Naomi Klein on "End Times Fascism," Musk, Trump, and the Far Right

The Rise of "End Times Fascism"

• 💡 Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor identify a new form of far-right politics they term "end times fascism," distinct from historical fascism due to contemporary crises like climate change and advanced technology.
• 🎯 This ideology is characterized by powerful elites preparing for societal collapse, while simultaneously accelerating the conditions that lead to it, such as extraction of resources and increased inequality.
• 🔑 The core of this movement is an apocalyptic fever, a shared belief that the current world is ending, whether through religious prophecy, technological advancement, or societal breakdown.

Elite Preparations for Collapse

• 🚀 Some elites, like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, are investing in outer space and technological solutions, effectively writing off the current planet.
• 🤖 The rise of AI is seen as a parallel development, prioritizing the creation of an artificial world over the existing animate one.
• 🏠 The populist vision, exemplified by the "fortress nation" concept, involves militarizing borders and authoritarian control to manage an increasingly unstable world and incoming populations.

Overlapping Worldviews and Israel

• 🌍 Klein notes a convergence of interests between religious extremists, particularly Christian Zionists and those focused on rebuilding the Third Temple in Jerusalem, and secular elites who see resources and potential profit in regions like Gaza.
• 🤝 There's a perceived kinship between the far-right ethnostate ideology in the US, exemplified by Trump's base, and Israel's self-perception as a fortified nation surrounded by enemies.
• 🏙️ Some tech elites admire Israel as a "startup nation" and envision similar privatized corporate cities or "freedom cities" where they can set their own rules, detached from national governance.

The Role of Repression and Spectacle

• ⛓️ Repression is a key component of fascist projects, involving the containment and disappearance of the "out-group."
• 🎭 Trump's political strategy increasingly relies on sadistic spectacles and entertainment derived from the suffering of prisoners, especially as he fails to deliver on economic promises to his base.
• 🏛️ The idea of reopening Alcatraz and the comparison to El Salvador's detention centers highlight a focus on punitive measures and the control of marginalized populations.

Building a Movement for the Future

• 💔 The governing ideology of the far right is described as a monstrous supremacist survivalism that does not believe in a future, but rather anticipates endless war and collapse.
• 🌱 In contrast, the task for progressives is to build a movement based on a belief in this world, its beauty, and the potential for a shared future, countering those who are actively betting against it.
• 🤝 Building broad coalitions, even with those with whom there are disagreements, is crucial, especially when facing a movement that actively fuels destruction and denies the possibility of a positive future.