In 1967, a group of college students who were worried about the rise of right-wing extremism invited German sociologist and philosopher Theodor Adorno to talk to them about how to respond to this threat.
Adorno explained that the greatest weakness of right-wing extremism is that its supporters dare not talk in public about what they really believe and want. Instead, almost everything they say in public is an evasion.
In the talk, Adorno recommended this three-step program:
- Learn to recognize the rhetorical tricks that right-wing extremists use to escape honest discussion of their behavior, beliefs, and goals. He provides a few examples. Here’s my list.
- When someone uses these tricks, name which ones they’re using.
- Remind the person that they benefit from democracy.