Addiction and Fascism

Published on November 10, 2023

What is the relationship between addiction and fascism? At first glance, these two phenomena seem to inhabit entirely different realms—one a personal struggle, the other a political disaster. Yet, upon closer inspection, they share a startling symmetry in their origins, outcomes, and preventions. Addiction, much like fascism, can be seen as a form of mental and behavioural bondage, where the individual is subsumed by an overpowering need or ideology. The factors that lead to addiction—desperation, disconnection, a sense of powerlessness—are eerily akin to those that fertilise the ground for fascist movements. Both are nurtured by a void, filled by the promise of escape or greatness, and both yield to a singular focus that can obliterate all else.

The most tragic endpoint of addiction is overdose, a self-destructive capitulation to the substance that promises relief but delivers annihilation. Fascism, too, has its ultimate devastation in the form of genocide, where the dehumanization of others leads to systematic extermination. Both overdose and genocide represent the culmination of a progressively narrowing vision that ends in death—of the individual or of masses. The loss of self in addiction mirrors the loss of individuality and humanity under fascism, where people become mere cogs in a machine or numbers in a grim tally.

The path to averting addiction lies in vigilance—constant, compassionate attention to the early signs of dependency and the factors that contribute to it. Similarly, the prevention of fascism requires a societal vigilance, an unwavering commitment to notice and challenge the early signs of authoritarianism, to safeguard democratic principles and human rights. In both cases, prevention is not a passive state but an active pursuit, a collective effort to maintain and nurture the health of the community and the autonomy of the individual.

In the journey towards recovery, sobriety stands as the antithesis of addiction. It is not merely the absence of substance use but the presence of clarity, self-awareness, and connection. In the political landscape, the counterpart of fascism is not simply the lack of authoritarian rule but the active cultivation of freethought. Freethinking champions individual expression, critical inquiry, and the open exchange of ideas—values that are antithetical to the fascist ethos. It is through the embrace of these principles that societies, like individuals, find their way back to health. Sobriety and freethought both represent a return to a state of balance, where the individual and society alike are liberated from the chains of destructive forces. They are the light that dispels the darkness of control and compulsion, guiding the way to a future defined by freedom and respect for life in all its diversity.