Similarly, even when the media disagrees with such a candidate, by discussing politics in terms of the candidate’s own distorted concepts, they contribute to the sense of “collective trance,” in which people cannot distinguish fact from fiction. The concept of “the people” becomes muddled. On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century Timothy Snyder 4.19 59,264 ratings7,603 reviews Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best History & Biography (2017) A historian of fascism offers a guide for surviving and resisting America’s turn towards authoritarianism. Some of his worries are plainly obvious (Any election can be the last), while some of his practical advice is dishearteningly ominousMake sure you and your family have passports. But then imagine that this person starts hearing a populist candidate proclaim that “the people” really want one thing, and everyone who disagrees is an enemy of “the people.” Even if they do not agree with this candidate, this citizen might become confused about which “people” really count in politics, and they might have trouble talking clearly about “the people” of the country when they discuss politics with others, because it becomes unclear whose version of “the people” is being discussed. Yale historian Timothy Snyder has written a book on all matters concerning state tyrannyhow it comes to be, what to look out for, and how to resist it.

For instance, imagine that someone is used to thinking about “the people” of their nation as a complex group that disagrees on major issues and negotiates solutions to those issues through politics. On Tyranny is a call to arms and a guide to resistance, with invaluable ideas for how we can preserve our freedoms in the uncertain years to come. By distorting the meanings of words, authoritarians deprive people of the ability to think clearly.

Snyder book on tyranny