There are certain hallmarks by which you could judge whether society becomes more totalitarian or not. Again, I'm talking of PRE REQUISITES of totalitarianism, not of an actual totalitarian state. However, the definition of totalitarianism would help. Wikipedia tells us that 'Totalitarian regimes are often characterized by extensive political repression, a complete lack of democracy, widespread personality cultism, absolute control over the economy, massive censorship, mass surveillance, limited freedom of movement (most notably freedom to leave the country) and widespread use of state terrorism'.
Again, those properties appear on their full scale only when totalitarian regime matures. However, the first signs of their fomenting could be seen in modern Western society already. Let's take a look at every property of totalitarianism mentioned there, and analyze how modern American society scored on each one.
1) Political repression
Cancel culture which punishes people for their political views and manifests itself like firing from job (hello Gina Carano), or public intimidation (hello JK Rowling) could be considered an initial form of political repression. People are certainly being oppressed, publicly intimidated or even fired from their jobs for voicing out different and unpopular opinions.
2) Lack of Democracy
Technically, democracy still functions in US but it's much eroded. Freedom of speech and pluralism of opinions, those cornerstones of democracy, are largely suppressed. Political partisanship of American media outlets which turns media into political propaganda tools violates yet another cornerstone of democracy - independence of press. Even American elections' transparency was doubted during last election - and even if the proofs of massive election fraud weren't found, there was a sure evidence of election fraud on smaller scale which isn't that great either, same as media coverage of last election in US revealed their partisanship in all its 'glory'. So nope, democracy is eroding in US at the speed of light.
3) Massive Censorship
Again, Big Tech censorship is widespread with regard to conservative and Republican voices in US. Social media ban of legitimate American President is one of the most glaring signs of it. Make no mistake, this is political censorship and not 'accountability' and 'fighting hate speech' or' violence insurgence' - because again, all calls to violence from the Left (hello BLM and Antifa) or from Islamists aren't banned, ONLY Republican voices.
4) Mass Surveillance
Already Edward Snowden had proved the mass surveillance in American 'democratic' society. Social media and Big Tech had only made it worse.
5) Limited Freedom of Movement
Hello COVID lockdowns. Again, our 'safety' is just an excuse there. Now the same people who implemented strictest lockdowns push for vaccine passport health apartheid system in order for people to regain their lost freedoms and lives which is sure sign of totalitarian and fascist state (and Oregon in US had already implemented it).
6) Atmosphere of Terror
Again, I argue that cancel culture creates the atmosphere of fear and terror in American society, preventing people from speaking their mind out of fear of retribution and prosecution. Comedy is the most prominent victim of it - it's impossible to make any innocent joke now without 'offending somebody', and, hence, being canceled for your 'offense'. But this pervasive atmosphere is everywhere - in schools and universities, in job collectives, in entertainment....People are afraid to speak their mind because they might be politically prosecuted for it, lose their jobs, get bad grades, etc.
7) Absolute Control over the Economy
This far this wasn't achieved even on initial stage, but not for the lack of trying though. Demon Rats constantly try to push for more state control over economy and people's lives in US. And if you look at Democratic governed states, like Oregon, there are much more state control over economy than on federal level.
8) Widespread Personality Cultism
This far, this feature wasn't achieved as well, though the Woke have their 'heroes' who are beyond reproach for them (like AOC). However, even AOC is nowhere close to the cult of Stalin's or Mao's personality in USSR or China. I argue that it's because the Woke focus primarily on identity politics and collective, group thinking. The individualism is a hallmark of liberals, not Wokies. The Woke try to erase individual thinking in favor of collective one. Hence, people shouldn't have heroes. The same was actually done in Russia by Bolsheviks who also pushed collective thinking at first. Cult of Stalin's personality was already a net stage. So maybe it would appear later in US as well but for now to push collective group thinking is more important for the Woke.
So, to conclude, we could see 6 out 8 main properties of Left wing Woke totalitarianism rising in modern US (and the last two didn't rise not for the lack of trying either), and people are still not worried and believe 'right wingers and Trump supporters' to be the main threat, really? Well, then the last SURE sign of Woke neo fascism in US for you.
9) Anti-Jewish sentiment
Blatant hatred of Israel, unfair anti-Israel propaganda and uncritical support of Palestine and Hamas terrorists resulted in growing Antisemitism in the West. There are violent assaults against Jews in US every now and then, fueled by the Woke anti Israel and anti Semitic rhetoric. Also, Jews decried as 'privileged' in Woke crazy race theories to instill even more hatred towards them. I don't know about you but it reminds me of Nazi Germany of 1930s LITERALLY, with anti Jewish sentiment fomented by active political propaganda in all media, and Jews used as a scapegoat for people's anger (just like the Woke use them now). So, do you really need any more proof that neo fascist totalitarian ideology came to the West already from the Left, Woke side? And worst is to come.
Superb column ~ spot on. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Here are a few sources that describe the features inherent in the theory of inverted totalitarianism.
Vázquez-Arroyo, A.Y., 2011. Inverted Totalitarianism. Telos, 2011(156), pp.167-177.
Elbasani, A., 2009. the dangers of inverted totalitarianism. european political science, 8, pp.412-415.
Morgan, D.R., 2018. Inverted totalitarianism in (post) postnormal accelerated dystopia: the arrival of Brave New World and 1984 in the twenty-first century. foresight, 20(3), pp.221-236.