Finally, I see comment from someone who clearly understands this. Somehow, many people perceive such a threat very non-seriously, as if they think it will never happen, or that someone will come and prevent it from happening.

Do people even understand what that means?

No, they don’t. And they don’t want to understand. Just look at how indifferent many are about what is happening on the other side of the planet. If offered an exclusive choice between a 50% reduction in gasoline prices and the complete cessation of all authoritarian and totalitarian regimes without prolonged wars and massive devastation, many would choose the first option. Instead of the cessation of authoritarian regimes, you can point to solving any other global issue like climate change - and they would still choose the first option. This utter indifference, mixed with all sorts of absurd destructive beliefs such as conspiracy theories or racial superiority, provides very fertile ground for the establishment of authoritarianism.

A second Trump term really is an extinction-level threat to democracy worldwide, not just in United States. Considering that Trump and his supporters promise an isolationist policy, all sorts of predatory authoritarian and totalitarian regimes will suddenly feel like they can do anything - and this will start happening all over the world.

Hope is an unattainable luxury in this situation. Eight years ago, I still didn’t understand much of what would have clearly determined Trump as a personality prone to dictatorial-fascist tendencies until after 2016. If I had had the time and attention back then to understand where it would lead, it could have been prevented very easily by raising a huge fuss and scandal around political advertising on Facebook. This would have significantly disrupted the plans of hostile states for interfering in elections and ultimately led to different results in the 2016 elections. Unfortunately, at that time, I was a completely different person, focused on other things. That’s why I did nothing. I simply hoped that everything would be fine.

laws against homophobia and conspiracy theories

Oh, could you elaborate on this more? I’ve also been trying to promote a similar idea lately without violating freedom of speech principles. In brief, the essence is that freedom of speech does not mean the freedom to monetize such content, nor does it mean that platforms should include such content in recommendations and subscriptions alongside other content. I described this more thoroughly in that post and texts referenced from it. Nevertheless, I haven’t heard any news about such laws being adopted anywhere or already being adopted.

Wrong. You completely do not understand the psychology of these people. They will interpret any of your concessions as direct approval and even a demand to be even more outrageous. The only minds you can battle are those of the doubters. I can confidently say that many of the doubters are annoyed by excessive and inappropriate, in their opinion, promotion of woke narratives. Even seemingly insignificant events for elections, such as Gamergate 2, could become the straw that breaks the camel’s back and sway the sympathies of the doubters towards Trump.

Probably, you won’t. After the 2020 elections, the tension did not decrease to the levels that were before the elections. It will be the same this time. But what’s worst is that if Trump wins, there won’t be any more elections - just like freedom of speech and many other democratic things. The United States will turn into what Russia has become over the last 30 years. And this is only in the best-case scenario. In the worst case, the political system of the Combine in Half-Life 2 will seem to you not an anti-utopian dictatorship but a very comfortable and even progressive form of social organization compared to what the Trumpists are achieving.

When fascists won in Germany, there was a force that could stop them, and eventually stopped them. If they win in the United States, no one will be able to stop them. Considering that they promise an isolationist policy, all sorts of predatory authoritarian and totalitarian regimes will suddenly feel like they can do anything - and this will start happening all over the world.