U.S. Citizenry Admits It Could Kind Of Go For Charismatic Authoritarian Dictator

[zorgon]

U.S. Citizenry Admits It Could Kind Of Go For Charismatic Authoritarian Dictator


A majority of Americans said they wouldn't mind have an autocratic leader like this, who would make all their decisions for them.

WASHINGTON—According to a Pew Research Center poll conducted this week, the overwhelming majority of Americans admitted they would actually be fairly interested in having a magnetic, forceful dictator oversee and control all aspects of American society.

Citing the relative simplicity of the citizen's role in a totalitarian state, the U.S. populace said it could definitely see itself supporting a decisive, iron-willed demagogue, with citizens agreeing that the idea of entrusting all political, economic, social, and military decisions to a single bold despot actually sounded "pretty good" to them.

"When I think about it, submitting my will and personal beliefs to an all-powerful leader doesn't seem half bad," said survey respondent Jillian Medrano of Cocoa Beach, FL, who referred to the democratic process as "kind of a hassle." "I don't really want to bother with forming opinions about candidates or weighing multiple viewpoints on an issue, so if an egomaniacal autocrat just got up on a balcony and delivered a political message that we all had to support without question, it would make things a lot easier for me."

There's just something kind of nice about throwing your hands up and letting a tyrannical demagogue tell you what to do, where to go, and how to think," Medrano added. "As long as I'm not in one of the ethnic or religious groups he's arbitrarily chosen to persecute, I think it would actually be pretty cool."

According to the Pew survey, 71 percent of Americans would be okay with blindly adopting the views and goals of an electrifying military ruler, while 84 percent of citizens admitted they would prefer waiting in line at a set place and time to receive food rations, basic household provisions, and medications from the state instead of having to rely on themselves to choose and procure such necessities.

In addition, 98 percent of U.S. citizens said they would gladly welcome an omnipotent one-party government apparatus that could quickly and effectively deal with societal problems as it saw fit without any input from them whatsoever.

"There's a streamlined aspect to authoritarianism that's very appealing to the modern American citizen," said the director of the University of Chicago's Sociology department Ellen Ornelas, who went on to explain that time-consuming citizen obligations like jury duty would be made obsolete by totalitarian statehood, which summarily convicts offenders without a trial of their peers. "It's a comparatively freeing model of civic engagement that requires nothing more than unquestioning obedience to a strong, charismatic leader with an ironclad vision for the future, and today's U.S. population thinks it's a style of government they could get behind."

In addition to the appeal of simply kicking back and relinquishing responsibility to someone else, Americans said there were a number of other added perks associated with installing an authoritarian government. In particular, citizens expressed interest in succumbing to the seductive energy of a cult of personality; adopting a fervent, cohesive sense of national unity; and partaking in the ceremonial grandeur of military parades in which big, shiny missiles would be driven through the streets of major U.S. cities to cries of "Long live our leader!"

Moreover, American citizens claimed they would feel a sense of comfort by seeing photographs, murals, and statues of the dictator in every public space throughout the country, saying that, in a way, it would almost be as if a protective father figure were always watching over them.

While many survey respondents acknowledged that forced labor camps and widespread shortages of electricity would be less than ideal, they affirmed that such negative aspects of the totalitarian regime would be more than offset by the attractive prospect of never again having to make any major decision about their lives.

"All I'm saying is if a dynamic, larger-than-life personality in military regalia seized control of the government and said this is how it's going to be from now on, I think I'd be up for it," said Virginia resident Jonathan Bunn, who admitted that learning a few formal salutes and spontaneously crying in joy whenever the leader appeared in public actually sounded "kind of fun." "It would be a huge load off to just give in to a megalomaniacal despot's grand, stirring rhetoric and no longer be burdened with having to engage in any critical thought whatsoever. I could definitely get on board with that."

"I think we should just give an autocratic state a shot for a decade or two and see how it goes," Bunn added. "It's not like I vote anyway, so it wouldn't even be that big a deal."

SOURCE

Yeah guys and gals  I'M Available

I promise I will legalize MJ, free beer for all and lock up the bankers at Gitmo. I will reduce income tax because I can use all those TRILLIONS that the Federal Reserve is hoarding and all that Gold that they have stashed away

Do I get yer vote?

[rdunk]

Z, you and your queen make a really nice pic, THANKS TO HER!

What I would have to say about the OP subject is two things:

1. No one asked me that question!

2. If anyone asked me that question, my answer definitely would not be fit to print here.

Actually, I would not trust the veracity of the data in the articles presented, because I strongly do not believe it holds the truth of "informed opinion" in this country. 

One thing to add - "Do I get your vote", you ask?  What vote would that be? There are no real voting privileges in the totalitarian type of government, is there?? 

[Amaterasu]

Hey, *I*'m available TOO!  And I promise to focus on free energy and eliminating the need for money to survive.  So NONE of Us has "money problems."

And then I would offer MY advice on how so solve problems as they arise.  [shrug]  Follow the three Laws, try not to create problems in life, and You ALL will do just fine.

[Ellirium113]

"There will be no move to take over my command, there will be no mistakes. There will be none... OF YOUR CRAP! NONE OF IT!"

[spacemaverick]

You all are really cracking me up.  Zorgon, will you be autocratic or Benevolent?  You would need a prince and princess also.

[zorgon]

Oh Benevolent of course  at least I have been so far

A Princess Oh yes I do need one of those... has to be an Elven one  I am partial to those

[zorgon]

Z, you and your queen make a really nice pic, THANKS TO HER!

Actually that is not MY Queen... That is Mary Queen of Scots... that was merely a Photo Op. Zorgon is single

What I would have to say about the OP subject is two things:

Actually, I would not trust the veracity of the data in the articles presented, because I strongly do not believe it holds the truth of "informed opinion" in this country. 

Well actually it was reported by the Onion

One thing to add - "Do I get your vote", you ask?  What vote would that be? There are no real voting privileges in the totalitarian type of government, is there?? 

Actually in the Modern Medieval world there are indeed voting rights, though a Kingdom is usually won in one on one combat And  A Crown won by Arms generally gets to choose his Queen (which in most cases will NOT be his real wife in the mundane world)

There is also the "Law of Vassalage"  That is the most important one... in the short version it basically says that if you wish to have Loyal Vassals you have to be willing to pay the price

Most don't know it but the currant Free World is already divided into Kingdoms...  Tell me which region you live in and I will name your Kingdom.


And trust me on this  IF the SHTF... you would REALLY want to know where they are


This War Song... one of my favorites... tells a story AFTER the SHTF

[petrus4]

It's from The Onion, and the language used fairly clearly indicates that it is satire.

Zorgon, I know that you're the administrator, but is this indicative of the sort of material that you really want to see on this site?  Please tell me you're better than satirical, political doom porn linked from a known tabloid.

[zorgon]

It's from The Onion, and the language used fairly clearly indicates that it is satire.

This is the political forum  what little we have. I have NEVER taken Poly Ticks seriously and have NEVER voted   The whole thing is a joke so who is to say the Onion isn't on the right track?

You all are really cracking me up.  Zorgon, will you be autocratic or Benevolent?  You would need a prince and princess also.

Ah see HE gets it

Zorgon, I know that you're the administrator, but is this indicative of the sort of material that you really want to see on this site?  Please tell me you're better than satirical, political doom porn linked from a known tabloid.

No doom porn in that one But I get dibs on Apophis

[zorgon]

Hey, *I*'m available TOO!  And I promise to focus on free energy and eliminating the need for money to survive.  So NONE of Us has "money problems."

Okay you can be the head of the Newly Reformed Federal Reserve

And then I would offer MY advice on how so solve problems as they arise.  [shrug]  Follow the three Laws, try not to create problems in life, and You ALL will do just fine.

Nah  Already have my own set of rules...