I want to begin by saying…
I am so sorry, America, for what's happening to your country - and what is likely to come. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, it's terrifying to see how much more dangerous life is about to be for women, LGBTQ+ people, and people of color in your country and abroad. Electing a criminal with a dictator's ambitions is heartbreaking, and it’s an even greater tragedy that, at the voting booth, so many people didn’t even show up. Many that did gleefully welcome the continuation of racism, mysogyny and bigotry - for reasons I find unfathomable to understand.
Some of you may be offended by my critiques. You might tell me, “You’re not American, so stay out of it.” I understand that perspective; and if it was any other country we were talking about, I might agree. Unfortunately though, when it comes to America, none of us can truly ignore what’s going on. You are the most powerful nation out there. Whoever you vote in as president has an impact on the whole world.
I live in New Zealand—about as far from the U.S. as possible—and still, this election will affect me. It will shift global markets and raise prices. It will embolden extremists worldwide - my own country included. The geo-political structure of our world is also likely about to change, and it’ll be a mad-dash between authoritarian superpowers to take America’s place at the top.
We can of course hope that Trump and his cronies are just all talk, or that they’re too incompetent to enact their agenda, but history sadly suggests otherwise. In the past, when fascists tell you they’re a fascist, usually, you’d best believe them.
This time around, I felt I could no longer stay silent.
If you’ve noticed my username—The Punk Writer—you may have guessed my background. I spent my teenage years in the hardcore music scene, an offshoot of punk that has a deep commitment to activism, equality, and antifascism. Funnily enough, I was also raised in an evangelical Christian environment. I went to church every Sunday, listened to Hillsong, and even attended conversion therapy sessions to try and “fix” myself. I watched Alex Jones documentaries, and for a large part of my life, subscribed to almost every fearmongering ideology pushed my way. Thankfully, I broke free of that destructive path, but as a result, I do understand a little bit about the religious and cultural environment that has created the mess we are now all in.
But being gay in that world was also a blessing in disguise. That hidden part of me, the one I tried to repress, was like a grain of sand within an oyster: an irritant that eventually formed something valuable in my life - endurance. In the end, it wasn’t God that saved me, but my own identity, and the support of my local hardcore scene. Learning to think for myself and embracing who I am made me stronger. I came out the other side knowing in my very core, the power of resistance.
And so, I want to speak to those of you who feel terrified right now. Those of you who are wondering whether you, your family, or your loved ones will be safe under this new regime. Feeling afraid is normal, but I encourage you not to stay in that place for very long.
In the words of my favourite Manga artist, Kentaro Miura:
“Take heed, Struggler. Struggle, endure, contend. For that alone is the sword of one who defies death.”
I may not be there with you on the front lines, I may just be a keyboard warrior right now, but if that’s the space I’m able to work from, then by god, I’ll wield this keyboard as deadly as I can.
To understand what lies ahead, we have to understand the fascism of our past - and how it has always been defeated. If you’re looking for specific tips on how to survive police brutality, or disrupt alt-right meetings, that’s beyond my skill-set. I’d suggest you read the fantastic book The Antifascist Handbook by Mark Bray - which you can find a free PDF of HERE.
What I can do, is give you a powerful narrative tool that I’ve found has served me well in my own life. It is my genuine hope that this will help keep you moving in the war to come.
It’s important to remember that Fascist regimes, no matter how powerful, always burn out. They may consolidate their power through fear and manipulation, but they are ultimately unsustainable. Authoritarians like Trump, the MAGA Republicans and the Heritage Foundation will not succeed. They will be unable to build a sustainable movement without eventually destabilizing themselves. Regimes like theirs always self-destruct.
And their leaders?
…It never ends well for them, that’s for sure…
Consider Mussolini, Hitler, and Franco - three human monsters who once ruled their nations through terror. Despite decades in power, each was ultimately brought down, not just by outside forces but internal resistance as well: Mussolini was executed, his body hung on display to be mutilated by his surviving victims. Hitler faced military defeat and took his own life. Franco's Spain transformed rapidly into a democracy upon his death. Fascist governments can take a while to dethrone, but with continued resistance, their defeat is inevitable.
America, your battle may not be short, easy, or without consequence. But there is always hope. And that is really what I want to talk to you about today.
For a while now, in my own life, I’ve come to embrace something about my personality that I was always taught to be undesirable:
Pessimism.
I’ve always been a brooding, melancholic soul. But unlike the Pessimist Philosophers of the past, I’ve always found myself clinging to a tiny, dark, hope. But over time, I’ve come to believe that hope and pessimism are not mutually exclusive. When combined, they create Hopeful Pessimism. An outlook that I argue is a powerful guiding principle in the face of evil.
Hopeful Pessimists believe that while things are likely to get worse, and while we may all be doomed, we fight regardless. As things get worse, and victory moves further out of reach, we persist. We struggle not because we expect to win, but because doing so is a profoundly human act of courage. We recognize the grim reality of our world, but refuse to be paralyzed by it. While we may not see immediate changes, we can still work toward a different future.
The Hopeful Pessimist doesn’t sugarcoat reality. We face truth directly. We acknowledge challenges, systemic flaws and the limitations of our world. We embrace the mystery of it all, accepting uncertainty and unpredictability as a part of existence. Through this, we stray grounded, we don’t get cocky, and we prepare for both setbacks and breakthrough.
The Hopeful Pessimist questions idealistic solutions. We believe that Blind Optimism poses a greater threat to the world than a brooding, negative person ever could. We reject the arguments that “things will work themselves out,” that “everything will be okay,” or that “somebody else will solve this.” Instead, we look for practical steps that yield improvement.
We don’t dream of a better day, arriving all on its own. A new world must be birthed - with all the pain and blood and screaming that comes with such an act. We take each moment as it comes and respond accordingly. We continue forward despite setbacks.
We struggle. We resist. We push.
We don’t give in. We don’t surrender. We never accept despair.
Despair is unhelpful.
Fear, as they say, is the mind-killer.
Lastly, we recognize that humans have more in common than they don’t. We support one another and find solidarity in relationships. We understand that there is no Messiah, no Chosen One on a Hero’s Journey, coming to save us. We must save ourselves. Our enemy is not an individual villain, but a broken system that perpetuates villains. It is an enemy too big for one person to defeat. So we aim to form a collective - one that embraces and leverages the identities, quirks, strengths and weaknesses of all of us to fix, or do away with that system - come what may.
To those who feel helpless, I encourage you to find strength in this message. We’ve all of us, spent so much of our lives being told to think positive, to believe that negativity is dangerous and wrong. I’m here to tell you now:
That is a lie.
Hopeful Pessimism affords us a look at the world without the rose-tinted glasses. We recognize darkness, and call it out for what it is. We provokes meaningful change.
So my friends, as you face this new threat and prepare to confront it, I ask that you not be a passive observor. You don’t have to fight on the frontlines, but you have to do something. Whether that’s creating art, caring for those at risk, attending protests, or engaging in affirmative action, find out what you were meant to do and do it. Unite with one another and create pockets of progress - pockets of rebellion. Stand firm. Be Punk. Even in the face of persecution.
As fascism rises around the globe and our planet continues to warm at an alarming rate, we may very well all be doomed. But regardless of the outcome, our resistance remains invaluable. Once it’s all over and the dust settles on our dying planet, we will have transcended death in some small way. Our struggle living on long after the last human is gone.
Struggle Strugglers. It’s the only way we’ll get through.
Love you all,
Nick