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[DenogginizerOS]

There are many definitions of Fascism. I like these two.

1. A social and political ideology with the primary guiding principle that the state or nation is the highest priority, rather than personal or individual freedoms.

2. A political system in which all power of government is vested in a person or group with no other power to balance and limit the activities of the government. Fascist governments are often closely associated with large corporations and sometimes with extreme nationalism and racist activities. Modern fascism is often called "CORPORATISM".

At many levels of society today, we are seeing the freedoms of individuals being removed by a powerful few. Step out of line, and you will be squashed. When money talks, morals walk. And the recourse of those who are outside of the party line is usually silent suffering or further abuse. As I discuss current events with colleagues, it often results in discussions that seem to point to Fascism as being a culprit. What do you think?

 

[snatches]

There are many definitions of Fascism. I like these two.

1. A social and political ideology with the primary guiding principle that the state or nation is the highest priority, rather than personal or individual freedoms.

2. A political system in which all power of government is vested in a person or group with no other power to balance and limit the activities of the government. Fascist governments are often closely associated with large corporations and sometimes with extreme nationalism and racist activities. Modern fascism is often called "CORPORATISM".

At many levels of society today, we are seeing the freedoms of individuals being removed by a powerful few. Step out of line, and you will be squashed. When money talks, morals walk. And the recourse of those who are outside of the party line is usually silent suffering or further abuse. As I discuss current events with colleagues, it often results in discussions that seem to point to Fascism as being a culprit. What do you think?

With those definitions you could say GAF is fascist LOL

 

[blackadde]

well, no shit. what did you think was opposing communism?

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

With those definitions you could say GAF is fascist LOL

You'd be accurate too!

 

[Tamanon]

To be fair, any time you make a law it's a step towards fascism. Any government is.

It's all about degrees.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

well, no shit. what did you think was opposing communism?

I always thought Democracy. Of course, some would say imperialistic capitalism is what is opposing communism today.

 

[Guileless]

its too late neogaf the best you can hope for is demolition man style dystopia, worst case is v for vendettas and in real life hot bald girls wont help you blow up shit so thats out too

 

[malek4980]

Modern fascism is often called "CORPORATISM".

...
:lol

 

[Vieo]

This has been going on for a while now. Go to infowars.com and buy all of Alex Jones' documentaries. Then, try to track down a copy of the book called "Behold A Pale Horse".

Signs of the times man. Signs of the times.

 

[snatches]

But the deeper question is:

Is fascism on the rise in places you least expect, such as:

1) Your schools?

2) Your workplace?

3) Internet message boards?

IT'S CLOSER TO HOME THEN YOU THINK

 

[Son of Godzilla]

But the deeper question is:

Is fascism on the rise in places you least expect, such as:

1) Your schools?

2) Your workplace?

3) Internet message boards?

IT'S CLOSER TO HOME THEN YOU THINK

Fascism's on the rise in my pants.

 

[kablooey]

But the deeper question is:

Is fascism on the rise in places you least expect, such as:

1) Your schools?

2) Your workplace?

3) Internet message boards?

IT'S CLOSER TO HOME THEN YOU THINK

Well, none of those places are inherently democratic, at least not usually. On the other hand, it is worrying when you see the rise of fascism in places designed to uphold democracy in like, oh, say, the White House these days.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

Fascism's on the rise in my pants.

Some biologists and psychologists would likely agree that a man's penis does have a totalitarian grip on him. But this is clearly off-topic.

 

[Hitokage]

To be fair, any time you make a law it's a step towards fascism. Any government is.

It's all about degrees.

Do not confuse fascism with totalitarianism.

Anyway, here's a good essay on the subject: http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/Rush Newspeak Fascism.pdf

 

[DenogginizerOS]

Well, none of those places are inherently democratic, at least not usually. On the other hand, it is worrying when you see the rise of fascism in places designed to uphold democracy in like, oh, say, the White House these days.

I think what Snatches is saying is that if we can't have more respect for individual's rights within the examples he provided, we may become more tolerant to fascism in places far more powerful (like the White House).

 

[snatches]

You can usually see the rise of fascism by the warning signs. Fascist states usually start to steer the public thinking by controlling what they can and can't talk about. Confronting the state on these issues is usually a death sentence.

Usually censorship is a good warning sign as well.

Censorship ****ing sucks.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

Censorship ****ing sucks.

:lol :lol I see what you did there.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Do not confuse fascism with totalitarianism.

Anyway, here's a good essay on the subject: http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/Rush Newspeak Fascism.pdf

Yeah, no way we should confuse those two. There are examples of totalitarianism around us everyday. In more places than we'd like to believe.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

Totalitarianism

a political system in which the state, or the governing branch of the state, holds absolute authority, not allowing any opposition group.

So, Fascism is almost like Totalitarianism Light?

 

[snatches]

Mussolini described totalitarianist regimes this way:

a society in which the main ideology of the state had influence, if not power, over most of its citizens

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totalitarianism

Interesting.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

Mussolini described totalitarianist regimes this way:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totalitarianism

Interesting.

Which is really the basis of Fascism. Either way, if you are a part of the opposing few and say something that goes against the powerful few or even a single heavy handed leader, you are ****ed.

 

[blackadde]

to the best of my knowledge totalitarianism involves the state having absolute control, wheras facism implies that a single entity or ruling class (wealthy, elite, and so on) are the ones pulling the strings - not necessarily a governmental body.

 

[snatches]

Which is really the basis of Fascism. Either way, if you are a part of the opposing few and say something that goes against the powerful few or even a single heavy handed leader, you are ****ed.

I've been there before. Fascism is a bitch.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

to the best of my knowledge totalitarianism involves the state having absolute control, wheras facism implies that a single entity or ruling class (wealthy, elite, and so on) are the ones pulling the scenes - not necessarily a governmental body.

Correct. But what some have warned in the past is that when the powerful elite meld with the governmental body, you create a new brand of fascism that is harder to root out.

 

[Hitokage]

to the best of my knowledge totalitarianism involves the state having absolute control, wheras facism implies that a single entity or ruling class (wealthy, elite, and so on) are the ones pulling the strings - not necessarily a governmental body.

To oversimplify it, fascism is a reactionary movement that values strength over all else, and tries to recapture some idealized period in history.

You don't have to be right-wing to be totalitarian, just ask the soviets.

 

[snatches]

To oversimplify it, fascism is a reactionary movement that values strength over all else, and tries to recapture some idealized period in history.

You don't have to be right-wing to be totalitarian, just ask the soviets.

Like when people in power fear change, and those who are moving to shift the power are rooted out to capture a moment in time.

Like North Korea in the 50's.

Kim Jong Il would definitely be a totalitarian, right?

 

[AntoneM]

Correct. But what some have warned in the past is that when the powerful elite meld with the governmental body, you create a new brand of fascism that is harder to root out.

nope, that's incorrect. What was Mussolini's (the creator of fascism) phrase? "All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state." Strongly Authoritarian in it's nature.

 

[C4Lukins]

This has been going on for a while now. Go to infowars.com and buy all of Alex Jones' documentaries. Then, try to track down a copy of the book called "Behold A Pale Horse".

Signs of the times man. Signs of the times.

Alex Jones and his comedy specials have given my friends and I hours of late night drunken entertainment when they air here in Austin. I do recommend everyone goes out and picks up all of his material. It is kind of like the Daily Show times ten, only Alex Jones does the most amazing acting job, and plays it completely seriously without cracking up once. Definetly high art entertainment.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

To oversimplify it, fascism is a reactionary movement that values strength over all else, and tries to recapture some idealized period in history.

You don't have to be right-wing to be totalitarian, just ask the soviets.

It is the lengths that people will go to recapture that moment in history and blindly declare their actions as being beneficial to all of us that really bothers me. Just because I don't believe in the groupthink, I should not be punished for it. This type of suppression by the elite few who want to maintain the status quo is what I see occurring more and more at many levels of society.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

To oversimplify it, fascism is a reactionary movement that values strength over all else, and tries to recapture some idealized period in history.

You don't have to be right-wing to be totalitarian, just ask the soviets.

Oh, that's actually pretty obvious in a lot of leftward leaning institutions.

 

[Tamanon]

It is the lengths that people will go to recapture that moment in history and blindly declare their actions as being beneficial to all of us that really bothers me. Just because I don't believe in the groupthink, I should not be punished for it. This type of suppression by the elite few who want to maintain the status quo is what I see occurring more and more at many levels of society.

So....what exactly is happening that is punishing you again? I'm trying to figure out what you're actually complaining about.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

Wouldn't it be ironic if someone was persecuted for disagreeing with someone's different definition of fascism. :lol

 

[snatches]

It is the lengths that people will go to recapture that moment in history and blindly declare their actions as being beneficial to all of us that really bothers me. Just because I don't believe in the groupthink, I should not be punished for it. This type of suppression by the elite few who want to maintain the status quo is what I see occurring more and more at many levels of society.

Agreed. Why should maintaining the status quo be so important? What is wrong with change anyway?

Society always tends to follow it's natural course regardless. Preventing nature from taking its course is folly.

Therefore we should have no government. Let freedom of discussion reign.

 

[AntoneM]

If you are interested in the rise of Authoritariamism in the US you might want to check out a current best-seller by the name of Conservatives Without Conscience

In Conservatives Without Conscience, John Dean, who served as White House counsel under Richard Nixon and then helped to break the Watergate scandal with his testimony before the Senate, takes a vivid and analytical look at a Republican Party that has changed drastically from the conservative movement that he joined in the mid-1960s as an admirer of Senator Barry Goldwater.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

So....what exactly is happening that is punishing you again? I'm trying to figure out what you're actually complaining about.

It is within my rights to keep that to myself. Yes? I am more concerned with the increases in disregard of individual rights by goverments, corporations, and other lesser institutions. We should not be afraid to express dissent in this country. At any level.

 

[snatches]

If you are interested in the rise of Authoritariamism in the US you might want to check out a current best-seller by the name of Conservatives Without Conscience

That's one more ism than this thread needs. And don't push your political agenda on me, you fascist.

 

[Diablos]

Modern fascism is often called "CORPORATISM".

Even if laughable to many... I like the way you think

 

[Tamanon]

It is within my rights to keep that to myself. Yes? I am more concerned with the increases in disregard of individual rights by goverments, corporations, and other lesser institutions. We should not be afraid to express dissent in this country. At any level.

OK.....

You're just speaking in very broad terms here. Trying to actually nail down exactly what you believe to be disregard of individual rights....

 

[DenogginizerOS]

Even if laughable to many... I like the way you think

Not my definition. Just one of many.

 

[snatches]

OK.....

You're just speaking in very broad terms here. Trying to actually nail down exactly what you believe to be disregard of individual rights....

I see your point, maybe we need an example to open up the discussion a little bit.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

I see your point, maybe we need an example to open up the discussion a little bit.

NeoGAF

 

[Tamanon]

Oh....are you upset about the outrage over Mel Gibson's remarks?

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

NeoGAF

Hmm...interesting example. Totalitarian or Fascist? Discuss!

 

[Dilbert]

I would encourage people to read the article that Hitokage linked to -- it's a lengthy read, but it's an interesting analysis. At the very least, it contains a better definition of "fascism" than has been mentioned in this thread so far.

 

[snatches]

I would encourage people to read the article that Hitokage linked to -- it's a lengthy read, but it's an interesting analysis. At the very least, it contains a better definition of "fascism" than has been mentioned in this thread so far.

But wouldn't you say that the collective of Mod's here at GAF generally promote a common vision over the "culture" here at GAF?

By banning those who go against this "vision" don't you promote a form of fascism?

I could probably go out on a limb here and say most Mod's here are leftist, liberal minded folk. Wouldn't that in some way influence the decisions made to ban certain members or lock certain threads?

It seems it would be difficult to completely seperate your politics and beliefs from the job that is done here.

Please don't ban me.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Well, you certainly have a ruling elite that are at the top of the community, who have a lot of control to regulate things. Ban and lock on an arbitrary basis at times.

 

[snatches]

Well, you certainly have a ruling elite that are at the top of the community, who have a lot of control to regulate things. Ban and lock on an arbitrary basis at times.

I just think it would be tough to seperate politics or biases for a Mod here. You could definitely say that their is a strange definition for what is a "bannable offense" and it seems to variate by the day and the poster in question.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

I just think it would be tough to seperate politics or biases for a Mod here. You could definitely say that their is a strange definition for what is a "bannable offense" and it seems to variate by the day and the poster in question.

True. And you can never completely filter out our personal bias, which probably can't help but play a part when making decisions on what gets locked or who gets banned for instance. I see some people get banned around here for things that i see others doing all the time, with little or no regard.

 

[snatches]

True. And you can never completely filter out our personal bias, which probably can't help but play a part when making decisions on what gets locked or who gets banned for instance. I see some people get banned around here for things that i see others doing all the time, with little or no regard.

everyone ran from this thread as soon as NeoGAF was brought in.

Fear of being banned for speaking your mind? Shocking.

 

[Tamanon]

Actually I think it's more along the lines that people thought it would be a meaningful discussion on something that had a real, viable impact on the world. Not about a message board(plus discussions of modding is against the TOS)