“You don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to.” (Kevin Kelly)
This is a good strategy to keep your center in the right place when the political campaign and news-media landscape are sending you 2,419 invitations a day. Try this: Step back and notice how frequently information is pitched to you as something you should get into arguments about. And then how large a subset of these are ‘existential’ threats that DEMAND your immediate involvement.
The inevitable outcome is that many people become jaded, overwhelmed, and don’t do anything specific. They’re already half-defeated. They’re more likely to be inclined to let others do something for them. This fits perfectly into the power plan.
I’m still pondering the connections between anger, overwhelm and fear. You don’t need to study Machiavelli, Locke, Hoffer, or Greene to understand how valuable those three elements are to those who pursue power (or are desperate to grow and retain it).
Current hypothesis: The individuals least likely to become part of the senseless populace are those who control their anger, make progress on what’s critically important in the face of overwhelm, and know Who is worthy of their fear. They pursue optimistic possibilities. They see a brighter future and will work for it.
What do you think?