“On Tyranny” - Chapter 12: "Make eye contact and small talk"
If Snyder’s earlier chapters were of a more intellectual bent, here he begins with an embodied approach to what we can do on a daily basis. The emphasis in this chapter is on appraising one’s psychological landscape and determining who is trustworthy, but I’d like to add two more ingredients to the mix. One, our day-to-day pleasantries serve to share bonds with everyone we meet, even those who might otherwise wish us ill online or on forums, and possibly, even in life, were public denunciations or tribunals to come to pass. Politesse is not merely polite. It can, as Snyder points out, be a political tool; but prior to that, these moments of being-with-others are intimate in a way that we rarely, if ever, take into consideration. If we are kind to one another, open to however small a degree, there is an exchange of appreciation, and perhaps, of power. If you are met with acceptance, then it’s the power of forging an alliance; if not, then, the power resides with you. Th...