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I point out that you won't be doing well in a world where the US takes a major loss. Assuming that you're Israeli based on the hebrew and 'your culture' remark, there will be all kinds of problems coming your way. China might like a bit of Israeli technology but they're ideologically and historically committed to the other side of the Middle East struggle, they've been working with Iran for some time now. It'll be back to '67 borders for you and that's a best-case scenario.
That stuff works in a disciplined, united society where men are actually moved if they get a white feather. It doesn't work today, especially amongst young people from Western Europe and its offshoots where nationalism has been all but stamped out and individualism is the order of the day. Nobody is going to get blown up by a drone so that Taiwan can have gay pride parades, only a small fraction truly believe.
China is far away. The biggest effects will be political and economic. Ukraine and Asia excepted, we are not looking at annexations. People are already fed up with how government is run, losing a big war will be the end for Elite Human Capital.
I don’t want you to lose. I want the part of American culture that’s aligned with my values to participate in America’s institutions. I want you to flourish, but you won’t get there by lying down! You need to pick yourself up and rediscover civic duty!
China is no friend of ours, I agree.
That’s a bad thing, that you shouldn’t accept. If native Americans / Brits don’t participate, either someone else will or your entire nation will suffer. That is my point.
Those effects are terrible! Besides the fact that I don’t believe there will be a hot war between the US and China, and that I don’t think you’ll lose if there is one, if you do lose a hot war to China the implications are huge. I’m not sure if you know how rich the US is today thanks to your world hegemony, which implies how far you could sink. Don’t downplay it, there are only bad outcomes that can come from a free society losing to the world’s biggest fascist state.
Edit, forgot to answer this:
Correct. I used to think the pfp gave it up, but I guess Shabbat candles aren’t as obvious reference as I thought.
Would you tell this to jews who were offered the choice to collaborate with nazis?
Jews were a minority barred from participating in the public institutions of Nazi Germany, so it’s not a good parallel to the natives majorities who are willingly giving up their places and power. If Jews could e.g. join the SS, I would absolutely think it was a good idea for them to join en-mass and change it from within.
What if they were only allowed to join as canon fodder, and never as higher ranks? If "changing from within" could happen the way you describe, we wouldn't be where we are now.
For that instance specifically, and with the benefit of hindsight, I’d tell them to join for the arms and training.
In this instance, what exactly is keeping your tribe from rising in the ranks of institutions? Especially given that you already were there. Is it some analogue of the patriarchy or institutional racism?
If you want to describe it in those terms, sure! Obviously it's hard to get ahead in a system that is full of people that revile you, there's no mystery.
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The machanisms may vary, but CRT / DEI workshops and diversity statements are a popular one. There's also people in charge of hiring / recruiting being able to sniff out someone with an unsanctioned worldview / insufficiently enthusiastic about the current civic religion. It's not 100% effective of course (I think "only" 90+% in case of academia) but whoever slips through the cracks can be dealt with easily.
I will say this could be an effective strategy if opposition was more more coordinated, but it's not like the regime doesn't know that, and doesn't crack down on any sign of coordination.
Everything you’re describing is:
A result of one side participating in civic institutions with the express goal of changing it from within, i.e “the long march through the institutions”. A communist in 1950’s America would have said the same thing as you, about not being allowed to ruse in the ranks. Now look at how their ideology has spread to the upper echelons of your society. Zoomed out, this is proof against your claims
Not an actual hard cap on any person rising through the ranks, just a difficulty. Again, see how the Marxists did it.
Because of 1 and 2, reversible in the long term. It requires actual work, sacrifice and ideological commitment but over the long term you can get there. Like I said, though, you won’t get there by lying down.
I'm somewhat skeptical that this is how it panned out historically. Communists now will still deny that their people have any influence in academia, so I'm not sure I how seriously I should take what they said in the past. Also, if they idea is conservatives abandoned academia in favor of business, the military, and the police, and participating in institution is supposed to keep them on your side / allow you to take them over - how did we lose business, the military, and the police?
Marxists, operated in an environment where academia was preaching free speech. The moment they took over, they (wisely) denounced that principle. It completely changed the environment, and they probably did it with specifically to avoid their tactics being used against them.
Anything is reversible in the long term, and anything worth fighting for will require actual work and sacrifice. I'm just doubtful of whether enlisting as an enthusiastic foot-soldier in the enemy's army is a viable tactic.
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I don't think Marxists is a perfect analogy, but you make some good points and I can kind of see things playing out in the way you describe.
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