Why would anyone choose a dictatorship over America's present "democracy"?

[kentuck]

No doubt, there are many flaws in our system of government.

But, there are flaws in all systems of government. That is the nature of the beast.

So what specifically do these folks have against our democracy?

Do they believe it will take away their guns?

Do they think it will prevent them from worshiping a cult figure?

Do they believe their free speech has been prohibited?

Do they believe it is a threat to their belief in white supremacy?

What exactly does this American democracy do that is so disgusting to these folks?

[TDale313]

1. Democracy is hard.

It requires accepting you may not always win. That others may have differing opinions that are valid. It requires critical thinking. There are plenty of people who kinda like the idea of a strong parental-type figure (usually male) who will make the decisions and punish the bad guys and make things simpler again.

[yuiyoshida]

2. They don't want to think for themselves

They need someone to Rule over them and make decisions for them.

[TDale313]

4. You said what I was trying to say...

but much more succinctly 🙂

[GoCubsGo]

10. Yep. They need a daddy.

[exboyfil]

3. They don't want black and brown people to have a say

[yuiyoshida]

11. Nor Asians

N/t.

[TBA]

5. I think it is more of an "I hate the government"

so let's burn it all down mindset. I don't think they care or think about what it is replaced with.

[atreides1]

6. That's easy

They believe in all of those things you listed, just not for people who aren't white or christian!!!

[bullimiami]

7. because they are stupid and gullible and cant think past their hate.

[FarPoint]

8. They are late to the concepts of Democracy... they only listened to Fox...

Fox News is a pure propaganda right wing news organization. They started in the 90's and caught the attention of viewers with female news anchor that liked like Playboy pin-up girls...Then, piggy-backed that with male news commentators that have a now known history of being abusive males on various levels...predatory with females, condescending and as always controlling. The male viewers perked up to the view of the female reporters and identified with the male abusive message types as it reflected their inner soul...Validation...

Then, add the progressive delivery of escalating lies, lies and more self serving lies to feed the NRA, the corporate dark monies , and then blending the message with right wing politics agenda not facts of Democracy...they sold it fast and hard...got the attention of those not familiar with politics but embraced the "feeling" they got from the programs...soon, that is all they listened to...No real baseline education with many....It was facilitated by jobs going to Mexico, China, Asia...to were being a Plummer was the ideal job for example not working at the Ford Motor factory...

Corporations soon facilitated their politics with dark monies when campaign finance went their way....republicans then once securing their political office, decided to mirror the hate message for VOTES.

Now we had the Tea baggers...no QAnon and white supremacy, ...leading to a frothy frenzi of attacking with massive violence at the US Capitol.

[GoCubsGo]

9. Because a portion of the population is wired to need a daddy to tell them

how to think and behave. Democracy requires people to think for themselves, and these people are incapable of that. They need a strongman to tell them what they want and need.

[ananda]

12. Bc it would be run by white people...

period

[superpatriotman]

13. Hatred of the 'other'

Nt

[LaMouffette]

14. Because they have never experienced a real dictatorship in which all people are subject to

the complete control of a powerful government and in which they have no freedom of speech, no freedom of assembly, no freedom of any kind, and where they themselves are potential victims of police brutality, not just the people they hate (people of color, immigrants, Muslims), and where they could be arrested for no reason whatsoever, or just "disappeared" or have their family members arrested or "disappeared" because of what they themselves have done.

[JCMach1]

15. This right here... I lived in a relatively 'benign' dictatorship in UAE,

But it profoundly changes how you act, think and interact with the world.

Then locals began to disappear during the Arab Spring and you had to carefully guard all your words.

[kentuck]

16. Thanks for that first-hand report!

People need to know what they are asking for.

[LaMouffette]

20. To echo kentuck, thank you for sharing your experience!

The only first-hand experience I have had (and it was still nothing compared with a true dictatorship), was going through bootcamp in the Army. It was quite a shock to find the freedoms I took for granted stripped from me and to have to do exactly as I was told or face repercussions ranging from furious drill instructors screaming in my face to getting an Article 15 to receiving a dishonorable discharge from the Army.

Like I said, this was nothing compared with the threats of beatings, imprisonment, and execution or "disappearance" at the hands of an authoritarian government, which I have learned about second-hand through colleagues. But bootcamp did give me just a small idea of what a dictatorship would be like, and for that, I am very grateful.

[Enoki33]

23. You literally wake up every day wondering

if the rules that governed yesterday's behavior have been changed for today, and by how much. It's like a dark cloud that inhabits your very soul. It has to be lived to fully appreciate the true value of democracy, and why it's worth fighting for with every ounce of strength in your body and soul.

[nuxvomica]

17. Because democracy requires a modicum of responsibility and sacrifice

They are like the child who doesn't accept when the new baby is brought into the home because they were always the center of attention before. They don't want to share anything.

[SallyHemmings]

18. They believe they are the chosen ones

In their imaginary world everything would become perfect.
Women would know their place and the black and brown people would go away.

[Chainfire]

19. It is because they would rather have "their" dictator than "our" president.

Trump's magic was convincing the people that he was one of them. Talk about the "big lie."

[Mike 03]

21. The conservative elite and the disgruntled masses have different reasons for succumbing

to the allure of authoritarianism.

It takes both of them for it to succeed.

Some incredible books have recently been written about it. One of my favorites is Anne Applebaum's Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism. Also Benjamin Carter Hett's Death of Democracy: Hitler's Rise to Power and the Downfall of the Weimar Republic in how it explains the same grievances that led people to join the Nazi Party are still responsible for provoking modern people to join anti-Democracy parties. Also Timothy Snyder's absolutely remarkable The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America.

The classic on this is still Hannah Arendt's The Origins of Totalitarianism.

[haele]

22. People who support a dictatorship always believe they are doing it for their own safety or profit.

They are getting rid of their enemies, or the people they think are keeping them down, or not properly respecting them.
They don't care they are living under a dictatorship, because the dictator is their Daddy, taking care of them. Until "Daddy" or his cronies decide that they want something and the supporter is suddenly in the way and becomes as disposable as any other "enemy of the state".

Whether they are college-educated professionals, social/political elites, or just a village of peasants where everyone knows their place, people who think only of themselves and their personal comfort can easily fall under the spell of a dictator.

Haele