Fear is particularly dangerous as an agent of change. It makes people accept alternatives that they wouldn't accept in a rational state, often ones which are worse than the status quo. In particular, it encourages people to cede even more power over their lives. The Bush administration has shown a knack for using fear for this purpose. There are demagogues regularly seen in Harvard Square -- LaRouchies and old-style communists -- who try to use fear of Bush to gain power for themselves.
Moral indignation is more likely to achieve positive results. It requires more work to achieve, but it's less apt to turn into a demagogic force of its own.
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zvi and
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Date: 2005-10-19 12:25 pm (UTC)Moral indignation is more likely to achieve positive results. It requires more work to achieve, but it's less apt to turn into a demagogic force of its own.