Amergent

The Identifying Characteristics of Fascism.  1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism. Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.  2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights. Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc. 3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause. The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.  4. Supremacy of the Military. Even when there are widespread domestic pro...

Amergentism is the principle of holding social and ecological categorisation lightly. Human cognition has a natural tendency to seek certainty through patterns, groupings, and thematic structures. We create categories to simplify our understanding of the world, enabling us to navigate complex realities with greater ease. However, these patterns are not fixed; they are emergent and in perpetual flux. Clinging too rigidly to predefined structures removes us from the natural flow of reality, leading to stagnation and, ultimately, decay—socially, culturally, politically, and ecologically. Amergentism offers an alternative: instead of imposing rigid frameworks onto dynamic systems, it encourages adaptability, responsiveness, and an openness to the organic evolution of social and ecological relationships. Rather than defining reality through fixed ideological constructs, Amergentism invites us to engage with the world as it unfolds, embracing uncertainty as an essential aspect of both person...

 Autocracy, a system of government in which absolute power is concentrated in the hands of a single ruler or a small elite, has several inherent weaknesses. These weaknesses span political, economic, social, and psychological dimensions. Below is a comprehensive list of the key drawbacks of autocracy: 1. Political Weaknesses Lack of Accountability Autocratic rulers often operate without oversight, making them prone to corruption, inefficiency, and abuse of power. Without checks and balances, poor decisions can go unchallenged, leading to systemic failures. Suppression of Dissent Political opposition, media freedom, and civil liberties are often curtailed, leading to repression. This suppression can result in public resentment, underground opposition, and eventual political instability. Risk of Power Consolidation & Dynastic Rule Autocratic systems often favor nepotism, cronyism, and power consolidation, leading to incompetent leadership. Leaders may change rules (e.g., abolishi...

 In The Authoritarians by Bob Altemeyer, the characteristics of authoritarian personalities are discussed in depth, focusing on both leaders (authoritarian leaders) and followers (authoritarian followers). Altemeyer’s work builds on the earlier studies by Adorno et al. in the 1950s but refines and focuses the concept for modern psychological and sociopolitical contexts. Here is a complete list of the key traits associated with both leaders and followers: Characteristics of Authoritarian Followers Authoritarian followers are high on what Altemeyer refers to as Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) . These individuals exhibit the following core traits: 1. Submission to Authority A strong tendency to obey perceived legitimate authorities. Followers defer to leaders, trusting them to define morality and appropriate behavior. 2. Conventionalism A deep adherence to societal norms and traditions endorsed by authority figures. Preference for established practices and resistance to social chan...

 The Baldwin Effect is a concept in evolutionary biology that describes how learned behaviors can influence the evolutionary process. It was first proposed by James Mark Baldwin in the late 19th century and represents a bridge between learning and evolution. The Baldwin Effect suggests that if an organism's ability to learn a certain behavior or adapt to its environment is advantageous for survival, those individuals with a genetic predisposition that facilitates such learning will be more likely to survive and reproduce. Over time, this predisposition can become genetically encoded in the population, even if the behavior itself was initially acquired through learning rather than being hardwired from birth. The interplay between learning and evolution in AI could lead to systems that not only solve problems more effectively but do so in a way that is more biologically inspired, potentially unlocking new forms of artificial intelligence that are more robust, adaptive, and efficient....

 Why you should avoid voting for people who appear to be strong leaders Social dominance orientation (SDO) is a personality trait that predicts social and political attitudes. People with high SDO prefer and support social hierarchies in which some groups dominate others. Understanding SDO can help us see why some people support authoritarianism and hierarchical structures in society. Those with high SDO believe that society should be structured in a way where some groups are superior to others. Consequently they also think it is acceptable for these dominant groups to have more power and resources concomitant with carrying greater responsibilities whether this setup benefits society as a whole or not. The certainties of a social hierarchy are the main objective. People with high SDO tend to exhibit certain attitudes and behaviours. They prefer social systems where groups are ranked, with some at the top and others at the bottom. They believe that inequality is natural and sometime...