Disaster Nationalism: The Collapse of Liberalism and Why the Far Right is Winning with Richard Seymour
Feb 9, 2025
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Richard Seymour, author of 'Disaster Nationalism' and expert on the rise of the far right, unpacks the alarming trend of disaster nationalism. He discusses how social media fuels the spread of fascist ideologies, linking it to societal despair and isolation. The conversation dives deep into the psychological effects of far-right rhetoric, emphasizing the role of digital platforms in radicalizing disenchanted individuals. Seymour warns that modern political struggles are intertwined with personal crises, demanding urgent collective action against this perilous tide.
Disaster nationalism arises from societal despair and anger, utilizing social media to spread far-right ideologies and rationalize violence.
The far-right's appeal reframes class discourse, focusing on individual grievance narratives rather than collective struggles for labor rights.
Radicalization through social media highlights how emotional narratives can manipulate identities, binding individuals to toxic ideologies under the guise of empowerment.
Deep dives
Understanding Disaster Nationalism
Disaster nationalism is characterized by its unique blend of contemporary political dynamics, diverging from traditional fascism as a mass movement. This notion emphasizes that the resurgence of fascist tendencies manifests not through institutional collapses but rather through spectacles facilitated by social media and viral content dissemination. The potency of disaster nationalism lies in its ability to fuse personal and societal crises—be they economic downturns, wars, or pandemics—into a narrative that galvanizes support for right-wing ideologies. Ideologically, disaster nationalism reflects social dislocations that allow populations to externalize their frustrations, directing anger at scapegoated groups, which can distill complex grievances into simplified, visceral narratives.
The Psychological Landscape of Fascism
The undercurrents of fascism intertwine deeply with individual and collective psychological experiences shaped by crises. These crises, both acute and chronic, nurture environments of despair and apathy, which can lead to either withdrawal or radicalization among the population. Disenfranchised individuals may seek validation through ideologies that promise clarity and purpose, often fixating on external targets like migrants or leftist groups, whom they perceive as responsible for their turmoil. This focus on 'existential revenge' speaks to a fantasy of empowerment, where resorting to violence against perceived enemies offers a false sense of agency amidst a life marked by alienation and powerlessness.
Social Contagion and Political Messaging
The spread of disaster nationalism operates similarly to social contagion, where ideas and emotions proliferate through informal networks, often bypassing rigorous critique. This phenomenon illustrates how violent ideologies can gain traction among various social strata, even amid leftist retreats and crises in mental health. The mechanisms of social media dramatically lower the threshold for individuals to accept radical ideologies that resonate with their lived experiences, capturing massive attention despite their complex natures. As ruling class narratives increasingly mainstream such ideas, they leverage emotional responses to inscribe them within consumerist frameworks that diminish critical engagement.
Redefining Class in Political Discourse
The discourse surrounding class has evolved, particularly in its appropriation by the far-right, which often neglects traditional material interests in favor of grievance-based narratives. This shift highlights how the political landscape has been reframed to appeal to individuals' personal experiences of economic pain rather than collective class goals, fostering a divisive 'us vs. them' mentality. Figures advocating for so-called class concerns tend to replace structural critiques with abstract notions of symbolic power struggles, prioritizing identity over labor rights and political agency. This reconfiguration complicates the understanding of class, weaving a narrative where individualistic success becomes a primary measure of one's societal value.
The Role of Online Influences in Radicalization
The intersection of social media and far-right movements vividly illustrates how platform architecture can facilitate radicalization. The use of online trolls and virulent ideas, often driven by corporate interests, acts as a mechanism of both recruitment and reinforcement within digital communities. Furthermore, figures like Andrew Tate exemplify how hyper-masculinity and extreme views can gain popularity, promising a perverse sense of empowerment while ultimately perpetuating cycles of violence and misogyny. This dynamic underscores the need for critical reflection on how online personas manipulate real-world identities and social relations, creating an illusion of agency while binding individuals to exploitative systems.
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The rise of the new far right has left the world grappling with a profound misunderstanding. While the spotlight often shines on the actions of charismatic leaders such as Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro, the true peril lies elsewhere. Defeating these people will not stem the tide driving them forward. They are merely the embodiment of profound forces that are rarely understood. Propelled through the vast networks of social media and fueled by far-right influencers, enthralled by images of disaster and fantasies of doom, they have emerged from a reservoir of societal despair, fear, and isolation. Within this seething cauldron, we witness not only the surge of far-right political movements but also the sparks of individual and collective violence against perceived enemies, from ‘lone wolf’ killers to terrifying pogroms. Should a new fascism emerge, it will coalesce from these very elements. This is disaster nationalism.
Richard Seymour delves deep into this alarming development in world politics, dissecting its roots, its influencers, and the threats it poses. With meticulous analysis and compelling storytelling, Seymour offers a stark warning. The battle against disaster nationalism is not just political; it is a struggle for our collective soul and the future of civilization itself. Unless we understand the deeper forces propelling the far-right resurgence, we have little chance of stopping it.