(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .
Wise and powerful words to help focus the mindset to do impactful action in this period [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-01-29
I am on an email circular here in Australia, and this came through from a sociologist which is clear, concise and highly actionable. I wanted to share it with people, in case this is the very thing they need to read at this moment. It likely matches what other people are saying, however, the more people read this, the less gl/doom makes it’s way through the manual or automatic algorithm.
All italics are my emphasis.
----
“Wise and important words from sociologist Jennifer Walter about what is happening in this country right now and what to do about it:
"As a sociologist, I need to tell you:
Your overwhelm is the goal.
1/ The flood of 200+ executive orders in Trump's first days exemplifies Naomi Klein's "shock doctrine" - using chaos and crisis to push through radical changes while people are too disoriented to effectively resist. This isn't just politics as usual - it's a strategic exploitation of cognitive limits.
2/ Media theorist McLuhan predicted this: When humans face information overload, they become passive and disengaged. The rapid-fire executive orders create a cognitive bottleneck, making it nearly impossible for citizens and media to thoroughly analyze any single policy.
3/ Agenda-setting theory explains the strategy: When multiple major policies compete for attention simultaneously, it fragments public discourse. Traditional media can't keep up with the pace, leading to superficial coverage.
The result? Weakened democratic oversight and reduced public engagement.
What now?
1/ Set boundaries: Pick 2-3 key issues you deeply care about and focus your attention there. You can't track everything - that's by design. Impact comes from sustained focus, not scattered awareness.
2/ Use aggregators & experts: Find trusted analysts who do the heavy lifting of synthesis. Look for those explaining patterns, not just events.
3/ Remember: Feeling overwhelmed is the point. When you recognize this, you regain some power. Take breaks. Process. This is a marathon.
4/ Practice going slow: Wait 48hrs before reacting to new policies. The urgent clouds the important. Initial reporting often misses context
5/ Build community: Share the cognitive load. Different people track different issues. Network intelligence beats individual overload.
Remember: They want you scattered. Your focus is resistance.”
[END]
---
[1] Url:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/1/29/2300108/-Wise-and-powerful-words-to-help-focus-the-mindset-to-do-impactful-action-in-this-period?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=latest_community&pm_medium=web
Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.
via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/
