Timothy Snyder On Tyranny - good advice?

[Womblingmerrily]

I've been watching the historian Timothy Snyder speak about his 20 lessons on Tyranny and thought many of them to be quite relevant when resisting the authoritarianism in gender ideology.

As he is American, some are not relevant, particularly those on weapons, but those that look at not obeying, resisting the language and symbols of authoritarianism and supporting the truth I think are useful, as are investigating, supporting peers, contributing and being as courageous as we can.

Anyone else come across him?

I really like the Road to Unfreedom. One of the few books I've read by a proper historian which really gets current politics.

Are you listening to a podcast or watching videos op?

Could you share a link? I've enjoyed his book(s?) in the past. Heard him on radio 4 recently. Always curious what he has to say!

I came across him when I was looking at Graphic novels - quite unexpected and was just struck by the relevance of it.

His own you tube channel has him talking about each of the 'On Tyranny' ideas but there's loads more there and they're not too long either.

As one of his ideas is 'read more books' I should probably try some of his - sounds like Road to Unfreedom might also be worth a look.

Quoting a 2018 summary.

Timothy Snyder has written an interesting book called ‘On Tyranny’ (I think I first saw it mentioned somewhere on here). It describes how the actions of the populace can either allow or prevent tyrannical regimes taking hold. It’s focus is really the political sphere. But it strikes me that it can also explain how the TRA movement has made such inroads.

It raises 20 points

1. Anticipatory obedience (people voluntarily accepting changes ahead of the law). We have examples ranging from Labour AWS, prison service, Girl Guides, and so on – all changing their policies to allow self-IDed transwomen access to women’s spaces and declaring that they can’t enforce single sex provision
2. Not protecting institutions that can help. Institutions we thought that would stand up against this such as the NSPCC and the unions have already fallen without anyone noticing.
3. Allowing a one-party state. All political parties share the same view on this. There is no one to vote for to escape it (except possibly UKIP but we all have limits)
4. Allowing places to display signs supporting the ideology. Women’s toilets getting gender neutral signs, punch a TERF placards and graffiti.
5. Professional ethics going out the window. The doctors who unquestioningly prescribe puberty blockers to kids, the counsellors who won’t investigate the underlying causes, the safeguarding ‘experts’ in schools, local authorities, guides, gymnastics who completely ignore all their safeguarding training and allow boys into girls spaces
6. Paramilitaries enforcing the new rules. Like those that gather outside WPUK meetings, the mob outside the trial of Maria McLachlan, those facing Julie Bindel and Magdalen Burns on the stairs, the baseball bat wielding ‘die cis scum’ marcher
7. This is about those that enforce laws (e.g. police/army) being complicit in supporting the tyrannical regime. How about West Yorkshire Police and the Twitter mods?
8. Not standing up for your beliefs. Politicians, mainstream media (with a few honourable exceptions) – I’m looking at you
9. Allowing language to change (and disappear). Obviously the new definition of woman/female being pressed for (although no one actually has given a revised definition), enforced use of pronouns, the ‘cis’ word
10. Abandoning facts. I don’t think I need to clarify this. The whole agenda relies on ignoring basic biological facts and repeating fictional mantras.
11. Not investigating. No one (except the members of MN and a handful of reporters) is doing any digging or due diligence. They just unthinkingly parrot the information given to them by the activists.
12. Not keeping in touch with people. Because we are afraid to raise this with others in real life we have struggled to counter the narrative. And those that have concerns have been left demoralised and alone (apart from on MN)
13. Not meeting face-to-face with others to discuss. We are, but see how violently and persistently the TRAs try to stop WPUK meetings. They can see that this is a threat.
14. Using personal data against people. Like when they doxx women on twitter.
15. Shutting down independent organisations and associations. MN targeted to shut FWR. And I’m sure the attempts to demonise WPUK, FPFW, #StandingForWomen, etc is seen as a stepping stone to getting them banned.
16. Not learning from other countries. I think we have, so that has given us an advantage compared with other countries such as Canada.
17. Allowing dangerous words to convey the idea that this is an extraordinary situation and therefore extraordinary measures are permitted. All the ‘literal violence’ and ‘killing children’ messages that get constantly fired out.
18. Allowing exceptional events to justify exceptional actions. Like the above, propagating the idea that people are literally killing themselves over this (it’s not happening, but they are pushing the idea that it is)
19. Not being a patriot. In this context I think it is feminist groups that no longer stand for women, LBGT groups no longer supporting L.
20. People not being courageous. Some people have been. And more and more are (and I recognise why some people can’t). And it is only this courage that has slowed the juggernaut.

Thank you for that. I think it's true that we have ended up down this road because people have essentially allowed tyranny and tyrannical ideas to flourish.

I do think we can turn many of those things round and use the principles to take action for ourselves and groups we may be involved in.

I thought it was useful as it gives a 'how' to what we could do in our lives and professions to resist tyranny.

I also thought his discussion on youtube as to what actions people took in the past to resist was useful and informative. I did not know that people went out and whitewashed over Nazi symbols at great risk to themselves. I think knowing what measures people took in the past whilst under serious threat to themselves and their families could make us braver in our own actions.

This thread, on the parallels of this time with Marxist totalitarianism, is worth a read:

Live not by lies: Solzhenitsyn (no tambourines involved)

The concept of the "pink police state," coined by James Poulos, is also relevant to the new "kindly tyranny."

That's a great thread - lots to read and think about. Thanks for the link.

Started listening today and I'm hooked.
I think I am going to get the book and discuss it with my children.