Irrationalism also depends on the cult of action for action's sake.

Action being beautiful in itself, it must be taken before or without any previous reflection.

Thinking is a form of emasculation.

Therefore, culture is suspect insofar as it is identified with critical attitudes.

Distrust of the intellectual world has always been a symptom of oer fascism,

from Hermann Goering's alleged statement,

when I hear talk of culture I reach for my gun, to the frequent

use of such expressions as degenerate intellectuals, eggheads, effete snobs, universities are a nest of

reds. The official fascist intellectuals were mainly engaged in attacking modern culture and the liberal intelligentsia

for having betrayed traditional values.

Umberto Echo in his 1995 essay,

or fascism.

Welcome to the history of the 20th century.

Thank you.

The history of the 20th century. Episode 271, The Roots of Fascism.

Here is a topic I have been looking forward to with a mix of anticipation and unease,

ever since I began this podcast, 270 episodes ago.

You can't survey the history of the 20th century without taking on the topic of fascism.

Fascism is the 20th century's distinctive contribution to political philosophy.

It was also the driving force behind some of the most important historical events of the 20th century.

You cannot understand the 20th century until you understand fascism.

In the early episodes of this podcast, I talked at some length about conservatism, liberalism, and

...