History Professor Answers Dictator Questions - Tech Support - WIRED
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Date: 2025-03-21
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Comments and reviews: 20
BlueProphet7
Funny how no matter who you back, you see ALL OF this when you look at either party. You can draw easy parallels to Trump as a faux-strong man who wants to control everything. But you can just as easily draw parallels to who controls the majority of the media (it's not Trump outside of Fox and some new media outlets. And EVERYONE tries to manipulate the system. Democrats did it in this election and Trump did it in the previous one - and you're seeing a large portion of the left claim it was an illegitimate election just like the right did when Trump lost in 2020.
That's the problem with philosophical discussion, and that's exactly what this is. This isn't a list of questions you can easily say yes or no to, different people will see it differently in good faith.
I think if we could tone down hateful rhetoric and have a good faith discussion, and BOTH SIDES ostracized their far-right and far-left maniacs - we would get back to a more normal existence.
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Funny how no matter who you back, you see ALL OF this when you look at either party. You can draw easy parallels to Trump as a faux-strong man who wants to control everything. But you can just as easily draw parallels to who controls the majority of the media (it's not Trump outside of Fox and some new media outlets. And EVERYONE tries to manipulate the system. Democrats did it in this election and Trump did it in the previous one - and you're seeing a large portion of the left claim it was an illegitimate election just like the right did when Trump lost in 2020.
That's the problem with philosophical discussion, and that's exactly what this is. This isn't a list of questions you can easily say yes or no to, different people will see it differently in good faith.
I think if we could tone down hateful rhetoric and have a good faith discussion, and BOTH SIDES ostracized their far-right and far-left maniacs - we would get back to a more normal existence.
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wkduffy
This problem is a HUMAN problem. And because of that, it's a problem that will exist as long as humans exist. It's a problem that will repeat, repeat, repeat. There's no getting rid of it. There's no solving it. There's no permanent fix. The dictators themselves are human. The people who voted them in are human. The dictator's political cronies are human. The media supporting the dictators are humans. Wherever there are humans, there will be dictators. But rather than this thought being depressing, it highlights how the good fight never, ever ends. The need for vigilance is forever.
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This problem is a HUMAN problem. And because of that, it's a problem that will exist as long as humans exist. It's a problem that will repeat, repeat, repeat. There's no getting rid of it. There's no solving it. There's no permanent fix. The dictators themselves are human. The people who voted them in are human. The dictator's political cronies are human. The media supporting the dictators are humans. Wherever there are humans, there will be dictators. But rather than this thought being depressing, it highlights how the good fight never, ever ends. The need for vigilance is forever.
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kdc420421
I don't understand how ANYONE can see this and not DIRECTLY identify this with what is happening in the USA right now.
Most people who support Orange Julius (Caesar) ignore ALL of these signs because they agree with what he is doing. I try to explain, even if i agree that our border should be secured and illegals should be deported, our Constitution and Judiciary should not be burned down to accomplish those goals. The REASON no one ever did this stuff before him is because doing this stuff within the law is hard and the way he is doing it IS AGAINST THE LAW.
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I don't understand how ANYONE can see this and not DIRECTLY identify this with what is happening in the USA right now.
Most people who support Orange Julius (Caesar) ignore ALL of these signs because they agree with what he is doing. I try to explain, even if i agree that our border should be secured and illegals should be deported, our Constitution and Judiciary should not be burned down to accomplish those goals. The REASON no one ever did this stuff before him is because doing this stuff within the law is hard and the way he is doing it IS AGAINST THE LAW.
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beelzahbub394
Somewhat disingenuous putting communist dictatorships and fascist dictatorships on the same plane given what the end goals are for each and how different they are, and who their enemies are. Fascists enemies being foreigners, socialists, lgbtq, women, etc and communist enemies being the bourgeoisie owner class in order to uplift the working class in order to overthrow capitalism. Also, no mention of Israel and the genocide they are committing or how they help enable fascists and dictatorships globally too, curious.
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Somewhat disingenuous putting communist dictatorships and fascist dictatorships on the same plane given what the end goals are for each and how different they are, and who their enemies are. Fascists enemies being foreigners, socialists, lgbtq, women, etc and communist enemies being the bourgeoisie owner class in order to uplift the working class in order to overthrow capitalism. Also, no mention of Israel and the genocide they are committing or how they help enable fascists and dictatorships globally too, curious.
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roncarnell5924
Everyone who needs to hear this of course won't.
And if they did, they wouldn't understand, it, they wouldn't know much about the historical examples - - or they'd do their own dot-connecting: sHe jUss uH-SPlanEd tHa dEmAcRaSs.
A great presentation of facts and objectivity that on this day, 3/21/25, has removed any shred of hope I've had of the world getting past our situation.
Smoke 'em if ya got 'em. We are truly and permanently screwed.
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Everyone who needs to hear this of course won't.
And if they did, they wouldn't understand, it, they wouldn't know much about the historical examples - - or they'd do their own dot-connecting: sHe jUss uH-SPlanEd tHa dEmAcRaSs.
A great presentation of facts and objectivity that on this day, 3/21/25, has removed any shred of hope I've had of the world getting past our situation.
Smoke 'em if ya got 'em. We are truly and permanently screwed.
reply
bentoth4324
Would like to see more substantive answers here. Particularly the good dictator question/answer ignored the many real life scenarios where country's prosperity improved in fact, not just perception. Examples like modern Singapore or postwar Spain under Franco. There was a consistent side-stepping of nuance here that bothered me, although I think it's due to the format not any problem with Ben-Ghiat's level of expertise.
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Would like to see more substantive answers here. Particularly the good dictator question/answer ignored the many real life scenarios where country's prosperity improved in fact, not just perception. Examples like modern Singapore or postwar Spain under Franco. There was a consistent side-stepping of nuance here that bothered me, although I think it's due to the format not any problem with Ben-Ghiat's level of expertise.
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kylezack5973
So when the Obama and Biden administrations were staging coups all over the world at the expense of US tax dollars and human lives to expand their sphere of influence, that wasn't fascist Or when those same administrations were censoring media outlets and social media accounts that went against their narrative and in turn kept them in power Not fascists. Got it.
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So when the Obama and Biden administrations were staging coups all over the world at the expense of US tax dollars and human lives to expand their sphere of influence, that wasn't fascist Or when those same administrations were censoring media outlets and social media accounts that went against their narrative and in turn kept them in power Not fascists. Got it.
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Jimbo46
Her information is good, but I can tell she is ideologically captured. Just her word choice alone tells me that. She is a fan of the left, which is fine, but you need to understand how we got to the situation we are in. The left is also very controlling just like the right is. Stop participating in forming ideas based on party alignment.
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Her information is good, but I can tell she is ideologically captured. Just her word choice alone tells me that. She is a fan of the left, which is fine, but you need to understand how we got to the situation we are in. The left is also very controlling just like the right is. Stop participating in forming ideas based on party alignment.
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SJDSt
Well, you were living in a leftist dictatorship, and nobody was complaining. Only that vast majority who voted something else because failed economic politics, not because the narrative of so-called racisim.
Dem left only do politics one way, printing money and uplifting politicians and judges bank accounts.
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Well, you were living in a leftist dictatorship, and nobody was complaining. Only that vast majority who voted something else because failed economic politics, not because the narrative of so-called racisim.
Dem left only do politics one way, printing money and uplifting politicians and judges bank accounts.
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gailatherat5862
They want a dictatorship for everyone they hate. The LGBT, POC, Women. But what they don’t realize is they will also be dictated, and their orange daddy will turn on them in an instant to push is agenda and to continue to gain power/wealth. They are just all too low iq to understand that.
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They want a dictatorship for everyone they hate. The LGBT, POC, Women. But what they don’t realize is they will also be dictated, and their orange daddy will turn on them in an instant to push is agenda and to continue to gain power/wealth. They are just all too low iq to understand that.
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hondaguy9153
Well senator Lee. Donald Trump. Except he's not limiting besides cost or power of the government. He's consolidating it all and increasing the cost of it while bringing that money into his own pocket and to the pockets of his friends and donors.
Utah does not want Mike Lee. Go away.
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Well senator Lee. Donald Trump. Except he's not limiting besides cost or power of the government. He's consolidating it all and increasing the cost of it while bringing that money into his own pocket and to the pockets of his friends and donors.
Utah does not want Mike Lee. Go away.
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Pawtacle
Good video. My only potential gripe with it is with the phrase the communist system only permits dictators being used, as it is very easy to mishear that meaning just all communism in general - there are a lot of branches in communist ideology that permits non-dictatorship based power.
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Good video. My only potential gripe with it is with the phrase the communist system only permits dictators being used, as it is very easy to mishear that meaning just all communism in general - there are a lot of branches in communist ideology that permits non-dictatorship based power.
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madmanawesome
What a blind, biased, propagandist take on how authoritarian government happens. All it takes is one side (always the left) to see the other as evil, and need to take control to make sure to oppress the oppressors while not realizing the hypocrisy. USSR is a perfect example
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What a blind, biased, propagandist take on how authoritarian government happens. All it takes is one side (always the left) to see the other as evil, and need to take control to make sure to oppress the oppressors while not realizing the hypocrisy. USSR is a perfect example
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RichardCampo-o4l
You're wrong on Ghaddafi. Clearly nepotism was happening but, he created a socially benevolent state that cared for all Libyans. He didn't enrich himself at the expense of the population. This metric needs to be considered. You're skating with neoliberal opinion.
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You're wrong on Ghaddafi. Clearly nepotism was happening but, he created a socially benevolent state that cared for all Libyans. He didn't enrich himself at the expense of the population. This metric needs to be considered. You're skating with neoliberal opinion.
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brsctlbs
Interesting, that Nettenyahu or current situation in Israel is not mentioned at all; although it has all the elements of genocide, defying the popular vote, fear-mongering, what-aboutism etc.
I guess one's surname still comes before their historianship.
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Interesting, that Nettenyahu or current situation in Israel is not mentioned at all; although it has all the elements of genocide, defying the popular vote, fear-mongering, what-aboutism etc.
I guess one's surname still comes before their historianship.
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JonDoe-ln6nl
Do Americans WANT to live in a dictatorship I'd say 95% do not. I will also say that 65% of Americans are TOO DUMB to know the difference when it is pushed into their pie hole. WE ARE DOOMED. But hey, I got my escape plan, do you. and it is COMING.
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Do Americans WANT to live in a dictatorship I'd say 95% do not. I will also say that 65% of Americans are TOO DUMB to know the difference when it is pushed into their pie hole. WE ARE DOOMED. But hey, I got my escape plan, do you. and it is COMING.
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hjude7673
I wish more people saw this video and realize that they voted for a monster who will forever change the face of our nation unless they admit they voted wrong and join the rest of us in fighting this regime!
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I wish more people saw this video and realize that they voted for a monster who will forever change the face of our nation unless they admit they voted wrong and join the rest of us in fighting this regime!
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fluffezic5183
If you think this is fake news or anti trump. Watch the video again but slowly. Also funny how in the replies to almost all comments i see the same 6 names pop up over and over trying to protect trump
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If you think this is fake news or anti trump. Watch the video again but slowly. Also funny how in the replies to almost all comments i see the same 6 names pop up over and over trying to protect trump
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Obanesharvest
This video is one of the few comforts ive had as an american. I live in trump thump land and everyone around me has become an authoritarian fascist. No one is coming to save us, and its terrifying.
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This video is one of the few comforts ive had as an american. I live in trump thump land and everyone around me has become an authoritarian fascist. No one is coming to save us, and its terrifying.
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hailstar007
Thanks for putting what Elon Musk is doing as is, a coup. And since this is so unprecedented that many people aren’t aware of what he is doing yet, but by the time they will, it will be too late.
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Thanks for putting what Elon Musk is doing as is, a coup. And since this is so unprecedented that many people aren’t aware of what he is doing yet, but by the time they will, it will be too late.
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