Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 27 minutes ago
The parties that remade states and suppressed rivals were not omnipotent from the start. They exploited a historic moment to make political life impossible for their opponents. So support the multi-party system and defend the rules of democratic elections. Vote in local and state elections while you can. Consider running for office.
-Timothy Snyder
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Authoritarian parties don’t start off all-powerful—they take advantage of crises or historic moments, like economic problems or public fear, to change the rules and push their opponents out of the political game. This is why it’s so important to pay attention to how your emotions are being used to push legislation. Entire wars have been started based on the knee jerk revenge sentiments of the coliseum fueled by gasoline fires spread by the puppet string masters.
Pay attention to how events are used to paint a narrative.
Définitions you might be unfamiliar with but should know:
authoritarian/ism: Authoritarianism is like when one person or a small group takes most of the power and doesn’t let others have a say. Imagine playing a game where one kid makes all the rules, never lets anyone else decide anything, and kicks out anyone who questions them. They might say it’s for “everyone’s safety” or “the good of the group,” but really, they just want to stay in charge.
In real life, authoritarian governments control elections, silence the press, punish people who speak out, and take away freedoms like protesting or voting fairly. It’s the opposite of democracy, where everyone gets a say and leaders are held accountable.
When you think of education:
How does limiting access to education or controlling what is taught in schools contribute to the rise of authoritarianism?
#medialiteracy #payattention
The parties that remade states and suppressed rivals were not omnipotent from the start. They exploited a historic moment to make political life impossible for their opponents. So support the multi-party system and defend the rules of democratic elections. Vote in local and state elections while you can. Consider running for office.
-Timothy Snyder
————-
Authoritarian parties don’t start off all-powerful—they take advantage of crises or historic moments, like economic problems or public fear, to change the rules and push their opponents out of the political game. This is why it’s so important to pay attention to how your emotions are being used to push legislation. Entire wars have been started based on the knee jerk revenge sentiments of the coliseum fueled by gasoline fires spread by the puppet string masters.
Pay attention to how events are used to paint a narrative.
Définitions you might be unfamiliar with but should know:
authoritarian/ism: Authoritarianism is like when one person or a small group takes most of the power and doesn’t let others have a say. Imagine playing a game where one kid makes all the rules, never lets anyone else decide anything, and kicks out anyone who questions them. They might say it’s for “everyone’s safety” or “the good of the group,” but really, they just want to stay in charge.
In real life, authoritarian governments control elections, silence the press, punish people who speak out, and take away freedoms like protesting or voting fairly. It’s the opposite of democracy, where everyone gets a say and leaders are held accountable.
When you think of education:
How does limiting access to education or controlling what is taught in schools contribute to the rise of authoritarianism?
#medialiteracy #payattention
