Character Assassination by Jan Theuninck, 2025

 .

a deliberate and sustained effort to damage the reputation or credibility of an individual.

The state-sponsored destruction of reputations, fostered by political propaganda and cultural mechanisms, can have more far-reaching consequences: One of the earliest signs of a society's compliance to loosening the reins on the perpetration of crimes (and even massacres) with total impunity is when a government favors or directly encourages a campaign aimed at destroying the dignity and reputation of its adversaries, and the public accepts its allegations without question. The mobilisation toward ruining the reputation of adversaries is the prelude to the mobilisation of violence in order to annihilate them. Generally, official dehumanisation has preceded the physical assault of the victims. 

Systematic character attacks (via smears, comparisons to extremists, and moral outrage) can normalize or prelude physical mobilization against a target. Theuninck views such dynamics as a "prelude" because they erode empathy and justify escalation, drawing parallels to broader patterns in populist politics. Theuninck often posts about "embarrassing banalities" in politics, including how ad hominem attacks precede violence. For instance, he contrasts Fortuyn's fate with other cases of political smearing, like historical Dutch examples (e.g., the 1672 character assassination of the De Witt brothers via pamphlets, which fueled mob violence). His X bio—"Für die Freiheit und gegen Denkverbote!" (For freedom and against thought bans!)—underscores his advocacy against censorship and defamation as tools of control.

In an era of polarized discourse, Theuninck's lens on character assassination as a "prelude" resonates amid rising concerns over political violence. Recent events, like the 2025 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, highlight similar patterns: online demonization followed by targeted attacks, amplifying fears for public figures across the spectrum. Theuninck's art serves as a cautionary abstract, urging reflection on how words weaponize before bullets do.