this post was submitted on 06 Feb 2025
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Summary

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned that the Trump is deliberately overwhelming the public with chaotic news to induce passivity.

Citing Steve Bannon’s "flood the zone" strategy and historian Michiko Kakutani’s comparison of Trump to Mussolini and Hitler, she argued that Trump uses the internet to spread disinformation, much like past dictators used film and radio.

Urging people to stay engaged, she emphasized that collective resistance can slow harmful policies and that small acts of opposition make a difference.

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[–] bitjunkie@lemmy.world 2 points 59 minutes ago

Urging people to stay enraged

ftfy

[–] Kazumara@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 48 minutes ago* (last edited 47 minutes ago)

Here is an interview with PBS Frontline where Bannon describes the strategy of overwhelming the media: (at 1:26:19) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm5xxlajTW0&t=5179s

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 9 points 5 hours ago

Yeah, we had a class of independent professionals that delivered verified news directly from sauce to the pleb, all on a fixed wage as not to have financial stimulation that would affect the quality or contents is said reporting.

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 25 points 10 hours ago (2 children)

I just saw someone on Lemmy say the other day something along the lines of "he's only been in there a month"

Hell, at that point it was barely 2 WEEKS.

[–] BeardedGingerWonder@feddit.uk 5 points 1 hour ago

Wouldn't say I'm burnt out but sure as shit I'm struggling to keep up.

[–] untorquer@lemmy.world 1 points 41 minutes ago

2020: 2 - again: 2: the 2nd 2020: the sequel

[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 102 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (5 children)

You know why I'm burnt out? Because I don't see hardly any Democrats pushing the fuck back.

I see a bunch of Democrat voting for Republican bills knowing they're fucking horrible. I see and hear a bunch of Democrats voting for his unqualified nominees and then taking about bipartisanship. I see Fetterman slobbing all over Trump's toadstool supporting ethnic cleansing all fucking day long with not a single move to kick his stroked ass out. I don't see Democrats doing fuck all.

I can handle bad news, I can't stand the spinless, enabling Democrats.

[–] Snowclone@lemmy.world 4 points 1 hour ago

Honestly, you can't go by news reporting alone if you want to actually see what democrats are doing, you need to actually look at they do to be transparent from their own sources, the news is avoiding covering anything negative about Trump to an absurd degree.

[–] Lumiluz@slrpnk.net 8 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I burnt out long ago when I saw Democrats being full rightwing and most Americans being "enlightened centrists" doing shit. For me the tipping point was the Supreme Court stealing the election from Al Gore.

But I think what was most frustrating of all was the years of being called am extremist by most when pointing out the Democrats weren't stopping fascism and later that Trump would be the end of democracy during his first term. I remember so many fucking people saying that taking out Trump by any means possible was "extreme", only to see some of those same people now wish for the exact same damn thing when it's much more difficult to do so.

I'm glad I left that country years ago. Ultimately the reason there's a lack of unions, justice, and more there is because it's a country full of broken people, ruled by broken people.

Many immigrants thought it was great simply because they weren't being actively hunted to be killed or no longer dealt with unaffordable food (like my parents). They came from even worse countries at the time and when the USA wasn't that bad, so they keep quiet and just try to live on, and just accept injustice because it's all they've ever known. And the natively born there either are deluged with propaganda so they never pull the wool out of their eyes and never taught to think critically or are systematically broken down into poverty, injustice, and violence so they lose hope.

I don't think Americans will do what's right, even when only one path is now left open. But maybe I'm wrong, and like the old quote they'll do the right thing at the last moment when they realize they have no more choices.

Either way, it doesn't directly affect me anymore. I tried fighting back, but a small group can't fix a broken people. Maybe completely shattering them is what's needed instead.

In the meantime, I'll keep helping those seeking help where I can, especially the 🟦🌸⬜🌸🟦 seeking to leave to safety.

[–] untorquer@lemmy.world 1 points 38 minutes ago

Ugh i thought leaving would save me... more work to do to cut ties ..fuck!

[–] Katana314@lemmy.world 23 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

AOC talked about exactly this in her video (it's over an hour long, but when you have time, I'd say it's worth a watch). There was a specific effort to start this madness after Congress adjourned for the week, and there's been a scramble to get back for continued pushback.

And, even for democrats we presume to fight for these issues, there is complacency where people only whine on social media without making themselves known directly to their representatives. That's important both for people in Democrat, and Republican districts, to make it known their constituents are not blind to these problems.

[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 6 points 5 hours ago (2 children)

Yeah, contacting your rep is always a great idea but come on, do you really think that it needs to take massive amounts of contact in order for Democrats to realize "don't vote for any Republican neo Nazi cabinet an member" is the right move?

Come on man, do you really think we have to tell them this? This is something that's just so blatantly obvious, such a low bar, one has to wonder how crappy are Democrats and their leadership.

[–] InputZero@lemmy.world 3 points 3 hours ago

Yeah actually I think you do. Make it clear that under no uncertain terms that your democratic senator should immediately begin doing everything they can do to grind the capital to a halt that you and other like you will be relentless in ensuring that they're not re-elected.

[–] Katana314@lemmy.world 4 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

The short answer is: Yes.

The long answer is: YEEEEESSSS.

Politicians come in varying types, and most want to hold what power they have. It’s all they have - they’re literally at risk of being fired every few years. Many of them know what the right thing is to do, but worry that more domestic issues are their voter’s real concern. So, if they confirm a whack job in Congress while taking a back room deal to boost employment numbers in their state, they’ll do it - perhaps reluctantly.

But that CHANGES if their office is flooded with calls, or even just signed emails. It is a BIG oh shit moment: “Wait, people actually care about what’s happening in Washington as opposed to here??” The biggest problem reps have had, as repeatedly echoed in interviews, is they don’t know which issues are most significant to their voters. The result may be a matter of trading favors to be given table scraps, etc.

It is OUR problem too - we thought it was a common sense, braindead position not to vote for a diaper grandpa that spends 90% of its time drooling over Fox News, but the active voting population disagreed! So don’t think it is a hard mistake to make!

Every time people with experience judge these issues, they have recommended the same thing. Even if you live in a red state that won by 30 points, even if you live in a blue state that won by 20.

I encourage you to watch the movie Darkest Hour. London Parliament did NOT think it would be an obvious decision to oppose Hitler, AT ALL. They insisted Britain would chew them up for pushing them into a “pointless” war against a legitimate machine of progress and industry. It finally took Churchill going nutso and taking a subway ride in public to get a chance to actually see how people felt.

[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago

Well agree to disagree about expecting more/better out of democratic leadership but hard agree on contacting your local rep.

[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 30 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

And the media! When Musk did a Nazi salute they all fell all over each other to run cover for him and "both sides" the issue. When his obvious government wrecking DOGE agency torches important programs it's just presented as a "tough efficiency program". The whole mainstream media is trying to pretend everything is normal.

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[–] riodoro1@lemmy.world 6 points 10 hours ago (5 children)

„People who haven’t done anything have lots to say”

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[–] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 38 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (4 children)

I'm glad to hear it coming from her.

Because it is burning me out fast. I need to take a break, especially right now because of so much on my plate. But then I can re engage.

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[–] superkret@feddit.org 153 points 18 hours ago (10 children)

Great, now I'm burnt out and feeling guilty about it.

[–] Broadfern@lemmy.world 104 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

“Do what you can. And what you can do is enough,” she said. …Ocasio-Cortez reminded her followers several times that no deed of resistance is too small.

Honestly, continuing to exist/taking a moment to be nice to yourself in an administration that hates you counts. Keep existing.

A lot of these click-baity titles and over-simplified summaries seem to be adding to this very problem of guilting people for being overwhelmed.

Unfortunately that’s the system but please don’t feel guilty for being human. Kindness and compassion is resistance, and starting with yourself is a valid step.

Fuck the forces who are selling a solution to a problem they created but are trying to say is your fault. /endrant

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[–] Hossenfeffer@feddit.uk 55 points 17 hours ago (2 children)
[–] boydster@sh.itjust.works 34 points 17 hours ago (2 children)

Exactly. People need to stay focused. Trump and his henchmen are going to do everything they can to keep the masses fighting amongst each other while they rob us blind. This is what "class war, not culture war" means.

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[–] snugglesthefalse@sh.itjust.works 21 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

As a non American I'm burnt out. Wish something decisive would happen (hopefully something good too)

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[–] moon@lemmy.ml 14 points 14 hours ago

Trump's first term was like this for me. Every day was like watching a car crash and waiting, praying for someone to do something.

I told myself I wasn't going to do it this time, but we've gone from the slow-moving car crash of the first term to a full-on NASCAR accident happening every day. Not paying attention feels like they're winning, but there's only so much I can take

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