"You can ask me questions later, but this is what makes me sad: the most probable outcome is what I call “soft fascism.”

By soft, I don’t mean Nazi-style fascism or outright extermination campaigns. Rather, what I mean is this: the best definition of fascism for me is a conservative revolution.

That means participating in the dynamic of capitalist development, while recognising that unrestrained capitalism and liberalism can lead to social disintegration. Intelligent fascists understood this. So, they envisioned an economy based on capitalism, but controlled by a strong state that legitimises itself by appealing to invented traditions—often religious, but not necessarily so.

Now, I may upset some of you, but do you know who serves as an example of this? China. I’ve been closely following what happens there. Two months ago, their leader gave a speech. He began with: “Our youth is not educated enough; we must train them ideologically.” I expected the usual rhetoric about reading more Marx or Mao.

But no. He emphasised Confucian traditions, saying they were essential for holding society together. Modi is doing something similar in India—brutal capitalism coupled with a narrative of tradition.

This, I think, is the most probable direction for much of the world.

History, I’m afraid, is not on our side."

https://slguardian.org/zizek-on-soft-fascism-ai-and-the-collapse-of-shame/#google_vignette

#SoftFascism #Capitalism #AI #History