History doesn’t repeat itself, but damn, it sure loves a remix. And right now, the echoes of 1930s Germany are getting impossible to ignore.
We’ve been here before—the slow-motion collapse of democracy, the playbook of authoritarianism playing out in real-time, and the collective shrug from people who should know better.
But here’s the thing: it’s not just politicians and extremists driving this. It’s also the corporations, brands, and organizations that should be standing up but instead are either sitting on the sidelines or, worse, actively enabling it.
So let’s spell it out.
Democracy Doesn’t Die Overnight—It’s a Slow Unraveling
Then: Hitler didn’t seize power in some Hollywood-style coup. He worked the system, eroded institutions from the inside, and used the law to give himself unchecked power.
The 1933 Enabling Act? That wasn’t a hostile takeover; it was legal. The government handed him control, wrapped in the language of “restoring order.”
Now: Trump and his enablers are playing the same long game—gutting government agencies, dismantling voting rights, stacking courts, and normalizing executive overreach. When they strip away DEI programs and push for mass deportations, that’s not just policy; it’s groundwork.
And where are the companies that claim to stand for democracy? The same ones that love to post about freedom on July 4th but stay silent when voting rights are attacked?
Did I miss the string of announcements from companies pulling their ads from X after Elon snapped off not one, but two Nazi salutes?
Every corporate marketing budget and PAC funneling money to candidates who are openly working to dismantle democracy is complicit.
Scapegoating Is the Oldest Trick in the Book
Then: The Nazis needed a common enemy, so they targeted Jews, LGBTQ+ people, and anyone who didn’t fit their nationalist fantasy. Step one: dehumanize. Step two: justify their removal.
Now: Look around. Trans people are under legislative attack. Immigrants are branded as criminals and “poison.” Schools are banned from teaching history that makes certain groups uncomfortable. This isn’t just culture war nonsense—it’s the setup for something worse.
And yet, where are the brands that drape themselves in rainbow logos every June? Where are the universities and corporate giants that claim to champion diversity but are now quietly rolling back their DEI commitments the moment they face pressure?
Silence isn’t neutrality. It’s permission.
Fringe Ideas Don’t Stay Fringe for Long
Then: Nazi ideology started on the margins. It took years of media propaganda, fear-mongering, and conservative leaders playing footsie with extremists before it went mainstream.
Now: The Republican Party isn’t dog-whistling anymore. White nationalism, Christian supremacy, and open calls for authoritarian rule are now standard talking points. And yet, people still act shocked when the rhetoric turns into legislation.
Meanwhile, major news networks keep giving these voices airtime under the guise of “balanced coverage.” Social media platforms amplify them in the name of engagement.
And all the while tech companies profit off hate speech and then throw up their hands as if their algorithms aren’t feeding the fire.
Crushing the Opposition? Classic Dictator Move.
Then: The Nazis didn’t just silence dissent; they made it illegal. Political opponents were jailed, newspapers were shut down, and critics mysteriously vanished.
Now: Trump has already promised to weaponize the DOJ against Biden, journalists, and anyone who speaks out. He’s made it clear that he wants to purge the government of “disloyal” employees. And let’s not forget—he still calls the press “the enemy of the people.”
But the business world is still pretending this is just normal politics. Companies that once stood up for a free press are still advertising on platforms that promote disinformation.
Hell, Paramount is opening its checkbook and rolling over after Trump bitched about their editing of a 60 Minutes interview. Can you say lap dog?
Hollywood, which loves to market “the resistance” in dystopian blockbusters, won’t risk alienating audiences by calling out real-world authoritarianism.
The Biggest Lie We Tell Ourselves, “It Can’t Happen Here”
Then: Germans believed their institutions would hold. They trusted that their courts, their military, and “the will of the people” would keep Hitler in check. By the time they realized what was happening, it was too late.
Now: The same excuses are being recycled. “The system will stop him.” “Someone will step in.” But institutions only work when people fight for them. And right now, far too many are watching the house burn, hoping the fire puts itself out.
And let’s be clear: businesses, brands, and institutions have the power to step in. They just won’t—because it’s inconvenient, because they don’t want to alienate customers, because taking a stand might cost them a fraction of their quarterly earnings.
So instead, they play both sides, cutting checks to politicians dismantling democracy while selling “resistance” as a lifestyle brand.
So What Now?
Fascism doesn’t kick down the door waving a flag. It slips in quietly—through policy changes, legal loopholes, corporate cowardice, and a public too distracted, too scared, or too indifferent to push back.
By the time people finally wake up, the exits are already locked. The only question left is whether we’re going to let them bar the doors for good.
And yet, while politicians rewrite the rules and silence opposition, corporations pretend it’s not their fight. They issue vague statements, donate to both sides, and hope no one notices their complicity. But silence isn’t neutrality—it’s endorsement.
If a company backs this administration, I won’t back them. If they care more about protecting their profits than defending democracy, I’ll make sure my dollars go elsewhere.
The government can strip away rights, but they don’t control where we spend our money. Let’s see how brave these companies are when their bottom line starts bleeding from the consequences of their own spinelessness.
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