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Every ideology does, but it's question of how and how much. Popular support for fascism is almost exclusively predicated on strong emotions felt about vague/c

by the_af 3y ago

Every ideology does, but it's question of how and how much. Popular support for fascism is almost exclusively predicated on strong emotions felt about vague/changing subjects. Fascist speakers excelled at driving their audience into a frenzy. Democracy is not consistently about this, and there's also rational debate about it. Rational debate wasn't the focus of fascism, and in fact it was actively shunned -- fascism was about sacrifice, blood and belief, not reason. Someone else linked to the reflections on the language of the Third Reich, and how it was meant to drive emotions and irrational thinking. Fascism cannot coexist with reason. Other forms of evil might, but not this one.

lossolo 3y ago
You seem to be confusing propaganda with the fundamental principles of an ideology. Can you specify which aspects of the defined fundamentals of fascism lack logic?
- the_af 3y ago
  I'm not confusing anything and much has been written about how fascism wasn't a particular coherent or logical set of principles. There's not much you can point at and say "this is the logical core of fascism", because there is almost none. It's all very ad-hoc. "Propaganda" is almost all there is to fascism, if you take it away there's almost nothing left. I hope you can understand this is a topic that exceeds the scope of an HN comment. If you want to read about this, there's tons of literature.
  - lossolo 3y ago
    It seems that you are indeed conflating the two if you're unable to provide arguments to support your thesis. What you've offered is an opinion colored by your moral judgment. I asked you to identify which of the main fundamentals of fascism lack logic. This request doesn't exceed the scope of an HN comment. The logic of fascism is grounded in the belief that authoritarian leadership, nationalism, collectivism over individualism, militarism, use of propaganda and mass mobilization are necessary for creating a strong, unified, and powerful nation. It posits that individual freedoms and democratic processes can be sacrificed for the sake of national unity, strength, and revival. So, I ask again: Where exactly do you see a lack of logic? I'm not seeking a moral judgment about the methods, but a purely logical analysis.
    - the_af 3y ago
      > It seems that you are indeed conflating the two if you're unable to provide arguments to support your thesis. I'm sorry you don't like it, but I stand by what I said: go read about fascism, there's plenty written. There are no shortcuts and I won't provide a history lesson for you here. > Where exactly do you see a lack of logic? Nothing you described is "logic"; it is a set of axiomatic beliefs. "Might makes right" is not logic, it's a belief. There's very little that is logical about fascism. In fact they had to reject and persecute science because the world wasn't what fascism described. I mean, they did have a bunch of contradictory foundational ideas, is that what you mean? But there was hardly a logical core to it.
      - lossolo 3y ago
        It's important to distinguish between the logical structure of an ideology and the moral or ethical implications of that ideology. Your argument appears to hinge on the assertion that fascism lacks a coherent logical framework, dismissing it as primarily propaganda without a logical core. However, identifying the logical structure of an ideology doesn't necessitate endorsing its moral standing. Fascism, as historically understood centers around certain key principles such as the ones I provided above (authoritarian leadership, nationalism, and collectivism over individualism etc). These principles form a coherent, if morally contentious, framework. The logic in this context refers to the internal consistency and the cause-and-effect relationships within the ideology. For example, the fascist belief in authoritarian leadership is logically connected to its emphasis on national unity and strength, as authoritarianism is seen as a means to achieve and maintain this unity. Your reference to "might makes right" does encapsulate a belief system, within the context of fascist ideology, it also follows a logical pattern. The ideology posits that strength (might) is necessary for national revival and dominance, and therefore, actions that lead to increased strength are justified (right). This is a form of logic, albeit one that many find ethically objectionable. Regarding the rejection and persecution of science, this was not a reflection of the inherent logic of fascism but rather a consequence of its authoritarian nature, where any dissenting ideas, including scientific ones, were suppressed to maintain control. Moral and ethical criticisms of fascism are valid, but they are distinct from an analysis of its logical structure. The logical coherence of an ideology is separate from its moral standing, and it's possible to examine the former without endorsing the latter.

by the_af 3y ago

lossolo 3y ago

You seem to be confusing propaganda with the fundamental principles of an ideology. Can you specify which aspects of the defined fundamentals of fascism lack logic?

the_af 3y ago
I'm not confusing anything and much has been written about how fascism wasn't a particular coherent or logical set of principles. There's not much you can point at and say "this is the logical core of fascism", because there is almost none. It's all very ad-hoc. "Propaganda" is almost all there is to fascism, if you take it away there's almost nothing left. I hope you can understand this is a topic that exceeds the scope of an HN comment. If you want to read about this, there's tons of literature.
- lossolo 3y ago
  It seems that you are indeed conflating the two if you're unable to provide arguments to support your thesis. What you've offered is an opinion colored by your moral judgment. I asked you to identify which of the main fundamentals of fascism lack logic. This request doesn't exceed the scope of an HN comment. The logic of fascism is grounded in the belief that authoritarian leadership, nationalism, collectivism over individualism, militarism, use of propaganda and mass mobilization are necessary for creating a strong, unified, and powerful nation. It posits that individual freedoms and democratic processes can be sacrificed for the sake of national unity, strength, and revival. So, I ask again: Where exactly do you see a lack of logic? I'm not seeking a moral judgment about the methods, but a purely logical analysis.
  - the_af 3y ago
    > It seems that you are indeed conflating the two if you're unable to provide arguments to support your thesis. I'm sorry you don't like it, but I stand by what I said: go read about fascism, there's plenty written. There are no shortcuts and I won't provide a history lesson for you here. > Where exactly do you see a lack of logic? Nothing you described is "logic"; it is a set of axiomatic beliefs. "Might makes right" is not logic, it's a belief. There's very little that is logical about fascism. In fact they had to reject and persecute science because the world wasn't what fascism described. I mean, they did have a bunch of contradictory foundational ideas, is that what you mean? But there was hardly a logical core to it.
    - lossolo 3y ago
      It's important to distinguish between the logical structure of an ideology and the moral or ethical implications of that ideology. Your argument appears to hinge on the assertion that fascism lacks a coherent logical framework, dismissing it as primarily propaganda without a logical core. However, identifying the logical structure of an ideology doesn't necessitate endorsing its moral standing. Fascism, as historically understood centers around certain key principles such as the ones I provided above (authoritarian leadership, nationalism, and collectivism over individualism etc). These principles form a coherent, if morally contentious, framework. The logic in this context refers to the internal consistency and the cause-and-effect relationships within the ideology. For example, the fascist belief in authoritarian leadership is logically connected to its emphasis on national unity and strength, as authoritarianism is seen as a means to achieve and maintain this unity. Your reference to "might makes right" does encapsulate a belief system, within the context of fascist ideology, it also follows a logical pattern. The ideology posits that strength (might) is necessary for national revival and dominance, and therefore, actions that lead to increased strength are justified (right). This is a form of logic, albeit one that many find ethically objectionable. Regarding the rejection and persecution of science, this was not a reflection of the inherent logic of fascism but rather a consequence of its authoritarian nature, where any dissenting ideas, including scientific ones, were suppressed to maintain control. Moral and ethical criticisms of fascism are valid, but they are distinct from an analysis of its logical structure. The logical coherence of an ideology is separate from its moral standing, and it's possible to examine the former without endorsing the latter.