Spanish Sketches
drb.ie
drb.ie
But based on the generally forward motion of time, there aren't going to be many enough people floating around who can sensibly identify which brands of ideology are the dangerous ones.
As Orwell quite eloquently identified - there are some ideas hiding in socialism that are legitimately dangerous if they become ascendant. They were so thoroughly crushed through the latter part of the 20th century I'm not sure the body politic can recognise them any more.
The acquiescence of basically everyone to the building digital security state is also alarming.
This becomes even more scary when you realize that the 1910-1950 happened because people had forgotten all the lessons of the 1800. Every generation feels that they are above repeating the errors of the past. Yet every generation does.
The history of the world between 1800 and 1950 is so vast that unless you articulate what lessons you have in mind, it's not possible to follow your conversation.
Nevertheless, it is possible to reply to one aspect of your commentary, which is your use of the term "scary", or "more scary".
Would you say electricity is scary? Exposure to only 110 volts from the wall can kill even the bravest, strongest human. But most people, and virtually all electricians, are not "scared" of mains electricity, because they have learned a few basics about how it works, and what precautions can be taken.
Likewise with automobiles. A collision at 60mph can kill the bravest, strongest human. And yet, the freedom to drive at that speed and higher across the world's highways is responsible for vast amounts of goodness and communities.
Perhaps we can take the political issues you are concerned about and find some similar insights, or ways of thinking about them that take us to a level higher than just "scary". But first, can you say what these issues are?
There's lots of writings on the subject. The most out-worldly chilling stuff I've read is still Écrits sur l'Allemagne by a young french philosopher Simone Weil (sister of celebrated mathematician André Weil), describing her experiences in Germany in 1932-1933. Basically, she says that shit has already shit the fan and that it is already too late to avoid major conflict in Germany. Notice that, at that moment, many German jewish scientists like Einstein were still working in Germany. She expresses her dismay that modern citizens of Europe are so confident in permanent peace that they have forgotten the lessons of the previous century. Incidentally, a few years later she joined the International Brigades (alongside George Orwell) to fight the fascist uprising in Spain.
I agree that, overall, modern life is much better, especially thanks to our knowledge in biology and medicine. The human victories against smallpox, polio, etc. are major things to be proud of. Technology is a double-sided sword, but undoubtedly has had a positive influence. But we have not yet "grokked" history, and we seem set up to repeat the errors of the past, and this is sad.