The columnist’s task is simple: identify a current event that reflects the times and write about it. This week, the news practically tackled the author, demanding attention. While Donald Trump’s inauguration, attended by tech billionaires, offered a potent symbol of the contradictory nature of right-wing populism, with the ”drain the swamp” advocate cozying up to the world’s wealthiest, another story emerged as even more compelling. The author notes the jarring sight of elites scrambling to align themselves with power, exemplified by tech companies donating hefty sums to Trump’s inauguration, not out of financial necessity, but as declarations of loyalty. This shift, the author argues, signals a transition from a fleeting weather event (Trump’s 2016 victory) to a more permanent climate (Trump’s ongoing influence), with the economic elite adapting their sails to the prevailing winds. The true elite, unconcerned with ideological posturing, simply follow the currents of power, making their allegiance more ominous than any political maneuvering.
The author highlights the anxiety within the economic elite as they observed the movements of their peers toward the newly established power center. The eagerness of the elite to abandon their principles and board private jets to Washington was striking, as was the hurried rush of the slightly less wealthy to demonstrate their loyalty through financial contributions. The author cites Spotify and Ericsson’s donations to Trump’s inauguration, emphasizing that the gesture was not about the money itself but about signaling allegiance to the new regime. This pragmatic approach, devoid of ideological considerations, underscores the author’s point about the economic elite’s ability to adapt and align with power, regardless of its political or moral implications. This reinforces the notion that the economic elite operate based on a different set of rules, prioritizing their interests above all else.
This behavior, the author argues, lends credence to the theory that fascism is the natural endpoint of capitalism. Liberals, socialists, and environmentalists, with their respective concerns for competition, social welfare, and ecological sustainability, present obstacles to unchecked capitalist expansion. A movement that disdains these impediments, like the rising tide of right-wing populism, becomes a convenient tool. The rapid abandonment of the Net Zero Banking Alliance, a financial sector commitment to climate action, in favor of renewed interest in fossil fuels, further illustrates this point. The economic elite, the author suggests, are not swayed by moral arguments or long-term consequences; their decisions are dictated by the immediate promise of profit and the consolidation of power.
The author notes the surprising shift in PM Nilsson’s perspective, a figure who previously championed closer ties between business and the far-right Sweden Democrats. Nilsson’s recent expression of concern over kleptocracy and fossil fuel opportunism in Washington, published in the business-oriented Dagens Industri, underscores the gravity of the situation. That someone who previously dismissed the rise of authoritarian and climate-denialist forces is now openly worried about the market behaving according to its own, unrestrained logic is, in the author’s view, the most telling sign of the times. It suggests that the consequences of unchecked capitalism are becoming so stark that even its most ardent proponents are starting to recognize the inherent dangers.
However, the author shifts focus from Trump and the oligarchs to a seemingly trivial but ultimately revealing news item: the firing of Lazio’s falconer. This individual, responsible for launching a trained eagle over the stadium crowd, was dismissed not for his open displays of fascism—his public salutes and praise for Mussolini and Franco had been tolerated for years—but for exposing himself online. This seemingly incongruous juxtaposition highlights the warped priorities of our time, where overt displays of political extremism are deemed less offensive than a momentary lapse in online decorum. The incident serves as a microcosm of the broader societal trends discussed earlier, where power and influence often operate according to a logic that defies common sense and ethical considerations.
The firing of the falconer for indecent exposure, while his fascist displays were tolerated for years, encapsulates the absurd and contradictory nature of the current climate. It suggests a society where spectacle and superficialities often overshadow deeper, more systemic issues. The author uses this seemingly minor incident to emphasize the broader themes of the essay: the shifting allegiances of the powerful, the normalization of extremist ideologies, and the prioritization of profit over principle. The falconer’s dismissal, in its absurdity, becomes a potent symbol of the distorted values that define our era, where economic interests and political expediency often trump basic human decency and ethical considerations. The author concludes by highlighting the irony of this situation, suggesting that it speaks volumes about the warped priorities of our time.
