I have a feeling we’ll be talking more and more about this. America gets more polarized every day. Beware, this division is wider than our country’s borders.
No matter the dissenting opinions, we are Americans under the same sky
– J. Marcelo Baqueroalvarez
America is experiencing pivotal events in our history. Whether you lean to the left or right side of the political spectrum, we must learn to work together.
The division in America is widening each day
If you check most types of media outlets nowadays, the narrative is similar – “us against them.” This is happening at an accelerated rate, and it needs to stop, because we are eroding America from the inside out. And if this happens, we have to ask ourselves: Who wins if America fails? The answer is simple, those who benefit if America fails.
And who is this cabal of anti-Americans? You might or might not be surprised to learn that this group of people span the entire world, and yes – some are even inside our own borders – and they were born in America. This later one is more nuisance, because even though they are American themselves, and might be operating under the impression that they are on America’s side – they are destroying the very fabric of the country at an accelerated rate.
It is sad but true that it is very easy to highjack the intrinsic goodness of people and turn it against them. Worst of all, some of those who had their best intentions highjacked can very well be convinced they are fighting the good fight. This is happening around the world. Some have already destroyed the fabric of their own countries, bamboozled under a faux outrage that misdirected their candor and ire against their best interests.
Are we next? I would not quite say “next” – because that is very much happening right now in real time. But before we explore this phenomenon, let’s talk a bit about this cabal of those who want to destroy America… or at the very least bump America off the number one spot as a world-leader. Is it too bad being number two? It is worse than most people would imagine. And that is why this process of bumping the USA off the world stage has been executed for such a long time, and for many has been mostly unnoticed. Afterall, if you’re number one, your place is forever secured right? No, wrong. But those who have something to win from that delusion will surely make you think that is the case.
American Exceptionalism – not always a welcome concept…
It is not unusual for Americans to call the United States “the BEST country in the world.” How do you think people in other countries, even the ones we like us view and perceive that statement, and sentiment? If your guess is that they feel super happy for the USA and they are super stoked about it, then you’re delusional. The reality is that most people around the world, though they would agree that the USA is a world-leader, in fact resent the fact that Americans call themselves the best of the best in the world stage.
American exceptionalism is called by many other countries “American Arrogance” – and either if you agree or disagree with that narrative, that’s the opinion of a non-insignificant number of people around the world. And if you’re an American, this might make you angry, or make you feel bad, sad, or perhaps even combative about their perception. “How dare these many millions of people around the world does not agree that the USA is the best nation in the world!” And to be fair, America is indeed a leader in many, many facets. Not all good, not all bad.
For example, from some of the not so good, we are number one in gun violence. We are also number one in the most expensive health care system on the planet. Oh, and we are also number one on incarcerating people. Yet when it comes to education, we are nowhere near number one, when it comes to wealth gaps we are also pretty far behind. And don’t get me wrong, the USA is a wonderful place, unlike no other. But you see, I also have a very different vantage point than most of the world.
For instance, I’ve lived in the USA most of my life, and I’ve served in uniform north of 20 years. Also, both my wife and daughter were born in the USA, and I have been afforded levels of trust by America that is only limited to very few people alive. My love for the United States of America is beyond what anybody could quantify or even imagine. It is vaster than the expanses of the known universe. And that is why I have no problem speaking truth to power.
What makes the United States of America truly the most amazing place in the world is the AMERICAN PEOPLE – we have the most diverse demographics in the world. There is representation of every corner of the planet who are American Citizens, and Permanent Residents. But not only that, but we also have people from all over the world who come and serve in our Armed Forces, in our agencies, and many other segments of our nation, expanding our scope of knowledge and understanding of what is needed to make us better each day. This diversity is inconvenient to those who want to destroy America as we know it.
Is there room for improvement? Of course there is! Even the fanciest smart phone, which already does more mind-bending taskings that we ever imagined possible just a few short years ago has room for improvement. We cannot live from past wins alone; this is a continuous journey. Change is inevitable, otherwise it creates stagnation. Following the cell phone example. What if we had just settled for flip phones in the early 2000’s? And if you’re old to remember those days, having a cool flip phone back then was a huge deal. Today, if you can find those, it might as well be in a museum of obsolete technology.
That is what diversity brings, new ideas – new concepts – new innovations – additional points of view. Some that will be welcome at first sight, some might be more challenging, if they seem to be disrupting the status quo. Continue with the phones example, back in the day we used to have rotary phones… you know those with the big wheel with numbers you had to spin to dial. Imagine for a second if we had kept those rotary phones and by doing so negate ourselves the possibilities to innovate to the technological advances we have today when it comes to telecommunications.
Some of the more cynical readers might think that I went on a tangent. Starting from American exceptionalism to rotary phones. Well, there is a reason why I frame it in such a way. The minds of people are getting highjacked to become one-dimensional. My writing style is meant to rebuild that abstract part of thinking in order for us to understand the bigger picture and stop being bamboozled. I have to be a bit more on-the-nose nowadays, because sadly we are running out of time. The adversary is winning, and we are losing ground.
So, let’s bring this back together to the American Exceptionalism. There are regimes who are diligently capitalizing on the resentment people around the world have been brewing against the USA for several decades. Meanwhile, they are positioning themselves as a better alternative to the USA. If the USA – by its own hand destroys itself, they win by default. It is even more insidious than that. They will try to get the USA to join the “bad regimes” club and create a division so massive inside our own borders that it will implode and win by default. Either way, they would win.
Sadly, I can only oversimplify on this article, because the entire premise alone is enough to write an entire book. We don’t have time to go through all that. But fortunately, I’ve written and released two books that help that effort. And also, I’ve written a myriad of long-form articles that deal with this exact theme. I wrote all this because I saw it coming, I’ve warned a lot of people – some took heed, many have no idea what is coming their way.
Both books are nonfiction historical assessments that help defeat authoritarian propaganda
AUTHORITARIANISM & PROPAGANDA The Puppet Master Tools
WOKE & PROUD The Charlatans’ Inconvenience
Available on eBook & Paperback worldwide
In my series “Today in America” I add important turning points in our American History, and how this is playing a pivotal role in how we are been bamboozled into fighting one another, and for the rest of those who are unaware – to remain unaware, thus giving card blanche to an adversarial regime to take over their lives, as the unsuspected American segment of willfully ignorant people have given tacit consent to others to dictate their lives without as much as a semblance of awareness.
Are many Americans arrogant? You can bet your full paycheck that many are, and that is the impression many around the world see of this otherwise great nation. There is a lot of merit for why the USA has become the de facto world-leader, but that does not mean that other countries do not feel that that situation rubs them the wrong way. And before you think “well F-em” – think again, because – first that shows that you are indeed arrogant, and foolish. People around the world have choices, even if they owe something to America. Much like if you have a mortgage with a bank, and there is another bank that offers you a better rate – you might refinance. In the strategic level of geopolitics, it is very similar.
Being a world leader
You’ve probably heard the term “it is lonely on the top” – and indeed it can be if a person burned bridges and used others as steppingstones to reach to the top. Politics, for better or for worse, have a huge role to play in the way we are perceived around the world. Every time people in congress throw verbal feces at each other, somebody in a country who dislikes the USA uses that as a propaganda point to show that “the US system of government is flawed.” That is a phenomenal gift on a golden platter to an authoritarian regime.
No matter if you are an American or not, rip the proverbial bandage right now, the USA has a lot of room for improvement, but it is right now (at the time I write this article) remains the best alternative for a myriad of reasons. For better or worse, whatever happens in the USA will be followed by countries around the world as an acceptable status quo. If you are not from the United States, you might or might not like the USA – but regardless the USA remains a world leader in many respects that are beneficial to the entire world.
Has the system been abused by a few unscrupulous and opportunistic entities? Absolutely yes. Can it be fixed? Yes! But it is not an automatic process. What makes the USA the USA is the PEOPLE! And people need to have a full grasp and understanding of what is affecting them. Especially the “boring and scary” parts that are usually left unattended. I can ask many Americans right now about what is most important in the current news cycle. Many will concede (and indeed when I asked them) that they “don’t follow the news” – but they can tell you the entire gamma of TV shows, movies, games, video games, and other entertainment with superlative detail. That especially in 2024 – which perhaps is the most influential election year in our lifetimes is not a good trend.
With that said, MOST people in the USA are actually wonderful and caring people, no matter where you are. Is there rampant misinformation that has been dividing us? Yes, again – and that is what I am trying to change through my writing. But I have to admit that this is not an easy task. There is no shortage of people who are “talking” about what is going on – but I don’t see much “doing” about it. This part of me “doing something” – but there is a lot more that I do, and that is engaging with any group of people I can interact with. Especially if they have a point of view that has been highjacked by propaganda.
I’m happy to report that some people with whom we had conversations, eventually had an epiphany. They did not agree with me at first – but I like to plant seeds that will be tumbling on a person’s mind for a while. They eventually will find the correct answer. Why? Because facts don’t care about our feelings, the truth comes to light at some point. It does not matter how hard we try to hide from it. The problem is that the truth is not always as palatable as propaganda. Propaganda is easily digestible; the truth can be a hard pill to swallow. Especially if we were enamored with the incorrect narrative.
You’ve probably heard also this phrase: “The chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” The propagandists and regimes who are hellbent in destroying America are preying on those weakest links. The trick is that they will make them believe they are the strongest links in the proverbial chain. It is very easy to do so in fact. People (in particular) with some unapologetic on-your-face alpha personalities can be very susceptible to running errands for an authoritarian. Sorry, that’s what normally happens. But non-alphas also have vulnerabilities that can be quite exploitable. It takes different levels manipulation to target each segment. This can result in the “us against them” reality I was speaking of at the top of this article.
And to bring it full circle – being a leading nation is not a matter of having only “a few good people who are good and well informed” does not help the collective from being a premiere nation. For example, in countries where information is curtailed and controlled by the regime, there is no diversity, nor tolerance for different points of view – the perception of reality gets skewed to the point that the population has no recourse but to stagnate. They will instead be waiting for whatever is being fed to them as far as thinking (and sometimes literally for sustainment).
Conversely, when there is a diversity of points of view, there will be more checks and balances. That does not mean that you have to “agree” with every different point of view. Some of those points of view (even your own) could very well be divorced from reality. But even on those events, that is not an entirely negative situation, because you can also understand where there could be cognitive traps (cognitive dissidence). Having people smart enough to realize that there are blind spots is a good place to start when searching for facts.
But I’ve said it before, and I will say it again – there is a sizable number of people who confuse facts with opinions. A fact is logical, measurable, and demonstrable. An opinion can very well be simple conjecture and divorced from reality. The latter is of course very convenient for propagandists who want to implant a “plausible” version of events – even if when put in context it would not be plausible at all. But of course, that is why those unsuspected people won’t be afforded the full context. It is designed to be that way.
Although this situation certainly happens in the USA, we are far from being the only country in the world suffering from the same situation. Tragically, due to the fact that the United States is such an important and influential country (like it or not), the collective dissidence affects the entire world (again like it or not). And even if there are other countries around the world looking in awe, horror, or contempt that the USA is struggling – it also negatively affects THEM sooner or later.
Leadership is a privilege, not a right. However, in places where they can still elect their leaders – the rules have been tilted in some superficially innocuous directions. But the truth is a lot darker; political influence is not a single-country issue. There are regimes who realize that the more global their influence, the more they can get away with other nefarious agendas. Agendas that most definitely affect their own countries, but it also tilts the game at a much deeper level. That is where things get a lot more complex – because it becomes abstract, and it is hidden in plain sight.
While the majority of people are busy living their own lives, the direction for which their road is being skewed happens beneath their own noses. The changes are gradual – and as they continue in their life journey – however long it takes, the destination was already predetermined for millions of people. That is why understanding history in proper context is so important. I’ve said it a million times, and I will continue saying it – propaganda is meant to be palatable, and easily understood. Of course, it is because it becomes the vehicle for subliminal marching orders – and these orders can very well be against the obedient person’s best interests.
So, if you’re an American – like it or not – what you do adds to the collective effort for the rest of the planet. No pressure. But that should not be a bad thing. In fact, when we conduct ourselves in a good way that is meant to help each other out, the benefits are returned with high returns. And no, I am not asking about donating, or giving stuff away for free. But for example, if you have friends who own a restaurant, or that they provide a service, recommending their services or using those services yourself already contributes to the betterment of our society.
The problem is that most people now seem like a walking price tag. And often asked to pay more than they can afford – especially if they are in the lower parts of the economic scale. When Americans can’t work together, what is the message the rest of the world sees? They would assert something along the lines “if the USA is no longer a world leader, then it is time for a different country (even their own) to be that leader.” This can be very beneficial or polarizing to the world stage – but remember that at this time in history, where there is great power competition, there are some regimes that are far ahead of the curve. And letting the USA out to dry (like it or not) is not the best answer.
But when it comes to a person put in charge, it does not mean that person is an actual leader. There is a huge difference between the two. And when we compound the millions of people collective in that country, and there are few awesome people and a bunch of non-awesome people, what is the average for the country? Does that affect the collective average – you bet it does. Why? Because like it or not a majority of people can affect change for better or worse. A population who is subpar in the manner they consume and understand information will be a lot worse off than a population who is above average in the proper understanding of the information they consume. Why? Because they will be able to understand if the information provided to them is accurate or if it is flawed. In other words, they will understand the proper context.
Dummying down our world’s population
This has been occurring at an accelerated rate, and in many ways, it is a world-wide phenomenon. There is a reason why things that are more “fun” and “entertaining” are palatable and spread like wildfire. They are designed to capture our interest and to teach us something in a very easy manner – often time to try to sell us something or make us loyal to their brand. But something similar also happens with propaganda.
Bottom line, the dumber a person is, the easier they are to manipulate. Make this dumb person believe they are the smartest person in the room, and they will be kissing the rear end of whomever is making them feel so good – and accepted! No matter how crazy the narrative might be, people want to belong – and propaganda makes it easier to create these bubbles that place people in a “community of like-minded folks” – while separating us from those who “seem to be” against us.
The reality is that we are more similar than different. And that is very inconvenient to whomever wants to manipulate us. In fact, that is another reason why they make their enticement so palatable and easily to assimilate. They have realized that the savvier a person is, the less likely they are to ingest falsehoods, and the less likely they are to take something at face value without doing its due diligence.
Let me give you a quick example. Let’s pretend for a moment you’re about to spend a pretty penny on a big-ticket item. Maybe a huge TV, or a new central air conditioning Unit, a vehicle, a new roof, an expensive musical instrument, or whatever that would cost a small fortune. In those instances, people will tend to do a lot of research on the brand, the reviews (good and especially bad), and ask around, and find out if the item they are about to purchase or the company they will be dealing with is reputable, etc. Those who fail to do so might go one of two ways.
1. They could get lucky, and everything works fine.
2. They will find out that there was some merit in doing some research because now they are stuck with a bad investment.
Whatever the case, there was more to the story. In the first instance, yes – sometimes we get lucky buying something on a whim and it turns out to be great. But that is not always the case. In some instances, what we think was good turned out to be a swindle. Especially if the situation was too good to be true. In fact, that is part of the marketing process – making it as palatable and enticing as possible for the consumer. Hopefully, that will include good quality control if they are interested in the customer for coming for more. Some other times it might be just enough to make a quick buck and for the swindler to disappear into the shadows.
When it comes to propaganda, the swindlers are going to give them nice little samples, but they are not ready for the big reveal. Much like getting a buffet dinner in a time-share sale. Sure, they are feeding you something, but the payout they are looking for is a lot bigger than what they are offering to get you through the door, and to keep you there – until you stay long enough to listen, and perhaps being enticed to sign up.
Well, the dummying down of the population is similar, but a lot more complex in scale and execution. Why? Because the payout is enormous. Some people are more prone to take some false narratives at face value – if their biases have prompted them to blindly follow a person that they find enticing. Make no mistake, those of us who want the best for you are going to ask you to look beyond your bubble and question everything – even what WE are telling you. Why? Because we want you to expand your mind.
People who want to control you or keep you dumb will make things “too easy” for you. This might seem convenient to you at first, but the fact is that they are re-training your mind towards blind obedience. Through my writing I am trying to change that trend. But it is a team effort. Thank you for spending this time with me! HLC