Immobilizing the Masses

Last summer, the band Wilco released a new single, "You Never Know", a very George Harrison-esque song. In the first verse, the singer, Jeff Tweedy, sings "Come on, children, you're acting like children, every generation thinks it's the end of the world." He managed to capture, in that verse, something I've noticed for a long time; we seem to be braced for the worst at all times, and this psychosis seems to be passed from one generation to the next.

And the newer generations are better equipped to experience that paranoia even better than the previous.

Our generation has taken it to new levels, in fact. With the advent of the Internet and the 24/7 news cycle, our need to believe that the sword of Damocles is hanging over our collective heads is taken to even greater heights. What is this accomplishing?

Nothing.

This mass hysteria, this belief that the end is forever nigh, is a poison, a neurotoxin on our society. It freezes us, it paralyzes us. We are unable to think clearly, we are confused, easily befuddled, and for the most part perpetually angry but with no real focus.

Trust me, there are people out there who will help us to focus that anger.

A quick look throughout history shows that those who are willing to help us focus that anger have their own agenda, and you may be assured that ultimately your best interest is not in mind. Think of them as fear peddlers, who also throw in a heaping helping of hate with every sound-bite.

A really good example would be the politician who can only win an election by demonizing his opponent. Or a minister that is always waiting for the Second Coming, and they need your donations. Or a newspaper that can only maintain circulation at the expense of rational thought.

In many circles, this is referred to as FUD - Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt, an effective tool to achieve control of populations by playing on their neuroses.

As long as they keep us befuddled, we can't really think.

Do they honestly believe it?

Maybe, but the cynical side of me can't help but notice they are laughing all the way to the bank. Some of the people who are playing on our fears are raking in money, be they politicians, talk show hosts, televangelists or entrepreneurs.

They play us for suckers, and if I had to guess I would say they have done a very good job of it. We are effectively paralyzed.

Even worse, we are also controlled, and like a spider that has received the sting from a ground digger wasp, all we seem to be able to do is lay still while our very souls are devoured by their schemes.

Remember, people, this is still a democratic republic. If we wake up and shake off our fear and move forward, we, the people, can take it back.

And that is what they fear the most.