CIRCLE OF PARROTS

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 – When I was a corporate warrior, a fellow lieutenant remarked periodically that we were in trouble—again—because our corporate general believed his own (latest) “press release.”

I think of that observation when I hear today’s circle of parrots—leaders of a major political party, personalities on a popular cable news channel, and followers/supporters of them all. Say “stolen election” and “radical, leftwing, pedophilic Democrats” enough times and these fictions become truth in the minds of parrots.

Yesterday, I summoned the courage—“psychological recklessness”?—to visit “Infowars,” the internet platform of Alex Jones that purveys all flavors of Kool-Aid. I realized how naive I am about the systemic danger that threatens our democracy.

One story that caught my eye was Jared Kushner’s criticism of Florida Governor DeSantis’s infamous stunt of flying Venezuelan refugees from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard.  I’m no fan of Mr. Kushner, but I wholeheartedly agreed with his sharp takedown of the governor who would be president. Most shocking was the vomit of comments that tore Kushner to shreds; profane, merciless attacks—many of which extended to Mr. Kushner’s father-in-law—reminiscent of the “Hang Mike Pence!” chants among January 6 Capitol rioters/insurrectionists. The craven authors sounded like Russian militants who now harshly criticize Putin for not having unleashed even greater destruction on Ukraine.

One could dismiss the “Infowars” comments as (a) outbursts by a small minority of citizens hiding in the shadows of anonymity; and (b) nothing new in American society. But such dismissiveness is risky and irresponsible. Moreover, Alex Jones and ilk (not to mention You-Know-Who) reveal the paradox of the First Amendment.

“Free speech” is a foundational principle of our democracy—though unfettered expression is subject to long-standing limitations established by the Supreme Court, not to mention defamation law, which has been applied with a vengeance against Jones and his well publicized, unconscionable view that the Sandy Hook massacre was a “hoax.” The problem is, that when “free speech” advances religious zealotry, the insatiable thirst for political power, and the chance to make big bucks by pandering to the fear, greed, and psychological susceptibilities of people caught in a web of “circular repetition,” “free speech” undermines the very democracy that can exist only upon a foundation of . . . “free speech.”

Assuming that preservation of democracy is in our common interest, we need to counteract the downside of “free speech” by leveraging its upside; by breaking the hypnotic hold that extremists and their enablers have on the minds of so many Americans.

The first step is to understand the lattice of factors that led us—often by the nose—to our current juncture. Then, using “free speech,” we need to shout out messaging that rolls back the immense damage wrought by Rupert Murdoch and “entrepreneurs” like Alex Jones.

Wishful thinking? Perhaps, but we should refuse to surrender the last word to people who are exploiting “free speech” to transform society into a mix of Nazi-like hatred, Taliban-like zealotry, Putinesque autocracy, and personal  aggrandizement at the expense of the greater good.

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© 2022 by Eric Nilsson