Resistance Media

07/25/2025

In a time of increasing fascism and authoritarianism, personal resiliency is resistance.

The autocrat’s basic playbook relies on instilling fear, confusion and anger in their supporters and their opposition alike. Their goal is to animate their supporters and paralyze and overwhelm those who would resist. But when we surrender to these emotions, we are empowering the regime, enabling them to control and shape the narrative and yielding authority over our very being. We can even internalize oppression.

There is a significant distinction between righteous anger and overwhelming anger. We cannot and should not feel badly about the natural rage that arises from seeing and experiencing the injustice and cruelty that is now rising in America and around the world.

While a good argument can be made for righteous anger, there is an equally good argument against overwhelming anger. Some anger is the flip side of fear, and fascist leaders are skilled at manipulating their followers into being angry at and fearful of the “other.” Reacting to this anger only with more anger inevitably leads to surrendering our agency.

When we lose control of our own emotions, we risk losing perspective, getting lost and seeking comfort in the emotions of the crowd and the persuasive opinions of our leaders.

When we succumb to these emotions we enable and encourage fascism without even realizing it. Nothing delights those who would control us more than our own depression, anger and disorientation, as that makes us vulnerable to sinister and purposeful manipulation.

You are meant to be afraid. All the time. You are also always meant to be inferior, as they need to feel superior so as not be faced with their own deep-seated insecurity.

Personal resiliency and the cultivation of strong personal and collective emotional health is a major factor in actively resisting the control of autocrats. We need to be emotionally and mentally healthy in order to fight effectively.

According to Mind Clear Integrative Psychology:

Authoritarianism has been shown time and again through research across disciplines to be detrimental to overall well-being. It is the antithesis of a just and free society. And, when authoritarians rule our lives, whether it be through politics, the church, in marriage, or as parents, we will either learn to conform or our mental health will begin to decline.

Authoritarianism tends to result in depression, anxiety, low-self esteem, difficulty regulating emotions, behavior problems, chronic shame and guilt, bullying and being bullied, difficulty with boundaries and compromise, and a general sense of helplessness. This is especially true when the person tends to be less submissive, less conforming, and harbors differing perspectives than the authority figure in one’s life.

The prolonged stress of living under an authoritarian’s rule can lead to a traumatic response in the body, eventually resulting in disease, dysfunction, and chronic fear/panic. As your body and mind begin to break down, you may believe yourself to be “weak”, “a crybaby”, or losing a “war.” This is nothing but internalized oppression. It is the cycle of authoritarianism being repeated within you.

In these challenging, even terrifying times, it is crucial to maintain and support our own mental health and that of those around us. Its not enough to be angry or even outraged as part of our resistance – its crucial to be as healthy mentally, emotionally and physically as possible and help our families and friends to do the same.

Fortunately, there are many sources of help available to support us in developing and cultivating better emotional and psychological strength and resiliency.