Re: <nettime> Stealing the spotlight

[GM - tedbyfield via nettime-l <nettime-l@lists.nettime.org>]

On 27 Feb 2025, at 8:46, paul van der walt wrote:

> I do think (at the risk of pulling the camera, as it were, ever so 
> slightly back to the angle we agreed is not worth discussing), 
> however, that one other possibility is missing from David's list: that 
> of leverage, whether through direct funding of the presidential 
> campaign, or whatever other reason we may never know. And i humbly 
> submit that in spite of everything it is worth considering that angle, 
> because from the point of view of a potential resistance, it is quite 
> pragmatic to consider your opponent's weak spot(s). It is also worth 
> considering who pulls which strings, because that is quite obfuscated, 
> i think. I think this question stands in isolation and regardless of 
> the despot's inner state, which i agree is moot.
>
> I might be off base though.

Not at all, Paul — your question points toward empirical reality, not 
some imaginary phenomenological realm between a fascist’s ears. 
That’s why we say “follow the money” not “follow the greed,” 
or ask “cui bono,” *who benefits?*, rather than speculating about 
how or why they experience something as beneficial.

The impulse to psychologize everyone and everything is baked *really* 
deeply into the liberal imagination. It’s a key part of how we got to 
where we are, and making it go away will be a key to how we untangle 
this mess.

Cheers,
Ted


> > On 27 Feb 2025, at 20:09, Ted Byfield via nettime-l 
> > <nettime-l@lists.nettime.org> wrote:
> >
> > My rule these days is simple: Don’t speculate about a 
> > fascist’s inner life. Don’t do it, don’t distract others with 
> > it, and ignore or challenge others when they do it. It’s a waste of 
> > time and, worse, it helps fascists by imposing their thoughts and 
> > feelings on the public sphere. And it’s also how authorities give 
> > them a pass: “he was just joking” or “she didn’t know” or 
> > any one of a long list of liberal-denialist negations — they’re 
> > UNcultured, INsane, UNeducated, DEprived, it’s “really” about 
> > this not that, they don’t “really” mean what they say, “if 
> > only they knew,” “those who forget history,” etc, etc. It’s 
> > all bullshit. Those things don’t matter. The ONLY things that 
> > matter are the concrete consequences of what fascists say and do.
 < . . . >
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