Populist authoritarianism is a cruelty exchange program. You cannot understand it unless you reckon with the fact that their cruelty is what keeps these people in power.
Friends, family, neighbors who support authoritarian governments harbor this cruelty, seek this cruelty, desire this cruelty. When pressed, they will defend it. "We had no idea" is a lie that comes later.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5522534-prisoners-moved-supermax/
