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Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

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Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

1. ⁠Do not obey in advance. Authoritarians thrive on passive complicity; don’t preemptively conform to expected behavior.

2. ⁠Defend institutions. Institutions don’t protect themselves—citizens must actively support and strengthen them.

3. ⁠Beware the one-party state. Democracy depends on pluralism; monopolizing power erodes freedom.

4. ⁠Take responsibility for the face of the world. Symbols and slogans shape culture—reject hate and extremism in public life.

5. ⁠Remember professional ethics. Professionals (lawyers, doctors, civil servants) must uphold ethical standards, even under pressure.

6. ⁠Be wary of paramilitaries. Private militias signal a breakdown of lawful order and a drift toward violence.

7. ⁠Be reflective if you must be armed. Members of the police and military must question the legality and morality of their actions.

8. ⁠Stand out. Courage is contagious—small acts of defiance inspire broader resistance.

9. ⁠Be kind to our language. Clear, truthful language guards against manipulation and propaganda.

10. ⁠Believe in truth. Without truth, facts and reality become meaningless, enabling tyranny.

11. ⁠Investigate. Don’t rely on official narratives—seek out independent, verifiable information.

12. ⁠Make eye contact and small talk. Human connection builds solidarity and mutual support against isolation.

13. ⁠Practice corporeal politics. Show up physically—protests and gatherings matter.

14. ⁠Establish a private life. Protect your privacy from surveillance and manipulation.

15. ⁠Contribute to good causes. Support organizations and causes that uphold democratic values.

16. ⁠Learn from peers in other countries. Look beyond borders for inspiration and warning signs.

17. ⁠Listen for dangerous words. Terms like “extremism,” “terrorism,” and “emergency” are often used to justify repressive measures.

18. ⁠Be calm when the unthinkable arrives. Authoritarians exploit chaos; stay grounded and deliberate in crisis.

19. ⁠Be a patriot. True patriotism means standing up for your country’s principles, not just its leaders.

20. ⁠Be as courageous as you can. Democracy requires bravery; be ready to defend freedom, even when it’s difficult

The wind and the pine tree.

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I have a large tree in my back yard. It is a white pine. It is already three times taller than the house and looks like it will get even taller.

I’ve thought about having it cut down, but it provides a lot of nice shade. The only time I really start to worry about it is when there is a big storm with a lot of wind. Then it sways back and forth like a drunken sorority girl.

Part of the problem with this is that pine trees aren’t very flexible. Unlike a drunken sorority girl, when pine trees fall down they snap in half and are a big mess. They also have a habit of falling on houses – the trees, not the girls. When they go, they go in a big way and you are very inconvenienced.

I needed to do something with it for my peace of mind. There are a lot of windy storms here. I didn’t want to have it topped. That isn’t healthy for the tree. I called different arborists and decided on one who is a druid. No, I’m not kidding. There is an arborist in Nashville who really is a druid. Seemed to me like the best choice. I mean, who is going to know trees better than a druid?

He decided the best thing to do was to thin the tree. Imagine holding your hand flat in water with your fingers together. Then drag your hand like that through the water. There is a lot of resistance. Then open up your fingers and do the same thing. It will go through the water a lot easier. He planned on doing the same thing to the tree. The branches were thinned so now the wind passes through it rather than hitting it.

The tree is now better able to handle the winds. It is less likely to break. I feel safer, and it looks stronger.

I recently read a piece about anger. It pointed out several different signs that you are repressing your anger. Repressed anger is just as dangerous as a pine tree in a strong wind. It too can be a big mess to deal with. It too can destroy your home.

Several of my friends read this and commented that they noticed that they have a lot of those symptoms. Their response to it was to wonder what or who they were angry about or with.

It isn’t about the thing or the person that is causing your anger. It is about the fact that your response to a difficult situation is to get angry. Nobody causes you to get angry. It is a choice. It is a reaction. It is a response.

You are the tree. The wind is the adversity. Resist it, fight against it, and you’ll break. Let it pass through you and you’ll stand strong. It is all about approach and nothing about the situation.

I was given a good image at the retreat I was at a few weeks ago. Imagine you are in a rowboat on a lake. When a speedboat zooms by, you have the choice to just let it pass by and calmly ride out the waves until the lake goes back to being still. Shaking your fist and yelling at the driver of the speedboat doesn’t change the situation, and in fact it is likely to make you more upset. Let it pass by and not affect you. This way you will survive.

Bucket.

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If you are in the hospital and you call for a chaplain, she heals you in a way that the doctors and nurses can’t.

They bring pills and IV medication. She brings a bucket. The bucket is herself. She empties out herself and you pour your problems in.

She listens to the deeper problems. She isn’t hearing for physical symptoms. She is listening for deeper down. What is the source of the pain? What is the root of it all? What are you afraid of?

People tend to be motivated out of fear or love. A fear-based life results in one full of pain and anxiety. Relieve the reasons for the fear and you relieve the pain and anxiety.

Sometimes you can’t take away the problem. Sometimes the situation can’t be changed. Then the only thing to do is change your opinion of it. The more you fight against it, the more pain you will feel. Stop. Relax into it. Accept it. It will hurt less.

Life is a lot like giving birth to ourselves over and over. The more we resist it, the harder it will be.

Accept. Relax. Explore it. Don’t fight it. Don’t define it. It isn’t good or bad.

It just is.

Wake Up!

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Originally posted on Facebook August 26, 2012

Sometimes I’m not very charitable. I feel sad if folks are suffering because there was an accident. However – if folks are sick and hurting because they have refused to take care of themselves (they smoke, drink excessively, eat unhealthy foods, refuse to exercise) then that is different. I want to start yelling – WAKE UP! We aren’t doing each other any favors when we look the other way. A doctor really did me a favor when he found out I smoked (5 clove cigarettes every day). He literally got right in my face and yelled – Quit Smoking!

My Mom died at 53 from smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day. What a stupid way to die. Friends are sick all the time due to bad choices. I see folks at the library who are morbidly obese and all they do every day is play games on the internet. They are literally wasting their lives. One says she comes to the library to play games because she doesn’t want to take care of things at her home. Those things will still be there – adding up. This is an addiction – I understand this all too well.

Quit being a slave to your body. Your body is like a 5 year old sometimes. It wants what it wants, and it wants it right now. Feed me candy! Sit on the couch! Watch stupid shows that waste time! Eat fried food! I don’t want vegetables – they are icky!

The train is coming. You can’t avoid it. Years and years of bad choices, of allowing your body to control you only result in pain and suffering. Death is inevitable. However it can be delayed, and you can have a good healthy life for many years if you choose wisely.

When I start exercising, the first 5 minutes I hate it. I don’t want to be there. In 10 minutes I think I’ve been there for 25, and I want to stop. I push on. In 30, I think it isn’t so bad, and I can do more. In 40, I start to be sad that it is almost over. At 60 minutes I’m done and I feel great.

I’ve started to realize that this pattern is the same with starting anything. The first time you start something good for you, there is a lot of resistance. You do it a little longer, and you think why am I doing this – there’s no results, this is stupid. If you keep at it – you start to get into it and you feel better. Your mind plays tricks on you – be stronger than your mind.

There are so many excuses to be made for not following the healthy path. Excuses lead to misery.

Wake up. Choose to live. Choose to be alive and awake and healthy. This is all a process. You won’t get there overnight. Every day you will have to make choices. You will fall, you will fail. The difference is – get back up and start again.

Our taste buds have been taught in our Western society to want a high-fat, high salt diet. This can be weaned out of you so that you actually prefer healthy food.

Drink more water. Work towards not having any sodas.

Eat more vegetables. Try to eat fresh ones – not processed. Aim for a “rainbow” of color on your plate.

You really don’t need three plates of food at the buffet.

Eat slower. Chew your food. The slower you eat, the more you will digest, and the sooner you will realize you are full – and you won’t overeat.

Choose organic when possible. Yes, it is more expensive. Choose what you can, and have the rest be conventional. Every little step counts.

Avoid fried foods. Batter adds only fat and salt and no nutrition.

If you eat meat, go for chicken and seafood.

Walk more. Figure out ways you can walk more at work. Park further away from the store. Wear a pedometer so you have an idea of how far you are walking every day.

Try water aerobics. It is good for your joints, and it offers resistance training and cardio exercise at the same time.