This crypto-fascism that we see arise in European countries and with Donald Trump in the US, is that something new? The point is that we argued in the previous lecture that Marx's belief that capitalism would implode, looks to be a mistake, given the current situation.
So, what is this regarding the inclination of people to tend to the political right? By the way, we are discussing Historical Materialism as a scientific theory about the development of history.
We have clear evidence that contradicts and thus refutes this interpretation of history. Again, is this a new observation? The answer is 'no'. In 1947 Adorno and Horkheimer, two German philosophers and social critics, wrote the book "Dialectic of Enlightenment".
Their book opens with a grim assessment of the modern West:
“Enlightenment, understood in the widest sense as the advance of thought, has always aimed at liberating human beings from fear and installing them as masters.
Yet the wholly enlightened earth radiates under the sign of disaster triumphant”.
How can this be, the authors ask. How can the progress of modern science and medicine and industry promise to liberate people from ignorance, disease, and brutal, mind-numbing work,
yet help create a world where people willingly swallow fascist ideology, knowingly practice deliberate genocide, and energetically develop lethal weapons of mass destruction? Reason, they answer, has become irrational.
And what makes reason irrational? The answer is FEAR. The liberal market economy provides wealth to a small group, which the middle class can only access to a limited extent.
These middle groups and farmers also feel strongly threatened in their working lives by increased automation and the current Artificial Intelligence developments. Unease, fear and frustration are the result.
Radical right-wing movements then appeal to these feelings by displaying a great penchant for thinking about doom. People for whom there seems to be no future yearn for the regime's collapse. And with it also the demise of democracy.
"Make America Great Again" is a perfect example to instill fear in people. ---Making it great again? OMG, is my country in decline? Will I lose my job in the near future? --- These tactics work as we can see in the US today.
The second tactic of right-wing movements appealing to fear is the use of propaganda. Just yell "Fake news!" and you're done. Whether this is factually true, is of no importance. Just yell it time and again and people begin to believe it.
One of the great hobbies during the Trump area was fact-checking and then showing that Trump had lied up to now...say 20.000 times, and had promised a lot, but never delivered. Doesn't work.
Right-wing populists are not concerned with realizing their plans: the goal is propaganda itself, in order to mobilize the masses and ultimately turn to violence.
Fascist ideology therefore grows on real economic oppression and marginalization, or the fear thereof. Just think how often we are told, not only in the US but as well in Europe,
what a threat all these people asking for asylum and illegal immigrants are for "us", the rightful owners of our country. They steal our jobs and occupy our houses.
In the 21st century, we know, the neoliberal emphasis on the individual and the incessant urge to 'win' have been added. The countless people for whom success is not forthcoming are left with shame and guilt for their failure.
Maybe some close reading of the Communist Manifesto may offer us some new insights, but for now I think the mistake Marx made was his answer to the question: what drives homo sapiens?
His answer was: the will to self-realization and free self-development. I agree to some extent, but this becomes only possible when the basic drive of homo sapiens is reassured: existential fear.
Thank you again for your attention...
The floor is yours...
Main Sources:
MacMillan The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition
TABLE OF CONTENT -----------------------------------------------------------------
1 - 100 Philosophers 9 May 2009 Start of
2 - 25+ Women Philosophers 10 May 2009 this blog
3 - 25 Adventures in Thinking 10 May 2009
4 - Modern Theories of Ethics 29 Oct 2009
5 - The Ideal State 24 Febr 2010 / 234
6 - The Mystery of the Brain 3 Sept 2010 / 266
7 - The Utopia of the Free Market 16 Febr 2012 / 383
8. - The Aftermath of Neo-liberalism 5 Sept 2012 / 413
9. - The Art Not to Be an Egoist 6 Nov 2012 / 426
10 - Non-Western Philosophy 29 May 2013 / 477
11 - Why Science is Right 2 Sept 2014 / 534
12 - A Philosopher looks at Atheism 1 Jan 2015 / 557
13 - EVIL, a philosophical investigation 17 Apr 2015 / 580
14 - Existentialism and Free Will 2 Sept 2015 / 586
15 - Spinoza 2 Sept 2016 / 615
16 - The Meaning of Life 13 Febr 2017 / 637
17 - In Search of my Self 6 Sept 2017 / 670
18 - The 20th Century Revisited 3 Apr 2018 / 706
19 - The Pessimist 11 Jan 2020 / 819
20 - The Optimist 9 Febr 2020 / 824
21 - Awakening from a Neoliberal Dream 8 Oct 2020 / 872
22 - A World Full of Patterns 1 Apr 2021 / 912
23 - The Concept of Freedom 8 Jan 2022 / 965
24 - Materialism 7 Sept 2022 / 1011
25 - Historical Materialism 5 Oct 2023 / 1088
The Discussion
[13:17] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): Thank you Herman
[13:17] herman Bergson: Take your time to reread...guess I was a little fast :-)
[13:17] Max Chatnoir: Thank you, Herman. You are definitely back!
[13:17] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): thinks
[13:17] herman Bergson: Thank you Max...my mind was indeed
[13:18] herman Bergson: My heart my be wandering off still...
[13:18] Max Chatnoir: I have a question, which related to Trump and other dictator types. How is it that a few people are able to focus both the hope and despair of the fearful crowd.
[13:18] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well that was something for sure though!
[13:18] Max Chatnoir: It's like fandom.
[13:18] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:18] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa yes exactly
[13:19] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): The trumpists are like a sect and Trump is their god
[13:19] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): more or less
[13:19] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): exactly
[13:19] herman Bergson: I have been thinking about that myself Max....
[13:19] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): it is definitely a cult
[13:19] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): when he says they do like "STORM THE CONGRESS!"
[13:19] herman Bergson: When you read the history books...they go from one ruler to the next king then the next emperor who shape the world...
[13:20] herman Bergson: always one person in the lead...it seems
[13:20] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): STORM CAPITOLIUM! STORM WHATEVER!
[13:20] Max Chatnoir: They feel that they have not been able to meet their own expectations, and turn to a "hero" who can represent their success or reconstruct it as part of a fan club.
[13:20] herman Bergson: But there is something else....
[13:20] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i surely hope there will be no more of those things!
[13:20] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm
[13:21] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): mostly self centered people and most not educated
[13:21] herman Bergson: Such a person is a puppet of a group of powerful people...
[13:21] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah
[13:21] herman Bergson: and secondly...such a person is a kind of mirror....people see themselves in that person....
[13:21] herman Bergson: it is a complex mix
[13:22] Max Chatnoir: It's not that he has really been so successful, as compared with somebody like Bill Gates.
[13:22] herman Bergson: Trump wouldnt have been nowhere if the Koch Brothers and Fox News hadn;t made him
[13:22] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): my hair dresser said a few weeks ago.. I liked Trump... things in our country were best when he was president
[13:22] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): they sure helped
[13:22] Max Chatnoir: But he mirrors their ambitions somehow.
[13:23] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): i almost fainted
[13:23] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): GUUSH, I hope u changed hair dresser after that!
[13:23] herman Bergson: Gemma...am I happy that I am bold :-))))
[13:23] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:23] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:23] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:23] herman Bergson: So...my observation is
[13:24] herman Bergson: on the one hand you have ONE individual with specific qualities in relation to communicate with the masses
[13:25] herman Bergson: on the other hand you have some powerful elite that regards that person as a nice puppet to guard their interests
[13:25] Max Chatnoir: Yes!
[13:25] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah
[13:25] Max Chatnoir: That's the third arm.
[13:25] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): so they need a puppet that is no so smart
[13:25] herman Bergson: If you look at Trump...he is an all over looser in any project he set up
[13:26] herman Bergson: Yet he is still on the stage...
[13:26] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yep
[13:26] herman Bergson: And he plays on the fear of the people
[13:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): for sure, refusing to give up and im amazed he has not been locked up still
[13:27] Max Chatnoir: So he may genuinely feel their pain or dissatisfaction
[13:27] herman Bergson: If you don't elect me there will be no America anymore as you know it
[13:27] Max Chatnoir: At least in terms of his own life.
[13:27] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): its so obvious everything i mean
[13:27] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): what he have done
[13:27] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but thats in my viewpoint
[13:27] Max Chatnoir: Yes. I am your retribution. Do you think he wrote that line?
[13:27] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ha
[13:27] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): maybe
[13:28] herman Bergson: Trump only feels his own pain...the pain of others doesnt interest him at all
[13:28] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): he can't write that line, his vocabulary doesn't have that much letters
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well if he is reflected there is no more word maybe
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): world
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): (shudders)
[13:28] Max Chatnoir: But I think he recognizes it in his fans.
[13:28] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): horrible thought!!
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): u never know with this maniac, worst president ever in US history for sure
[13:29] herman Bergson: But our main point here today is, that it seems that Marx was wrong.....
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes
[13:29] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): that has been proven
[13:29] Max Chatnoir: What did he miss?
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): capitalism has NOT collapsed but that and greed ect have just gone stronger
[13:29] herman Bergson: He thought that the exploited workers would fight for their freedom...
[13:30] herman Bergson: that this would be an end to capitalism
[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well that did not happen
[13:30] herman Bergson: That is our point today Bejiita...it didn't happen
[13:30] Max Chatnoir: Do you think that the despots distract them from fighting, because they are told "I can fix it"?
[13:31] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): the exploited workers had to feed their family, they were afraid to loose their jobs
[13:31] herman Bergson: even worse...all communist countries collapsed
[13:31] Max Chatnoir: And the despots are propped up by rich backers?
[13:31] herman Bergson: There we are back at the start Beertje: FEAR
[13:31] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): yes
[13:32] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm indeed u need money to survive and so i guess they just kept with it and did not revolt, only little income they had
[13:32] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): didnt dare risking it
[13:32] herman Bergson: Yes Max...the rich people of this world...this fortunate 1% doesn't want to loose ther comfortable and powerful lives
[13:32] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): even they were treated like garbage
[13:33] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm that also
[13:33] herman Bergson: You see it happen all the time.....
[13:33] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): Most of that one percent has lots of money invested in that one person
[13:33] herman Bergson: A once democratically elected president....when his term is over....he wants to stay in power...
[13:33] Max Chatnoir: I'm thinking about how Campbell's Hero's Journey has sort of been corrupted.
[13:34] herman Bergson: What Hero is that Max, never heard of
[13:34] Max Chatnoir: Oh, you will love it!
[13:34] herman Bergson: Soup?
[13:34] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): me either
[13:35] Max Chatnoir: Joseph Campbellhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero's_journey
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): oh josep campbell!!
[13:35] herman Bergson: Ahhh...will look at it later :-))
[13:36] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): forgot that
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Campbell makes me think of the creator of the locking dance style
[13:36] Max Chatnoir: He analyzes the hero stories of different cultures. I think that maybe DJT is a hero, and that's why when he is attacked left and right the fans just love him even more.
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): for obvious reasons ㋡
[13:37] Max Chatnoir: I hadn't thought about that before....
[13:37] herman Bergson: Ahhh Th ehero that is attacked....
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:37] herman Bergson: THE ROLL Trump loves to play
[13:37] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): for sure
[13:37] Max Chatnoir: Because the hero overcomes obstacles in his journey.
[13:38] herman Bergson: Yes...until he will be convicted in coourt and sentensed...
[13:38] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): fingers crossed...
[13:38] herman Bergson: The only way to change the US landscape
[13:38] Max Chatnoir: All you need is one juror who is a fan.
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm well trump seems to evade his jail scentence again and again,m well it is not finished, no idea at moment really what is the state of that case now
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): 5 cases
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but that he thinks he wil still be able to be relelected
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): despite that
[13:39] Max Chatnoir: Well, I hope he is wrong, but the hero always overcomes all obstacles.
[13:39] herman Bergson: just wait and see Bejiita
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): I guess allw e can do
[13:40] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): still trying to say that he cannot be tried before the election.. or during his time in office .. or at least not til after
[13:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): PPFFFFFFFS
[13:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well
[13:40] herman Bergson: But still we have to face the fact that Marx was wrong
[13:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): its Trump after all
[13:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes
[13:40] herman Bergson: at least with respect to capitalism
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): now THAT is a true fact and axiom even
[13:41] herman Bergson: and its consequences
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): if i use that term right
[13:41] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): maybe some one will take the good ideas from the manifesto some day and create a new look at the ideas
[13:41] herman Bergson: So far capitalism seems to stimulate fascism
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes
[13:42] Max Chatnoir: But I think capitalism allows multiple success stories, yes?
[13:42] herman Bergson: We are gonna close read the Manifesto Gemma....and see what is in for us
[13:42] Max Chatnoir: Yes, I need to get beyond the Cliff notes.
[13:42] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:42] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:42] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): headache time
[13:42] herman Bergson: Cliff notes????
[13:43] Max Chatnoir: I guess Wikipedia?
[13:43] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): short version of the crux of a book
[13:43] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): cliff notes for many many boods
[13:43] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): books
[13:43] Max Chatnoir: Yes.
[13:43] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): I think i stick to my plan of implementing the entire D&D ruleset in Unreal Engine C++
[13:43] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): for students without time
[13:43] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): lol
[13:44] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): uittreksels I guess?
[13:44] herman Bergson: Ahh that is what highschool students use
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well i have no idea what that book is so
[13:44] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yep
[13:44] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and college
[13:44] herman Bergson: ja Beertje...voor je literatuur lijst :-)
[13:44] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): ja
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): never read it but manifesto basically = huge list of stuff
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): in some form
[13:44] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): the form is hard to read!!!!!
[13:45] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): must have given the authors a headache for sure to write
[13:45] herman Bergson: No worries...we'lll dig into it
[13:45] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): awk
[13:46] Max Chatnoir: Does it have chapters or is it just one huge argument?
[13:46] Guestboook van tipjar stand: Gemma Cleanslate donated L$100. Thank you very much, it is much appreciated!
[13:46] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): continuing with programming, in Android for ex there is a. manifest file that declares ALL properties of the app. What rights it will have and what components of the phole, wifi, storage ect it will make use of and all of that need to be in that one file
[13:46] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): oh lots of chapters 1!!
[13:46] Max Chatnoir: Maybe we could go one at a time?
[13:46] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:46] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:46] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:46] herman Bergson: It is not a 700 pages volume Max
[13:47] Max Chatnoir: Oh, good.
[13:47] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): 699
[13:47] herman Bergson smiles
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): lool
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well it sounds massive for sure
[13:47] herman Bergson: Guess you hate homework, Max ? :-)
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hehe
[13:47] Max Chatnoir: If I order if from Amazon, will the CIA come and get me?
[13:47] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): no just lots of long sentences
[13:47] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): yes
[13:47] Max Chatnoir: No, I was very diligent in my homework!
[13:47] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): i think you can find it on the web freeeeeee
[13:47] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): to read
[13:48] Max Chatnoir: Oh, even better!
[13:48] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa ok
[13:48] herman Bergson: You will be arrested , Max...in the US....for sure :-)))))
[13:48] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): gonna check
[13:48] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:48] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:48] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hahaha
[13:48] Max Chatnoir: I may have to emigrate.
[13:48] Max Chatnoir: Thanks, Particle Physicist!
[13:49] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): https://www.google.com/books/edition/Manifesto_of_the_Communist_Party/s2iEeCJAlusC?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover
[13:49] herman Bergson: The Manifesto can be found in many languages f or free on the web....so no worries Max...use a VPN connection and they'll never can trace you :-)
[13:49] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): right
[13:50] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Contents unavailable, no preview avaible it says and the page is just darkened
[13:50] herman Bergson: OK....we are ready for the Manifesto.....
[13:50] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): hmmm
[13:50] herman Bergson: What does it tell us?
[13:50] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): you google it and it will come up in Swedish
[13:50] herman Bergson: Why is capitalism still the leading system?
[13:50] herman Bergson: Why didn't the ideas of the Manifesto work?
[13:50] herman Bergson: Or did so?
[13:50] herman Bergson: some
[13:51] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): because it can be manipulated i think
[13:51] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): capitalism that is
[13:51] herman Bergson: Questions to answe in the next lecture...
[13:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok ㋡
[13:51] Max Chatnoir: Well, I like the rewards that capitalism gives to individual enterprise. Is there a capitalist manifesto or the equivalent?
[13:52] Max Chatnoir: But only 64 pages in the CM. I guess we can manage that.
[13:52] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): Warren Buffett probably has one
[13:52] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:52] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:52] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yep
[13:52] herman Bergson: Dont think in black and white, Max
[13:52] Max Chatnoir: Oh, I'm not saying either or.
[13:52] herman Bergson: Capitalism as an economic system is not just black and socialism white...
[13:53] Max Chatnoir: If neither of them quite works, we need a synthesis!
[13:53] herman Bergson: Hear hear..Hegel speaking :-))
[13:53] herman Bergson: Love you Max :-)))
[13:53] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:54] herman Bergson: Ok...get ready for the next lecture
[13:54] Max Chatnoir: All right!
[13:54] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ♥ Thank Youuuuuuuuuu!! ♥
[13:54] herman Bergson: Class dismissed
[13:54] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): YAY! (yay!)
[13:54] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): Thank yuo Herman
[13:54] herman Bergson: You were wonderful again today...thank you!
[13:54] Max Chatnoir: Thank you so much Herman, and all of you.
[13:54] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa really nice
[13:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:55] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): shall try for Tuesday
[13:55] herman Bergson: I'll speak to your boss Gemma...:-)
[13:55] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:55] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:55] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): good luck
[13:55] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): bye for now
[13:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hugs Gemma
[13:55] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): bye Gemma
[13:55] herman Bergson: Bye Gemma
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