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PaperclipPerfector  3mo ago (text post)   32893 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of August 5, 2024

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the elite class in the Western world has taken Bertold Brecht's words to heart. When confronted with unruly and disruptive lower classes it really is simpler for them to dissolve the people and elect another

I wonder if the Chinese elites had similar sentiments before Mao wiped them out.

To paraphrase a video essay I'm becoming more and more fond of, 'These people don't realize they're one bad week way from being dragged out into the street and burned at the stake.'

'These people don't realize they're one bad week way from being dragged out into the street and burned at the stake.'

They "don't realize" it because it's not true. Because who's going to be doing the dragging? Your average citizen is still comfortable enough, and has too much to lose. Even if they didn't, they're too weak. This sort of talk (like that of "2nd amendment remedies") is pure ego-saving bluster. Put the slightest pressure on them, and they submit utterly. Security can and will see off any half-hearted and half-assed attempts that might occur.

Security can and will see off any half-hearted and half-assed attempts that might occur.

Actually, the most recent instance of security didn't do anything to stop an incredibly half-hearted and half-assed attempt - it was sheer dumb luck that the target moved his head and the attempt failed.

Except in that case, the target was not a member of the elite I'm talking about, but probably one of their biggest rivals/enemies.

To paraphrase a video essay I'm becoming more and more fond of, 'These people don't realize they're one bad week way from being dragged out into the street and burned at the stake.'

I just watched through that whole thing. It was interesting but I think the author drastically overestimates the number of people that engage with what he is talking about meaningfully.

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