Okay, so I was reading this really interesting Reddit AMA, you know, one of those “Ask Me Anything” sessions? This guy, Craig Johnson, he’s a researcher who studies fascism and the extreme right-wing, especially in Latin America and the US. He wrote a book called “How to Talk to Your Son about Fascism,” which is a guide for parents and educators. The whole thread was just… a lot. People were really worried, and the questions were intense.
The very first question that blew up was someone asking, “How do I talk to my *parents* about it?” which kind of set the tone. Craig’s answer, which got thousands of upvotes, was all about safety first—making sure you’re not financially or otherwise dependent on them if the conversation goes south. He stressed empathy, trying to understand what’s appealing to them about these movements, whether it’s a feeling of being left behind, anger, or a desire for change, rather than just yelling or debating. The core idea was that you can only really ask people to have empathy for young men being drawn into this stuff, because they’re often responding to real feelings, even if the solutions offered are toxic.
Then things got heavier. People were asking if it’s even possible to “deprogram” a society once fascism gains traction, and Craig was pretty blunt. He said large-scale deprogramming has never really been tried successfully, pointing out that post-WWII de-Nazification in West Germany was largely abandoned. And once these groups get a share of state power, violence is pretty much inevitable because they don’t just see it as a tool; they believe it’s morally good. This led to a side discussion about whether the US currently has fascists in government. Craig’s take was nuanced: he said fascists are part of the national government now, influencing it, but they aren’t in full control. The line, academically, is when they become the leading part of the right-wing coalition, but for everyday purposes, “if it quacks like a duck, call it a duck.”
A big theme was *why* this appeals, especially to young men. Craig talked about it being a mix of real and perceived problems. Young men are facing a relative loss of social and economic power compared to previous generations, partly due to the successes of feminism and shifting industries. Fascists exploit that feeling, framing it as oppression rather than a shift in privilege. It’s not just a “mind virus”; it’s offering simple, violent answers to complex, genuine grievances. This connects to why men are more recruited—men tend to be more involved in violent groups, and the ideology promises to restore a perceived lost status.
There was a fascinating question about whether fascism sells a “utopia,” like Soviet communism did. Craig made a crucial point: because fascism lost WWII, we only remember its horrific end. But for many people before the war, it *was* popular. It promised and delivered jobs, social safety nets (for the “right” people), and a sense of purpose. For supporters, it wasn’t about doom; it was about stability and community. That’s a scary thought, because it means it can be attractive on a very human, practical level.
People were desperate for practical advice. Teachers asked how to discuss this in classrooms without seeming biased or making kids hopeless. Craig advised honesty—don’t sugarcoat the world’s problems—and focusing on “movement history,” showing how people organizing together have changed things. The key was empathy in conversation and providing a positive alternative vision that actually benefits young men, not just telling them to step aside.
When asked what individuals can do, especially feeling overwhelmed, the answer was consistently about collective action. Join a group, any group, doing work you care about—community aid, mutual aid, political organizing. Fascism is a social movement, and it can only be countered by a social movement. You can’t fight it alone. The most chilling, and yet hopeful, answer was to a simple question: “Do you have hope?” Craig said, “Sometimes. It’s very hard, but hopelessness is their tool, not ours.”
There were so many other threads: discussions about whether historical regimes in Latin America were truly fascist, the role of the Catholic Church in sometimes opposing and sometimes enabling these movements, the normalization of fascist symbols today, and how conspiracy theories feed into the ideology. Underneath it all was this palpable anxiety about the current political speed, with someone quoting Lenin about “weeks when decades happen.” The feeling was that things are accelerating, and the question wasn’t *if* there’s a crisis, but how to navigate it, protect loved ones, and find a way to push back without despair. The overall takeaway wasn’t reassuring, but it was clear-eyed: understand the appeal, meet people with empathy where you can, safeguard the vulnerable, and most importantly, find your people and organize. Because going it alone isn’t an option.
