When Fascism came to
Europe, it did so employing a populist agenda and making use of the spectacle
to gain traction. Goose-stepping across Europe with hosts of Blackshirts and Sturmabteilung, Mussolini and Hitler drew the masses to their call with
displays of power such as the March on Rome
and Nuremberg Rally. Entering
newly occupied territory in the early years of World War II, the Schutzstaffel, desperate for more
recruits, used artistic propaganda posters to seduce young people into its ranks,
beckoning them with the allure of action, heroism, and the glamor of wearing a uniform
designed by Hugo Boss.
This is not very
different from how terrorist groups such as Hezbollah
and ISIS. They start by appealing to
popular sentiment – desire for Islamism and hatred for the United States, westernization,
non-Muslims, and even other Muslims, depending on which sect the extremists and
their target audience belong to. They then move to ensnare young members of
these audiences, making use of the spectacle. Hezbollah engages in mass
rallies, even adopting Nazi-styled salutes, while ISIS loves to show off its peculiar
automobile and armor convoys. They then proceed to market to youths in their
own hobby zones, getting them on board with visual propaganda images, virtual
content, video games, and social media.
Oh, what a world we
live in.
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