“It only takes one desperate generation to change history—even erase it. […] One generation to change the text. One generation chooses to teach that text. The next grows, and the lie becomes history.”
– FOURTH WING (Rebecca Yarros)
Honestly, I could have picked up any dystopian novel from the last century and easily found quotes that echo the above. I chose this one because it’s fresh enough for the source to be relatable and popular enough that just the title or author name will be recognizable, even if you have never read the book.
For the purpose of this post, both are vital. Because, had I chosen a similar quote from an older book whose title is a four-digit number, I would lose a good amount of my audience either because they don’t like/agree with the book, or because algorithms actively hide my post from them.
And that brings me to what I want to talk about today.
Disclaimer: For obvious reasons, this is not intended as legal advice, and anything shared in this post is for educational purposes only. But learn the lesson.
Truth is an endangered species
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been watching and listening to what’s going on. And what I see is worrisome, to say the least. It’s a lot, so I will try to summarize and then explain why you should be concerned, too.
- Science and education have become villainized, and conspiracy theories now seem to be more prevalent than common sense.
- People in power are banning books on very specific topics.
- Libraries, where information should be free and accessible are losing funding and shutting down. Some are also subject to the book ban mentioned above.
- AI is taking over a number of online spaces, providing instantaneous responses that are not always accurate, and sometimes are flat out untrue.
- AI is being used by students at all levels of education to “aid” in their studies and testing—this is not a commentary on their ethics.
- Online search algorithms are configured to fetch the data you specifically ask for, but data is not information, and very often, the results end up reinforcing existing biases.
- News outlets are now paywalled.
- Online sources of free, reliable, and necessary information for minorities and marginalized groups are being taken offline.
- Social media networks are no longer organic beasts—they are trained and controlled for access and content.
- Textbooks, official websites, and other resources intended to provide guidance and education are being redacted, edited, and rewritten to fit a specific narrative.
Are you picking up what I am putting down?
Read the quote again
The first step toward a totalitarian takeover is controlling the narrative. That means silencing any media that speaks out against the approved propaganda, and cutting off access to unbiased sources of information.
This doesn’t just happen when a news network is taken offline. It happens when governmental agencies are told what information they can share and what to bury. It happens when countries restrict access to foreign media. It happens when schools stop teaching their students how to think critically about the information being offered to them, and when students start taking shortcuts, because they are taught that the final grade is more valuable than the skills and knowledge they acquire through the arduous process of learning. The Internet is a trove of everything you could possibly imagine. But it’s becoming harder and harder to tell what is true, and what is fiction. And we, as a society, aren’t keeping up.
The second step, parallel with the first, is to make the propaganda itself—the lie—so loud, so prevalent, and so persistent that it becomes widely accepted as the new truth. Whatever the lie happens to be, say it loud. Say it often. Keep saying it, and sticking to it. Do not engage in arguments—there is nothing to argue. The lie is all that matters, therefore, everything else is automatically irrelevant. It’s funny, at first. Until it’s not. It’s harmless—until someone uses the lie as justification for hate crimes, assault, discrimination, abuse, murder, war and, ultimately, genocide.
The third step is surveillance. In the past, that involved sneaky little turncoats watching their neighbors and reporting back to the authorities. These days, it’s so much easier than that. The moment you step outside your front door, there is at least one camera watching you. Everywhere you go, your movements are tracked by apps on your smartphone. Your face and fingerprints are now stored with government agencies as a matter of “safety and convenience.” If you’ve used an ancestry service, your DNA is now on file, too. Oh, and did you notice how there are now places that don’t even accept cash anymore? Just consider for a second where your money is. Probably in the bank, right? That’s the smart move: save, invest, and build that nest egg. Until you lose access to your accounts, and realize you don’t have any cash—because who carries cash anymore?
The fourth step builds on one and two above: fear. Introduce a common enemy, and blame them for everything that’s going wrong, whether or not it makes sense. Immigrants are criminals. People on food stamps are lazy. The homeless are all drug addicts, and drug addicts are dangerous criminals. Other countries are sending murderers and drug dealers to kill us all. Millennials are ruining the economy. Gen Z are lazy and incompetent. Nobody wants to work anymore, but somehow, illegals are stealing all the jobs and draining public resources.
Divide and conquer.
With every step, the regime undercuts the collective power of its populace.
A people who are uneducated, poor, afraid, and fighting one another will be easily controlled. A people who never question when an authority tells them that anyone who isn’t like them is the enemy, and the enemy has to be silenced, has to be deported, has to be jailed… has to die will commit heinous atrocities in the name of that lie.
These are the lessons the US (should have) learned from World War II.
We have failed to remember.
We got complacent in our victory, not realizing our arrogance sowed the seeds of our own destruction. We didn’t slay the monster. We became it.
First, they came for…
You know how that poem goes. You know how it ends. Don’t think that procession will be long and slow, either. You don’t have the luxury of time. We’ve already wasted decades, and gave away so much of our freedom to fear. There is the now, and then there will be the aftermath. It’ll happen in a heartbeat. Don’t blink. And yes, that is a shameless Dr. Who reference.
Don’t give away your right to privacy. Smart, networked devices can be used to spy on you. Apps that track your movement will be used by people you don’t want tracking you. Do not give apps permission to collect your data—do not volunteer any data, especially about your health and/or fertility. Beware of any organization that asks you to register as a minority or marginalized group for any reason, even if it seems helpful and supportive.
We do not put our names on lists. We do not volunteer information about anyone else from a particular group.
Do not go silent now
A lot of people are aware of how badly this will all turn out if we don’t do something about it now. A lot of them think the solution is to remove themselves to spaces where the atmosphere is a little saner, and a little more supportive. By doing so, they are ceding control to the oppressor. They are making it easier for the propaganda to get louder, stronger, and more persuasive for those who don’t know, or don’t have the option to leave.
Now is not the time to cede the podium. Now is when you cut the mic.
Social media runs on engagement. The more you engage, the more you boost the signal. You give it credence. You become the enemy, and therefore, get shut down yourself. So, instead of arguing on a hateful post, flood your feed with the resources they are trying to cut us off from. Share what you can to help those in need. Build up a strong network of people who have access to things you don’t know. Support movements and organizations that help those in need.
Get to know thy neighbor
Don’t assume that you’re safe just because you live in a certain place, look a certain way, or worship a certain higher power. Don’t think you’re shielded because you have a device in your hand that can access all the collective knowledge in the world. Think about how screwed you would be if you suddenly didn’t have it. Do you know your neighborhood/city/state well enough to find important places without Google Maps? Can you make it to the store(s) if online ordering becomes unavailable? Do you have enough cash to cover the necessities in case your Venmo and Apple Pay go down? Do you know your loved one’s phone numbers by heart?
In times of crisis, you need to have a network to rely on, and that network has to include people in your immediate vicinity. Make friends with your neighbors. Check in with your family and friends often. Establish a routine so that the people who know you notice if/when something is wrong, if/when you suddenly go silent for longer than usual. Make sure you have a plan in place for emergencies. And I do mean all emergencies, including illness/injury, accidents, natural disasters, and social unrest.
But, just as importantly, connect to people the world over. Use social media to find friends in countries that will have an outside view of what’s happening. Make sure you connect with them directly through email or phone so you can stay in touch in case social networks become unreliable. Both is better. Redundancies are necessary.
Don’t wait
If you are one of the people who will be in immediate danger when things go bad, I need you to take these steps as soon as you can. Do not wait.
- If you are considering divorce, do it now.
- If you are considering permanent/surgical contraception, do it now.
- Check to make sure your passport is valid. If it’s expired or if you don’t have one at all, get one now.
- If at all possible, make sure you have cash on hand for emergencies. Calculate how much you would need to get yourself to safety. Add in how much you will need to feed and house yourself once you get there.
- Decide on the things you can’t bear to leave behind and make sure you can grab them and be out the door in minutes.
- Know your rights, but understand that they may not be honored.
- Make a plan—and I mean down to the last detail. Start with the absolute worst-case scenario of everything going wrong, and work up from there.
Information isn't free
Information is accessible (for now) but it is not free. You have to either pay for it, or work for it. You have to know not just where to search, but how. And you have to be able to understand what you find.
Education is a privilege, not a right. Even when you have unrestricted access, it’s only ever as good as your dedication to it. You have to choose to want to learn. And you have to be open to learning things you don’t agree with, or don’t consider important. It’s all important.
Freedom only lasts as long as you can hold onto it.