Yeah, I think this what makes it hard for Americans who haven’t experienced autocracy elsewhere to realize—life under authoritarianism can still look like pleasant summers, bbq on the weekend, after work happy hour with friends—until snap, a coworker or family member goes missing
this dc situation looks pretty horrible. i wish i had more to say except that autocracy is always mundane and petty and vicious and encourages you to look away and be safe. and you can live quite normally under it until you're a direct target
