Jason Stanley
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“”What normalization does is transform the morally extraordinary into the ordinary. It makes us able to tolerate what was once intolerable by making it seem as if this is the way things have always been.
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| —Stanley excellently summarizing authoritarianism in his book, How Fascism Works.[citation needed] |
Jason Stanley (1969–) is an American philosopher, known mostly for his contributions to philosophy of language and epistemology, linguistics, and cognitive science. He is perhaps best known for his work as Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale and his writings on politics, especially fascism. He’s also known for being a significant contributor and writer for The New York Times.
Personal life
Stanley comes from an immigrant background; his parents and grandparents were European Jewish immigrants fleeing Nazi Germany during its height. His grandmother, Ilse Stanley, was a hero who saved 412 Jews from death during the Holocaust and saw them to safety.[1] Stanley mentions his family roots and history as part of his inspiration for his anti-fascist views and his battle against authoritarianism (especially fascism) and for justice.[2]
Best hits
Stanley’s book, How Fascism Works, is widely considered a best seller and focuses on the tactics of fascism and fascist leaders. In particular, he mentions his family’s experience in Germany during the height of the Third Reich and the beginning of the Holocaust.[citation needed]
During the 2016 elections and beyond, he made several videos and articles tackling the debate (at the time) of whether or not Trump is a fascist, and Stanley’s position was that Trump is a fascist, which he confirmed from his rhetoric and compared it to historical fascists.[citation needed] After Trump won the election and went crazy with all his shit during his four years in office, Stanley was proven right yet again and continued to point out the accurate similarities to historical fascists.[citation needed]
Due criticism
Stanley has been criticized by some for not focusing on fascism in other countries where far-right movements are prevalent (such as Mexico, Iran, Malaysia, and Argentina as examples). Other criticisms are that Stanley conflates conservatism and rightism with fascism (from the right). And from the left, some have criticized Stanley for what they believe is him being “soft” on fascism, due to Stanley’s tactics of nonviolent resistance against fascism, such as utilizing voting and peaceful protesting.[3]
Stanley has also received criticism when he announced hosting a dinner with former Nazi members, which many mistakenly interpreted as Stanley supporting and defending the legacy of Nazi criminals. However, Stanley himself stated that the purpose of the dinner was for grappling with the past for the complex aftermath of the European Jewish community coming to terms with the horrors of the war and some even forgiving their oppressors as an example to prevent such atrocities from happening in the future (which makes much more sense in context, because absolutely no rational person defends Nazis).[4]
Escape from America
In 2025, Stanley left America for Canada with his ex-wife and two sons, citing America falling into fascism and with intellectuals like himself being the first targets of a regime whose ideology he scrutinizes.[citation needed] Stanley noted the parallels between his family moving to Canada and his ancestors moving from Germany to the United States during the Nazi regime, an ironic and tragic twist of fate.[citation needed]
External links
References
- ↑ The Unforgotten by Ilse Stanley (1957) Beacon Press.
- ↑ My Parents’ Mixed Messages on the Holocaust The New York Times
- ↑ Fascism Doesn’t Work Like That: A Review of Jason Stanley’s How Fascism Works
- ↑ A philosopher went viral for tweeting about ‘polite dinners’ with Nazis. Here’s what he really thinks Forward