"To be on social media is to watch everyday as the most intelligent people apply their rhetorical skills to the most pressing moral and philosophical problems of the day and make absolute cunts of themselves." Brilliant!
On believing your own lies, I'm always reminded of an argument I had with my first girlfriend back in high school. I told her a lie, well-crafted and expertly delivered, and she refused to believe it. I was outraged that she would doubt me even though I had given her no reason to suspect me (or at least, so I believed). We argued passionately and somewhere along the way I had completely forgotten that I was lying in the first place. It was only afterwards that I recalled what the truth was in the first place.
I think this same phenomenon plays out with the political & media "elites" almost constantly. They think they crafted a perfect narrative in which Joe Biden is not senile, and end up in a constant defensive mindset when people inevitably do not believe it. The debate wasn't even that bad-- I think for a lot of people it was a bit surprising but no massive shock. He performed at the level I imagine he operates at day-to-day; it's not like he forgot where he was mid-debate or something. It was shocking only to this aforementioned class of political and media elites; they realized that their narrative had been shattered and snapped them out of their lie.
The Regime lives in a cocooned bubble, which prevents reality asserting itself. They have imbibed their own BS version of reality.This is the 'blowback' from their own Psy- Ops program, which has created arrogance ,hubris and contempt of the People of Ireland they fail to represent.
The inculcation of passivity and helplessness by the Regime and its institutions, on the People, by use of an insidious psy-ops system is an essential foundation of its power, not only on the political level but also on the social, economic, and cultural levels as well.
The entire structure of the system depends upon manipulating the People into believing (or not challenging the assumption) that they are not capable of performing the simple democratic functions that every human society in history has performed as a matter of routine.
It is the constant instruction of the RTE propagandists that we are at fault for not accepting the destruction of our Homeland by Mass Plantation Migration and the future of our own children, enforcing our own laws, defending our own homes and neighborhoods, or earning our own living.
We are not capable of thinking our own thoughts without ubiquitous and self-appointed pundits to explain to us what we see and hear, nor of forming our own tastes and opinions without advice.
We are to remain docile ,subservient and silent as our Nation undergoes a modern Genocide by , Toxic Covid Injections, Displacement and Infanticide.
The Quisling Regime are but the Comprador enforcement puppets of Finance Capital. that has been gorging itself on the resources of Ireland for decades , with the Irish Nations People and culture as the collateral damage to be sacrificed without qualms in the feeding frenzy.
Irealnd has been here many times before and historical memory has revived in its most reviled working class areas to stand against Tyranny ,despotism and dispossession as currently displayed in the Coolock community. who refuse to bow down to the Regime organised, socially .destructive invasion of our Homeland
Re. the self deception of progressives, media types like Matt Cooper often ask "what is *woke* anyway?" in a derisive way. Is Matt so far down the rabbit hole that he genuinely doesn't recognise the crazy stuff, or is he just affecting bemusement to signal what a wonderful person he is?
I can only speak for myself, but I think that the reason is simpler than what you write. I was blind sided by Biden's difficulty and everything else, and the key reason is that I *literally* did not see it with my own eyes.
Specifically, I almost never watch or listen to politicians (or worry about the ads). I only read transcripts, or policy summaries.
While that's because I generally find more congenial (and much faster!) to read than to listen or watch, and I tend to think that doing this allows me to focus on the "details that matter" and throw away all the stagecraft uselessness, it occasionally ends up with me feeling like the proverbial radio listener persuaded that Nixon had trounced Kennedy.
It’s your belief that a democratic elected president will become authoritarian (apropos of nothing) that is really unhinged. Trump had the chance to become an authoritarian over Covid and he acted wisely and left governance up to the states. I know the message that Trump is basically Hitler has been repeated often, but that’s only because most people don’t actually pay attention to politics or history.
"To be on social media is to watch everyday as the most intelligent people apply their rhetorical skills to the most pressing moral and philosophical problems of the day and make absolute cunts of themselves." Brilliant!
Haha I was happy with that Henry, thanks
Another great piece, thank you!
On believing your own lies, I'm always reminded of an argument I had with my first girlfriend back in high school. I told her a lie, well-crafted and expertly delivered, and she refused to believe it. I was outraged that she would doubt me even though I had given her no reason to suspect me (or at least, so I believed). We argued passionately and somewhere along the way I had completely forgotten that I was lying in the first place. It was only afterwards that I recalled what the truth was in the first place.
I think this same phenomenon plays out with the political & media "elites" almost constantly. They think they crafted a perfect narrative in which Joe Biden is not senile, and end up in a constant defensive mindset when people inevitably do not believe it. The debate wasn't even that bad-- I think for a lot of people it was a bit surprising but no massive shock. He performed at the level I imagine he operates at day-to-day; it's not like he forgot where he was mid-debate or something. It was shocking only to this aforementioned class of political and media elites; they realized that their narrative had been shattered and snapped them out of their lie.
The Regime lives in a cocooned bubble, which prevents reality asserting itself. They have imbibed their own BS version of reality.This is the 'blowback' from their own Psy- Ops program, which has created arrogance ,hubris and contempt of the People of Ireland they fail to represent.
The inculcation of passivity and helplessness by the Regime and its institutions, on the People, by use of an insidious psy-ops system is an essential foundation of its power, not only on the political level but also on the social, economic, and cultural levels as well.
The entire structure of the system depends upon manipulating the People into believing (or not challenging the assumption) that they are not capable of performing the simple democratic functions that every human society in history has performed as a matter of routine.
It is the constant instruction of the RTE propagandists that we are at fault for not accepting the destruction of our Homeland by Mass Plantation Migration and the future of our own children, enforcing our own laws, defending our own homes and neighborhoods, or earning our own living.
We are not capable of thinking our own thoughts without ubiquitous and self-appointed pundits to explain to us what we see and hear, nor of forming our own tastes and opinions without advice.
We are to remain docile ,subservient and silent as our Nation undergoes a modern Genocide by , Toxic Covid Injections, Displacement and Infanticide.
The Quisling Regime are but the Comprador enforcement puppets of Finance Capital. that has been gorging itself on the resources of Ireland for decades , with the Irish Nations People and culture as the collateral damage to be sacrificed without qualms in the feeding frenzy.
Irealnd has been here many times before and historical memory has revived in its most reviled working class areas to stand against Tyranny ,despotism and dispossession as currently displayed in the Coolock community. who refuse to bow down to the Regime organised, socially .destructive invasion of our Homeland
Great stuff as always, Conor. Strong analysis of how our current thought leaders function in this world.
I look forward to the media debate over which is the more impressive country to conquer, Tanzania or Central African Republic!
Perhaps they hoped that Biden would have a good night or at least not such a bad night. Turned out to be a bad bet.
A fabulously interesting and perceptive article.
Re. the self deception of progressives, media types like Matt Cooper often ask "what is *woke* anyway?" in a derisive way. Is Matt so far down the rabbit hole that he genuinely doesn't recognise the crazy stuff, or is he just affecting bemusement to signal what a wonderful person he is?
I can only speak for myself, but I think that the reason is simpler than what you write. I was blind sided by Biden's difficulty and everything else, and the key reason is that I *literally* did not see it with my own eyes.
Specifically, I almost never watch or listen to politicians (or worry about the ads). I only read transcripts, or policy summaries.
While that's because I generally find more congenial (and much faster!) to read than to listen or watch, and I tend to think that doing this allows me to focus on the "details that matter" and throw away all the stagecraft uselessness, it occasionally ends up with me feeling like the proverbial radio listener persuaded that Nixon had trounced Kennedy.
It seems you're still opposed to exploring the idea that many of the people you perceive as highly intelligent might not be.
So Connor likes Donald. How does Connor think he will benefit form authoritarianism?
It’s your belief that a democratic elected president will become authoritarian (apropos of nothing) that is really unhinged. Trump had the chance to become an authoritarian over Covid and he acted wisely and left governance up to the states. I know the message that Trump is basically Hitler has been repeated often, but that’s only because most people don’t actually pay attention to politics or history.