Wow, thanks for such a wonderful "Cliff Notes" about Mein Kampf. I was completely ignorant of what that really meant, and feel so much better informed and so much more aware of the striking parallels to today. I'm a new subscriber and so glad you're writing!
Just read Codreanu's 'For My Legionaire's" this summer. Previous attempts had failed. I just could not make it past the 'The Jew' passages.
What is interesting about that book (if you can believe it) is the relentless extrajudicial, violent campaigns against this movement before it even began. I can't help wondering if it was not the multiple attempts to jail, beat and prosecute members of this movement, before they really ever did anything, that was ultimately responsible for this movement's catastrophic (and brief) reign.
For all the hand-wringing about radicalization in the mainstream press, the greatest generator of 'radicalism' is the discovery of easily falsifiable narratives which abound in the numerous ideological 'style manuals' of 'The Press'. The idea of journalist as activism, which has now become openly espoused by journalism can only go two ways: It will either lead to more balkanization of political thought (as it is already happening) or (as is also happening) challenges to the 'accepted narrative' will be used as a tool for annihilation of all opposition.
As so many have found in history, those who build seats of power rarely get to sit in them.
I believe that the truly lost should face stark social costs such as alienation. It should be a profoundly ugly proposition for one to consider walking down the path toward ultranationalism. But the problem is, people are talking about entire classes and ethnicities as if they are inherently sinful and we've lost the spine to call such evil out. Most folks can shrug this off but many will be driven into the arms of more radical groups. Meanwhile the stable center loses its voice and the fringes start to mainstream their hateful rhetoric as defensive. We're already halfway down this road.
Wow, thanks for such a wonderful "Cliff Notes" about Mein Kampf. I was completely ignorant of what that really meant, and feel so much better informed and so much more aware of the striking parallels to today. I'm a new subscriber and so glad you're writing!
Since I avoid reading his manifesto, thanks for providing your take.
Just read Codreanu's 'For My Legionaire's" this summer. Previous attempts had failed. I just could not make it past the 'The Jew' passages.
What is interesting about that book (if you can believe it) is the relentless extrajudicial, violent campaigns against this movement before it even began. I can't help wondering if it was not the multiple attempts to jail, beat and prosecute members of this movement, before they really ever did anything, that was ultimately responsible for this movement's catastrophic (and brief) reign.
For all the hand-wringing about radicalization in the mainstream press, the greatest generator of 'radicalism' is the discovery of easily falsifiable narratives which abound in the numerous ideological 'style manuals' of 'The Press'. The idea of journalist as activism, which has now become openly espoused by journalism can only go two ways: It will either lead to more balkanization of political thought (as it is already happening) or (as is also happening) challenges to the 'accepted narrative' will be used as a tool for annihilation of all opposition.
As so many have found in history, those who build seats of power rarely get to sit in them.
I believe that the truly lost should face stark social costs such as alienation. It should be a profoundly ugly proposition for one to consider walking down the path toward ultranationalism. But the problem is, people are talking about entire classes and ethnicities as if they are inherently sinful and we've lost the spine to call such evil out. Most folks can shrug this off but many will be driven into the arms of more radical groups. Meanwhile the stable center loses its voice and the fringes start to mainstream their hateful rhetoric as defensive. We're already halfway down this road.