Karl Popper’s Paradox of Tolerance is the blueprint for how we got here.

Karl Popper said in The Open Society and Its Enemies:

“Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant… then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them.”

Around the globe, far-right extremism is rising, authoritarian leaders are taking a sledgehammer to democratic institutions, and fascism is becoming the norm—justified by slogans like “making America great again” and “reducing government waste.” Meanwhile, a large portion of the population has either shrugged it off or failed to grasp what’s happening.

We see groups openly advocating for political violence. We see the White House attempting to erase entire identities from existence. We see concentration camps being set up at Guantánamo Bay. We see a bunch of 19-year-olds holding the keys to Americans’ most sensitive data. And yet, those responsible still have the audacity to demand tolerance and compliance from us.

But democracy gives us the opportunity to make a different choice. This isn’t about silencing disagreement—it’s about recognizing that fascism doesn’t “listen to both sides” its way into power. It exploits the goodwill of democratic societies until it can dismantle them from within.

Tolerance must end where intolerance begins. If we fail to act, history has a way of repeating itself.

Do not comply. Do not look away. Demand better from our elected officials.