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Culture War Roundup for the week of June 19, 2023

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Tucker Carlson and Jordan Peterson and Max Blumenthal are not on the 'dissident right' either. If you want to criticize the populist side of conservatism (which blumenthal isn't), then say that! Also, if Tucker and Peterson (mainstream conservatives) are saying this, then lead with their statements, not catturd2, a 21 like post, and a random 4chan post.

The actual DR's (twitter) opinions are somehow dumber, though, and confirm your thesis of solipsism. From eg BAP's twitter account:

If an army group rebelled and occupied London, arresting all Cabinet members, MPs, and Fleet Street journalists, would a significant number of people oppose it? Would they fight to keep the regime believing they are in control as a "democracy"?

This is just the populist / democratic "the real people are behind our niche ideas!" thing, which is dumb when a leftist does it, but especially dumb when someone who claims to be anti-democracy does it.

I'm not sure where to find long-form written 'dissident right' takes on ukraine, tbh (other than moldbug, who has different but more coherent ideas).

Also seen on twitter, this, on how J6 vs Prigozhin shows Russia handled coups better than the US and Russia is stable. What?

The Wagner saga was so confusing to westerners because life of greatness is no longer imaginable to most. We presume that men must be objects of political forces and historical script; never subjects acting freely in time and space, open to consequences. Such vitality is alien.. Lmao? Military coups in less-developed countries are ... not unfamiliar for westerners, and are well considered as 'political forces'.

All of it more than confirms the 'only thinking about the US' thesis

This is just the populist / democratic "the real people are behind our niche ideas!" thing, which is dumb when a leftist does it, but especially dumb when someone who claims to be anti-democracy does it.

I read this as claiming that the people aren't invested enough in democracy to defend it, that is to say, concerned about the practicality of overthrowing a democratic government. Not about the people actually supporting the ideas, but anti-democratics not caring about the people supporting ideas seems reasonably consistent.

Military coups in less-developed countries are ... not unfamiliar for westerners, and are well considered as 'political forces'.

While political coups are quite understood, that a single private actor can become a sufficiently powerful political force is a bit jarring to some.

claiming that the people aren't invested enough in democracy to defend it

Yeah, but they are invested enough to defend against an actual "nazi coup". Look at how upset people were about J6, which was more circus than coup? This includes the military (who these people call woke).

that a single private actor can become a sufficiently powerful political force is a bit jarring to some.

I don't think it is? A warlord in an african country isn't a new idea.

Yeah, but they are invested enough to defend against an actual "nazi coup". Look at how upset people were about J6, which was more circus than coup?

Are they? Getting upset is very different than standing up and defending. What are you seeing that makes you think the average person would get involved if an actual nazi coup showed up on the horizon?

A warlord in an african country isn't a new idea.

Sure, but people in the west like to feel like they're fundamentally superior to africa, that's not... the same thing. At least emotionally.

The literal average person won't defend democracy unless they're drafted, for the same reason the average Ukrainian didn't until they were drafted. But the average American does believe in democracy, and vaguely idolizes defending it against nazis. And there is a substantial minority of people who will both provide either technical assistance or military assistance the defense of democracy against Nazis (again consider the entire US military). The idea that the US is so low-energy they'll just ironically laugh and go back to work if there's a reactionary coup today isn't true whatsoever.

Sure, but people in the west like to feel like they're fundamentally superior to africa, that's not... the same thing. At least emotionally.

I don't think the idea of dictators who exercise personal power in eastern europe is really unfamiliar either. Like, honestly, how is he different from Putin from the perspective of the US public? Maybe I'm wrong, can you link some tweets/posts of people who that tweet describes?