The “Big Lie “ was first described in “Mein Kampf”. Tell a lie so colossal the people won’t believe that anyone would be so impudent to distort the truth so infamously.
Yet here we are living in another facist fantasy. Thanks Mary.
Thanks, it would be interesting to trace. PT Barnum told big whoppers. With technology, perhaps Adolph was the first to employ the it on a national level with radio with such devastating effect. It is a tool of totalitarianism. Maybe there is an excellent example in print media after the printing press became widely used.
I actually read an interesting version of the origin of the Big Lie. It was during the Alaska Gold Rush. There were no telegraph lines to the gold fields. But a guy set up a "telegraph office" anyway and promised that prospectors could send messages home for vast sums--I think he said one-way only or else faked replies. It went on for ages, even though there were clearly no lines attached to the office. But he was so confident that he made bazillions until the truth dawned on someone.
and of course Musk spent the first few days of his time at DOGE crippling the regulatory agencies overseeing his businesses or that had investigations going or charges laid. So ... even easier to sell his science-fiction inspired dreams/delusions.
When I was sixteen (1968!) several of my classmates and I were sitting around a table discussing which was the tallest building in Baltimore. No idea why, we just were. Our history teacher walked past and the kid next to me stopped him and asked "Do you know which is the tallest building in Baltimore?" "Yes," he said, "The Mercy Medical Center," and he walked away.
Wow, right off the top of his head! He was a good teacher, and we were generally impressed by him, so this only added some luster to his reputation.
Until he came back. "I need to tell you that I don't know which building is the tallest in the city. It might be the Mercy, but it might not be. The point is, if you don't know an answer but you want to say something, say it with confidence. Even if it's wrong, most people will accept what you say as long as you say it firmly. Now go look up the right answer," and he walked away.
Valuable lesson, on several levels. I'm not sure I took everything he said afterwards as gospel. (And to be fair, I don't think he'd have minded that - critical thinking comes in many guises.) I didn't have the nerve to take that gamble myself when I didn't know the answer to a question, or at least not often, because if called on it I wouldn't have had the information to back it up.
I've thought more than once of Mr Williams during the Trump era(s). I get that same sense of "Say it with confidence, with assurance, firmly and loudly, and many people will just accept what you've said without question."
I had commented earlier on much of the problem with today's MAGAt voters being a lack of education: not that they had no access to education, but rather than they did not choose to take advantage of education. In other words, they are easy prey for people like Trump and Musk, who spout off unsubstantiated statements but with great self-possession.
Which explains why Tesla shareholders think Musk is worth a trillion-dollar financial "package" over the next decade: because Musk says he is.
This reminds me of an umpiring clinic that I attended many years ago. The presenter made the point that on those bang-bang plays, make your call loud and make assertively. That if you SELL your call, you’ll get very little pushback. How right he was
A brilliant analysis of the Trump and Musk world we live in. You nailed it, but there are millions of people who will blindly follow along with their hype. Unfortunately the respect of strength of character, rule of law, real data and statistics and tangible results went with the creation of the internet.
Thank you, Mary, for such insight…you make it so clear that our education system is lacking the teaching of analytical thinking…we are stuck with too many citizens drinking the kool aid of these
good thesis, forcefully put. I have long thought that our country is being swallowed by a religious attitude (doesn't matter which god) that says "believe whatever is said and fully obey" without using the brains your god presumably gave you, This attitude is widespread, larger than the nationalists.
One quibble. The "investment" trump touts is not from tariffs themselves but the result of "negotiations" to lower tariffs in exchange for building stuff here. Basically, he is touting blackmail as a tool of diplomacy, as he oft does. Most recently in his "peace plan."
Beautiful, beautiful, Mary. Here’s hoping your honest assessment of these two megalomaniacs can serve as the foundation we need to finally move beyond them.
Critical thinking and education, hear hear…has that ring of truth …the emporers new clothes analogy years ago ahhh fruition! I loved the “during the Trump Eras” past tense conveyed and the millions less we know left the star struck staged or “woke” up.
The “Big Lie “ was first described in “Mein Kampf”. Tell a lie so colossal the people won’t believe that anyone would be so impudent to distort the truth so infamously.
Yet here we are living in another facist fantasy. Thanks Mary.
Thanks, it would be interesting to trace. PT Barnum told big whoppers. With technology, perhaps Adolph was the first to employ the it on a national level with radio with such devastating effect. It is a tool of totalitarianism. Maybe there is an excellent example in print media after the printing press became widely used.
I actually read an interesting version of the origin of the Big Lie. It was during the Alaska Gold Rush. There were no telegraph lines to the gold fields. But a guy set up a "telegraph office" anyway and promised that prospectors could send messages home for vast sums--I think he said one-way only or else faked replies. It went on for ages, even though there were clearly no lines attached to the office. But he was so confident that he made bazillions until the truth dawned on someone.
The same approach is followed by the AI ceos, promising cures for cancer, etc while delvering slop, murderous chatbots, and artificial porn.
and of course Musk spent the first few days of his time at DOGE crippling the regulatory agencies overseeing his businesses or that had investigations going or charges laid. So ... even easier to sell his science-fiction inspired dreams/delusions.
When I was sixteen (1968!) several of my classmates and I were sitting around a table discussing which was the tallest building in Baltimore. No idea why, we just were. Our history teacher walked past and the kid next to me stopped him and asked "Do you know which is the tallest building in Baltimore?" "Yes," he said, "The Mercy Medical Center," and he walked away.
Wow, right off the top of his head! He was a good teacher, and we were generally impressed by him, so this only added some luster to his reputation.
Until he came back. "I need to tell you that I don't know which building is the tallest in the city. It might be the Mercy, but it might not be. The point is, if you don't know an answer but you want to say something, say it with confidence. Even if it's wrong, most people will accept what you say as long as you say it firmly. Now go look up the right answer," and he walked away.
Valuable lesson, on several levels. I'm not sure I took everything he said afterwards as gospel. (And to be fair, I don't think he'd have minded that - critical thinking comes in many guises.) I didn't have the nerve to take that gamble myself when I didn't know the answer to a question, or at least not often, because if called on it I wouldn't have had the information to back it up.
I've thought more than once of Mr Williams during the Trump era(s). I get that same sense of "Say it with confidence, with assurance, firmly and loudly, and many people will just accept what you've said without question."
I had commented earlier on much of the problem with today's MAGAt voters being a lack of education: not that they had no access to education, but rather than they did not choose to take advantage of education. In other words, they are easy prey for people like Trump and Musk, who spout off unsubstantiated statements but with great self-possession.
Which explains why Tesla shareholders think Musk is worth a trillion-dollar financial "package" over the next decade: because Musk says he is.
This reminds me of an umpiring clinic that I attended many years ago. The presenter made the point that on those bang-bang plays, make your call loud and make assertively. That if you SELL your call, you’ll get very little pushback. How right he was
Mary, you are bringing the light! Much appreciated.
One of your best.
Outstanding essay, Mary! Thank you for this.
Excellent! Thank you! 🙏
A brilliant analysis of the Trump and Musk world we live in. You nailed it, but there are millions of people who will blindly follow along with their hype. Unfortunately the respect of strength of character, rule of law, real data and statistics and tangible results went with the creation of the internet.
Delusions are not a good foundation for competent decisions. Reality bats last.
Thank you, Mary, for such insight…you make it so clear that our education system is lacking the teaching of analytical thinking…we are stuck with too many citizens drinking the kool aid of these
good thesis, forcefully put. I have long thought that our country is being swallowed by a religious attitude (doesn't matter which god) that says "believe whatever is said and fully obey" without using the brains your god presumably gave you, This attitude is widespread, larger than the nationalists.
One quibble. The "investment" trump touts is not from tariffs themselves but the result of "negotiations" to lower tariffs in exchange for building stuff here. Basically, he is touting blackmail as a tool of diplomacy, as he oft does. Most recently in his "peace plan."
Beautiful, beautiful, Mary. Here’s hoping your honest assessment of these two megalomaniacs can serve as the foundation we need to finally move beyond them.
Brilliantly developed thesis…and sadly true.
Critical thinking and education, hear hear…has that ring of truth …the emporers new clothes analogy years ago ahhh fruition! I loved the “during the Trump Eras” past tense conveyed and the millions less we know left the star struck staged or “woke” up.
Hard wins from harsh winds …..stay the course
Indeed a best, Mary
Two carnival barkers