CJ "siege" Bellwether
i think the fascism that is harder for people (including myself) to recognise is when it turns up as someone talking about the importance of blood and soil.
like sure those words ring the alarm bell, but if those words instead are talking about how we need to ensure the health of our families through clean organic food - that we need to return to a simple life of nature and farming.
the UK absolutely fails to recognise aristocrats calling for a return to peasantry when its dressed up as enviro
CJ "siege" Bellwether
"how did so many people into yoga turn to conspiracy over lockdown?" well its pretty much the above.
I grew up with a chronic autoimmune condition while training and working in the arts and it has always been wall to wall people believing in more woo-type things that are absolutely one step over from concepts of blood purity.
Everything is a toxin, allergy, and negative energy. It's not your white blood cells causing inflammation, its that you're not eating enough organic chia seeds.
CJ "siege" Bellwether
like i notice it a lot these days in small dark jokes that a lot of us say in passing.
The general premise is some form of humans should die so nature can live.
"what one animal would you like to see go extinct? man"
we are already at a zeitgeist that is easy for blood and soil to fester in. Desperation at environmental collapse.
CJ "siege" Bellwether
in the UK, unmasking the scooby doo villain is pretty farcical because who owns the land, oh its literal Lords, Ladies, Princes, Princesses and Kings.
and below that its a lot of multi millionaires claiming to be working class because they own large farmable land and a ton of very expensive farming equipment and vehicles.
botvolution
@siege
Strongly recommend this piece by Richard Smyth (if you haven't already seen it)
https://richarddsmyth.com/2020/05/04/new-statesman-essay-nature-writings-fascist-roots/
CJ "siege" Bellwether
so yeah - not immune to propaganda.
look how wholesome Soil can be!
CJ "siege" Bellwether
oh thats ok, Wikipedia has who founded it.
oh my!
Soil indeed.
CJ "siege" Bellwether
If you want a more hands on activity in playing "is this organic fascism?", check out the british soil association's web page, marvel at the wholesome aesthetics, and then try to find mention of exactly WHO founded the org and what their motivations were.
Surely not -that- soil right? it was just Lady Balfour and these nameless friends, some other folks, you know, people, fancy fun other people, who's to say.
CJ "siege" Bellwether
anyway ramble over - just as a proviso to all of this, none of it was to plant a flag against things like spiritualism and beliefs about your body. Im not a devout anything and continue to exist in the "whatever works for you" box.
CJ "siege" Bellwether
and for trans people its in a lot of people around you wringing their hands about nebulous concerns for your body.
That to choose to change your body would be somehow very bad.
To tamper with what you were "given at birth", it would make you unpure from some greater plan of a higher being which is always fun coming from people who dont believe in god.
It would be a sin of vanity, a sin of nature.
a very middle class guardian readership idea of blood purity.
CJ "siege" Bellwether
anyway, the whole shebang of Organic Fascism and orgs like the british Soil Society is the primary one that comes to mind when i see people throw around the phrase "you are not immune to propaganda" - because its one that most of us grew up in without really ever thinking about and its still not ever been addressed publicly - its just quietly hidden under the rug, waiting.
Its in articles suggesting that you should try yoga or sea swimming instead of medicine.
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