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To all of my European friends, please remember that AfD (and other similar groups) are merely a symptom, not the disease itself. You have to identify and address the root cause of why AfD has any meaningful support.
And what do you think that is? So far I blame algorithmic/targeted social media that leads to echo chambers and lowering living standards because of rising cost of living and prices without salaries keeping up.
But I'm also getting the impression that no one that can actually do anything about it is aware or cares enough to act so we are fucked either way.
There’s definitely education (or lack there of) and propaganda, but the main issue is wealth inequality in this neo liberal, capitalist world
Wages have stagnated and everything is much more expensive. The quality of life of the majority of the population is massively worse than before. Yes we have cool gadgets and better healthcare due to technological advancements but the crux of the matter is that exploitation is tru the roof. People work 2 and 3 jobs and can’t make ends meet. Meanwhile billionaires get richer and richer in increasing pace.
Public services get cut, people get ask to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and they look for someone to blame and are told to look down (to immigrants) instead of up (to the ultra rich).
Disclaimer: Not European, so this is my perception about the similar rise in the US.
Part of it is economics, and the general decline of (personal) prosperity. People can't afford the things needed for a comfortable life. That includes housing, heat, food, and entertainment.
Part of it is definitely propaganda. No matter what the issue is, you can find countless sources pointing to whatever enemy you might think of. And people flock to it, choosing their own echo chambers. Side note: Lemmy is very much part of this, although typically in the opposite direction than what boosts AfD.
But I think the biggest factor is education, particularly in critical thinking. A lot of these movements promise an easy explanation and an easy fix. Real solutions never are. It takes a lot more effort to truly examine their claims, and it always comes with real downsides that people don't want. There also isn't a moment after any policy changes where people evaluate the results, and reevaluate the plan to figure out how to better get to their goals.