WAS: What Adults are Saying about Who has the People's Back?
A new reality stuns and requires sharp information use and vigilance.
A recent article in the UK’s The Guardian (now among the mainstays Americans use in the wake of U.S. media capitulation and collapse) put a word on something widely felt but perhaps poorly understood. A mouthful it is: Hypernormalization. Coined by historians in 1990s Russia it refers to the feeling that much in life is “failing” around us and we are helpless to stop it.
Its current context is the U.S. in 2025. Whether perceived or real the country’s turn toward authoritarianism has stunned many and the performative, mean-spirited, “I’ll show the bastards” way by which the 47 administration has pricked norms and civil society. The shock of it all (expected by many who simply read Project 2025 a year ago) has invited severe emotional distress, and worse. Whether anticipated or not the pain, fear and psychological dissonance of hypernormalization seems apt to describe today’s America where so many plod day-to-day with no understanding of what’s happening or security about what’s next.
The irony of this is galling. The entire concept came to be only after the Soviet Union collapsed and a newfound Russia was trying to find her way in the 1990s. Yes, that Russia. The side that lost the Cold War to the American victors. The US vanquished her opponents with so much upside that the first Clinton administration balanced the budget while talking about a financial “peace dividend” and stretching for universal health care. But just like any individual with a deep stripe of self-loathing, America did what it always does—find another enemy to hate. At the time no offshore entity was suitable so another thing uniquely American followed, hate was turned on ourselves. Now some three decades later the state of our functioning and aspirational institutions are so tattered that we must rely on Soviet-era language to help describe our collective psychology! Children of “duck and cover” schoolroom exercises, who then offered scout assistance to store Civil Defense bunkers, are asked to consider that ironic mania.
Normalizing the madness of 47’s second administration is dangerous business indeed. Nothing about is remotely that way for any country that is a world power and worse, none of it affirms anything positive. The MAGA schtick is nothing if not perpetual victimization. Few take any sense of responsibility nor own their personal circumstance. Too often in popular talk we are quick to link this with different age groups or other demographics all the while missing the point. The folks who have institutionalized victimization to its current gold-plated status is none other than the MAGA heads. For the leaders its a tactic by which to convince and command low achieving dullards. For the followers its a way of life—forever a reminder life is no longer what it once was—and those who have “done” that to them must pay.
It has brought with it a cynical belief that we all should have Constitutional protection against cognitive dissonance. As though in any normal world, at a regular time, life exists without it. Elites of course laugh at those believing such childish nonsense. The world is nothing if not endless psychological conflict. Its “all hits all the time” on this point and doomed searches to erase it typically result in relinquishing self-agency. For the emotionally damaged there may be good therapeutic value to try this but all others are just fooling themselves. Plus they want a “boogieman” of sorts—someone or thing that has “caused” all the imperfectness that is their daily existence. What feeble-minded dreck!
Most critically those we once relied on in political and institutional leaders to help lives be made better have gone AWOL. The megalomania of MAGA was the start but in quick-enough order, the political opposition, a rapidly growing domestic oligarchy, the media and the corporate world have all capitulated to either play possum or “take” a side injurious to Americans in their daily life. The degree to which these entities “fight” against one another to help regular folk is just enough to stay in character until the lights go down. Then they all gather at the same club to share drinks.
While the ridiculousness of MAGA started that vibe many, many elites have globbed onto it in the hope they might shimmy near the top of the economic and social totem pole. Sure, politicians have always been politicians so sooner or later voting constituents who empower them will take hard one’s for the team. But its difficult to recall a post-war time when the legislative branch of our three-legged government has been so inert and neglecting of its Executive oversight function. In doing so the “people’s” interests been badly displaced—often with frightful or disheartening results.
It has been shared here before the reason for all of this is in the mirror. But that’s macro and hardly what’s needed when the barn’s on fire. An extinguisher and a direction forward beckons paramount. So consider some of the following as a way to have “your own back” at a time when its easy to feel isolated and adrift.
Sharpen your media consumption skills.
Unfortunately in times of tumult all info carries heightened importance. That means separating what “is” from what’s “crap” is vital. This is not easily done. Main Stream Media (MSM) have become complicit and now simply promotional stenographers and new media is flooded with chiseled self interests and AI faux. In other words the sewage is heavy. But persevering on this point is critical. Find what mix of news sources works for you that provides what you consider a reasonable appraisal of the day’s madness and minimize jumping on the train of others who simply echo your thoughts. The key is to be informed not just identify brothers and sisters in arms.
Gravitate to “content providers” who transparently identity themselves.
One of the worse characteristics of all social and digital media is it invites content from those who alter or hide their identity. Though this is a severe suggestion, seriously discount info from any source where a person has not provided a first and last name. In instances where this is done as a ”branding” element but identity is readily available, grant a pass. Otherwise insist if folks want to play in the “citizen journalism” world they come clean about who they are. If one thinks they have something so important to share they must be heard, then one most also accept they can’t hide behind a Nome de plume.
Steer away from displaced MSM folks.
A platform like this one is filled with folks thrown out of MSM who strive to remain relevant and visible. What these folk provide is typically low-value, reheated blather about something that can be easily found elsewhere. What’s worse the chosen approach to such clutter is the absurd podcast (which has moved communication fidelity back five decades at least) and all of this is done without the type of support contributors had in their MSM jobs. Executives at Substack like these folk because as former big media performers, they have a built in audience which translates into dough. That’s understood.
But that doesn’t mean what they have to say amounts to much of useful info. Plus when a substantial number of them want to devote time handicapping the 2028 Presidential election, you then realize these are one trick ponies who couldn’t develop a real story if it bit them in the ass. Washington is figuratively on fire at the moment with the most absurd Presidential administration the country has even known and some of these guys want to talk about an election in three-and-a-half years! Give us a break will ya?
Openly share thanks with good guys
Few left providing any type of informed media content are making much dough. In the real-time media paradigm shift that evolves daily, new business models have yet to link the most important provider of clarity with context to compensation. Perhaps its even supposed to be that way. Look what happened when we started paying “reporters” 10 times more than the government they were covering. So there are few riches to be had despite hundreds of yokels thinking and pursuing otherwise all of which is just more chaff that clogs our information combine.
Write contributors a note. Tell them thanks. This is not a solicitation to be a paid subscriber this is an urging to acknowledge those you find helpful that their efforts are appreciated. On Substack alone folks like Steve Schmidt, Robert Reich, Paul Krugman, Heather Cox Richardson and others all provide superior content—much of it for free. There are many others as well and some of them are quite funny in providing needed comic relief. However, in most cases shy away from talking head podcast content and move toward written word content.
Thicken your skin.
America is in a domestic political mess not seen since the Civil War. Take heed. That means times will be tough for awhile but not endless and avoid letting your fears become overwhelming. Of course you are going to have cognitive dissonance over some things (should I dump my Tesla?); that’s to be expected amid the current climate. Don’t expect that some thing, source or concept will magically relieve the pressure.
Above all else, for better or worse, the scourge of MAGA has meant average Americans are forced to rely on community to have backs protected. Be mindful of this. Take care of yourself. Help others in your orbit. Muster as much courtesy as possible when encountering those torching the barn and above all else don’t be afraid to resolve yourself to simply surviving bad times. They come you know and this wave has been artificially manipulated to create more pain than most. But what greater sense of self-actualization or pride can be had than looking menace in the face and cobbling together a way to defeat it? That is happening too and these hard, dark, painful days will pass. All who resolved to help make it this way will be better for it.