The mechanisms of oppression under illiberal & authoritarian regimes are not absolute. What makes them so pernicious is that terror is unevenly distributed across different segments of the population. While some groups are actively persecuted, others are at the mall.
This is important also for how we think about the *threat* of illiberalism/authoritarianism. Those w/ the least to fear from such regimes - the well-connected & the well-to-do - typically opt for silence, co-operation, or obfuscation bc it’s just easier. Opposition is dangerous.
In practical terms, it means that even thru dramatic political crises, an evident campaign against the rule of law, or amid an active state terror regime, a segment of the salon intelligentsia will find ways to characterize principled opposition as “alarmism”.
Because they don’t feel the threat & they don’t fear it. And on some level, they also recognize how late the hour is, how complicit they’ve become; so they fear reprisals from stalwart dissidents more than they fear the regime. A perverse symbiosis has already taken place then.
Thinking about these dynamics in functional terms - rather than purely emotional ones - helps you be more reflective viz your media diet. And that ultimately keeps you & your loved ones safe. Cut though the noise, believe your own eyes & plan ahead. Goodnight. 🗳
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