Will the real fascist please stand up?

Who doesn't know them: Western do-gooders proudly posing at African orphanages or development projects, smiling with a child in their arms as if they were saving the world. They adopt children, organize fundraisers, and flaunt their deeds on social media, while children closer to home, in poor European neighborhoods or marginalized communities, are overlooked. They sip their green tea while teaching asylum seekers the local language, while local children fall behind in reading and writing, and the elderly waste away in loneliness. The image they project is that of noble saviors, but a closer look reveals something else: a Messiah complex that disregards the autonomy, culture, and dignity of those they claim to "rescue."

The Messiah complex refers to the belief that one is called to save others, often without recognizing the capacities or autonomy of those being "helped." In the context of adoption and aid, this means Western workers often assume African children need saving, and that they — the Western "saviors" — are the solution. This leads to a paternalistic attitude that undermines the self-worth and capabilities of the very people involved.

Meanwhile, in Europe, for example in Moldova, thousands of children live in poverty and urgently need help. In 2022, 56,000 vulnerable Moldovan families received emergency aid, and thousands of children with disabilities or refugee backgrounds needed extra educational support. Yet, despite these pressing needs, Western aid efforts are often directed at Africa, while European children are neglected.

This raises the question: why do Western aid workers feel more drawn to African children than their European counterparts? Is it because African children appear "more exotic," or because it is easier for the Westerner to play the role of savior there? The Messiah complex seems central here: self-worth derived from saving others, instead of building truly equal partnerships with the communities they claim to help.

In social and political activism, a similar dynamic plays out. Left-wing progressives present themselves as defenders of marginalized groups, but their behavior reflects the Messiah complex: the belief that only they can save, protect, or educate, while the group they claim to help is viewed as inferior.

This manifests in three ways within the so-called "inferior group":

1. The less educated or less capable group: sometimes truly feels inferior, or is positioned that way by the savior; they remain dependent while their autonomy is denied.

2. The self-aware group: sharp enough to make their own choices, they exploit progressive naivety; appearing helpless allows them to benefit for years from social support while fully capable of independence.

3. The perceptive group: sees such "help" as condescending; they feel insulted or outraged at how their abilities are minimized. Their independence undermines the savior's narrative, so they are often dismissed as "right-wing."

The Paradox of "Anti-Racism" and Censorship

Beyond subtle paternalism, some progressives exhibit aggressive dominance: silencing anyone who questions their ideas. Ironically, this happens under banners like inclusivity or social justice, while the reality is discrimination and intolerance.

Examples include:

• Slander and ridicule: critics are mocked or labeled morally inferior, regardless of their arguments.

• Social and professional exclusion: dissenters risk careers, reputations, and social ties.

• Violent escalation: as with Pim Fortuyn, where political opponents crossed from verbal to fatal assault.

One notorious case was Margriet Goris, an activist tied to the Eurodusnie collective, who in 2002 threw a pie filled with excrement into Pim Fortuyn's face. Though widely condemned, it symbolized how ideological superiority can escalate into physical intimidation.

The Role of Media and Platforms

The public opinion is significantly shaped by media and platforms like Wikipedia. Once praised for neutrality, it is now often criticized for political bias. 

Larry Sanger, co-founder of Wikipedia, has repeatedly voiced concern that the site abandoned neutrality, becoming a tool of the "establishment left." In 2022 he said: 

"Leftists are relentless when it comes to pushing their viewpoint and using the organs of mass media — and I think Wikipedia is now part of the mass media."

This bias is not just theoretical — it plays out in real cases. When Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian woman, was stabbed to death on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, the facts were clear: she was murdered by a repeat offender, Decarlos Brown Jr., who was charged with first-degree murder. Yet when an article titled "Killing of Iryna Zarutska" was created on Wikipedia, editors immediately began pushing for its deletion. A banner at the top of the page warned that the article was "nominated for deletion," and behind the scenes editors argued that the incident did not deserve coverage.

This selective curation shows the very problem at the heart of Wikipedia's ideological capture: uncomfortable truths that do not fit a preferred narrative are downplayed, erased, or never allowed to gain traction. In this way, platforms that present themselves as neutral arbiters of information actively participate in shaping which tragedies matter and which are quietly forgotten.

This selective curation also reinforces the Messiah complex: presenting a controlled version of reality that validates the moral superiority of progressive movements while marginalizing dissent. 

Violence and Fascist Escalation

On September 10, 2025, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while giving a lecture at Utah Valley University. The attack illustrates the danger of an ideology that sees itself as morally supreme and refuses to tolerate dissent. The violence against Kirk demonstrates how the Messiah complex, when radicalized and fused with ideological obsession, can escalate into real physical aggression. The conservative father-of-two, known for his thrilling debates with college kids across the country, was hit by a single bullet while speaking to a crowd at the public university in Orem on Wednesday afternoon. He collapsed immediately after being hit by the gunfire. Kirk leaves behind his wife Erika, with whom he had a three-year-old daughter and a son, 16 months. The couple celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in May.

At the same time, movements like Black Lives Matter reveal systematic double standards. BLM is celebrated, while "White Lives Matter" is instantly dismissed as racist or extremist. This hypocrisy exposes the authoritarian streak within progressive circles: censorship, moral superiority, and the exclusion of any counter-narrative.

Conclusion

The Messiah complex among progressives results in paternalism, dependency, censorship, and at times outright violence. Their own moral framework trumps the autonomy and dignity of others. The combination of ideological obsession, media bias, selective hypocrisy, and aggression — from Pim Fortuyn to Charlie Kirk — reveals a distinctly fascist pattern: a belief in one's own superiority, intolerant of criticism and dissent.

The pattern is clear: modern Messiah-complex progressives preach equality and inclusion, yet systematically undermine autonomy and foster dependency. They reinforce their own sense of moral superiority and cement a culture of control and fear. The result is not only social and cultural decline, but also demographic: by painting the future as bleak, they sap confidence and discourage family growth.

Both in Europe and the U.S., what appears as altruism reveals itself as paternalistic — and at times dangerously fanatical. Today's so-called idealists are, paradoxically, the architects of a darker, emptier future.