aestheticism is a feature of fascism. the late night phone call, the strong words in the oval office, boarding air force one with retinue in tow, hurry hurry... it's less about what is being achieved, and more about the pageantry that something is being achieved. change, action, disruption, violence (metaphorical or not) are good in and of itself, pomp is the reification of these impulses. i disliked succession precisely for this reason, the idolization of these processes (whether it was under the guise of irony is irrelevant).

these fetishes can start to supplant material reality, real banana republic stuff. we should give the wasps and neoliberals credit to always have been somewhat immune to and disdainful of these practices.