That reminds me of Clive James' thesis that the central feature of fascism (as he defines it, roughly like the common usage) is the imposition of a glorious concept of what the world should be like (with the unavoidable implication that everything else needs to be eliminated). Hence the combination of an extreme edifice complex with mass violence. And the tendency of intellectuals to fall under the spell.
"When intellectuals conspire to undermine vulgar democracy in favour of a refined dream, it might seem unfair to condemn them for failing to foresee the subsequent nightmare." -- Clive James
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2012-02-04 03:02 am (UTC)"When intellectuals conspire to undermine vulgar democracy in favour of a refined dream, it might seem unfair to condemn them for failing to foresee the subsequent nightmare." -- Clive James