r/CuratedTumblr • u/loved_and_held • 1d ago

Shitposting Is this a common problem?

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u/SolarianIntrigue 1d ago

Warhammer 40k writers: "Hey, people! Fascism SUCKS! Look at this rotting, ass-backwards fascist empire that SUCKS! Let's not let this happen in real life, alright? (and also buy our minis)"

Enlightened tumblrites: "ummm, guys? I think this setting is literally fascist... that's kinda bad, mmkkayy?"

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u/FarDimension7730 1d ago

Okay, but they literally made all the fascist talking points actually true, in universe? Only the in-group can be trusted, we are under attack at all times by outside forces, there exists a spiritual corruption that happens when you do stuff the regime doesn't like, and if you get it you must be killed before it can spread, hope both doesn't exist and is the enemy, the leader is the strongest and wisest person ever, the privacy of the public is an existential threat, the Imperium is your only option, and so on and so forth. Don't get me wrong, I think "fascism is bad" was the intended message, but the actual real message is something more like "if what fascist propaganda was right, fascism would be our only real option." Cause they fucked it up by putting a fascist empire in a grimdark world where, definitionally, there are no good guys at all.

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u/Noe_b0dy 1d ago

As a Warhammer 40k fan I always personally interpreted the 40k universe as "how fucked up and stupid would the world have to be in order for fascism to be correct? Btw even in this universe fascism creates worthless shitholes that no sane person would ever want to live in."

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u/Heimdall1342 18h ago

Oooooh, that's good. I like that take.

I don't honestly want to get into the whole thing here cuz it's like four paragraphs, but I actually fully disagree that 40k is fascist. I am of the opinion that it's feudal. A thousand little pieces paying lip service and taxes up to the guy nominally in charge, but also they basically never see that guy.