As momentum builds under the banner of “No Kings!” liberals and other activists in the U.S. should consider the real question of how we got here and how we can move forward and away from Trump’s authoritarianism altogether. The question isn’t about monarchy versus presidency, but about the myth of representation itself.
Although it’s not said explicitly, the article uses the “we’d be at brunch” sign as an example of rhetoric that uses the liberal “No Kings” framing. The writers of the article would disagree with the message of this sign, as would any anarchist worth taking seriously, because it argues that changing the figurehead (to Kamala Harris) would be a solution, instead of abolishing the figurehead at all.
Well yes, but the people must be alienated from the decisions that shape their lives somehow. What is your proposal, if not aristocratic jingoist celebretism in the trappings if not official title of a monarch?
Feeding all of our conversations into a new llm, to be trained on the nsa’s most recent surveillance data on the first of each year?
Or something involving dice?
Doesn’t seem much better, if you ask me. Which you shouldn’t; speak only to my attorney.
Flat, answerable governance. That’s all. People only need alienation from terrible decisions. The insulation/alienation from the outcomes of their decisions are what allow them to make such horrible decisions easily.
But what if they get some amount of pride and start acting like mature adults!?
I agree with that, but the sign particularly offended me and I felt like it needed to be called out on its own merits.