HellrotBill

Anybody recall this phrase from the early days of Social Media? Facebook the place where you lie to your friends and X(twitter) was where you tell the truth to strangers.

The ongoing culture wars in the United States are not merely clashes of values but battles for dominance over conflicting realities. These wars, born of the last few decades, have been inflamed by the rise of the internet, that virtual playground where delusions are nurtured and conspiracy theories are bred. In this environment, where facts are as malleable as one’s “truth,” we’ve witnessed the rise of QAnon, Proud Boys, Trumpism, and even the Flat Earth brigade. These movements are not mere sideshows; they are the violent offspring of a society where reality and reason are often unwelcome guests.

It would be quaint to imagine these movements as freakish outliers or as isolated phenomena, but this is a failure to recognize the underlying structure that allows for such madness to thrive. We are dealing with a deep-seated cognitive dissonance that has become as American as apple pie. The so-called “Boomer revolution”—the cultural upheaval of the 1960s and 1970s—once held the promise of progressive ideals. However, as those ideals have evolved, so too have the forces that resist them, morphing into something far more grotesque.

The Internet: A Breeding Ground for Lunacy

The internet, initially envisioned as a utopia for free speech and unfettered expression, has become a toxic wasteland where the absurd and the grotesque flourish. It is a digital echo chamber that amplifies extremism, with conspiracy theorists gaining cult-like followings at an alarming pace. Platforms that were once playgrounds for intellectual debate now serve as launching pads for the deranged fantasies of QAnon adherents and Proud Boys militants.

Take, for instance, the case of Isaac Kappy, a Hollywood actor who became entranced by a web of lies and conspiracy theories. Here was a man who, like the Flat Earthers, bought into a grand joke spun by those who view such rubes with a combination of amusement and contempt. Kappy’s descent into the conspiracy rabbit hole offers a glimpse into the disturbing intersection between mental illness and cultural beliefs—a festering sore that, in many ways, is symbolic of the broader disintegration of reality in the internet age.

If you want a closer look into the psychology of extremism, look no further than Pizzagate, the bizarre theory that a Washington pizzeria was a front for a child sex-trafficking ring involving high-profile politicians. That such an obviously ludicrous story could ignite a frenzy speaks volumes about the state of mass hysteria. People wanted to believe it. Nietzsche once remarked, “Madness is something rare in individuals—but in groups, parties, peoples, and ages, it is the rule.” He could have been describing the modern internet-driven conspiracy theorist, for whom facts are irrelevant when faced with the intoxicating allure of moral crusades.

The Perils of Moral Certainty

Perhaps this explains why people become more violent when they believe they are fighting for a moral cause. Once you are convinced of your righteousness, there is no act too extreme, no measure too severe. Moral certainty is the fuel of extremism, and in America, this has taken on terrifying dimensions. As we see with QAnon or Trumpism, this moral fervor, unchecked by reason, becomes a religion unto itself. Facts no longer matter, and what was once an absurd fringe belief can, in days, entrance millions.

We have witnessed this in full bloom with the antics of Tucker Carlson, the now-disgraced former Fox News host. Carlson, whose reckless disregard for facts became his trademark, has become a sort of demagogue for the morally indignant right. He is now, predictably, cozying up to the most unsavory figures, even dabbling in Nazi apologetics. He has lost his platform, but in his desperation to maintain relevance, he throws red meat to the hungry mob that craves not truth, but validation for their anger and their victimhood.

Free Speech and Its Discontents

The internet—originally designed by libertarians who believed in a utopia of free speech—has become a petri dish for extremism. The founders of this digital universe believed that all ideas, good or bad, should be expressed without limitation. In theory, this sounds like the pinnacle of human freedom. In practice, it has become the breeding ground for conspiracy, hatred, and madness.

There’s a fine line between asking cheeky questions and trolling someone into a rage. The boundaries between comedian and troll have blurred, as many now seem more interested in provoking than enlightening. Case in point: the viral moments of children giving Nazi salutes. Is it a joke? Is it trolling? It’s the same grotesque ambiguity that allows people like Alex Jones to peddle his vile wares under the guise of “just asking questions.” The damage, though, is all too real. Social media has given these charlatans a platform to turn human misery into profit.

A Broader View of Madness: Religion, Sexuality, and the Culture Wars

If the culture wars have taught us anything, it’s that madness in the group is often driven by religious fervor. Consider Jerry Falwell’s declaration that AIDS was God’s punishment for homosexuality. It was this toxic mix of religion and moral crusade that shaped much of the Christian conservative view in the 1980s. Yet, figures like Tammy Faye Bakker seemed to offer a glimmer of hope. Her tear-streaked face and open-hearted plea to understand and embrace the LGBTQ community was, for a brief moment, an olive branch in the midst of the firestorm. Some even saw her as a bridge between evangelicalism and the LGBTQ community.

But the tides have once again turned. In the last decade, we’ve seen the evangelical right renew its crusade against progressivism, with figures like Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson standing at the helm. The divide, it seems, was never healed—just momentarily quieted.

Where Do We Go from Here?

If we can’t collectively start to think and analyze, to reason and not surrender to our primal instincts, we are doomed. The culture wars are not just an American phenomenon; they are the manifestation of a deeper sickness—one where moral certainty has replaced rational discourse, and where the internet has enabled madness to metastasize into something far more dangerous.

America stands at a precipice. Will it fall headlong into the abyss, led by the raving conspiracy theorists and internet demagogues? Or will reason, however battered and bruised, reassert itself? The answer may determine the fate of democracy itself.

Additional threads and tangents:

The Remnant had a great podcast with Christine Rosen from AEI on today.

She has a new book Titled: The extinction of experience: Being Human in a Disembodied World by Christine Rosen

The whole podcast is great, but a couple of topics on the back half of the podcast were particularly interesting: Serfs of the Web

In Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations he shows how monopolies hinder prosperity and contain the seeds of their own destructions. The merchants and other laborers who work within market systems will always be chipping away at their power.  

To paraphrase Adam Smith “The only way you can make lasting monopolies is when the State steps in..”

When big business wants regulations they typically do so to corner the market and squeeze out the small businesses:  Go to the 58th minute mark.

Conspiracy Theories and the disingenuous things people like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens are being bad persuaders to get attention and profit from manipulating the public.

Go to the 62 minute mark for some interesting points and observations relating to what is written here and their thoughts on these bombastic entertainers.