Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy #1759 Why Dictators Are Lunatics and Their Followers are Fools
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Dec 22, 2025 The discussion dives into the absurdity of dictators and how mockery can be a powerful tool against them. They explore the intersection of propaganda and power, revealing how autocracies manipulate narratives and public perception. A historian sheds light on the psychological control dictators exert through cults of personality. The episode also examines nostalgic sentiments for authoritarian stability, contrasting them with the need for democratic checks. Lastly, the dangers of kleptocracy and the fragility of dictatorships are analyzed, exposing their violent ends.
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Dictators Are Performative Narcissists
- Dictators are almost always narcissistic, performative, and mockable, which undermines their legitimacy.
- Mockery and public disdain are effective because no genuinely likable person becomes a dictator.
FIFA’s Tailor‑Made Peace Prize
- FIFA created a new peace prize and awarded it to Donald J. Trump in a spectacle at the 2026 World Cup draw.
- The award felt tailor-made and politically entangled with Trump and FIFA leadership.
Culture As A Legacy Extension
- Trump inserted himself into cultural institutions like the Kennedy Center to control cultural recognition and legacy.
- He claims near-total control over honorees and treats cultural roles as extensions of personal branding.