Fascism as deception (English version)

After taking in various definitions of fascism and after having the many facets of the phenomenon presented to me from different angles, it suddenly became very clear to me this holiday: fascism is actually something very simple. So simple that you run a considerable risk of looking right past it.

Fascism is the acquisition of power through systematic deception. Or, to put it somewhat more elegantly: "Fascism is deception as a strategy for acquiring power." All the characteristics we attribute to fascism stem from the fact that the average citizen possesses a number of traits that make them susceptible to deception:

• The appearance of moral superiority, created by a deceitful inversion of norms and values. Solidarity becomes Mediocrity, sincerity becomes imposed virtue, empathy becomes weakness, and the common good becomes Woke. Why this works: average citizens with a tendency toward resentment recognize themselves in this inversion – and fall for it. (Compare: "If you're in favor of refugee centers, I'll spray-paint your walls.")

• The appearance of safety, created by the delusion of belonging to the largest group. Everything that goes wrong is shifted onto a minority. All the fascist has to do is present himself as the savior who will eliminate this "threat." (Compare Wilders with his: "Who wants fewer Moroccans?")

• The appearance of trustworthiness, created by narrowing the channels of information. Anyone who publishes bad news about the fascist becomes part of a malicious conspiracy. (Compare: "fake news and the corrupt media.")

• The appearance of invincibility, sustained by a perpetual triumph over the oppressed. The boot of the powerful majority stands constantly on the necks of the powerless – and that triumph is openly celebrated. (Compare: ICE deports innocent citizens, and footage of those deportations is shown in stages.)

• The appearance of innocence, sustained by a camouflage of thousands of distortions. Fascist movements of the past are covered up under a thick layer of lies, so that the deception is not recognized as a pattern. (Compare: "Hitler also did some really good things and was actually a socialist.")

• The appearance of superiority, sustained by vague, abstract notions of cultural identity. Every fascistic movement exploits the human tendency to look down on others – and to feel exalted oneself. (Compare: "Palestinians are not human beings" or "People of color are poisoning the nation's blood.")

• The appearance of external threats, sustained by lies about neighboring countries. Wars against other countries keep alive the deception that there are external dangers that will be overcome by a "chosen people." (Compare: Israel murdering the inhabitants of Gaza, the US bombing Iran, Russia terrorizing Ukraine.)

In summary: the average person has a number of characterological weaknesses that make them susceptible to deception. Fascism is a form of politics that acquires power by ruthlessly exploiting those weaknesses. There is only one ray of light in all of this. Fascistic political movements are so destructive by nature that they perish through their own self-mutilation. Unfortunately, that is often only after millions of lives have been lost.

Democrats and people of reason, decency, and civilization: be vigilant. And above all: be resilient and speak out!