It actually doesn't matter one iota if the term fascist or nazi are "overused". Let me explain why briefly:
Firstly, terms don't become meaningless when applied broadly. They become meaningless when they are applied arbitrarily. If most people in the world were fascist it would not make the term meaningless to apply it to them, no more than the term "bipedal" is meaningless now.
When far-righters complain about the term being overused their intent is to limit the scope of what can be called fascist, hoping to present their fashy ideas without inviting comparison to nazis.
Some of them take this denialism so far, that they insist fascism no longer exists.
Some of them take this denialism so far, that they insist fascism no longer exists.
Something that a lot of people seem to have trouble grasping is that fascists don't always self-identify as fascist. It's easy to pick them out of a crowd when they have a swastika on their neck, not so easy when they wear a suit and tie.
Since most people are rightfully disgusted by fascism and nazism, if they want to build a mass movement it's in their best interests to lie. "No sir, we're not white supremacists, we're just plain old civic traditionalists!"
You can't trust them to out themselves.
You can't trust them to out themselves.
So if they create a narrative around false fascism accusations, and a hysterical left eager to call anyone a nazi... It helps them conceal their agenda. It helps them deflect criticism.
Fascists hide in plain sight, that's why klansmen wear hoods.
Fascists hide in plain sight, that's why klansmen wear hoods.
Does that mean that nobody is ever falsely called a nazi? No, obviously not.
But the idea that the word is "losing power" because of some boy who cried wolf situation is a carefully engineered talking point designed to discourage people from pointing out fascism when they see it.
But the idea that the word is "losing power" because of some boy who cried wolf situation is a carefully engineered talking point designed to discourage people from pointing out fascism when they see it.
What's actually diminishing the power of the term is this narrative itself, and the uncritical way that people in the center and left take it at face value and parrot it uncritically.
If it seems to you that more and more people are being called nazis nowadays, consider that maybe there is a groundswell of nazis gaining traction and visibility in the media. Maybe it's not that the left is hysterical, but rather that we have observed a pattern.
