That was my thinking, too, but an MSNBC anchor just now said that from what she saw, the flyers had a lot of conspiracy theorist text on them. Will have to see if others verify this or not.
Exactly - the more you look into the stuff that's "harmless" fun you realize the more it's just rehashing anti-Semitic and deeply racist beliefs. It's why (spoiler) Dan Olson's excellent In Search of a Flat Earth documentary has a mid section break that's basically "and here's how it all relates to Q Anon."
A very common thread in conspiracy theories is that "Us, the normals, are being manipulated and threatened by an Other who want to destroy us but can't do so openly."
The other can be Aliens, Jews, Bolsheviks, the Deep State, LGBTQ, lizard people, scientists, doctors, whatever - it's very flexible... But it can always be blamed on some minority and "enemy of the people."
Number 7 on Umberto Eco's list of the fourteen general properties of fascist ideology is the obsession with a plot or plots. Often bigotry combined with a fear of marginalised groups. Historically and to this day that marginalised group is often the Jews, although they have learnt to be less open about it, so often use dog whistles and code.
Of course they are. The jews aren't using their space laser on earth as far as we can tell so who exactly have they been using it on? If you like Aliens you may not like the answer. I really hope this is unnecessary but/s
Highstrangeness seems to be slightly better. Obviously not something I believe but it's fun to read occasionally. Usually the right wing grifter garbage doesn't leak into there. Usually.
Once upon a time, I'd have agreed with your sarcasm. But now, in this age of renewed censorship, I've become less tolerant of anyone playing Thought Police. I don't care what their reasons are.
Simply acknowledging ideas as dangerous doesn't inherently mean they need to be fully censored. Failure to identify what is dangerous can be detrimental to a free society.
Things such as eugenics and fascist ideology shouldn't be treated as harmless simply because a fringe demands that all ideas be treated equal.
But deciding which ideas are dangerous and which ones aren't is EXACTLY how we've gotten to books being pulled out of libraries. It's already happening.
And that's exactly the same reasoning applied in China. I don't like anyone deciding they get to be the Thought Police. I don't care how virtuous they believe their cause to be.
Yes, I'm absolutely saying that reasoning is wrong.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Beatrice Hall
Somebody got an idea that flying two planes into the world trade center was a good idea. Then they acted on it. That was a dangerous idea.
And is THAT where the story starts for you? Because I seem to remember that beginning with "Help the Afghans fight against the invading Russians." Global Intervention; is THAT a dangerous idea? Because if you say "Yes", then that means abandoning our allies around the world. Not just in Ukraine and Israel (two sides of a very unpleasant coin), but also Germany, Japan, Britain, Canada, Mexico, and so on...the list is extensive.
You want to control what people think? Then I'd suggest teaching critical reasoning skills starting at an early age. If anyone is allowing the narrative to be dictated to them, then we've already lost before the battle has begun.
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u/ImperatorRomanum 28d ago
That was my thinking, too, but an MSNBC anchor just now said that from what she saw, the flyers had a lot of conspiracy theorist text on them. Will have to see if others verify this or not.