QotD: "Believe the autocrat. He means what he says. Whenever you find yourself thinking, or hear others claiming, that he is exaggerating, that is our innate tendency to reach for a rationalisation."

"Asked to explain Yugoslavia’s spectacular breakup, Vasić quipped: 'You must imagine a United States with every little TV station everywhere taking exactly the same editorial line — a line dictated by David Duke. You too would have war in five years.' ....    "For their part, refugees have tried to sound the alarm for some time. Along with [Bosnian-American novelist Aleksandar] Hemon, Masha Gessen implored Americans to 'Believe the autocrat. He means what he says. Whenever you find yourself thinking, or hear others claiming, that he is exaggerating, that is our innate tendency to reach for a rationalisation'.”
~ Jasmin Mujanović, from his excellent article 'The Refugee as Cassandra in the Shining City'

[Hat tip Lucia Maria]

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