Today, as I write these lines, I feel a knot in my stomach. It’s not just because the shadows of fascism that we thought were buried forever are rising with unexpected force; it’s because we’re letting it happen. Yes, we—the citizens of this globalized and supposedly enlightened world—are allowing the same virus that ravaged Europe and much of the planet in the 1930s to return, now dressed in new clothes but just as deadly.

What happened back then? Millions of lives were extinguished under the weight of totalitarian ideologies that promised order, security, and greatness but actually brought death, destruction, and famine. World War II wasn’t just a military conflict; it was a mass genocide, a humanitarian catastrophe without precedent, where Europe was reduced to rubble and millions of people died from hunger, persecution, or in extermination camps. But who remembers those names today? Who talks about Auschwitz, Guernica, or Hiroshima beyond history books?

Meanwhile, here we are, once again on the edge of the abyss. Fascism, this insatiable plague that feeds on fear, disinformation, and hate, is infiltrating all spheres of power: political, economic, cultural, and even digital. The very technological tools that promised to democratize knowledge and connect the world have become platforms for spreading propaganda, manipulating minds, and controlling information. Algorithms aren’t neutral—they’re being used as weapons to silence dissenting voices and reinforce authoritarian narratives. And what do we do? We distract ourselves with trivialities, consume superficial entertainment, and obsess over surface-level issues while our freedoms erode little by little.

I see how our time is wasted on absurd debates about who kissed whom, which influencer wears the most extravagant fashion, or what the next anime craze will be. It’s understandable, maybe even inevitable, that we seek escape from an increasingly oppressive reality. However, this collective escapism is precisely what fascisms need to thrive. While they entertain us with "cartoons" and sensationalist news, they consolidate their power, weaken our democratic institutions, and build a society that is monitored and controlled, where thinking differently can become dangerous.

But the blame doesn't fall solely on the people. Those responsible for protecting democracies, safeguarding human rights, and ensuring that such tragedies never happen again have failed miserably. Many politicians, officials, and global leaders have chosen to look the other way, prioritizing their personal interests and survival within the system over the collective well-being. They prefer to play partisan politics, make shady deals, and perpetuate unjust structures rather than confront the common enemy: the resurgence of fascism.

History has shown us that when fascism gains ground, no one escapes unscathed. Not even those who initially supported it, thinking they could benefit from it. The fascist war machine has no mercy and no permanent allies; it devours everything in its path until nothing remains but ruins and lamentations. Is this really what we want for our children and grandchildren? Is this the legacy we wish to leave them?

It’s time to wake up. We can’t keep pretending everything is fine while the alarms are blaring at full volume. We need to reclaim our critical thinking, inform ourselves from reliable sources, and denounce any attempt at manipulation or censorship. We must demand accountability from our representatives and work together to build a world that is more just, inclusive, and resilient. Because if we don’t act now, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past—and this time, it could be worse.

Let’s not forget the lessons of history. Let’s remember the innocent victims, the shattered families, the cities destroyed by hate and unchecked ambition. Let’s honor their memory by actively resisting every form of fascism, no matter its disguise. Because the price of indifference is too high: millions of lives lost, entire generations marked by suffering, and a legacy of pain that will take decades to heal.

Fascism doesn’t wait for permission to act. Neither should we wait until it’s too late to stop it.