Real fear isn’t uploaded: Why social media screams are fake



When I woke up on Nov. 6, I knew I would see a lot of disappointed and angry people posting online. Still, the sheer volume of unhinged and hysterical videos surprised even me. Coming, as I do, from the Bosnia of the 1990s — an actual war-torn country where people, in fact, had reason to fear political outcomes — it is difficult to understand these posts as the activity of serious people. It is impossible to avoid secondhand embarrassment for those engaging in it.

Did you know that when people are actually scared, they don’t post videos of themselves screaming and threatening “the other side” for public consumption?

These contrived pieces of performance art are not products of fear. They are vile propaganda.

I was 17 during the first multiparty election in Bosnia. The media was already spreading fear prior to the election, and it became evident early on that the three nationalist ethnic parties were the favorites. I wasn’t eligible to vote at the time, but even if I had been, none of the three ethnic parties would have had a home for me, the child of a mixed marriage.

I don’t remember who won, but I do remember that when I woke up, there was neither a celebration nor an angry mob. Instead, there was a sudden shift. No one from the outside would have noticed it. People went to work. They went grocery shopping. The kids went to school. But there was an unbearable quiet. When fear settles over a town, it becomes quiet.

People don’t talk about fear. The conversations become shorter; the jokes are fewer. People become emotionally disengaged.

I remember there was no talk of anyone leaving because of the omnipresence of fear. They might mention in passing about going on a “short trip” to visit family, but most simply left, and most simply knew what was going on when this was mentioned. This is when I yielded to fear.

The weirdest thing I learned about fear is that it makes you act normal, maybe too normal. This kind of fear is not what people feel when their lives are in imminent danger and the threat is easy to recognize. Our bodies and our instincts are designed to deal with that kind of fear. But in the situation I describe, the very system designed to protect you from threats becomes a threat. Instinctively I knew I had to signal to the system that I was not a threat to those operating it. Opinions became too expensive and insults to myself or those I loved nonexistent.

In short, I became invisible, but that was easy. The harder part was that I couldn’t show my fear. Acting fearful is a threat in itself. I learned to measure my speech and my gestures. My answers were short and vague, and I was the smallest person in every room. Every interaction was exhausting.

The social media performance actresses need to learn something important: Anger is not fear. Disappointment is not fear. Openly threatening people is not what people do when they are in the grip of fear. In other words, they are not coping with fear. They are coping with the reality that they did not get their way. There’s a world of difference.

Disappointment is easy to understand, too, and people who have been indulged by a system that permits them to believe reality is something they can escape — that a man can be a woman; that we can live peacefully in a world without borders; that other people will work so that you can eat; that silence is the same thing as violence — these people are going to lack fully developed skills of communication and self-awareness. When confronted, as they always are, with reality, they will act out their frustration in ways that are not constructive.

Unmet emotional needs will also cause some people to seek validation from those who are screaming the loudest. But if you are setting up a camera to record yourself screaming and crying and then taking the time to edit and upload it, then you are not afraid. You are ignorant and self-indulgent.

Memes like those I am seeing on the bluest parts of my social media feeds include numbers for suicide prevention hotlines, women shaving their heads and vowing celibacy, and people pretending to seek escape routes from the country to which frightened people have been escaping to defy tyranny for centuries. These contrived pieces of performance art are not products of fear. They are ridiculous tantrums designed to provoke strong emotions and galvanize people for political purposes. They are vile propaganda.

Real fear, as I have experienced, is isolating and anonymous. In this digital age and in this largely (thank God) still free country, almost nothing is hidden or anonymous.

I am not impressed with the attempts to gaslight me into believing I am facing danger again.

Editor’s note: This article appeared originally at Chronicles: A Magazine of Culture.

Could America's politics of contempt lead to civil war?



When Taylor Swift, America's most notable "childless cat lady," belted out "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," she was singing about one of her many exes.

But she might as well have been commenting on the state of American politics. The left and the right are like two people trapped in a toxic, spiteful relationship, each seething with contempt for the other. Is a national "breakup" inevitable?

This is where the left stands today: not only criticizing the other side but actually rejoicing in its suffering.

As this election makes especially clear, each side views the other as a threat to America’s future.

The left looks at the right and sees a stubborn, regressive faction clinging to an outdated vision of America — one that resists diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The right, meanwhile, sees the left as a dangerous, self-righteous force tearing down the foundations of the country in the name of progress.

While both liberals and conservatives face the temptation to villainize their opponents, these days, only one side seems to consider the other as irredeemably evil.

For all his allegedly "divisive" rhetoric, Donald Trump has repeatedly made it clear that he intends to work for all American citizens, regardless of race, color, or creed. It's a big tent, and even his political "enemies" are welcome.

Consider Trump's recent, much-misrepresented vow to protect women "whether the women like it or not."

On the left, by contrast, public figures like Sam Harris and Destiny openly scorn conservatives, branding them as “low information” or low IQ — sneering as if they’re talking about a different species altogether.

To quote another Swift song, "You Need to Calm Down."

Destiny's Childish

Destiny, born Steven Kenneth Bonnell II, lives up to his pretentious name. But he’s not just pretentious; he’s downright repugnant.

Recently, he has become the left's primary attack dog, embodying the worst kind of partisan contempt. This bitter, angry provocateur frequently pops up on "Piers Morgan Uncensored" and a number of popular podcasts, where he revels in his role as a divisive figure. On social media, meanwhile, he can be found posting the vilest of opinions.

Shortly after the first assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the tiny terror took to X to ridicule Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old volunteer fire chief who lost his life at the rally. This wasn’t just a comment on political differences; it was a callous dismissal of another human being's life, purely because he was on the "wrong" side.

This is where the left stands today: not only criticizing the other side but actually rejoicing in its suffering. Political opponents are seen as irredeemable, less than human, and unworthy of sympathy, even in death.

Figures like Destiny don’t just stir up disagreement; they stoke the flames of disgust and dehumanization that widen the divide in this country. Political leaders only make matters worse. Hillary Clinton’s infamous 2016 remark labeling Trump supporters as “deplorables” didn’t just alienate millions; it arguably cost her the election.

Fast forward eight years, and Joe Biden’s recent characterization of Trump supporters as “garbage” only served to emphasize the left's utter contempt for half of America (more on this in a minute).

Ballots before bullets

Just a decade ago, the idea of Americans going to war against each other again seemed unthinkable, a relic of a brutal past. The Civil War was history — a reminder of the darkest days of division and bloodshed.

Yet today, that distant fear feels closer than ever. The idea of Americans clashing not just at the ballot box but on the battlefield no longer seems absurd. The seeds of hatred, distrust, and outright disdain have already been planted.

This brings us to the psychology of contempt. And the contempt is visceral.

To be clear, contempt is not mere anger; it runs much deeper. It’s loathing; it’s sheer hatred. According to psychologist Dr. John Gottman, contempt is the strongest predictor of lasting estrangement. It’s a malignant cancer — once it takes hold, the prognosis is almost always dire.

What can be done? In personal relationships, contempt can sometimes be eased through open communication, empathy, and a genuine effort to understand one another. But the divide between the left and right today is vastly different and far more complex. We’ve crossed a line — the Rubicon, if you will — and there’s really no turning back.

United we stood

The truth is that the only event likely to unite the nation for more than a fleeting moment would be a tragedy on the scale of September 11 — a catastrophic incident that compels all Americans to confront their shared humanity amid the chaos.

In the wake of those devastating attacks, Andrew Kohut from the Pew Research Center conducted a thorough analysis of public opinion, comparing sentiments expressed before and after that fateful day. His findings revealed that the attacks not only galvanized a sense of national identity but also altered the public's perception of threats, trust in government, and overall political engagement. The United States of America was, at that moment in time, truly united.

But that was then, and this is now.

On second thought, I ask, would even a second September 11 be enough to unite the nation? That’s how fractured the country has become, and things are likely to get much worse before they get better. I take no pleasure in saying this, but we must confront this harsh reality if we ever hope to change the nation’s trajectory.

With each passing second, contempt deepens, and the possibility of uniting the nation slips further away.

Are We There Yet?

Today, the American soul is sick. A few of its many afflictions include tribalism, loneliness, institutional dysfunction, and widespread public distrust. There's a pervasive atmosphere of unease in modern life—a sense that the United States is stumbling toward complete internal collapse. But though it's widely acknowledged that something is wrong, persuasive answers to the question of how we can revive the American spirit and continue striding toward a more perfect union are difficult to discern amid the noise of partisanship. Perhaps, then, we should seek answers in a more tranquil environment. Maybe we should turn to the open road.

The post Are We There Yet? appeared first on .

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Rep. Raskin's scheme to bar Trump from office after his election revealed in damning video



Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) has evidently spent a great deal of time contemplating unseemly ways to keep Democrats in power.

Ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision regarding President Donald Trump's immunity in U.S. v. Donald Trump, Raskin was among the Democrats who campaigned to neutralize conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito on the high court.

Christopher Bedford, senior editor for politics and Washington correspondent for Blaze Media, indicated at the time that the broader purpose of that campaign was "to try to combat virtually the only check remaining on the Democrat Party's political power."

Keen for a ruling favorable to the Democratic agenda, Raskin not only denigrated the conservative justices but recommended that the Harris-Biden Department of Justice pressure the court to "require Justices Alito and Thomas to recuse themselves not as a matter of grace but as a matter of law."

Raskin ultimately failed in his efforts to cure the Supreme Court's decisions; however, he apparently still has other designs on delivering Democrats the 2024 election.

Troubling footage from a Feb. 17 panel discussion at a D.C. book store has resurfaced in which Raskin details how Congress could prevent Trump from taking office following his election by the American people.

Raskin correctly and begrudgingly predicted that the Supreme Court would rule that Trump could not be disqualified from Colorado's presidential primary ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, calling the imminent decision an "abdication of [the court's] very clear duty to disqualify Donald Trump."

The Supreme Court noted in its unanimous March 4 ruling, "The Constitution makes Congress, rather than the States, responsible for enforcing Section 3 against federal officeholders and candidates."

Raskin said, "[The justices on the Supreme Court] want to kick it to Congress, so it's going to be up to us on Jan. 6, 2025, to tell the rampaging Trump mobs that he's disqualified."

According to the Democratic congressman, this repeal of the people's will would take place "at the counting of the electoral college votes, which really could lead to something akin to civil war."

'I thought the Left was the party of 'protecting democracy.''

Raskin indicated that after lawmakers disqualify the would-be president-elect, "We need bodyguards for everybody in civil war conditions all because the nine justices — not all of them but these justices who have not many cases to look at every year, not that much work to do, a huge staff, great protection — simply do not want to do their job and interpret what the great 14th Amendment means."

While taking Trump off the board appears to be Democrats' short-term plan, Raskin alluded to their greater aspiration of amending the Constitution more to their liking.

The resurfaced footage has gone viral, prompting a great deal of controversy.

Senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller noted, "I believe this is called a criminal conspiracy to commit election interference."

Elon Musk responded, "That's a crazy thing for him to say."

"I thought the Left was the party of 'protecting democracy,'" wrote Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.).

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) suggested that Raskin was not only conceding the election but fomenting civil war and "threatening to defy the will of voters."

Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk wrote, "Jamie Raskin is saying that congress will STOP Trump from taking office even if he's chosen by the voters. This is extremely dangerous. Every Democrat needs to be on the record about this immediately."

"This is what an actual threat to Democracy looks like," tweeted Donald Trump Jr.

"Can't he be immediately indicted by the AG of whatever red state he ever stepped foot in for the past 25 years right now as we speak[?]" wrote Mike Benz, executive director of the Foundation for Freedom Online. "Isn't that the lesson we learned this year[?]"

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee tweeted, "These arrogant elitist globalists hate the half of America that still loves America."

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Firebrand Leftist Jamie Raskin Said Congress Must ‘Disqualify’ Trump, Predicted ‘Civil War Conditions’

"So it’s going to be up to us on Jan. 6, 2025 to tell the rampaging Trump mobs that he’s disqualified," far left Rep. Jamie Raskin said.

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Fringe Benefits

Marching Proud Boys wearing black Fred Perry polos and getting into fisticuffs with Antifa. Anonymous hacktivists wearing creepy, plastic Guy Fawkes masks and messing with the computers of law enforcement and other organizations they think corrupt or cruel. Oath Keepers proclaiming to be "Guardians of the Republic" and traveling to the U.S. Capitol with paramilitary equipment to "Stop the Steal" in January 2021. Woke "Free Gaza" protesters clad in keffiyehs and N-95 masks storming university buildings and building squatter camps. The American taking all this in would be forgiven for feeling the country's politics have gotten weird and extreme over the past 20 years. Certainly, many in the media have treated all these instances as novelties that may portend the death of American democracy. In truth, crazy politics is a recurring feature of our nation. Groups sprout up either adjacent or in antagonism to the major political parties, and it can be difficult to discern whether their confrontational style and tactics mask nefarious and violent designs.

The post Fringe Benefits appeared first on .

CHAOS: Democrats Are in a Full-On Civil War

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