OPINION: Huxley and Trump’s propaganda machine
In 1949, we read a futuristic novel by Aldous Huxley called “Brave New World.” It presents an appalling picture of society as it descends into a totalitarian, manipulated world controlled through technically advanced propaganda machinery. Huxley was sounding an urgent alarm about the potential of a totalitarian state.
These days much interest in America and the world is focused on the president in Washington, D.C. Increasingly one hears talk about the power of an authoritarian who is not interested in our nation’s fundamental principles. There is concern and alarm about the trashing of our democratic principles. The brilliant system of checks and balances called for in the Constitution is demeaned and endangered.
By mid-May a series of shocking developments occurred culminating in the president’s reckless sharing with Russia of some of the nation’s most sensitive secrets. It was seen as impulsive and reckless and an historic breach of security by a president. Still, there was a circling of the wagons and a vigorous effort to minimize the treasonous break. As in earlier events there was a strong striking back at critics who, in their talking points included Hillary partisans, paid demonstrators, fraudulent voters, Eastern elites and anarchistic hot heads.
Throughout the federal government concern is rapidly growing that those occupying the “People’s House” are reversing years of inter-governmental cooperation, trashing entire highly-regarded agencies, reversing established scientific and medical norms and commercializing and despoiling lands long held in public trust. They are doing all they can to derail all recent moves toward a more just and civil society.
With the help of the Constitutionally protected free press this rolling train-wreck for democracy is being played out in public day by day. But, we’re in a frustrating pickle and it isn’t clear how we are going to get out of it. Anxiously, people are asking How could this highly improbable turn of events come about? Which takes us back to the Huxley’s Brave New World.