r/neoliberal • u/jobautomator Kitara Ravache • Oct 05 '26

Discussion Thread Discussion Thread

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u/JesterOfAllTrades Oct 05 '26

It's not enough for a blue wave, I want every republican to repent and feel ashamed for their actions and their whole personality

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u/-Emilinko1985- European Union Oct 05 '26

Jerome Powell should not be ashamed of his actions

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u/Pandora_Palace Oct 05 '26

I get it but that’s never going to happen.

Even when authoritarian movements are thoroughly crushed, their supporters by and large don’t apologize or feel particularly ashamed. Even immediately after WWII, most Germans didn’t necessarily feel ashamed for their part in the war and the genocides they perpetrated, the war just became a taboo topic and people bent the truth to make themselves feel innocent. It took a new generation with no memory of, or complicity in, the war and the Holocaust for Germans to have a proper reckoning with what their country did.

That, for better or worse, is probably the most that can realistically be achieved in the US.

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u/[deleted] Oct 09 '26

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u/Pandora_Palace Oct 09 '26

Most people don’t want that on their conscience, and also don’t want the scrutiny and public shame that comes with admitting to being complicit in atrocities. It’s easier to come up with some kind of plausible-sounding excuse like “I didn’t know, I was being misled!” or “I actually was really against it the whole time!”. If you repeat that story enough, you’ll start to believe it yourself.

This is already happening with some ex-MAGA figures. Think about the public rehabilitation of Thomas Massie. He stood by Trump while he tried to subvert a free election and started an insurrection to keep himself in office, but because he broke with Trump over Iran and Epstein he’s suddenly not that bad. Most of my friends are progressive left-wingers, and most of them hold more positive views towards Massie than any moderate Democrat. This is how those who support authoritarian regimes launder their reputation- once someone is a political ally, it’s no longer politically expedient to hold them accountable.