Almost everyone has family members or friends that vote far-right and we need to talk to them
I try. My family calls themselves left of center and liberal, yet no books on Marx but certainly have books on Hitler. My brother who works in finance lauds great mathematicians in history, but he won’t read about Einstein’s politics because I smoke weed therefore my recommendation is “hard to take seriously.” They think the rise of fascism is just media sensationalism, and things are better than ever because “the markets say so / GDP is higher than ever.” I try to explain, through the words of economists, that GDP and markets aren’t a good measure of wealth disparity, and they accuse me of being envious that I don’t have as much money as them. I try to explain that money isn’t everything, they roll their eyes like i’m on some hippy-revolutionary kool aid and no different from MAGA. They say I should stop worrying about “the news” and “focus on yourself,” meanwhile i’m disabled from hyperthyroidism and they roll their eyes at my pain and immobility like i’m being lazy. They don’t read anything, they’ll be the first to admit they choose to stay away from politics, while simultaneously acting like they have the most informed and balanced perspective. Fuck “enlightened centrists” they walk and talk just like fascists do.
I try. My family calls themselves left of center and liberal, yet no books on Marx but certainly have books on Hitler. My brother who works in finance lauds great mathematicians in history, but he won’t read about Einstein’s politics because I smoke weed therefore my recommendation is “hard to take seriously.” They think the rise of fascism is just media sensationalism, and things are better than ever because “the markets say so / GDP is higher than ever.” I try to explain, through the words of economists, that GDP and markets aren’t a good measure of wealth disparity, and they accuse me of being envious that I don’t have as much money as them. I try to explain that money isn’t everything, they roll their eyes like i’m on some hippy-revolutionary kool aid and no different from MAGA. They say I should stop worrying about “the news” and “focus on yourself,” meanwhile i’m disabled from hyperthyroidism and they roll their eyes at my pain and immobility like i’m being lazy. They don’t read anything, they’ll be the first to admit they choose to stay away from politics, while simultaneously acting like they have the most informed and balanced perspective. Fuck “enlightened centrists” they walk and talk just like fascists do.