The events of January 6, at the U.S Capitol, point me back to the invisibility of mechanisms that play a role in popular superstition, conspiracy-thinking, and suspicion. That invisibility which manifests a sense of something much bigger, more diabolical, than its true extent, also provides the cover for power and influence of a small group of actors or a limited number of terrorizing acts, that can manipulate political outcomes against the greatest good. If perceived power is power, the magnification of the actions of a few by media outlets, including social media, and the obfuscations created by time, distance, mistrust, ignorance, and the representational vacuum created by globalized economics have come together to destabilize our system.
We have to ask who most benefits from this destabilization and follow that logic to its conclusions.
It is said that it takes anywhere from 3.5% to 25% of the population to flip majority rule to minority rule, to enact a social, cultural, or political revolution. I'm inclined to believe the smallest number of actual actors, along with a larger number of inactive support or disinterest, is all that is necessary. The majority may fear the changes afoot, or the actions they witness on TV, or even the ideas inherent to the changes, but most will sit in shock or horror, unsure of how to act without the strongest leadership to shape the majority's actions.
"IT can manipulate people with weaker wills, making them indifferent to the horrific events that unfold or serve as unknowing accomplices."
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| "I'm every nightmare you've ever had. I'm your worst dream come true. I'm everything you ever were afraid of." |
Unlike the mythical spirits of ghost stories of the Continent, that rise up from the land to defend against transgressions born of arrogance and rationality, this American spirit rises up from its sewers to manipulate and encourage the arrogance of ignorance. American ghost stories are powered by our greatest crimes and recurrent ills.