One of the most accurate things I have heard about Nazism is this: “You know what they called the nice Germans who saw everything happen and did nothing? Nazis.” So often, people have been conditioned to believe that someone needs to do something, but they can stay the same without consequence. This is one of the reasons that some people become activists, even as they are forced to listen to most of their old circles try to put them back into the status quo. Perpetuating inequality and racism never starts with the most extreme examples, but with the repetition of the phrase that people should just “accept the inevitable.” Evil can take it from there.
In the beginning of the United States empire, there were multiple classes of people, but despite the insistence that Irish people were “just like slaves,” I have yet to see a single museum exhibit detailing their struggle of having their limbs ripped off, coming on boats naked from which they were not allowed to clean themselves, or having their children served to wildlife. Those “delights” were reserved for Black people, but instead of acknowledging that such behavior was psychotic, people continue to tell themselves that it was an indication of the times. Just like that, beneficiaries and sycophants keep fairytales alive in their heads to avoid dealing with reality. Basically, certain events are only “inevitable” because people have been conditioned to sustain comfort instead of manage conflict.
Moreover, people are vehement about their refusal to accept that they have a responsibility in making sure things change. The world is still hearing about people childishly screaming about “Midterms!!” and “Democrats” while refusing to accept that people who had power did nothing to hold evil accountable. In fact, most politicians are representative of the majority of constituents: standing around while atrocities occur, and hoping someone else stands up to “fix it.” Protests, crying online, and voting are easier than risking looking stupid at public meetings or the organizing necessary for mutual aid and/or wealth distribution.
In the end, I have found that most people are hiding from their own agency to dump the choice on others, praying that the easy parts will allow them a modicum of attention. This is one of the main reasons that there are so many beneficiaries and sycophants praising billionaires who take too much time to do anything, hoping that nobody looks in their direction. Most people would rather wait for some Black woman to sacrifice herself and her resources while they stay safe, which is why they are “praising” people like Jasmine Crockett even as they empower others in her stead. Again, this era will be remembered as a time when people quietly watched evil, but gave themselves an out by the path of least resistance.
Accepting responsibility is a lot harder than saying, “Well, they have all the money and power, and that is just the way they/things are. Learn to live with it.” Such people are finally being called out on their acceptance of others’ pain for their avoidance, and they are finding less sympathy. A lot of people doing a lot of nothing are not causing anything to change, and everyone has finally stopped being impressed with the arm-waving that leads nowhere. People are finally learning that cruelty is not strength, and those who still label it as such are finally being labeled as cruel.
Chasing A Dying Empire 