Boiling Water – 21st Century Fascism

Kirsdarke Friday night, Policy Analysis, Political Observation,

From this article here: https://www.the-reframe.com/boiling-water/

Imagine you have a friend. Let’s call him Rick Reasonable.

Now imagine you have an enemy. Let’s call your enemy Bart B. Oilingwater.

Bart is a real piece of crap. Whenever he sees you, he throws boiling water at you. Usually you dodge it, but every once in a while, he catches you with a bit. You have some bad scarring on one arm, and a few places on your face and neck. And you have to constantly be on the lookout for Bart, because if you let your guard down, it’s scalding water time!

Rick is a good friend. He thinks it is really bad that Bart throws boiling water on you. He tells you this all the time. He’s written some letters to the newspaper about how bad Bart is for throwing boiling water on you. Sometimes he’ll even go out with you to watch your back. He’s got a popular TV show, and he’s gone on the record a few times that Bart is in the wrong for always trying to hit you in the face with boiling water.

Then one day you turn on the TV at the end of the day, and you see Rick has Bart on as a guest. Rick is arguing with Bart about whether or not it is good to douse you with boiling water at every available opportunity. Rick is … parsing things a little more than you’d like.

He wants to know if the water has to be boiling, if it can’t just be very hot. Bart says, no, no, it really does have to be boiling. But does it have to be water, Rick asks. Could it be something a bit easier to dodge, like molasses or tar? Bart thinks about this, and decides he isn’t sure. He’ll have to get back to Rick on that one—but really, he prefers water.

Rick wants to know if there can’t be days Bart could promise to not throw boiling water at you. Bart doesn’t really want to set that sort of precedent.

Rick would like to know why it needs to be you every time. Bart is shocked that Rick would suggest such a thing. He insists he doesn’t have a throwing-boiling-water-on-you-specifically bone in his body. He just believes in throwing boiling water, and you happen to be the one that’s there every time. He’d like to know why, if you apparently hate being struck with boiling water, you insist on being in areas where you know he will be throwing it. He suggests that Rick is really the one singling him, Bart, out, by being so intolerant of his rich cultural heritage of throwing boiling water on people. He hints that Rick’s constant scolding makes Bart want to seek you out specifically now, to throw boiling water on you, for daring to suppose such a thing of him.

Rick appears to have conceded that Bart absolutely does have a right to walk the streets carrying as much boiling water as he wants, in the long-standing tradition of our country. Bart appreciates Rick’s stance on the matter, and compliments him on his willingness to find common ground.

At the end of the segment, he and Bart agree to disagree on whether or not it is good to attempt to douse you with boiling water every day. Bart still thinks it is very good—though he insists it is not directed at you, but only at spaces that you happen to inhabit. He wonders, again, why you choose to inhabit those spaces. Rick continues to insist that throwing at the space that you inhabit is tantamount to throwing it at you, and that it is quite rude indeed. They shake hands. Then there is a commercial for Pepsi.

The next day, you confront Rick about this and he shrugs. “Man, I hate that bastard Bart,” he says, “but you have to hear both sides.”

How are we feeling about Rick?

344 thoughts on “Boiling Water – 21st Century Fascism”

  1. History rhymes, this NY Times article is from February 1939.

    https://www.nytimes.com/1939/02/04/archives/goebbels-ends-careers-of-five-aryan-actors-who-made-witticisms.html

    BERLIN, Feb. 3.—Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels today ended the professional careers of five “Aryan” actors and cabaret announcers by expelling them from the Reich’s Chamber of Culture on the grounds that “in their public appearances they displayed a lack of any positive attitude toward National Socialism and therewith caused grave annoyance in public and especially to party comrades.” The five include perhaps the best known German stage comedians who survived previous Chamber of Culture purges and still dared to indulge in political witticisms—namely, Werner Finck, Peter Sachse and “The Three Rulands,” represented by Helmuth Buth, Wilhelm Meissner and Manfred Dlugi. Their expulsion means that they are henceforth forbidden to appear before the public in Germany.

    Besides motivating this action in an official communiqué, Dr. Goebbels also publishes a long article in the Voelkischer Beobachter in which he denounces them as “brazen, impertinent, arrogant and tactless” and generally imitators and successors to Jews. Simultaneously he denounces the “society rabble that followed them with thundering applause—parasitic scum, inhabiting our luxury streets, that seems to have only the task of proving with how little brains people can get along and even acquire money and prominence.”

    As regards the details of the “crimes” of which the five are accused, Dr. Goebbels mentions that they made political witticisms about the colonial problem, the Four-Year Plan and Chancellor Hitler’s monumental building program and one of them even raised the question of whether there was any humor left in Germany today.

    What amused the public most, however, and presumably roiled the National Socialist authorities most—although Dr. Goebbels does not mention it—is that they deftly, but unmistakably, caricatured some gestures, poses and physical characteristics of National Socialist leaders—sometimes with bon mots that made the rounds of the country.

    Dr. Goebbels says that the National Socialists proved during their struggle for power that they had a keen sense of humor that could kill opponents with ridicule. But as National Socialism proposes to remain in power 2,000 years it has neither the time nor the patience to apply that method to the “miserable literati.”

    If the anti-German press of Paris, London and New York, Dr. Goebbels says, or the democratic governments in Western Europe, should now again complain about the lack of freedom of opinion in Germany it does not matter, “for after all during the last year the Fuehrer reconquered 10,000,000 Germans for the Reich.”

    The scariest part is that you can easily picture a MAGA spokesperson talking like this today.

  5. Climate 200 taps former independent candidate the NSW seat of Calare, Kate Hook, for co-convener as campaign group eyes regional push http://www.theguardian.com/australia-ne... #auspol #nswpol

    — Leroy (@leroylynch.bsky.social) 2025-09-21T04:04:57.816Z

    Chris Bowen fires back at Speers’ questions on PM Albanese meeting with Trump“There are plenty of world leaders who’ve met with Donald Trump who haven’t had good outcomes…who had come over…had meetings & left optimistic, & then they’ve got high tariffs”“Results matter”🔥 #Abc

    — stranger (@strangerous.bsky.social) 2025-09-21T00:20:53.420Z

    Techno-pipe dreams Thirty years ago, nanotech was about to change everything. "I call these oneiric technologies: they do not and quite probably cannot exist, but they fulfil a deep-rooted dream, or a nightmare, or both." aeon.co/essays/no-su…

    — Leroy (@leroylynch.bsky.social) 2025-09-20T13:55:35.697Z

    The semicolon, 'the most feared punctuation on Earth,' is in decline; does it matter? http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/w...

    — Leroy (@leroylynch.bsky.social) 2025-09-21T04:08:04.232Z

  11. Australia has recognised Palestine as a sovereign state, becoming one of more than 150 countries to do so. The declaration was matched by Canada and the UK, and comes as a delegation led by the PM arrives in New York for the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09…

    — Leroy (@leroylynch.bsky.social) 2025-09-21T21:50:11.142Z

    Laura Tingle: Can recognising the state of Palestine achieve a two-state solution as Israel continues bombing Gaza? http://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

    — Leroy (@leroylynch.bsky.social) 2025-09-21T21:47:01.094Z

    The #Newspoll quarterly aggregate federal polling summary (not a new poll) of data from 14 July to 11 September 2025. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/polit... ($) #auspol

    — Leroy (@leroylynch.bsky.social) 2025-09-21T21:07:26.771Z

    Pope Leo refuses to authorise an AI Pope and declares the technology 'an empty, cold shell that will do great damage to what humanity is about' http://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/...

    — Leroy (@leroylynch.bsky.social) 2025-09-21T09:16:27.682Z

  12. Coalition says recognition of Palestinian state a ‘hollow gesture of false hope’

    Opposition leader Sussan Ley and shadow foreign affairs minister Michaelia Cash issued a joint statement this morning saying they “strongly oppose” the Albanese government’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/sep/22/australia-news-live-anthony-albanese-new-york-israel-palestine-donald-trump-optus-triple-zero-ntwnfb#top-of-blog

    I prefer Laura Tingle’s assessment.

  14. Starmer finally said it: ‘We recognise Palestine.’ But Gaza desperately needs action – where is that?
    Malik

    I hate to break the news Mr Malik but saying that was THE ‘action’. Just as it will be for the other ‘leaders’. So don’t get your hopes up for any of them to actually do something. It’s SOP.

  18. Anthony Albanese left off Donald Trump meeting schedule in New York

    Media lizards seem to think this is bad news. Albo will probably be very relieved at not having to go perform the required level of public grovel, obsequiousness and humiliation such encounters usually require. Not to mention having to sit and endure being told by the orange Nero just how he leads the most amazing nation in the history of the universe.

  21. NYT: Elon Musk’s Father Accused of Child Sexual Abuse Errol Musk has been accused of sexually abusing five of his children and stepchildren since 1993, a Times investigation found. Family members have appealed to Elon Musk for help.archive.is/AnFxp (a tough read)

    — Leroy (@leroylynch.bsky.social) 2025-09-23T12:33:00.808Z

    #Morgan (Aug 25 – Sep 21) ALP 34 L-NP 30 Green 12 ON 9.5 IND/others 14.5 Their 2PP by respondent prefs 55.5 to ALP (-1)by last election prefs 55.5 (=)my estimate for published primaries 55.0 (-0.2)www.roymorgan.com/findings/994…

    — Kevin Bonham (@kevinbonham.bsky.social) 2025-09-23T07:46:24.248Z

    These monthly Morgans have huge sample sizes (n=5084). The only primary vote change in this one is ON up 0.5 at expense of IND/other.

    — Kevin Bonham (@kevinbonham.bsky.social) 2025-09-23T07:47:48.519Z

    Right wing New Zealand government decimates the construction industry then 2 years later trumpets it will help the country by helping keep what is left of the construction workforce in work. It’s been a disaster from beginning to end #auspol #nzpol #BHN http://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360...

    — Mlb Kiwi 🫵✋😛🤚 (@mlbkiwi.bsky.social) 2025-09-22T03:06:02.254Z

    Crisafulli government dissolving state owned Yurika which employs 500 people. Unions describe it as the latest attack on the renewables industry in Queensland. #qldpol reneweconomy.com.au/queensland-t…

    — David Marler (@qldaah.bsky.social) 2025-09-22T08:08:19.731Z

  22. FMD ! The Orange Nero is a shocker. He’s been banging on about how he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for a while now. In his UN speech he does it again, “…..everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize”. When it come to world leaders “everyone” seems to mean about three people. One of whom is Bibi ‘Genocide’ Netanyahu, who also nominated Trump !!!!! That alone should disqualify him permanently. I would provide a link to video of it but screw giving the prick 1 millisecond extra air pl;ay.

  23. Trump “…., everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize for each one of these achievements,”

    With the Orange Nero’s arse upon the throne it is probably not coincidence that this month New Scientist has an article on Narcissists. I wonder if the opening paragraphs remind you of anyone ? 😆

    The truth about narcissists: How to handle them, and can they change?

    Looking back, the signs were obvious: an extreme need for control, a pathological tendency to exaggerate and an almost comical sense of superiority.

    My family member claimed to know more than everyone about everything, no matter the topic. He claimed to have the makings of a world-class teacher, doctor, writer or athlete, while also boasting about his modesty. Any disagreement would result in shouty rants or violent outbursts.

    Family friends could barely believe it when I told them. “When he meets us, he acts like charm personified,” is how one put it. These were all classic traits of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), a condition characterised by a disregard for the feelings of others combined with an extreme sense of self-importance, often manifesting in interpersonal abuse. At the time, however, I had no way to make sense of this family member’s behaviour

    https://www.newscientist.com/article/2496324-the-truth-about-narcissists-how-to-handle-them-and-can-they-change/

    • Re

      Judge says ABC ‘abjectly surrendered’ to pro-Israel lobbyists as he orders $150,000 fine over Lattouf dismissal

      Surrendered or just reflected the views of ‘management’ ?

  31. Liberal candidate for Bradfield, Gisele Kapterian, has conceded the race more than four months – 145 days – after the federal election after a final review of ballot papers showed her behind independent Nicolette Boele.

    Kapterian said she was “satisfied” that overall “the correct outcome has been declared” and said she would no longer press a petition for a final review by the Court of Disputed Returns.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/sep/25/australia-news-live-penny-wong-anthony-albanese-climate-crisis-united-nations-donald-trump-turkey-cop-politics-ntwnfb#top-of-blog

  34. Brilliant rant from John Birmingham.

    https://aliensideboob.substack.com/p/your-airborne-toxic-event-has-been

    I’m certain that the ever-dwindling numbers of the Press Gallery’s full-time roster would have love-love-loved to have trapped Albanese in a presser with Trump one New York minute after that shit show. They’d have needed a double layer of adult diapers to contain their excitement at all of the excruciating moments they could have crafted, interrogating Albanese about Trump’s performance.

    “Prime Minister, do you support President Cannibal’s chewing off the faces of the Nigerian delegation?”

    With the bubbling hysteria of the Aussie press gallery’s ‘will-they-won’t-they’ coverage threatening to boil over, it was left to White House Press Secretary and Crumb Maiden Barbie, Karoline Leavitt to point out that her Führer’s schedule was already full of meetings for coffee and cake and rare earth extortion schemes with the leader of Ukraine, a grip-n-greet with the leaders of a bunch of shit-hole countries he was about to insult from the podium of the General Assembly, but unfortunately with nary a sausage for Albo.

    Oh noes! Disaster for the little Vegemiters.

    Perhaps, however, and hear me out now, Albo was better off without the sausage, the meeting or the Airborne Toxic Event of walking into a room with Trump. (His adult diapers are known to fail routinely.)

    • I think this part is actual reporting rather than satire. I’d already seen them fill a dozen each speculating about the meeting.

      They’d have needed a double layer of adult diapers to contain their excitement at all of the excruciating moments they could have crafted, interrogating Albanese about Trump’s performance.

  39. Netanyahu vows to ‘finish job’ in Gaza during UN speech

    A final solution eh Bibi ? Your very own Endlösung der Judenfrage 😦

  40. Wealthier graduates who deserted Dutton warm to Ley but not to Liberals (Resolve poll quarterly summary of combined fed poll data July – Sept 2025, 5911 voters, not a new poll) http://www.theage.com.au/politics/fed... #auspol

    — Leroy (@leroylynch.bsky.social) 2025-09-27T00:52:24.006Z

    kevinbonham.blogspot.com/2025/09/2025… 2025-2028 2PP Aggregate Methods Page. Reopening for business tonight at 56.2 to ALP.

    — Kevin Bonham (@kevinbonham.bsky.social) 2025-09-26T12:59:48.920Z

    #DemosAU Vic (state) ALP 26 L-NP 38 Greens 15 others 21. 2PP 51-49 to L-NP. Coalition would probably not win government on this, indeed Labor might still remain in majority #springst demosau.com/wp-content/u…

    — Kevin Bonham (@kevinbonham.bsky.social) 2025-09-26T07:26:11.750Z

    The Demos Vic poll was done 2-9 September, around the same time as the Redbridge poll which shows 52-48 to Labor. Will wait and see what the next Resolve Vic poll (due sometime in October?) says. In any case the result of the next Vic election is wide open in my view. The below article show the Vic Libs aren’t yet making it easy on themselves.

    Vic Liberals set to be still failing to Make. It. Stop. into 2026 archive.is/gOWsj#select…

    — Kevin Bonham (@kevinbonham.bsky.social) 2025-09-25T11:34:25.957Z

    A Queensland mayor under investigation for misrepresenting his military, education and business credentials has announced his resignation.

    — ABC News Bot (unofficial) (@abcnewsbot.bsky.social) 2025-09-26T00:48:27.875Z

    Leaked Russian documents analysed by a leading UK think thank suggest Russia is selling military equipment and technology to China that could help it prepare an airborne invasion of Taiwan.

    — ABC News Bot (unofficial) (@abcnewsbot.bsky.social) 2025-09-26T14:08:26.135Z

  42. In response to the Prime Minister’s description of his conversations with the US President as “warm”, Cash said “he has achieved nothing” saying that “the most he got out” of his interaction with Trump was a selfie.

    Mr Albanese has failed Australia. He’s almost embarrassing us on the international stage.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/sep/28/australia-news-live-albanese-king-charles-afl-brisbane-coalition-liberals-western-australia-gst-queensland-nsw-victoria-labor-ntwnfb#top-of-blog

    Get-me-a-whiteboard Cash is embarrassing herself, yet again.

    • Not only but also …

      The Coalition Senator also described a recent speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations as a “speech of great moral clarity”.

      Well it was very clear they were the words of a genocidal war criminal and morally that was also extremely clear.

  46. How to fix the web, according to the man who invented it

    Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web at the CERN particle physics laboratory near Geneva, Switzerland, in the late 1980s. Fast forward a few decades and the web has over 5.5 billion users. It has revolutionised everything from how we communicate to how we shop.

  47. This highway robbery and bullshit seems very much a bipartisan policy 😦

    US private prisons operator to be paid $790m to hold 100 people on Nauru in quiet expansion of contract

    Exclusive: A sixteenfold increase in the original contract without public notification raises allegations of ‘gross mismanagement’ and a process ‘run out of control’

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/29/us-private-prisons-operator-paid-790m-to-hold-100-people-on-nauru-in-quiet-expansion-of-contract

  48. “While outright climate denial is now rare in Australia, it's been replaced by rhetoric that seeks to downplay the impacts of climate change, slow the transition away from fossil fuels and spread doubt over renewables technology.”www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09…

    — Melissa Sweet (@melissasweetdr.bsky.social) 2025-09-28T22:07:27.189Z

    #Moldova's pro-EU party takes decisive lead in election fraught with Russian interference claims http://www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...

    — Leroy (@leroylynch.bsky.social) 2025-09-29T00:39:54.615Z

    Australia's budget bottom line has come in better than expected but we are still about $10 billion in the red, new figures released today confirm. Follow live.

    — ABC News Bot (unofficial) (@abcnewsbot.bsky.social) 2025-09-28T21:08:33.769Z

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