Came across another good substack today on my internet travels:
original: https://dennisonwrites.substack.com/p/why-your-son-is-right-wing
archive: https://archive.is/6Idmx
We trapped these kids in an ideological straight jacket against which they were not allowed to resist. Against which resisting made them evil. Then we gasped in horror when they aged out of our stewardship and decided that, actually, they’d had rather enough of all that.
Not to be hyperbolic, but what we did to these guys was something like abuse. What we did to their childhoods was something like theft. And we would have no trouble - none at all - understanding that if it had been any other group on the receiving end. We caused them to come of age in a world that hated and blamed them, and that never missed an opportunity to remind them of just how much.
10 years. For 10 years, we did this.
We also ruthlessly punished any liberal voices that dared extend them comfort or encouragement. Thus ensuring that the only supportive voices they could hear from were the toxic ones who’d made “cancel-proof” edge-lording their whole brand.
I know this is a bit long, but I think it is very good.
Go watch a kids cartoon from the early 90's. Captain planet is a good example of totally over the top overt propaganda.
That is a great one, and its also a great example of how the shift happened from "positive indoctrination," as Captain Planet was generally fighting totally unrelateable villains whose evil was laughable over the top, to the modern form where its meant to say "this is you and you are evil!!" in many of their characters.
Which is likely why it feels to many like it just started, because its easier to recognize when its cruel.