Laughter, Not Obedience: The Power of Mockery Against Authoritarianism

Authoritarians thrive on anger but crumble under ridicule. Their power relies on compliance; mockery strips it away.

Throughout history, authoritarianism, racism, and oppression have thrived on one key ingredient: compliance. Too often, people obey in advance, conceding their power before they’re even forced to. But history also offers a counter-narrative—those who refused to comply, who built alternative structures, and who ultimately proved that resistance works.

As we face growing threats to democracy, civil rights, and personal autonomy, we should draw strength from the past. And we should laugh.

Why Humor and Mockery Are Essential to Resistance

As Dr. Timothy Snyder, Yale historian and author of On Tyranny, explains, authoritarian regimes don’t simply seek control—they seek destruction. They operate under the logic that it is easier to dismantle democratic institutions than to govern them. Once people accept disorder as the new normal, they will beg for a strongman to restore order—even if that order benefits only the wealthy and powerful.

Snyder emphasizes that humor and satire are potent weapons against authoritarianism. Fascists can endure anger, but they cannot withstand humiliation.

• The Nazis feared Charlie Chaplin’s satire in The Great Dictator more than most military threats.

• Turkish protesters used memes and jokes to ridicule Erdoğan’s increasingly absurd propaganda.

• Eastern European dissidents used jokes and absurdity to undermine Communist leaders.

• Modern meme culture has weaponized humor against Trumpism, exposing its ridiculousness.

When authoritarians claim their failures as victories, laugh at them. When they demand obedience, mock their incompetence. Make their movement uncool. Their power comes from our compliance alone.

Snyder likens authoritarian governance to bringing your car in for service, only to find that the "mechanics" have sold the working parts and kept the money. And they expect you to thank them for it.

This absurdity must be met with clarity, speed, coalition-building, and relentless ridicule.

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Anticipatory Obedience: The First Step Toward Authoritarianism

Snyder warns that one of the most dangerous enablers of authoritarianism is anticipatory obedience—when individuals and institutions voluntarily comply with expected repressive measures before they are even enforced. This normalizes repression and teaches authoritarians how much they can get away with.

Examples of anticipatory obedience include:

• Media self-censorship, such as newspapers retracting political endorsements to avoid backlash.

• Corporate rollbacks of diversity and inclusion policies before legal mandates force them to.

• Universities erasing trans healthcare records and modifying curricula out of fear rather than legal requirement.

• Public officials conceding power to authoritarians under the guise of pragmatism, believing resistance is futile.

Lesson: Do not comply before you are forced to. Every inch of voluntary submission strengthens authoritarian power.

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Resistance Strategies: What Works?

1. Organized Political Resistance

• Fannie Lou Hamer & the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (1964)

  • Built a parallel political movement when denied participation in the existing system.

  • Forced a national conversation about voting rights despite official resistance.

  • Lesson: If a system is rigged against you, expose it and demand alternatives.

2. Building Parallel Institutions

• The Black Panther Party & Community Self-Defense (1960s-1970s)

  • Created independent food, medical, and education programs when the state failed Black communities.

  • Used armed patrols to prevent police brutality and law enforcement overreach.

  • Lesson: Communities can provide for themselves and resist systemic neglect.

• The Zapatistas in Mexico (1994-Present)

  • Established autonomous Indigenous communities rejecting state control.

  • Used digital activism to gain international solidarity.

  • Lesson: Self-governance and global solidarity can counter authoritarian rule.

3. Direct Action & Underground Resistance

• Harriet Tubman & the Underground Railroad (1850s)

  • Built a covert escape network outside legal authority.

  • Used codes, songs, and secret allies to evade surveillance.

  • Lesson: Covert resistance can dismantle unjust systems from within.

• The Gezi Park Protests in Turkey (2013)

  • Sparked by government overreach, these protests unified diverse political groups.

  • Used social media and humor to challenge Erdoğan’s authoritarianism.

  • Lesson: Mass mobilization and creative resistance disrupt authoritarian narratives.

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Final Takeaways: Lessons for Resisting a Turkey-Style Authoritarian Takeover

1. Never comply in advance. (Universities, media, and corporations should not surrender before they are forced to.)

2. Build alternative institutions. (From parallel political movements to independent food and medical programs, create self-sustaining structures.)

3. Use digital resistance. (The Zapatistas and Gezi Park activists proved that international awareness amplifies local struggles.)

4. Mobilize politically and through direct action. (Mass movements can halt authoritarian advances.)

5. Weaponize humor. (Mockery, satire, and memes are kryptonite to strongman egos.)

🛑 "Do not obey in advance." – Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny