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“Autocracy: Rules for Survival” Essential reading for everyone in Trump’s America

Maximum Leader Trump
Maximum Leader Trump

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.

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Ooglyboggles
Ooglyboggles
8 years ago

@Belladonna
I’m with you there. Reminder that Bernie helped Clinton and in turn Clinton decided to drop over complicated meritocracies, and guess what those Bernie Supporters did? They let Trump win, and Bernie cried, actually fucking cried knowing the guy who is the exact opposite of his beliefs became president. They let Bernie Sanders down and he fucking cried at how the American people he kept trying to move forward with let this happen.

If that isn’t more evidence that they when it comes down to it they weren’t for the people, it’s now. They won’t feel a thing under Trump, I bet a good chunk of them are upper middle class Caucasians who would have nothing to lose no matter who won. Trump’s tax cuts for the most part won’t harm them, but for everyone else they will cry and bemoan. Would they then try to help and aid? I have feeling the answer is “hell no.”

On another note I’m still going to be livid at the DNC for losing to Donald Fucking Trump and the entire GOP in every possible way. Seriously just get out, you’ve all proven how much of a collective failure you all are and should take a sabbatical to realize why you all lost to the least liked presidential candidate in history. Make no mistake I despise Trump several magnitudes more, this is just a “I hate you all for failing and being so ignorant that even now you all still believe your passiveness is somehow going to save us from hell in a handbasket.”

Handsome "Punkle Stan" Jack

So here it is. Is anyone besides me nearly as sick of Bernie supporters who are gleefully and smugly crowing “I told you so” as they are of the Trump supporters?

Okay, I haven’t been around any Bernie Bros, at least not since the election, so, like, why.

What is it that they told? That Trump would win? What is it that they said that is true?

Laugher at Bigots, Mincing Betaboy

Speaking as an erstwhile Bernie supporter, let me say: Fuck Bernie-or-busters and Berniebros and these “Bernie Gloaters”. I echo @Jack’s query: What is their “so” in “I told you so”? The three groups whose fucking I wished for contributed to the rise of T.H.O. Groper by concocting conspiracy theories about the DNC rigging the nomination in favour of Hillary, and Mr Groper eagerly leapt upon the germinating “Crooked Hillary” narrative, because it played nicely into his anti-establishment shtick. Thus, they empowered a greater evil by spurning a lesser evil and let down him after whom they are nicknamed. They should be feeling profoundly crappy about themselves. I know I would be.

dreemr
dreemr
8 years ago

I believe they said that Bernie could beat Trump, and that Hillary couldn’t.

Belladonna
Belladonna
8 years ago

@Kupo and Ooglyboggles
Thank you. Expressing my anger always makes me afraid and your support made me cry. Bernie crying while his supporters gloat somehow seems so a propos of this entire time, somehow. And yeah, the GOP sucks and the DNC failed spectacularly, somehow, and it’s all just bad.

@Jack
The common themes are these (I’m sorry if I’m oversimplifying them): During the primaries, polls showed Bernie would have beaten Trump by a large margin. Polls didn’t show Clinton beating Trump by such a large margin. Thus, Bernie would have won. The corrupt DNC pushed the deeply flawed candidate Hillary Clinton on us anyway, even though we all hated her. She lost and we told you she would. Bernie was also an “anti-establishment” candidate who could have stood against Trump. Trump is going to be president and it’s all your fault because Bernie didn’t win the primaries. Y’all got what you deserved for not listening to us, because we knew better. We voted for Stein or didn’t vote and you should have seen it coming because Hillary sucked. Hillary said she didn’t need us, but maybe she did.

You know, I know Bernie had a very different platform and I truly understand its appeal. But I can’t help also noticing that Bernie is a man. *sigh* More analysis needed.

Anyway, after a couple of decades of being unaffiliated, I’m thinking of registering GOP. If democracy survives the next four years, I could vote for the Republican candidate I think is the least odious in the primaries and then vote democratic in the national election.

Axecalibur: Middle Name Danger
Axecalibur: Middle Name Danger
8 years ago

@Belladonna
There aren’t words, in this language or any other, powerful enough to express my disdain for (some) Bernie supporters

Anyone who minimized Clinton’s primary voters as ‘conservative, low information Southerners’. Fuck you
Anyone who told Clinton supporters that they were voting against their interests, so lemme condescend to you your priorities. Fuck you
Anyone who complained about superdelegates until they were your last hope to snatch the nomination away from Clinton. Fuck you
Anyone who went on and on about those fuckin ‘head to head polls’ as if they wouldn’t be obsolete once the smear machine started. Fuck you
Anyone who claimed the media, the DNC, the banksters or whoever else rigged a damn thing, cos ya couldn’t fathom losing. Fuck you
Anyone who dismissed the danger of a Trump presidency cos you thought Congress would stop him. Fuck you
Anyone who said they were voting 3rd party on behalf of minorities, while ignoring the minority voices screaming not to. Fuck you
Anyone who bought into the emails or called her a criminal or excused ‘locker room talk’. Fuck you
Anyone who’s convinced that the ‘Communist Zionist’ woulda won in a Murica where Jews are hiding mezuzot for fear of violence. Fuck you
And anyone who finds scared people facing a uniquely inhospitable world and mocks them to get their jollies. Fuck you especially

I know who and what you are. I know why. I’m angry but not surprised. I won’t forget y’all, and I won’t let anyone else forget y’all either. Bigots get no quarter from me, no matter what ‘side’ you claim

/rant, and sorry, Bella. The hits just keep on coming 🙁

Handsome "Punkle Stan" Jack

Y’all got what you deserved for not listening to us, because we knew better. We voted for Stein or didn’t vote and you should have seen it coming because Hillary sucked. Hillary said she didn’t need us, but maybe she did.

Ah, yes, and Bernie endorsing Clinton absolutely had no bearing on their opinion, of course. They’re just like the assholes who voted for Dump because he’s “anti-establishment”. They’d win whether or not Dump or Bernie got the vote because they don’t care about his actual policies or progress, just that he’s an “outsider” and not a sentient pile of trash like Donald.

I keep forgetting how much I hate brogressives. Because it’s a lot.

Hopefully we can rub it back in their faces if the electoral college pulls their head out of their asses and votes in Clinton.

Laugher at Bigots, Mincing Betaboy

@dreemr: Fuck them doubly then. They seem to think that their bragging rights are worth the rise of the Groper and his express desire (and that of his appointees) to undo all the social progress we’ve made since the turn of the century.

Also, I echo @Jack’s hatred of brogressives. They’re the opposite of the Rockefeller Republicans: whereas the latter were fiscally rightward and socially leftward, the former are fiscally leftward and socially rightward.

Ooglyboggles
Ooglyboggles
8 years ago

@Laugher at Bigots, Mincing Betaboy
Brogressives; bottom line > minority lives

Belladonna
Belladonna
8 years ago

@Axe
Brilliant. For every item on your list, let me echo the “fuck you!”

Axecalibur: Middle Name Danger
Axecalibur: Middle Name Danger
8 years ago

@Bella
🙂

Kat
Kat
8 years ago

@David Futrelle

Following up on my earlier comment, what is your decision on Herbert West’s and Dan Kasteray’s comments?

I thought that they violated your “no violent comments” rule.

I understand these commenters’ frustration and dread — but am not sure that you’re okay with the way they express it.

I would’ve emailed you but I couldn’t locate your email address.

Thanks!

Dalillama
8 years ago

@Axe
As someone who far preferred Bernie’s platform, and would’ve much rather seen him as the Dem nominee, I must wholeheartedly endorse everything you just said.

Angry Since 11/09/2016
Angry Since 11/09/2016
8 years ago

I went from extreme anger to feelings of extreme sadness and despair. I can’t read the Internet anymore because of the hate from Trump supporters and seeing how Americans are being treated for wearing hijabs, being of color or being women. I feel exactly the way I did after 9/11 except now the terrorists are people who live next door.

Thank you for being such a supportive and kind community. I was a lurker for years but now I just need to be with people who get it. Thanks also to all the wonderful people outside of the US who have been so kind and supportive. I really understand the value of being a part of the world, not just a part of a country.

Hugs for anyone who wants or needs them. I’m feeling pretty maudlin but somehow seeing this thread made me feel less alone.

Ooglyboggles
Ooglyboggles
8 years ago

@Angry Since 11/09/2016
I’m glad we’re able to help you out there. For all its worth I’m pretty sure we’ll all be sticking around if you need any of us.

Angry Since 11/09/2016
Angry Since 11/09/2016
8 years ago

@Ooglyboggles
Thank you….I love your name btw. I’m ok, just incredulous and feeling alone. I live in the Deep South. I feel betrayed by my neighbors.

Axecalibur: Middle Name Danger
Axecalibur: Middle Name Danger
8 years ago

@Dali
Agree, disagree, and I very much appreciate it ?

kupo
kupo
8 years ago

@Kat
David’s email is dfutrell (at) gmail (dot) com.

joekster (Bearded Beta)
joekster (Bearded Beta)
8 years ago

@Bella: I know at least one person back in Nevada who joined the GOP in 1990 specifically so they could vote against Jim Gibbons (Nevada’s very conservative representative, then governor. Think mini-Trump-he even has his own sex scandals) twice every two years instead of once. It’s been done.

@Axecalibur: Echo what Dali said. I did prefer Bernie’s platform, but once Hillary adapted large portions of it and Bernie supported her, I transferred support to Hillary. I’d like to think I’d have done that even if the GOP had run someone less odious than Trump.

Agree with all the ‘fuck yous’. The berniebros need to accept responsibility for the Trump presidency we’re staring down the barrel of.

joekster (Bearded Beta)
joekster (Bearded Beta)
8 years ago

The morning after the election, one of my residency mates sent us the following quote from Trump in 1998:

‘If I were to run, I’d run as a Republican They’re the dumbest group of voters in the country. They believe anything on Fox News. I could lie and they’d still eat it up. I bet my numbers would be terrific’.

I’m not sure what to make of this, or even if it still reflects Trumps thinking 20 years later.

Any thoughts? (apologies if the quote has already been posted on these threads and chewed to death).

One question about the safety pin: does it count if I’m using it to keep my straight tie attached to my shirt so it doesn’t flap onto my patients? Or does it need to be located in a specific position to be recognized?

Alan Robertshaw
Alan Robertshaw
8 years ago

@ jokester

It’s a fake quote, he never actually said that. However rather like:

“Failure is not an option”

or

“I feel that all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant…”

he might as well have done.

joekster (Bearded Beta)
joekster (Bearded Beta)
8 years ago

@Alan: thanks. It did seem too good to be true.

kupo
kupo
8 years ago

@Joekster
The safety pin should be visible. The original idea was to come up with something easy to craft to pin to yourself in solidarity, and then someone else suggested just the safety pin itself would be good because it’s simple and has safety in its name. Know, however, that some people kind of see the safety pin as a way for white folks to think they’re helping while putting the onus on the victim to come to them. Plus once someone does something like this they might feel less like they need to help in more impactful ways.

Scoots
Scoots
8 years ago

I’m getting a little tired of the “fuck those Berniebros” comments. Hillary lost, we all lost, the next four years at least are going to be hellish, but it’s all the fault of those goddam Berniebros! And Berniegloaters!
Kick that dog!

Look, you can be as mad as you like at people who didn’t come around and support Hillary, as Bernie clearly told us to do. But if someone voted for Hillary, and supported Hillary, and drove around with a Hillary magnet on her car (and yes, I said HER car), that person has earned the right to say, “maybe next time we don’t do things this way. Maybe we don’t have candidates publicly lock down superdelegates months in advance. Maybe we don’t run a Third Way Democrat.” Etc.

It is probably too soon to say these things, when people are in so much distress. But when people are making the wrong choices for DNC chair and talking about running Tim Kaine next time, I think it’s fair to say, “uh, maybe not a winning strategy.”

And for heaven’s sake, we’re upset, too! I’m mad at Bernie supporters who didn’t follow his lead, and those who wrote in his name when he said “don’t,” or who voted for Jill Stein when the stakes were so high. I gotta live here too, y’know.

Signed, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse who is having flashbacks and losing hair over this and will not be anyone’s chew toy.

weirwoodtreehugger: communist bonobo
weirwoodtreehugger: communist bonobo
8 years ago

Scoots,

Bernie bros =/= all people who supported Bernie in the primaries. Many of us were Bernie supporters. We’ve made it clear we’re only talking about the ones who threw tantrums. What exactly are you mad about?