If you’re an American (like me) and have insomnia (like me), don’t read this now. Read it later.
Americans Are Now Experiencing the Everyday Reality of Authoritarian Collapse | by umair haque | Apr, 2023 | Eudaimonia and Co
So there’s a ton of crazy right wing shit going on right no, but “authoritarian collapse” seems a little hyperbolic. 🤏
If anything, the entire history of America is a fight against authoritarianism. Today’s struggles are certainly ugly and Orwell is alive and well, but don’t forget about William “remember the Maine” Hearst. And if the author missed the part about American genocide and slavery then 🤷🏻♂️
Here are some older articles by Americans that are less hyperbolic that I recommend, but the NYT piece is exceptional: well-researched with input from many poliscientists
• https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/10/minority-rule-not-in-the-constitution.html
• https://gsas.harvard.edu/news/colloquy-podcast-midterms-and-minority-rule
• ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Archived NYT: https://archive.ph/2022.02.03-234751/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/15/opinion/republicans-democracy-minority-rule.html
But back to the essay. Extended minority rule is authoritarianism. And it does appear the floodgates are beginning to open. I wish I didn’t see it his way, but I do.
Honestly, after reading it a second time, it has become even more annoying.  Like I said, there’s a lot of crazy right wing shit going on now. It’s not good and we need to be vigilant and resist, but there is plenty of evidence to counter the “authoritarian collapse narrative” that is so typical of the clickbait teapot tempest crap that generates far more drama than reality.
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@JoParkerBear
What’s the authors opinion of Disney? Would Disney exist if there were an “authoritarian collapse“? Maybe the author has an opinion about the Trail of Tears. Authoritarian collapse? Jim Crow and separate but equal? How about COINTELPRO? Abu Ghraib? The list goes on and vigilance is endless. Authoritarian collapse sounds really scary and is neato Clickbait, but the accuracy of the characterization is questionable. That’s all.
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if you really want to know, you should write to him— seriously. He’ll probably answer. Seems like a chatty guy.
It doesn’t sound like you read the other non-hyperbolic,serious articles about the tipping point/minority rule & authoritarianism, the NYT piece in particular. They’re also still there. There are many, many others out there available to you if you search. Political scientists have been warning of this for quite a while.
@SpinozasHeresy
The essay sounded a bit hyperbolic to me as well— in the beginning. But I kept reading and began to really picture the US as an outsider would, from a real democracy. We have been living under minority rule for a long time. Texans have been living under minority rule for so long, most of them believe the majority is conservative. Polls going back at least a decade show otherwise. Abortion, LGBTQ rights, marijuana legalization— the majority of Texans support.
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