User blog:Goldentrash/One Year Later: The Future of Isokyria

She's ruled Isokyria for exactly one year but how has she set the tone for the rest of her career?

August 2, 2017

O ne year ago, August 1, 2016, Eydis Stefanic assumed control of the State of the Isokyrians in the aftermath of a failed coup that finally looked as if the Nororist government had overstayed its welcome. However, once it turned out to be nothing more than a dud, it was hoped she would be the fresh blood the Isokyrian state needed. But Stefanic quickly crushed those dreams that almost as soon as she took office. Her promise to maintain and promote the status quo sent members of the global LGBT community reeling and spurred Vanguard to dub her "Witch of the North". Once more, for another twenty years, Nororism will be the law of the land.

The election of Donald Trump has not helped at all. With the rise of the alt-right in the United States, aided by Trump's election, Isokyria has been held as a model state, where the citizens all take part in the betterment of their nation, where degeneracy has been eradicated, the government looks after its citizens first, and the nuclear family is strong and stable. The Nororist government has been quick to exploit Isokyria's romanticization, beefing up its tourism advertising in hopes of attracting such Americans that admire the country. In February of this year, Stefanic visited the United States and met with President Trump which was greeted with both protests for and against. Richard B. Spencer, the leader and creator of the alt-right plans to visit Isokyria and hold a demonstration there, but is having issues obtaining the proper permits required. Internet memes shared across 4chan's /pol/ tell how Isokyria was seventy years ahead of its time. Smug Pepes gleefully watch as Europe is invaded by barbaric Muslim hordes while Isokyria remains isolated and safe from the danger, in reference to Isokyria's response to the migrant crisis, which has been a totally closed border policy. Many of its posters dream of one day moving to Isokyria. All be told, 2017 may be the Nororist's best year so far.

Or so it seems. The truth is, Nororism is in crisis. The coup was the first large crack in a facade that has been weakening since the 1980s. Globalization and the spread of neoliberal capitalist policies makes a paternal state such as Isokyria obsolete and so the country has done what it can to adapt. The fall of the Soviet Union put Isokyria in an awkward spot as it became glaringly obvious by then that the island nation shared almost nothing in common with its democratic neighbors. As a strongly authoritarian near-dictatorial country in western Europe, Isokyria sticks out like a sore thumb and the Nororist government as been slow to address the issue. Its relationship with the United States has been strained and even Trump may not save it. Most young people in Isokyria can barely muster and ounce of care towards Nororism and there is a general feeling that it is, essentially, a dead meme. Although most Isokyrians do show strong admiration for Nororism's founder, it is only for his contributions towards Isokyrian independence. The ideas of Nororism are dead among Isokyria's population, save for several true believers among the National Assembly's extreme conservative wing.

That said, all of this apathy towards Nororism has not translated into real change, it seems. Alexander White, who was hailed in the west as the 'Progressive Nororist' was not able to implement any reform during his seven-year term. There was a brief uprising on Twitter with the #Frezet2016 hashtag but that again has died. Isokyrians are dissatisfied with their government, but don't seem to care to enact any major change. I blame this mostly on the fact that, although Isokyria is an authoritarian nightmare, the quality of life is on par with most other western nations. Conditions in Isokyria are no where near Libya, or Venezuela, or Ukraine, or any other country with major regime change in the last ten years. Unemployment is low, wages are very good, social mobility is moderate, the population numbers have been steady. There simply is not a enough real suffering to demand change, as much it would soothe our progressive hearts.