September 17, 2024, The Los Angeles Times
In 1941, as Allied bombs fell on Italy and Benito Mussolini plunged his country further into war, the young Italian filmmaker Alberto Lattuada explained how 20 years of fascist rule had led to catastrophe.
“The absence of love brought many tragedies that might have been averted,” Lattuada wrote. “Instead of the golden rain of love, a black cloak of indifference fell upon the people. And so people have lost the eyes of love and can no longer see clearly. … Here are the origins of the disintegration of all values and the destruction and sterilization of conscience: It is a long chain that is anchored at the devil’s feet.”
Love seems scarce again today as autocracy spreads across the globe, and our vision is veiled by the fog of disinformation and the heat of enmity. Authoritarian leaders seek to break bonds of solidarity among those they govern, replacing them with intimidation and hostility. Former President Trump, who aspires to join their ranks, has followed a similar playbook to make America’s emotional and social climate propitious for autocracy.
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