I’m so tired of feeling like I’m “crazy” because no one around me can realize that the US is not “on its way to becoming” Nazi Germany, but is in fact already Nazi Germany. I’m so tired of my history of psychosis making me think “Maybe I’m not the only one who can see clearly” as that’s usually a red flag for me. I wish I could just close my eyes and be a lib again, but that’s not healthy or useful. Besides, I don’t think I can close my eyes. But I have a significant disability, so what can even do? I barely work now, and probably won’t for much longer, so it seems organizing would be largely ineffective. Relying on government benefits, I’m just next in line for slaughter. Another voice disappearing into the void. I’m just so tired.
I have had too many conversations that mirror this. Oftentimes when I provide examples of how this “new” thing that they are perceiving has been a constant phenomenon for the past decades or centuries, they become angry rather than introspective. Or they would start to argue that it’s different in this way, or that way or that way, and when it’s calmly illustrated before them that it’s not, they become entirely dismissive.
I have unfortunately seen too many “progressives” and self-describing “leftists” tell me, to my face, no less, that they don’t give a shit when I tell them about all the things the US did to my country when their favourite politicians were in office.
Yeah, and this is the thing that I think gets missed with discussions about the left being hostile to newcomers and the right welcoming people with open arms. (The premise of that is a complete lie btw and it’s a convenient narrative that whitewashes reality but I’m not gonna get into the weeds on that right now.)
When it comes to people shifting further right they just need to dial up their bigotry and hatred and pro-imperialism all the shit they’ve been indoctrinated with. Sometimes they don’t even need to dial it up, sometimes they can even just start saying the quiet part out loud.
When it comes to shifting to the left, you have to unpack things and learn. But mostly you have to start with unlearning and that’s much harder than learning itself is.
When these almost-leftists or baby leftists start doing this, they really do need to confront some harsh truths about the world and themselves or otherwise they are only ever going to reach the Sam Seder level. Being humble and having a willingness to listen and reflect and learn is critical to being a good leftist but the more you dig your heels in with this stuff, especially when you’re early in your political development, the harder you’re gonna make things for yourself.