Read on Twitter
one of my favorite sub-plots on twitter are fantasy reeducation programs and/or gulags. this narrative takes on some interesting forms, I'm sure there are more than what I've observed:
1. intersectional leftists & HR liberals who actually propose reeducation for "settlers" and perceived reactionaries
2. boomercons & frogs who rage or brag post that they will be on the fantasy list for reeducation
3. posters joking about 1 & 2
(4th below)
2. boomercons & frogs who rage or brag post that they will be on the fantasy list for reeducation
3. posters joking about 1 & 2
(4th below)
4. leftists and/or independents who debate groups 1 or 2 on their totalitarian and genocidal desires and/or fears
Although all of this is hilarious and absurd, it's also depressing to see it play out. I see it as a role-playing desire for power and recognition
Although all of this is hilarious and absurd, it's also depressing to see it play out. I see it as a role-playing desire for power and recognition
a lot of people have posted about the desire for power & revenge that drives the intersectional left and HR liberals when they propose reeducation
Although the above is fascinating and weird I'm just as interested in those that feel they will be on the fantasy list
Although the above is fascinating and weird I'm just as interested in those that feel they will be on the fantasy list
part of the history of American cold war liberalism (whether anti-communist or anti-Stalinist) was built on anti-totalitarianism generally, without much self-reflection on if liberalism itself is or could also be totalitarian
for whatever reason today it's really only a fringe group of people who still do research on reeducation camps & 20th century communist totalitarianism. It's not chic to be in this field and you really have to go out of your way to find discussion about it in a university setting
I think that those on the right sense, implicitly or explicitly, that there is generally a lack of empathy for those who died under totalitarian communism. And they are right: many of those atrocities were memory-holed, and many of the people who do know don't really care
I mean what is someone supposed to do with knowing such horrible information of how these millions of people were persecuted and killed?
You could try to let people know about it so that society would think twice about openly fantasizing about using some of the same tactics in a 21st century context? But then if you do that you are now a fringe, paranoid reactionary. Can't win.
But that is the fate of most historical atrocities, eventually— forgotten.
What I observe when I see people post about being on the fantasy list of those who will be reeducated in this role-play, I can't help but think that they desire to be on the list.
What I observe when I see people post about being on the fantasy list of those who will be reeducated in this role-play, I can't help but think that they desire to be on the list.
They desire to be important enough or hated enough to be finally seen by this group through the legitimizing powers of the state.
But underneath this desire to be recognized, though, is a fear that in this fantasy reeducation their fates and their lives will be memory-holed too
But underneath this desire to be recognized, though, is a fear that in this fantasy reeducation their fates and their lives will be memory-holed too
