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MAGA, Anti-Science, and the Parallels to Lysenkoism

Throughout history, the manipulation of science for ideological purposes has led to catastrophic consequences. One of the most infamous cases is Lysenkoism, a pseudoscientific doctrine enforced in the Soviet Union that rejected genetic science in favor of politically motivated Lamarckian theories. In modern America, a similar phenomenon has emerged through the MAGA movement's fusion of religious fundamentalism and anti-science rhetoric. Both movements share key characteristics: they prioritize belief over empirical evidence, suppress dissent, and lead to real-world consequences in public policy, education, and societal well-being.

Decoherence: The World We Knew Has Been Replaced

There comes a time when the illusions that hold society together separate from reality, and those in power no longer see the need to maintain them. We are living in that moment. Democracy, the middle class, self-governance, and even the notion of personal agency were always human-constructed illusions, carefully managed to maintain order. These constructs never reflected reality, but they once served as useful fictions. Now, the fiction has unraveled, and the oligarchs who once manipulated from behind the scenes no longer feel the need to hide their dominion. What was once subtle influence has become direct control, as they discard outdated mechanisms of persuasion in favor of outright authority. This is not an abrupt coup, but the final, inevitable stage of a long collapse.

People as the Product: How Media Commodifies Identity for Political and Corporate Gain

In the modern media landscape, the illusion of choice has created a society where people believe they are selecting their own sources of information, tailoring their understanding of the world to fit their unique perspectives. In reality, they are not the consumers—they are the product. The media itself is not the commodity being sold but the trap, a lure designed to harvest attention, emotions, and predictable patterns of behavior. Once caught in the trap, people are transformed into commodities for advertisers, politicians, and corporate interests, fueling a machine that thrives on exploitation rather than enlightenment.

TikTok and the Weaponization of our Freedoms

The decision to ban TikTok, while it may unsettle some, is a necessary step in our commitment to safeguarding self-governance from the harmful spread of foreign disinformation. This isn’t an act of overreach but of prudence, as we face a new kind of warfare—one fought not with guns or armies, but with manipulation and deceit. In the past, the enemies of liberty were visible and direct in their attacks. Today, they work quietly, infiltrating our minds and twisting our perceptions through carefully crafted propaganda.

The Great Illusion: The Follies of Human Constructs

By their very nature, human beings are fond of illusions. They cherish them, nurture them, and defend them with a ferocity typically reserved for starving dogs guarding a scrap of meat. The illusion is man’s greatest invention, outstripping even the wheel or fire, for it is the foundation upon which all other human folly is built. Strip away the veneer of civilization, and you will find that every institution, every creed, every grand ideology is but a glittering facade, erected to distract the masses while the cunning few pick their pockets.

Jimmy Carter's Legacy: A Puppet Show and an All Powerful Purse

Jimmy Carter’s presidency, much like an uninspired sermon from a preacher doubting his own faith, left America adrift in a storm of unmet promises. Carter, a self-styled champion of equality and justice, delivered a moralistic rhetoric that rang hollow when confronted with the realities of his governance. His presidency was a missed opportunity to reform systems corrupted by the Nixon years, from restoring trust in government to addressing structural inequalities left to fester. His tenure, mired in economic malaise and international embarrassment, laid the groundwork for a chain of causation that would stretch from Reagan’s polished pieties to Trump’s vulgar demagoguery, exposing both Democrats and Republicans as two sides of the same gilded coin.

Thomas Paine and Modern Activism

Thomas Paine, the fiery revolutionary writer and philosopher of the 18th century, would likely cast a skeptical eye on modern activism. A staunch advocate for systemic upheaval and the rights of the common man, Paine would question whether today’s activism truly serves the causes of liberty, equality, and justice or whether it has been co-opted by the very systems it purports to challenge. While he might admire the passion and energy of many activists, Paine would demand a deeper examination of whether their actions lead to genuine change or merely perpetuate the status quo.

The Mirage of Meritocracy: A Mask for Inequity

Meritocracy, that radiant ideal promising a world where effort begets reward and talent triumphs over circumstance, is one of the most seductive illusions of modernity. It offers the comforting vision of a society governed by fairness, where achievement is determined by ability and diligence rather than the accidents of birth. Yet, like all illusions, it is fragile, supported by narratives that obscure the forces that perpetuate inequality. To scrutinize its facade is to expose not an egalitarian utopia but a carefully engineered mechanism that consolidates power in the hands of the few.

The Collapse of Illusions: How Power Structures Exploit Human Frailty

Human existence teeters perpetually on the precipice of illusion and reality, a fragile superposition of perceived agency and deterministic forces. This precarious balance is, paradoxically, the very condition that enables power structures to flourish. Within these systems, individuals are conditioned to see their subjugation as necessity or fate, and even when confronted with the dissonance between their needs and the oppressive realities of their existence, they often retreat into the comfort of familiar chains. The collapse of illusions, then, becomes a moment of existential crisis—a fracturing of coherence that leaves individuals paralyzed between the terror of uncertainty and the inertia of habit.

The Silo: False Messiahs and Determinism

Might be some spoilers

The “Silo” series by Hugh Howey is, at its core, a meticulously crafted exploration of deterministic systems, their fragility, and the inevitable collapse that arises when their contradictions become untenable. Yet, for many readers, the narrative becomes a tale of heroism and individual agency, epitomized by Juliette Nichols. She is perceived as the quintessential rebel, the messiah figure who transcends the oppressive confines of the silos through sheer determination and ingenuity. This interpretation, while emotionally satisfying, reflects a profound misreading of the series’ thematic core. It is a testament to the enduring power of the “Messiah Illusion,” a cognitive trap that blinds readers to the deeper truths about systems, control, and inevitability. To fully appreciate the philosophical weight of the Silo, one must view it not as a story of heroic defiance but as a meditation on systems, the limits of control, and the forces that drive their eventual collapse.