The only part that I'll disagree with you on is that "the public is pro-colonialism".
Americans are so heavily propaghandized and thus have such a warped & disjointed view of the world. The majority of Americans don't even know what colonialism is, and have no idea that they exist within a repressive global empire. They have little snippe…
The only part that I'll disagree with you on is that "the public is pro-colonialism".
Americans are so heavily propaghandized and thus have such a warped & disjointed view of the world. The majority of Americans don't even know what colonialism is, and have no idea that they exist within a repressive global empire. They have little snippets of information, just enough to be guided to the "correct" views and opinions that don't conflict with our hegemony.
I'm NOT trying to say "Americans are secretly good!", because that's not true. They are humans like any other, and subject to the same in-group/out-group prejudices. White supremacy is foundational to our empire & the global capitalist order, but within the last ~30 years there has been a shift. Capital still works to ensure that there is an economic underclass, and that sacrifice zones don't come anywhere near them, but the racial characterization almost feels incidental at this point, and simply a continued legacy of past actions (rather than a core pillar the way it was in the past).
Individual racists are obviously extremely prevelant, but as a class there has been a drift towards "it's fine if the boardroom is more "diverse" now, so long as the underlying power structure is maintained". This is what finally gave affluent liberals & dem elites the cover (externally & in their own minds) to throw in the towel and fully embrace the GOP's views on immigration, foreign policy, so on and so on. If Obama or Hakim Jeffries is willing to be a good foot soldier for zionism, work tirelessly to undermine unions, and ensure no institutional Left ever manages to coalesce, they are welcomed into the inner circle with open arms.
Totally agree that Americans don’t even know what colonialism is. It’s something that empires practiced in the past. We have been told from day one that we are the good guys, that Israel is good like us. We have successfully controlled the narrative that portrays Arabs and Muslims as lesser evolved at best and terrorists at worst.
To clarify what I'm trying to say a bit more: the system is as racist as it ever was, and will continue to kill and incarcerate brown people disproportionately. No change there. But in the past it had more self consciously racist intentions, whereas now it's more "maintenance racism" to sustain existing social structures rather than "the point".
This is worse in my opinion, because it's harder to fight against. If you're a not-white ivy league graduate and you have a nice 6 figure tech job, you won't feel as connected to the struggles of people who look like you. You were able to "make it", and you'll feel instinctively that you have more in common with those who share your protected affluent status than you do with people a few miles away being beaten & jailed, or even further away getting slaughtered en masse.
Unfortunately, that is so true! I've feathered my nest, anyone who hasn't can flip off. However, no way I can find enough feathers for everyone. But back to the main post, yes this is the new thought police, so well practiced already in UK, now brought to USA and most other former democratic nations. Thank the neo-libreal think tanks (i.e. Project 2025) for this New Speak. Welcome to Gilead.
What I don't understand is how any of this contradicts the claim that "the public is pro-colonialism". The u.s. is a colonial state, whether its citizens prefer "maintenance racism" or "self consciously racist intentions" doesn't change that. There are similar disagreements among the israeli public, yet they are still, just like yanks, overwhelmingly pro-colonialism.
The point i was trying to make is, I think, even more distressing: the public neither knows or cares enough to be described as "pro-colonialism". The "average" American lives in a parallel world completely divested from any understanding of history or how the world functions. Instead they exist in a kaliadoscopic fugue state sewn together with sitcom quips, sports statistics, and pop culture ephemera. It just feels overly simplistic to characterize them as "pro-colonialism" when the very concept simply isn't on their radar.
I don't think it's overly simplistic to characterize them as pro-colonialism in the face of their apathy, ignorance, & delusions regarding colonialism.
The only part that I'll disagree with you on is that "the public is pro-colonialism".
Americans are so heavily propaghandized and thus have such a warped & disjointed view of the world. The majority of Americans don't even know what colonialism is, and have no idea that they exist within a repressive global empire. They have little snippets of information, just enough to be guided to the "correct" views and opinions that don't conflict with our hegemony.
I'm NOT trying to say "Americans are secretly good!", because that's not true. They are humans like any other, and subject to the same in-group/out-group prejudices. White supremacy is foundational to our empire & the global capitalist order, but within the last ~30 years there has been a shift. Capital still works to ensure that there is an economic underclass, and that sacrifice zones don't come anywhere near them, but the racial characterization almost feels incidental at this point, and simply a continued legacy of past actions (rather than a core pillar the way it was in the past).
Individual racists are obviously extremely prevelant, but as a class there has been a drift towards "it's fine if the boardroom is more "diverse" now, so long as the underlying power structure is maintained". This is what finally gave affluent liberals & dem elites the cover (externally & in their own minds) to throw in the towel and fully embrace the GOP's views on immigration, foreign policy, so on and so on. If Obama or Hakim Jeffries is willing to be a good foot soldier for zionism, work tirelessly to undermine unions, and ensure no institutional Left ever manages to coalesce, they are welcomed into the inner circle with open arms.
Totally agree that Americans don’t even know what colonialism is. It’s something that empires practiced in the past. We have been told from day one that we are the good guys, that Israel is good like us. We have successfully controlled the narrative that portrays Arabs and Muslims as lesser evolved at best and terrorists at worst.
To clarify what I'm trying to say a bit more: the system is as racist as it ever was, and will continue to kill and incarcerate brown people disproportionately. No change there. But in the past it had more self consciously racist intentions, whereas now it's more "maintenance racism" to sustain existing social structures rather than "the point".
This is worse in my opinion, because it's harder to fight against. If you're a not-white ivy league graduate and you have a nice 6 figure tech job, you won't feel as connected to the struggles of people who look like you. You were able to "make it", and you'll feel instinctively that you have more in common with those who share your protected affluent status than you do with people a few miles away being beaten & jailed, or even further away getting slaughtered en masse.
Unfortunately, that is so true! I've feathered my nest, anyone who hasn't can flip off. However, no way I can find enough feathers for everyone. But back to the main post, yes this is the new thought police, so well practiced already in UK, now brought to USA and most other former democratic nations. Thank the neo-libreal think tanks (i.e. Project 2025) for this New Speak. Welcome to Gilead.
What I don't understand is how any of this contradicts the claim that "the public is pro-colonialism". The u.s. is a colonial state, whether its citizens prefer "maintenance racism" or "self consciously racist intentions" doesn't change that. There are similar disagreements among the israeli public, yet they are still, just like yanks, overwhelmingly pro-colonialism.
The point i was trying to make is, I think, even more distressing: the public neither knows or cares enough to be described as "pro-colonialism". The "average" American lives in a parallel world completely divested from any understanding of history or how the world functions. Instead they exist in a kaliadoscopic fugue state sewn together with sitcom quips, sports statistics, and pop culture ephemera. It just feels overly simplistic to characterize them as "pro-colonialism" when the very concept simply isn't on their radar.
I don't think it's overly simplistic to characterize them as pro-colonialism in the face of their apathy, ignorance, & delusions regarding colonialism.
I wouldnt argue that the distinction matters all that much when it comes to outcomes, just that it exists.