The Cooked Overton

Morning Comrades,

We are witnessing the dismantlement of Western hypocritical moral superiority at a accelerating pace unimaginable, to me, and I’d wager most other people who read this. We are so so conditioned by the capitalist content companies, who, without a shadow of irony or self-reflection, call themselves “news”, to the effect that we view incremental events on a 24hour news cycle, rather than, for example, in terms of decades or even generations. Even to the most critical of observers and participants, myself included, the two events presented by the ruling classes here in the West over the last 3 days have had me trying to maintain a sense of order and relationship with what is actually happening and what my conditioned self still tries to reason with.

Specifically, for one, the political reality in France and the secondly, the total rehabilitation of the Bush Era neocons aka the most vicious and evil war criminals of our era ( to date ). Our interaction and relation to it all has much to do with the Overton concept in political theory and we will tap into that shortly, but for now a brief overview of the above.

Macron, capitalisms little fancy attack dog in Paris called snap elections before the Olympics, lost, a coalition of left wing, even capital-critical parties, won and to no ones surprise, the glorified bank manager / epitomy of centrism didn’t cease power and than last week made a deal with not only the lunatic conseravtives of France but more importantly, Le Pen’s fascist party, to withhold power from the political coalition that received the majority of votes.

I will not bore any one with historical comparisons, there are many especially in Europe, or quotes from Macron and co - the fact remains, that the powers that be, logically decided in their own interest to forgo democracy, and with the help of the fascists, instal an, within our engineered context of reality ( democracy ), illegitimate government - and that’s that. No UN / NATO intervention, no outcry, no revolution, because, well, everything is in “order” as the Germans would understand it - and it is anything but. Again, we will circle back to that shortly.

In other news, Dick Cheney is back on the US political stage as he announced to endorse Harris and her campaign. JFC. Now, for those of you that weren’t around during the Bush / Cheney years - he is the embodiment of evil that only capitalism can breed. The architect of wars without end, genocide on a scale unimaginable up until 11 months ago, a vile and power addicted man so calculating in his greed that an entire language had to be constructed to explain him. There is so much vileness in his time as the Haliburton CEO and as well as his political career that I could fill an entire years worth of writing just on that. Feel free to dig if you missed those years. for those that were there, well, you know.

The fact that the Dick and his family went out to endorse Harris, is one thing. The response, from Harris and the Blue Maga Cult is something else entirely:

"I'm honored to have their endorsement," said Harris at Penzeys Spices in the Strip District, on a break from debate preparation where she greeted patrons and bought spices.

Ok, then.

Again, no UN / NATO intervention, no outcry, no revolution, because, well, everything is in “order” as the Germans would understand it - and it is anything but.

We talked about the analogy of the frog sitting in slowly boiling water to explain our apparent apathy in the consistently fascist moving train and its normalisation thereof and another way to explain this madness is the theory of the Overton window - and explain we must because none of this, and the above examples are mere illustrative examples of the day to day bullshit, is ok. It is anything but, “ok” - and I for one have so little too lose that settling for “ok” is not on the table.

In contemporary Western societies, the Overton Window—the range of ideas deemed acceptable in public discourse—has become a tool manipulated by capitalist interests, diverging sharply from the material realities faced by the working class. Far from being a reflection of democratic will, the Overton Window has been distorted to serve the economic and ideological interests of the capitalist class, who wield disproportionate influence over political, media, and cultural institutions. This distortion signifies the reality of a non-existing Western democracy, where the system no longer serves the people but the interests of capital. Voting, increasingly reduced to a performative exercise, does little to alter this dynamic. As the ruling class faces growing resistance to its profit-driven agenda, it resorts to increasingly authoritarian measures—modern-day fascism—to maintain control.

The Overton Window and Its Disconnection from Material Reality

The Overton Window is often presented as an objective gauge of what is politically viable or acceptable within a society. However, this is a misconception. The boundaries of acceptable discourse are not organically determined by public opinion but are carefully curated by powerful interests, particularly the capitalist class. Through control of the media, think tanks, and other institutions of ideological production, capitalists shape the window to reflect ideas that maintain their dominance and suppress those that challenge the status quo.

This manipulation results in a profound disconnection between the Overton Window and the material realities faced by the masses. While issues like wealth inequality, systemic racism, and climate change are often framed as marginal or radical concerns, neoliberal and pro-corporate policies that exacerbate these crises are treated as sensible or inevitable. This is not because such policies represent the will of the people but because they align with the profit motives of the capitalist class. The range of "acceptable" political discourse is thus skewed toward the interests of the few, not the many.

The state in capitalist societies primarily serves the interests of the ruling class. This reality is starkly visible in modern Western democracies, where the disconnect between popular will and political action is glaring. While politicians routinely campaign on promises of reform, they rarely challenge the structures that underpin capitalist power. Voting, once the cornerstone of democratic participation, has become largely performative—an exercise that offers the illusion of choice without the substance.

Elections in capitalist democracies have become contests between candidates who, regardless of party, share a commitment to preserving the economic status quo. Major policy decisions, especially those affecting the economy, are made with little regard for public opinion and are instead driven by corporate lobbying, campaign contributions, and the revolving door between government and private industry. As a result, voter turnout has declined, and political cynicism has risen, as many recognize that their votes do not translate into meaningful change.

Capitalist Control and the Turn Toward Modern-Day Fascism

As the capitalist system faces mounting challenges—economic crises, environmental collapse, and growing discontent among the working class—the ruling class resorts to increasingly authoritarian measures to maintain control. This drift toward modern-day fascism is evident in the intensification of state surveillance, the militarization of police forces, the suppression of dissent, and the scapegoating of marginalized communities. These tactics are designed to protect capitalist interests by stifling resistance and redirecting public anger away from the true sources of exploitation and oppression.

Modern fascism is not the booted thugs of the past but a more insidious form of control, where corporate and state power merge to discipline the working class. This alliance is justified under the guise of national security, economic stability, or cultural preservation, but its true aim is the preservation of capitalist profit. Anti-union legislation, the criminalization of protest, and the deregulation of industries that exploit workers and the environment are all manifestations of this authoritarian trend. Far from aberrations, these actions are the logical outcomes of a system that prioritizes capital over people.

The Overton Window’s distortion in service of capitalist interests reveals the insidious reality of Western democracy. The system is not malfunctioning; it is functioning exactly as intended—to serve the ruling class. For a genuine realignment of the Overton Window with the material needs of the people, a revolutionary transformation is required. This transformation must challenge the capitalist structures that dictate the limits of political discourse and redefine democracy as a system that genuinely represents the will of the working class.

Only through class struggle and the dismantling of capitalist control can we hope to expand the Overton Window to include ideas that address the true needs of society: economic equality, environmental sustainability, and social justice. The task ahead is not merely to shift the window but to shatter it, replacing a system of exploitation and repression with one of collective ownership and democratic control.

As always, thank you for your time and attention,

Yours, warmly,

V