The valorisation of surface level positivity as moral and the declaiming of negativity as immoral is the hallmark of apolitical attitudes. The media goes on and on about extremism and depression and now everyone has the relationships all wrong. Notice how the critical analysis about Hitler becomes hyperfocused on his failed art career and his general negativity. Thousands of thinkpieces about sad white boys becoming Neo Nazis.

While it may temporarily inoculate you from getting radicalised by chud propaganda if you have this attitude, depression and anger is created by your material conditions and biology. If you're unable to critically think about ideology outside of tonal attitudes, you're left vulnerable to bullshit when depression and anger strikes.

Additionally you are easy prey for neoliberal capitalism, which markets you murder cheerfully. Democrats almost constantly fetishise this positive == good logic. This is also why the alt right coopts things like My Little Pony. We shouldn't forget that Hitler rallies weren't masses of depressed, frothing people – they were usually experiencing something transcendent. I don't understand why the concept of the cheerfully evil, while present in pop culture is generally absent in evaluations of ideology.

  • Invidiarum [none/use name]
    ·
    4 years ago

    There is a german comedian who had a show that consisted of reading Mein Kampf, and I largely agree with his take that banning (or only allowing a critically commented version to be published) valorisez it. He claims that it only strengthens the book if it needs to be banned, if it is too dangerous for the reader, because that would imply some sort of evil genious and that belief would give it more power than iit actually has.

    He roughly translated said:"I was feared of boring people. [...] If I read just 10 minutes uninterrupted even hardened nazis were falling asleep before my eyes."

    Interview with him (in german)