"Fascist" and "anti fascism" get thrown around a lot, and I feel like people aren't using the same definition, or maybe don't even know the definition. CW for length
I'm not an expert in political science or history, but I looked it up : "Fascism definition is - a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition."
I'm generally in favor of more rights and responsibilities for the individual, perhaps in favor of the common good (for individuals) as opposed to the greater good (where supposed value for the tribe or nation is bad for the individuals). I value the richness of differences in culture and think the sharing and spreading of the best of our cultures can enrich us all, so I've never understood exalting or attacking on the basis of race.
I'm in favor of weaker centralized government and think the more local government should be more emphasized to decentralize power, and the president, Supreme Court Justice, federal bureaucrats and federal legislators should have less centralized power, not more. I think there should be minimal government force used in economic and social ideology, and I oppose suppressing differences in opinion and ideas.
I think the mindset of fascism perhaps could be applied outside of government, and different aspects that don't add up to the full definition of fascism.
According to the definition, any attempt to apply force to oppose speech that expresses oppositional ideas is an element of racism. So IS racial nationalism. So is promoting any centralized person or group to drive social ideas, pursuing government taking over means of economic production. Our having the government drive social ideas?
I suspect in the drive to be on "the side of the angels" , many are becoming more fascist in the name of confronting others who exhibit other aspects of fascism.
I wonder if they have some underlying agreed idea that the way to win with one's ideas is to use force of some kind to stop others who disagree.
And even though I oppose every aspect of fascism, I've been called a fascist when someone thinks I disagree with the current political far left. Have we devolved to just throw around the word to anyone we think we disagree with...perhaps in an attempt to force their differing opinion to be shut down?
