Few things are as accelerating as when a powerful figure seems to be reading your mind, and speaking to the masses in a belligerent manner. Is that good?
The pedantry of hostile politics.
A demagog is able to exploit people’s most basic instincts. That primal emotion that excites the crowds when they are “owning” or “defying” whomever is that the collective decided that needs to get squashed or punished in any way. This is a strong catalyst, because it makes people get a rush of dopamine – especially if everybody in that group feels just as fired up.
That is why you see during political debates that a zinger, or another “sick burn” that can be scored against their opponent will have a lot more views, likes, reactions, shares, and clout than actual policy and substance. And yes, the modern media algorithms are designed to reward those primal feelings, because that is what glues people’s eyes to the screen.
On my book Authoritarianism & Propaganda the Puppet Master Tools, I very much explain how this phenomenon exists, and it has existed pretty much from millennia. My book cites specific examples from the Bolshevik revolution, but this is a very well utilized tactic, even though a lot of the younger and older crowds, along with their unsuspecting minds, fall for it – quite easily I might add. Do you have an old relative who gets fired up if you talk about politics or religion? There you go.
The more a person feels they are in the right, the more they will gravitate towards whomever seems to be reading their mind. This is because they feel this person speaking so intensely “gets him or her” – whatever doctrine is that they are pushing for. This is not a “left or right” side of the political spectrum; it works well no matter where in that gamma you might be sitting. Why? Because it is a human trait, or in this case a human vulnerability.
Politicians – not all, but a sizable number of them – will lie in your face and even cry theatrically if that serves their purpose. Many others, especially as they are gaining clout, will be very much on the attack against anybody they consider their enemy, and they will use this faux bravado as a badge of honor to assert dominance over the crowd they are performing for. And the more impressionable minds will buy it all with gusto. It’s pretty sad actually.
Why? Because people might forget what the hell you told them, but they sure as hell will remember how they felt. That is why it is very easy for many thousands of people to parrot talking points and buzz words. They sound absolutely watertight when you’re in an echo chamber, but when you put that into actual scrutiny, you’ll soon find out that those arguments have the water integrity of a hairnet.
It is not so much as WHAT you say, but HOW you say it will entice the audiences. It is a method of exploitation. If you’ve been following this series of articles for a while, then you know what they are after – the biases! A person who has strong biases will be easily exploited, while convincing them that they’re the smartest person in the room. They are not, it’s a swindle, much like when a person is getting scammed. It sounds good a promising but there is a lot of information left about their decision-making prowess.
When a politician seems to be very intense, and attacking their opponents as a person – but not on the substance of their claims or doctrine – then you know that they are demagogs. Accountability based on the merits is very different than somebody throwing a sophomoric attack, such as a derogatory nickname to another candidate. If the latter is true for your candidate of choice, and you enjoy it – your mind has been highjacked. They are exploiting you.
Yes, I know this might make you mad. Don’t get mad at me, I am teaching you how to break free from that. Get mad at the demagog who is playing with your emotions and your feelings. They are insulting your intelligence. I am here to tell you that we are all vulnerable to fall for this trap, but once you realize that it is a trap then you can avoid falling for it. To learn more, keep reading my articles, they will set you free. HLC
Like it or not fascism is growing in America. And just like we’ve seen it through history before, it turns otherwise good people into manipulated monsters.
Understanding Fascism.
Like it or not, Fascism is on the extreme right of the political spectrum. For context Communism is on the extreme left side of the political spectrum. Keep this in mind, because either extreme is bad, and they are a mirror image of the same monster. In other words, in either of those political extremes, if you speak out of turn you and everything you loved will be mercilessly killed and destroyed by those governing your lives.
The most triggering difference is that in fascism, there will be a “divine deity” featured as a heart-and-minds exploitation in the center of the manipulation tactics. Who gets manipulated? The troves of obedient fools, many of which will think that their unsavory deeds are morally superior because they are anointed under a higher power. Whatever deity this might be.
Benito Mussolini is the father of fascism. This was a narcissistic, highly-misguidedly-opinionated, pedantic, racist, white supremacist, insecure-wrapped-in-bravado, authoritarian, manipulative, corrupt, and insecure little man. Mussolini projected his insecurities through a façade of macho-like posturing. It is quite pathetic to realize his sophomoric antics when you see it from a pragmatic point of view.
In spite of all this, Mussolini was actually “invited” to become Italy’s Prime Minister in the years that led to World War II (WW-II). The country of Italy was already very divided, and as Communism was expanding through Europe the time was ripe for his manipulation of those who were “fearful from others.” Another thing he wanted to do is “Make Italy Great Again,” to bring the same “prestige of the Roman Empire” (though he ignored a lot of the actual Roman Empire History). Among other things, he enacted this agenda by invading Ethiopia, a country that was unable to militarily defend against the Italian armed forces.
But this created the allure of an expanding “Italian Empire.” His followers were ruthless, and perpetrated unspeakable crimes against humanity. It is no surprise that Hitler himself found Mussolini so enticing to the point they were allies during the WW-II. But fascism is a lot more complex than a simple hatred for others who are outside their “accepted circle.” What they do have in common is that they are able to exploit other insecure people’s biases, and convince them they are morally superior. Yes, this statement is worth repeating for a reason.
J. Marcelo Baqueroalvarez Authoritarianism & Propaganda The Puppet Master Tools.
Fascism is growing in America.
Proud Fascists and even Nazis were very much overtly advocating for these divisive ideas in America before WW-II. They haven’t gone away, they were less vocal for quite a while, but they are reigniting their passion for a divided and segregated society. All things considered, we have to remember that back in those days, both Communism and Fascism were pretty novel. Also, the truth about their agenda was not as well understood as it is now. Afterall, we’ve had several conflicts and nefarious examples for each extreme since they first appeared on the world stage.
Fascists had sadly highjacked many devoted religious hearts and minds. That’s their modem operandum (MO), so that is not surprising. But it is a lot harder for some congregations to understand that they are being fed fascistic rhetoric and ideas from the pulpit – and they are now advocating for these misguided epitomes. Not all congregations, but enough to start normalizing some hateful speech under the guise of “hate the sin, not the sinner” – but adding frustration against the so called “sinner” – until this person is slowly robbed from their humanity. It is a gradual process.
In the USA it has been brewing up for several decades. The “frustration and patience” these manipulated souls feel they are enduring is actually based on faulty information. Again, it is part of the MO, make them feel they have been the “good and patient people for so long, until they had more than enough” – then the people they are been normalized as lesser human “get what they deserve” – regarding the misinformation they had been convinced in their minds.
In my book Authoritarianism & Propaganda the Puppet Master Tools, I speak in detail about how this procedure works. Also, I am writing many short and long format articles about this topic because too many people are falling into that trap. And yes, this trap is designed to be palatable, and easily assimilated. That is why it is a trap, it bamboozles people into being convinced of a false narrative, while making them think they are the morally superior bunch – when they are indeed the aggressors.
I will be writing more about this topic in future articles, but for now my intent is for you to realize that if for some reason you are a victim of fascistic rhetoric, it is because they found a bias they can exploit from you. The goal is turning rhetoric into subsequent violent action. And if you’re not who was been fed this rhetoric, then guess what? You’re the victims the fascists “frustrated with” and who they want to subsequently eliminate.
We can collectively stop this travesty, understand that the leader of a fascist movement is a pedantic, low self-esteem moron who has been able to project his or her insecurities onto you. And little by little normalizing the darkest feelings that reside in every human heart to carry on their selfish agenda. But guess what? No matter how loyal YOU are to them, they won’t ever be loyal to you. To them no matter how devoted you are to their cause you’re simply disposable. That is why we must defuse fascism. HLC
Speaking about authoritarian propaganda can be very frustrating when potential victims are not receptive to understanding that their very existence is at risk.
The Frustration is exponential.
I’ve written and said this before several times, and it is worth repeating – “NOTHING that has occurred at the geopolitical level has surprised me in the last several years.” I’ll keep repeating it because it remains true. However, I am getting more and more frustrated because the indicators continue to permeate, and people continue to be distracted.
And trust me, I am not a fatalistic person – on the contrary, I am actually a very positive individual. The problem is that when a storm is approaching, it does not matter if you’re happy or unhappy about it, it is going to happen. The question then becomes, are you ready or not to weather that storm? My intent is to help people be ready, or if possible, mitigate being caught by that impending storm.
That is why I write so much about this topic. I’m not obsessed, I am desperately trying to save our lives. As you read my words somebody has been forcefully ejected from their homes through violence or intimidation, and their lives have been destroyed. Meanwhile, other people who are maybe just a few miles away are blissfully ignorant of the suffering that is occurring down the road. What they don’t realize is that a similar mayhem is coming their way too.
One of the reasons why I wrote my book Authoritarianism & Propaganda the Puppet Master Tools is because of the Ukraine-Russia conflict. The indicators that the Russian military was going to cross the border into Ukraine was very obvious for several years. Yet a very large percentage of people in Europe and even Ukraine was very surprised when in February 2022 the Russian military forces crossed their borders, and have been fighting a dehumanizing war ever since.
Although my words are gaining traction, and the fact is that you’re reading this article – what I am concerned is the lack of attention most people display about current events, and more importantly how little compassion exists for others who are in peril or struggling. I realize that we cannot stop living our lives thinking about the existing mayhem in other countries or communities 24/7– but that lack of interest normalizes the problem, and eventually the problem finds its way to your cozy lives.
Yes, even if you’re wealthy or have a personal arsenal of firearms at your disposal – it won’t matter if the geopolitical climate gets rigged against you. So how do you fix this? Through understanding context, and marrying critical thinking with intellectual honesty. That way you will be able to understand if your biases are being manipulated and exploited.
Once you do that, then you can identify the falsehoods, faux outrage and call for misguided bravado that the propagandists permeate in the environment. Once you are able to identify their game plan, that will prevent their otherwise card blanche freedom of movement to carry on their nefarious plan. I realize some people might think this sounds hyperbolic, and to that I submit that some people who felt the same way are now fighting for their lives. HLC
Today at midnight I will be retiring from the United States Navy (active duty) as a Navy Senior Chief, and starting my new life’s chapter as a Veteran in the USA.
It feels surreal, but here we are.
This is how this chapter ends. As I type these words, I am sitting in my living room with my wife and daughter beside me. My daughter Sammy is watching her TV show while we are sharing a very festive looking blanket. My wife got us to celebrate, with Kir Royale and sushi (no less). We all love sushi and Kir Royale! Sammy had some ginger ale.
And as I get ready to re-start my life as a civilian, a lot of thoughts cross my mind. The last day I wore my uniform was on February 2024 as I started my terminal leave and some time off for house hunting and job hunting. The hair on the top of my head and my face is now longer than it has ever been in the last two decades. I’ve been working a lot on recalibrating for this new chapter with my company BeeZee Vision, LLC and my daughter-dad project Half Life Crisis. It was hectic but rewarding.
Update as I type, Sammy ran to her room and got the same bear I gifted her when I returned from deployment and put it in in the spot she was sitting next to me, then she moved to the big recliner to continue watching her shows. I have a very funny kid. That’s her unique way to be very thoughtful, as she is looking at me giggling, and said “I love you, Dada.” Then she returned and is sitting next to me again now.
Dinner at home was wonderful, I wanted to ease down as I’ve been adjusting to my next adventure. It is even interesting that today I’ll be featured on National Television on a Roku channel and other outlets as my US Navy adventure ends. It is good to see that my transition seems promising, especially as in 2023 I became an author and a writer to put in written word all the craziness that is constantly tumbling on my head.
If you want to see what’s new with me, here is the link about today’s show. It premieres April 30, 2024 at 8pm Easter Time.
HLC Last day in the Navy – www.halflifecrisis.com – My Story
20 years of military service.
It would be impossible for me to summarize the 20 last years in a few paragraphs. In fact, one day I might write a full book about it. But as I sit here, I would like to express how grateful I am. I did not really know what to expect when I joined the mighty US Navy in 2003. The world was a very different place back then, and most of the faces who saw me depart are no longer living among us. I know, it is very sad, and it is extremely sobering understanding how time has changed.
You see, when I first joined, I was ready for a change from my civilian life. I was disappointed on how dystopian the environment had turned out to be in the town I lived, and I wanted to do something totally different as to escape from what was turning into a very shallow environment, even though I was generally trapped in a golden cage.
The last person who was there to say goodbye to me was my grandmother when the recruiter picked me up at around 3am in the morning. It was the last time I ever saw her alive. The next time I saw her was after my first deployment during my first year of service. She waited for me for as long as she could, yet she died less than two hours before I arrived to her side. I was still flying over Colombia on my way to Ecuador. I’ve never been the same since then.
Fast forward several years, and fate had it that in the very same house, in the very same room I lost my mother and my great aunt. The three women who raised me passed away while I was absent. All three of them were waiting for me to be there. But I was answering the call of duty somewhere else. They understood that, but to this day, it is hard for me to understand it myself.
But paired with the greatest pains in my life were also my biggest joys. In the US Navy I’ve met the love of my life, my wife Alicia. She was also a US Navy Sailor, and she retired as a Navy Chief. We’ve shared a lot more adventures than any couple could ever imagine, but the greatest joy was welcoming our daughter Sammy. I’ve lost the three women in my life who raised me while in the Navy, and I got the two most important people in my life also because of the Navy.
They are now my family, and my whole world. I have a lot to be grateful to the US Navy, and they are right about what they say. You miss the people. You see, a United States Navy Sailor is a volunteer. We are capricious, we are arrogant, we are humble, we have flaws, but we also have the biggest hearts you can ever see. The sacrifices we’ve made individually and collectively are something all the money in the world cannot buy. Yet we are all volunteers, and we’ve assumed this responsibility with open arms.
And it is easy to see why thinking about it will make you teary-eyed. Veterans have a bond that is indescribable, but you have to be one to truly understand it. Only less than 1% of the US population ever earns the privilege of wearing a military uniform. Only 2% of the Navy earns the right to wear the same uniform I got the honor of wearing as a Senior Chief. That is something I cannot ever take for granted.
For you see, I was born in Quito, about 2 miles above sea level in the Republic of Ecuador. Yet the United States Navy not only welcomed me as one of their own. It trusted me with placement and access that very few people alive get to earn in a lifetime. Something that not all the money in the world can ever buy. And today all that is a wonderful memory. All those adventures, the good, the bad, the rough days, the happiness, the silly things, the prideful, the frustrating, the honorable, the adventures, different leadership styles, and so much more I could list for hours… all that is now a memory.
HLC Retirment countdown – www.halflifecrisis.com – Our Story
Being a US Navy Sailor.
Starting tomorrow I can finally start a story by saying “when I was in the Navy…” – and speak as a veteran. A proud recipient of the coveted DD-214 (the discharge military document). No longer do I get any midnight phone calls that need my attention for a Sailor, somebody else’s capable hands stand that watch tonight.
I, like many Sailors before me, stood watch. While the world fell asleep at night, we were there ensuring they would exist in a free society when they woke up. Now my life is in the capable hands of my shipmates who remain in uniform. I cannot thank them enough, because I know what it is like to stand those watches. I know what it is like to do what they do. And they too will feel what I feel when their time to hang their uniform also arrives.
When I was wearing my uniform, a lot of times I had people approach me and “thank me for my service.” I have to admit although I was always appreciative, I didn’t quite know how to respond. As I am now on this side of my military service, I think I can finally understand. You see, it is not as easy to see the road when you’re in the driver’s seat. But if you’re seeing it from a bird’s eye view – the context becomes a lot clearer.
I’ve met some of the most wonderful people in the Navy. I’ve also met in the flesh some of the most insufferable people alive. But the latter group is almost like a caricature, and actually today makes me laugh. Though I might not have been very happy with them at the time. But you see, the US navy is a living mega-organism. There are so many personalities, but we do have something in common. It’s hard to explain with words. If you’re a Navy veteran, you know exactly what I am talking about. If you’re not, hopefully you will still be able to join to find out. Seriously, my words, no matter how eloquent will come short.
As the day ends, I just want to bask on the fact that I am in the company of the two most important people in my life. They are my family, and at the end of the day they are the ones who were waiting for me at the end of the pier. I am very grateful to all my shipmates who were there with me at any point in my military career. It will take me hours if not days or weeks to tell you all the wonderful stories about them all.
All I can say is that I would not have traded the last 20 years for anything in the world. Today 30 April 2024 is 20 years, 6 months, 2 weeks and 1 day, or for you eagled-eye mathematicians 7,503 days since I’ve let my home in Fort Lauderdale, FL to start my US Navy adventure, and end it here at my home in Chesapeake, VA in the company of my two girls.
I’ll just end by saying that once you’ve been a military member, especially a Navy Chief, then your commitment to the US Navy is perpetual. I might not shave or cut my hair (and don’t intend to) but I still have my uniforms crisply pressed and inspection ready should our nation ever needs us back. I startlingly have a looming feeling that scenario is possibly not too farfetched, based on the deteriorating geopolitical instability. If that is the case, I’ll be ready to put my uniform back on again.
Until then, I just want to thank you for spending this time with me. As I said, it is still very surreal – and I am sure I will be writing more about this in the near future. Unsurprisingly, I do have a lot to say, but I know you only have so much time to read my words. Thank you for reading this far. HLC
Every commercial you consume with a political platform was not presented to you by chance. There is a skill behind it designed to modify your behavior.
Even when it comes to the “not so mundane” world of marketing, there is a lot of behavioral science to entice your impulse to buy or acquire a product or service. Yes, that is why there is an entire industry whose entire premise is to present something to you in a way that it becomes irresistible, or to elicit a specific response – which can even be looking away from it. I know, paradoxically THAT can sometimes be the intent.
For example, if you are a person who does not have a vast amount of disposable income, a very ornate package that goes well above your budget might not be as enticing if you somehow find that your environment gravitates to that particular shiny object. You know the trope, too many people spend money they don’t have to buy things they don’t need, to impress people they don’t even like.
Based on group mentality, the actual need for frugality or justified sense of opportune austerity will be overwritten – even if for a moment, and placing a person into actual unavoidable austerity. Example? Sure, a person who is broke, but goes out to party all night and spends north of $500 in alcohol just to regurgitate it all to a porcelain idol in a public restroom a few hours ago. Did that activity sound like a good investment of time when you’re broke?
However, at that moment – even if there were some second guesses through the night if this broke person should be partying and spending their rent money, might have sounded very swell – because of the company they were [hopefully] enjoying. With political propaganda it’s a similar principle, but a lot more complex and not so much on the nose as this example. That is why it is so effective.
If you forget anything I say later, remember this “target audience” – this is how political messaging will be directed for propagandistic purposes to a particular segment of the population. The difference with propaganda is that it is directly targeted to exploit your biases. They don’t even care if you’re for or against their political leanings – they just want to know if you will play ball or not.
If you do play along, great! They will find a way to make you feel like you are the smartest kid on the block and everything you interact with will somehow be magically agreeing with your version of “good” and demonizing the same version of “evil.” The bigger your bias, the higher the proclivity for obediently following whatever is it that the pretty talking head is telling you to believe – because everyone else seems to agree with what you’ve led to see as an empirical truth.
If you do not play along, well – too bad, because they will either make you the enemy, or discredit you outright. If you get inconvenient enough the character assassination attempts to you and anybody who agrees with you will follow. The good news is that when you’re speaking the truth it does not matter if or how somebody tries to skew it, the truth will always come to surface, even if it takes a while to filter itself all the way up to the top.
However, the higher the level of propaganda in the environment, the longer the truth will take to surface, or to even be taken seriously by the collective – even if it is in plain sight. Want another example? Controversial influencers saying something that is demonstrably wrong. You choose the topic, being science denial, cult-like behavior, divisive rhetoric, or a token dissident against their own demographics. All those will gain following and copycats will follow suit quite rapidly, but why? Because negative trends are easily assimilated and transmitted. Which is actually pretty sad, but it happens.
For example, it is a lot easier to make a mess in your domicile than to clean a mess at home. But if you’re keeping up with a proper balance then making a mess will not be normalized, and you will be more likely to police yourself before it gets unmanageable.
The same is true for propaganda, the more attention you pay to actual facts, and learn to distinguish from the noise and misinformation, the easier it will be for you to navigate yourself away from being bamboozled. Much like some people can spot a scam miles away, while others – the more vulnerable ones, will fall for a scam with very little resistance. HLC
Authoritarians unite a segment of obedient useful fools, but are divisive by nature to anybody who would not follow their misguided views. Learn to defeat them.
Let’s start by understanding that all humans have the same range of emotions, we cry, we laugh, we love, we hate, we get angry, we get sad, we get elated, and any other emotion you can think of. How do we respond to these factors will depend on the environment in which we live. The culture surrounding a person can very well give different perceptions as far as how the people in that group respond to any or all of these actual natural human responses.
Lately we’ve seen a new trend of toxic masculinity and gender roles that are regressive at the very least, but are also an indirect and often direct attack on other groups of people. Particularly there has been an exacerbated growth of hate speech and dehumanization against the LGBTQ segments of the population.
And even between the heterosexual groups there is a skewing of reality that makes misconception akin to a 90’s high-school-like perceptions of gender roles as the expected reality in 2024. In other words, we are regressing. The 90’s were actually a pretty messed up time. Add this to the isolation between people who live behind computer and smart-phone screens – and the correct perception of how to interact with other human beings is eroding exponentially.
To divide people, the first step is to convince them that they (themselves) are different – in a bad way, although this is paradoxically nonsensical. What does that mean? It means they will make them feel “superior to everybody else” but that they (the same group) are “not good enough, unless they are part of this group that is recruiting them.” Soon enough, anybody who is not inside this circle of “accepted” people will be an “outsider.”
When these “us against them” situations galvanize, it is very easy to segregate people. One group, the oppressors, will feel vindicated by victimizing the other group, because they will assert that the actual opposite group that they are victimizing is somehow more powerful than they (the victimizers group) are – although they are weaker. Yes, it is that incoherent. And sadly, it works to mobilize obedient fools – and it has been working for centuries.
I’ve spoken about this before, and yes it remains true. By identifying a person’s bias, this can be exploited. But if we understand our biases and learn the full context, then we are able to diffuse the power of those who want to divide us and are gaining traction over us. If you ever encounter divisive rhetoric, always stop to think: Who benefits when we are divided?
In the current geopolitical situation, there are regimes who want to destroy the west, to include the USA from the inside out. What does the “inside means” – it means by dividing the people in ways they will be convinced they are enemies. The real enemy is the one who is dividing us.
If you’ve been bamboozled to carry water for an authoritarian, it is as easy as stopping and learning the full context. There is nothing an authoritarian enjoys more than a useful fool to do their dirty work for them. And many useful fools are doing so by dividing us, and dehumanizing us in spectacular fashion. HLC
his article will be a snapshot to remember the events affecting US politics despite the news cycle potentially glossing over the stories for the sake of ratings.
We are inundated by noise, and short memories.
This might feel like a barbed piece against mainstream and independent media – and it is, because it needs to be said. Clickbait, sensationalism, and trending seem to be a lot more important than substance. The industry has evolved to be that way. Sadly, it is all about the mighty algorithm, and this algorithm is people’s attention span.
Important stories get buried all the time in the national discourse, while sometimes incidental-at-best attention grabbers get national attention and go viral. This is true for independent media as well as for mainstream media. To be fair, that’s not everybody with a platform – but definitely the majority. Even some with good intentions fall into this trap.
At Half Life Crisis I’ve been writing pieces and warnings about how authoritarian propaganda tactics are becoming more prominent. That is why I am adamant about preventing this misinformation from continuing. Though I have to admit it does feel like I am constantly screaming into a void. Especially when we see a lot of misleading voices having a huge platform.
There is a lot that occurred in April 2024. The arguably most significant event is the ongoing hush-money criminal trial against former U.S. President Trump. This trial is less about his infidelity and more about the misuse of campaign funds and hiding information about his character. The substance on those would have been key attributes leading to the 2016 presidential election. Yes, accountability for these criminal proceedings took many years to reach the bench!
On a related Trump situation, the US Supreme Court conservative majority seems to agree with awarding former US President Trump unlimited power through immunity! Think about this for a moment, they actually are arguing giving the president the power of executing (as in murdering) political rivals, or anybody Trump would find inconvenient – as an official function. And that insane rationale comes behind a myriad of demonstrable criminal charges against Trump.
Also, there is a civil war inside the GOP as they disagree on policy and personalities. The so called MAGA Republicans have been losing traction over great swats of the country, but their loyal followers are still very vocal, and have been advocating for violence should Trump be defeated again. They are clinging to the “big lie” that perpetuates Trump’s inaccurate assertion that he won the 2020 election. He did not, Trump pursued more than 60 court cases across the country and won zero, because there is simply no evidence for the 2020 election being rigged.
Also, the US Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson was saved largely by the Democrats from being kicked out by his own Republican party, an effort led by MAGA Republican Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. Keep in mind that she was mostly against the economic support for Ukraine’s defense, which by the way it is a world-wide and National Security concern she at the very least does not seem understand, and many around the world pray she is not trying to directly sabotage. By the way the GOP has a one-person majority on the House of Representatives right now, let that sink in.
Also, the impeachment investigation against incumbent US President Biden has unsurprisingly yield zero evidence against him. The chairman of that committee Republican Representative James Comer has not been able to provide an iota of proof for a Biden-related crime, and despite that they continue to spend an undisclosed amount of tax payers’ money and elected representatives and staff man-hours every single day for the last few years. Let that sink in too!
Finally, there the tensions at the geopolitical level, and the conflict is expanding exponentially – and has been already reaching American soil. Perhaps not kinetically, yet, but the propagandistic narratives and indicators are in full swing. From toxic masculinity, to rampant misinformation, to misleading distractions and dehumanizing rhetoric against several groups of people, and everything in between. That is why I am writing so much about it. We are losing sight of what is important, and that is convenient to those who want to divide us.
Meanwhile many prominent platforms seem to be more interested in chasing ratings rather than capturing what is truly important. And that is understanding that our very futures are at risk as dark chapters in authoritarian history are repeating, while their core audience is asleep at the wheel. HLC
An authoritarian is only as powerful as their followers. Every authoritarian in history ultimately fell, it is not sustainable yet it destroys millions of lives.
YOU need self-esteem. Yes, you read that right.
Authoritarians and propagandists thrive in fear. They want you dumb enough to think you’re a perpetual victim, while endowing you with faux bravado. And if you’re a so called “alpha” this article you’re now reading will sting, but you should be all right. Afterall alphas are not thin skinned, are they? If you get mad, then your entire alpha personality was just a veneer, and THAT is exploitable.
The best way to make a person think they are in control is by convincing them they are “superior” to whatever is it that they are supposed to be against. Enter the so-called alphas. When you see any type of enraged people who are “taking aggressive action” against others, what type of personality do you think they have? The self-proclaimed alphas. Why do you think is that? Because they are the “muscle” the authoritarian needs to push a divisive rhetoric into action.
When people are emotionally driven to action, and think they can fight their way out of it, even if that means subjugating others. That breeds a culture of dehumanizing people. They will assume the role as “protectors” for their own group, and brag about being vindictive punishers for the dissention. In fact, it is actually very easy to be an alpha, it is a primal [animalistic] instinct thing to try to assert dominance. And the flip side to an alpha is not a “beta” – it is actually “maturity.”
Think about it, if you were a school bully, how well did that play in actual grown-up society? Not well, people might act as though they are intimidated to your face, but they are really laughing behind your back. They do. And that by the way creates a lot more friction, because in the so-called alpha’s mind, they feel they are being attacked. Or worse, their dissenters are questioning their authority, which is usually also a veneer of the level of entitlement they feel towards others. “How dare they not worship the alpha?”
When this misguided level of emotion gets exacerbated, then authoritarians can move the rhetoric into action, and that happens via usually an emotionally-biased person who thinks they are right and everybody else is wrong. If you’re a so called, alpha, did my words hurt your feelings? Be honest to YOURSELF, not to me.
I wrote this article specifically on a provocative manner because I am proving a point. If you’re not compromised, then you might actually laugh and nod in agreement remembering some alpha type you tend to laugh about. If you’re an ex-alpha, then you’ll definitely laugh and appreciated the fact you’ve grown that phase.
Because that is what it is, it’s a phase. Much like teenagers have antics as they are trying to find the way they should fit into the world – the difference is that this can have regression, based on the way biases may be individually exploited. That is why a few articles ago I spoke about biases. Biases can wake up terrible feelings of inadequacy, and these can be very traumatic. That leads to “overcompensating.”
A lot of very aggressive people are simply a façade, they know they are not quite in charge, and hence they will go off the deep end if their “authority” is challenged – even a little bit. The psychology of brainwashing alpha types is actually well documented and we can speak for hours on that. But I’ll leave you with this.
There are “alpha-training” groups who will charge other “alpha-men” to the tune of $18,0000 to $20,000+ to have a bigger self-proclaimed alpha yell at them while rolling up in mud. The students are not military, no – they are business people who apparently achieving maturity was not good enough, and need somebody’s external validation.
If you need to pay to become a so called “alpha-man” – your life is not that bad, but you are probably vulnerable to exploitation. You need to learn to appreciate yourself before you try to gain validation for anybody else. We all want to fit in, but don’t let the person living between your ears tell you you’re not good enough. We are all capable of being better than the person we were yesterday.
Real life has a lot more conflict, and it takes actual maturity and temperance to succeed. This takes experience, and yes, the set backs are part of this learning process. I can tell you that as a 20-year veteran in the U.S. Navy. The “tough alpha crowd” folded like a deck of cards when push came to shove, the mature group were always more resilient. That’s true strength – authoritarians don’t like the latter. Because their volatile emotions are not exploitable as to become the muscle to a “strong leader.” HLC
Authoritarian chapters in world history are repeating, and the red flags have been waving for a while now. However, it seems that many continue to dismiss them.
Authoritarian red flags are abundant.
Authoritarians tend to look as though they “suddenly” rose to power. That’s not the case, they simply followed the path of least resistance to people’s biases. This actually can take a long time in some instances, but it is based on normalizing the insanity of their rhetoric. Soon enough, those who were not paying attention will realize they were asleep at the wheel.
I can ask right now many westerners, and that includes many Americans a simple question. Who is the current, and duly elected president of the United States of America? And a very high percentage of the population I’ve cited will give you the wrong answer. By the way, it is President Joe R. Biden – and he has been the US President since he won the election in 2020.
Authoritarian and adversarial regimes will want you to think that is not the case. Or that he was not duly elected. In fact, it is part of their official narrative. As a rule of thumb, if you think that something might be against the USA, then listen to the state-sponsored propaganda from an adversarial regime. If it matches the words coming out of the mouth of your favorite talking head, that should perk your ears up.
Authoritarians, “authoritarians-wanna” be, and their useful foolish acolytes are fairly easy to spot – surprise! They will have any if not all of these attributes I’m about to mention, either as a person or as a collective. Of course, an authoritarian is only as powerful as their followers, so if their acolytes subscribe to that behavior, then it becomes a multiplier – although it is a lot more fragile than they realize.
This is a non-all-inclusive list, but should get you started:
· They are petulant, which will display their obvious narcissism.
· They are wimps. They will have a thin skin for criticism, and will retaliate ten if not million-fold for any little bit of criticism.
· They will gaslight their own supporters, they will ask you not to believe your lying eyes or ears – and let alone do your own research.
· They will “unify” their acolytes, but they will be very divisive with everybody else. Even former acolytes who fell out of favor will be severely punished – even if through words or any other form of humiliation.
· They are NEVER wrong – in their minds, and will do any types of mental gymnastics to justify their rationale. Which usually lacks substance or merits.
· They will have no shortage of legal trials or other history of somebody who has been F-in-the-A by them, literally and figuratively. They will always claim innocence.
· They will ask for immunity to do whatever they want, because they intend to do what they want without any limits or accountability.
· They will insult their opposition, give them sophomoric nicknames, and generally surround themselves with people who are just as shallow as they are.
· They will surround themselves by “yes men and women” – because they cannot take criticism, and this by the way is unsustainable, because then all these spineless people become a rubber stamp to their narcissism.
· They will objectify men and women, and especially attractive people will be paraded more as trophies and a commodity, rather than a person.
· They will dehumanize others outside their circle, and even their own insiders will be punished if for some reason they are outside the circle of obedience.
J. Marcelo Baqueroalvarez Authoritarianism & Propaganda The Puppet Master Tools.
Are you placing yourself on the wrong side of history?
I can go on with my list, but hopefully that will help the mind-wheels to start turning. In my book Authoritarianism & Propaganda the Puppet Master Tools I expand on this topic. If you have fallen victim to this trend, don’t beat yourself up – for too long. But do something about it. This is what you can do:
Stop giving an authoritarian your undivided attention and loyalty, because you don’t mean jack-s-t to them already, and the very second you become inconvenient to them you’ll be fittingly disposed. In fact, you’ve probably have seen many on their orbit who had a high position being disposed of, very unceremoniously, and often in a cruel manner to be “made an example” for others.
When somebody asks for unlimited loyalty, that is a red flag – because that means they will ask you do some stuff you will probably regret later. If you don’t take heed and still keep doing whatever that you are doing to support the authoritarian despite the fact your life just got f-ked – well, they love that, because that means you’re exactly the kind of dumb muscle they need to keep their narcissistic existence from collapsing.
The catch is that authoritarianism is not sustainable. Not one authoritarian in history has thrived forever, their circle of trust became a circle of obedience, and little by little it shrank to the point they were all against each other. Yes, the same team who was first “against the rest of the world” – becomes a dog-eat-dog bunch. How to defeat and prevent this from taking over your life is by paying attention to the red flags I mentioned. HLC
Popularity does not always equal skill or competence. However, it can be quite exploitable when a particular brand loyalty can be highjacked to push an agenda.
The face of the movement is not always in charge.
On my book Authoritarianism & Propaganda the Puppet Master Tools I dedicate a sizable part to help people understand the mechanics of authoritarian propaganda. Often the “dear leader” is not even the one in charge, though it would certainly have some level of influence over the masses.
Most authoritarians need to borrow an existing clout and then transform it into a group of obedient fools who will heed their every word. What the useful fools fail to realize is that the words they actually hear are carefully redacted and chosen to gain their concurrence through faux outrage. This is a tactic as old as civilization itself, and it works!
Throughout history we’ve seen countless examples of people who thought they could “control” an authoritarian wanna-be, and use their influence as a catalyst to push a specific agenda. A classic example is when Benito Mussolini was invited to become the Prime Minister for Italy. There was a lot of division among the citizens circa that timeframe, and the arrogance spewed by Mussolini seemed to be the answer to the less-acute minds in charge. Well, the miscalculation ended in the creation of fascism. We are still dealing with that aftermath.
When you’re paying attention to a politician, you also must pay attention to the hearts and minds of their followers. Some of these followers will have exploited biases, which will cause them to perpetrate heinous crimes against humanity, while being convinced they are the morally superior crowd.
The goal post of what is acceptable, and what it is “now needed” will of course continue shifting. Generally, it does not start with genocide from the get-go, but rather by adding a level of frustration that is largely fictitious, but might seem very real inside a political base echo chamber.
J. Marcelo Baqueroalvarez Authoritarianism & Propaganda The Puppet Master Tools.
They want you to ultimately fight alone (don’t be a dummy!)
An authoritarian wants you to fight ultimately alone, especially after you’ve alienated anybody else who would be in your team. That is why you will always hear the reality that an authoritarian only cares about himself or herself – everybody else is disposable. That loyal base they enjoy, and who worships them is ultimately disposable.
This is nothing new, it has happened time and time again. They will make their base believe they are part of a bigger team that is fighting “good against evil” – without realizing that they have already become the mirror version of whom they despise. I’ve mentioned in a previous article, it starts with a bias – it gets exploited, and from there it is very easy to control the crowd.
That is by the way one of the reasons why those controversial “outliers” seem to get so much traction in gaining prominence. There is marketability in controversy and demagoguery. For example, if you watch a movie with a very vanilla plot and no conflict, then it will be a snore-fest. But if you add some conflict, even if it is manufactured or too fantastical to be accurate, it will have a much higher chance of getting people to watch it.
Something similar happens to people when pushing an agenda – except that it will feel very real, as though they are the protagonist of their own movie or adventure. If a crowd or political base has already demonstrated a proclivity for falling for a certain narrative, they will be pointed in that direction – and enhance the echo chamber – creating this faux reality they are now convinced it is the morally superior way of life.
In reality, they were only afforded a fraction of the “truth” – but it was poignant enough to make them believe they are the smartest people in the room. They are not, they are being manipulated – and spoiler alert – we are all potential victims. That is why I advocate for pairing critical thinking with intellectual honesty. HLC
