• SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      The word Fascism literally comes from Mussolini referencing the Roman Empire, ie. referencing the empire of the ancestors of Italian people. Fascism relies on on creating a narrative that a it’s supporters deserve to have the things their ancestors had, and they’ve been wronged because they no longer have the things their ancestors had. That it’s destiny they should have the power their ancestors had.

      Of course fascism is mostly about lying to people to gain power, there are many more facets to fascist narratives (misogyny, fear of minorities, a sense of humilation, etc). But RoS focusses on the relationship to the past element, because it’s the final part of a Sequel Trilogy that’s obviously going to be about the relationship to the past in general.

      One of the myths about the JJ Abrams movies is that they don’t go into politics like other Star Wars movies have. But the reality is his movies go into the emotional reasons for fascism more so than any of the other movies. Indoctrination, ancestry, traditionalism, these are tools that fascists use to manipulate people. There’s a particular focus on relationships to the past, they are sequels picking up the story decades later after all. The ending says “remember the past, but the past doesn’t define who you are.” If you understand that, then you will be immune to a whole lot of fascist propaganda. Not allowing the past to define how things should be in the present kills fascism.