility, the markets become suckers for calming rhetoric from authority figures. So do people. …
Rule #3: Institutions will not save you. It took Putin a year to take over the Russian media and four years to dismantle its electoral system; the judiciary collapsed unnoticed. …
Rule #4: Be outraged. … [I]n the face of the impulse to normalize, it is essential to maintain one’s capacity for shock. …
Rule #5: Don’t make compromises.
The final rule offers up a little bit of hope:
Rule #6: Remember the future. Nothing lasts forever. Donald Trump certainly will not, and Trumpism, to the extent that it is centered on Trump’s persona, will not either.
Gessen ends her piece with a call for “resistance—stubborn, uncompromising, outraged.” Thousands of Americans are already taking to the streets in cities across the country to let the world know that Trump — who after all lost the popular vote — is not their president. He’s not mine either. We need to join those in the streets — literally, figuratively, or both — to make clear we don’t want, and won’t stand for, Putinism in the United States.
I’ve got to get something off my chest.
Trigger warnings for graphic imagery and violence.
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[inappropriate stuff deleted by DF]
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Mostly triggering stuff is over.
As a kid I was raised on stories from my mother about life in a dicatatorship, people dissapearing in the night, secret police and utter terror.
From my grandfather I got stories of him being eight years old and living in Nazi occupies Greece.
When I read these posts about these alt-right fuckboys I get the desire to do something that would land me multiple life sentences.
I read stories about an asexual friend on facebook about how she’s afraid of corrective rape by Trump fans and I feel like tearing out someone’s throat with my own teeth.
I really don’t have much to fear from Trump fans compared to others. Hell, I’m a Canadian, but I had foaming at the mouth rabid hatred of Stephen Harper, another UR-fascist, and I’m thinking dark, dark thoughts about President Trump.
Since the election I’ve been consumed by violent thoughts and I have no idea what to do because I’m not even an American citizen.
It’s shameful and probably wrong but I’m so angry on behalf of all the people that Trump and his toadies could hurt. I’m so angry I can’t even see my screen without the edges going black.
I’m sorry if I’m being an asshole or if I trigger people or if I’m being a dick or not taking the high road.
I’m sorry.
@Vicky P
http://pinkie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw5366-tumblr_m5hi2vxj011rs7yllo1_1280.jpg
The fact that you’re recovering from your stroke and still find the energy to want to protest is more than enough. Just doing that alone is an incredible contribution. Don’t sell yourself short.
Thank you, Scildfreja.
@ rammerjammer
It’s part of a BBC ‘Panorama’ documentary with the snappy title “Paxman on Trump vs Clinton: America Divided”
BBC Licence Fee payers would no doubt be rightly annoyed if such a documentary appeared on one of those video sites, like YouTube for instance.
@authorial alchemy
Hmm. You make a good point.
In my experience with abusive people, they might resort to extreme language and behavior in what looks like an attempt to win one concession in particular.
But once they’ve won that concession, they don’t stop. Why would they — it’s a winning tactic! And they’re abusers. Winning is what it’s all about, no matter the cost to others, who are seen as irrelevant.
@Victorious Parasol
You’re still here and still kicking, that counts as a win in my book.
@Dan Kasteray
It’s very understandable why you’re angry. I hope your friend stays safe in these hellish times.
@Dan Kasteray,
You can’t change what you’re thinking. You can try to guide your thoughts, but the thoughts themselves just sort of happen. So, don’t feel guilty for them.
This said: You’re responsible for guiding them in a way that makes you a better person. I approve of self defense, and a line in the sand has to be drawn with fascists, but going right to violence first-thing is wrong – it’s what they do.
(Violence is not only the provision of the right, though.)
Guide your thoughts to be the person you want to be. Learn to express your anger in other ways. Your habits of thought are made through repetition. Stop repeating the things you don’t like about yourself. Start repeating the things you want to become instead. Move than anger and energy into positive action instead. You said you’re Canadian – check in on your local politics and see whether the alt-right noise is starting to penetrate around you. It’s happening here in Alberta. Reach out to the good voices around you and make sure your local politics can be an example of the successfulness of kindness and compassion, and a defeat of the alt-right.
You’ll beat it, don’t worry. Just don’t panic, don’t rush, don’t guilt yourself. It’ll turn out fine.
@Victorious Parasol
I’m going to echo Alan and say that you need to focus on yourself now. If you can send an email or sign a petition, do it. But don’t do anything you’re not up to.
Your body doesn’t lie. Healing is your priority.
PIGS AT THE TROUGH.
https://twitter.com/JamilSmith/status/797915755320905729
https://www.yahoo.com/news/president-elect-trumps-choice-for-chief-of-staff-said-to-be-imminent-210448401.html
@sunnysombrera
Thanks for your responses. Living in Alabama, I’m surrounded by people who would support Farage, assuming they know what UKIP is. Although my area is somewhat blue due to being at a large university, most of our state government is made up of people who would support a lot of what he says. One of our senators just got re-elected for a 6th term, and his entire campaign such that it was was based on continuing to fight Obama (even though he is not going to be in office). The other (Sessions) is now in discussion for Secretary of Defense should the electoral college confirm Trump. Even the people who voted for Sessions don’t seem to think highly of him as a senator or as a potential secretary of defense, but unfortunately, people tend to vote for whoever has the R by their name, and we have straight ticket balloting here, so that makes it easier to not have to think about who you’re voting for. The only thing out of this entire last week that I’ve been happy about is the map of the millenial vote that I saw posted somewhere, where the entire US even the Deep South was either blue or light blue.
@Scildfreja
Thank you, I’m a former Alberta boy so I know all too well what’s going on there. I live in BC right now.
Still, the advice is solid and thank you for the reality check.
@Alan Robertshaw
Thanks. I found it (both on BBC’s website and on youtube). It’s probably a bad sign that searching for Paxman and Farage pulled up a bunch of youtube videos favorable to Farage, and I needed the exact title to pull up the BBC documentary.
@Dan
I very, sincerely hope that none of the advice you’ve given on the optimal ways to commit homicide has been unsolicited. Cos holy shit…
Also, listen to @Scildfreja
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/13/donald-trump-vows-to-immediately-deport-3million-illegal-immigra/
sigh
He’s going to build a border wall, concentration camps and a deportation force. Just like he said. Quelle suprise.
Comments policy:
No threats or violent comments. That includes telling someone to “die in a fire” or remarking that so-and-so would probably be better off dead. This rule is in effect even when you are talking about vile misogynistic shitbags.
Herbert West and Dan Kasteray, I’m looking at you.
I understand your concerns. But David has strict rules.
I would email David but I can’t find his email. Where are those photos of the furry mods when you need them!
Can someone email David?
well, then, git’er done, @Dan! If you ever want to talk about it, just post here. There’s friendly ears here. (Though, yeah, don’t need the graphic descriptions as much :p )
More fun:
@Skiriki
I’m not surprised. I’m pissed as fuck but not surprised.
@Scildfreja
Thanks for the graphic — very helpful! As I recall, Obama was able to motivate nonvoters to vote for him.
That’s what we need to do every time!
And the cartoon is all too true.
@Scildfreja Unnýðnes
@Skiriki
The Nazis have truly taken over. What else is there to say? There is no hope other than the chances that maybe, just maybe, enough electors instead put Hillary in Office before it is too late. The people who fought all those years ago are going to die in vain.
I’m utterly sick in my stomach. I can only hope that a miracle occurs.
Alien invasions, the final trumpet sounding, Ragnarök, Lilith’s moon rises and everyone loses their AT fields and burst into LCL, electoral college goes FUCK NO, WE CANNOT CAST VOTES FOR A LITERAL NAZI, Yellowstone goes ELE, a gamma ray burst…
@Ooglyboggles, they may have taken over, but it’s not hopeless. It ain’t over yet – even if the electors don’t give the vote to Hillary. The future doesn’t belong to them, it’s ours.
We will continue to fight for them. We will not go quietly.
@Skiriki
If the world’s gonna end, I hope it involves alien invasion. That’s the only thing I’d regret, not seeing aliens before I die.
…
Just seeing.
@Scildfreja Unnýðnes
It looks like the electoral college doesn’t vote until Dec. 19 and the Trump U. trial is Nov. 28. I keep hoping that that has some impact on the electors.