The Herd is out to trample you
How has the federal government evolved into an increasingly leftist bureaucracy, and Congress into a Uniparty? Part of it lies in the universal bipartisan lure of crony capitalism, or in “going with the cultural flow” for opportunistic political advantage. But there are deeper forces at play.
Liberals generically are herd animals. Individuals unable to personally deal with affronts imposed by the social system, joined by those who feel left out, subjugated, victimized, will gravitate to the herd. The herd provides safety and strength in its collective conformity and united front. Compliance and conformity in group behavior and objectives take precedence over judgment and personal opinion. Those who decry “white privilege” will also obediently rail against global warming, religious oppression, patriarchy, misogyny, far right extremists, etc. — anything the herd declares to be threatening, offensive, or oppressive. Mavericks are subject to expulsion from the herd. John Fetterman, take note.
For the herd-oriented, compliance with group opinion offers a path of least resistance. Rather than expend the effort involved in a critical analysis of available data involving a given issue, simply embrace the party line and simultaneously display your loyalty to the herd by absorbing the MSM Kool-Aid. Beware! Domestic terrorists include Catholics and parents who oppose public school curricula!
Compliant and subservient herd members are led by leftist alpha activists. The herd leaders, under the banner of attaining social justice via morally inspired attacks against herd predators, in reality seek control not only over members of the herd, but all those who are perceived as posing a threat to their power and influence. Their goal is to ascend to absolute power by generating systemic chaos, then resolving it — on their terms. They deploy their sycophants in the herd as an army of insurgents against any challenges to their control. Cancel culture and D-I-E emerge. Ideologues in media, academia, and HR departments dutifully impose their doctrine on the apostates.
Those outside the herd are villainized, attacked, and trampled under for their oppressive and deplorable life styles. Their choice is to join the herd or to be cast off and ostracized. Herd instinct can readily morph into mob mentality when provoked. An obedient, compliant, self-righteous herd/mob thus established constitutes an intimidating and powerful political force. Defy the herd? Lose your job. BLM and Antifa stand ready.
In a political system, power seeking herd leaders gravitate to positions of influence in the federal bureaucracy, drafting regulations and legislation designed to impose herd influence on the society at large. The bureaucracy becomes progressively more radical over time, as new applicants are selected for their degree of allegiance to leftist doctrine. We see increasing and blatant politicalization of the justice and security systems. Jail Trump, the threat to democracy!
Conversely, those on the right are generically individualists. There exists little innate cohesiveness or bonding among conservatives and Republicans. Literally hundreds of Republicans openly oppose Trump’s policy objectives — GWB, Cheney, Pence, Haley, Bolton, P. Ryan, Kasich, Romney, etc. — and while a few Democrats express concerns over Biden’s infirmities, fewer yet air any grievance with his abysmal performance, which is passionately defended by the herd. E.V.s for everyone!
Individualism does not facilitate the presentation of a united front. In the face of the political pressures occasioned by our cultural descent to the left, the Tea Party has given way to the RINOs, and the Blue Dog Democrats have ceded to woke progressives to preserve their political careers. The Uniparty now consists of woke leftists, sycophant Democrats, and RINOs, the handful of conservative Republicans treading lightly in a hostile political arena. The few challenges they do raise to the herd’s corruption and abuse of power are stonewalled by the very system being challenged. What are the odds on prosecution of the Biden syndicate?
We are caught in a vicious cycle of dissenting herd/mob activism amplified by the media and usurped by the power hungry who disingenuously stoke increasingly inane dissidence to expand the herd. Math is racist!
How did we get to this point? One can only speculate regarding causation. Dissidence, provoked and fomented by the left, has generated an aura of victimization, even threat, which kindles the herding instinct in those predisposed. Herding substitutes for the vacuum left by the leftist-endorsed erosion of stability once provided by traditional social anchors such as patriotism, faith, and family structure. Increasing numbers look to the regulatory state — herd headquarters — for stability and security. Younger generations show a burgeoning acceptance of socialism over capitalism. The herd leaders smile, and further stoke the fires of discontent.
Unless the Republican Party can consolidate a plan of social structuring to counter the leftist herd’s march to autocracy based in their “oppressor/oppressed” structure — something similar to their “Contract with America” initiative of the ‘90s — we will be trampled by the stampeding herd.
Trump, if elected, has vowed to drain the swamp. He’ll need a much bigger septic tank now than in 2016.
Image: Free image, Pixabay license, no attribution required.