How to survive our authoritarian post-truth era

How to survive our authoritarian post-truth era

Carole Cadwalladr published for The Observer a list of tips on how to survive in Trumpist Americainspired by Timothy Snyder’s Combating authoritarianism: twenty lessons from the 20th century which was published in the wake of the 2016 election. Some of these are excellent:

1If someone tells you who he or she is, believe him/her. Last week, Donald Trump appointed an intelligence director who spreads Russian propaganda, a Christian nationalist crusader as defense secretary, and a vaccine-skeptical health secretary. If Trump wanted to destroy American democracy, the American state, and American values, this is how he would do it.

2 Journalists are first, but everyone else is next. Trump has announced multi-billion dollar lawsuits against “the enemy camp”: newspapers and publishers. It is known that the proposed FBI director of Hss wants to prosecute certain journalists. Journalists, publishers, writers and academics are always in the first wave. Doctors, teachers and accountants will be next. Authoritarianism is as predictable as a Swiss train. It’s already later than you think.

5You have more power than you think. We must feel powerless. That’s the strategy. But that is not the case. If you are a US institution or organization, set up an emergency committee. Call in experts. Learn from people who have lived under authoritarianism. Ask for advice.

15 Remember. Writer Rebecca Solnit, an essential American liberal voice, emails: “If they are trying to normalize, let’s try to denormalize. Let us hold on to facts, truths, values, norms and regulations that are coming under fire. Let’s not forget what happened and why.”

Now is a good time to revisit Snyder’s original list also. Like Cadwalladr, I’m thinking about this all the time:

1. Do not obey in advance. Much of authoritarianism’s power is given freely. In times like these, people think ahead about what a more repressive government wants, and then start doing it without being asked. You’ve already done this, haven’t you? Stop. Anticipatory obedience teaches authorities what is possible and accelerates unfreedom.

Remark: Illustration by the awesome Chris Piascik.