What are the requirements for an autocratic system? An ideology, control, surveilliance, social injustice, extreme nationalism.

What else is important for a dictatorship? Discipline, discipline is power.

Some lines quoted from the movie The Wave answered my question for why I felt nervous and depressed since I was in school, and how we got brainwashed little by little.

This movie is based on a true story that once happened in spring 1967, in Palo Alto, California, high school history teacher Ron Jones conducted a social experiment in fascism with his class. There is a website to document and share the original experiment and variations on the Wave story over the years, and to support the discussion of this dark and never-ending side of human nature.

My Favorite Lines

What are we supposed to rebel against nowadays?

Nothing means anything anymore.

We all just want to have fun.

What our generation lacks is a common goal to unite us.

Autocracy comes from the Greek and means self-rule. From auto, “self”, and kratia, “power”, “rule”… In an autocracy, the ruler or rulers have unlimited power to change the law as they like. Can you think of any examples?

We’re not talking about guilt. It’s a historical responsibility.

My thoughts: This recalls me of another movie that explored national historical trauma: A Taxi Driver. And also some historical tragedies happened in my country that we still can’t discuss in public today. An ethnic just like a person, if he/she can’t face the past mistake, he/she can’t go further too.

I could see myself getting a regular job, marrying the right girl, having two or three kids and living my life in some townhouse. Does that sound stupid?

If you’ve learnt one thing this week, it’s the value of sticking together.