• Posted by Joseph Phillip De Marco on April 9, 2020 at 5:52am
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Fear is the strongest persuasive ingredient that overwhelms sober thought. A herd of cattle; a collective unit reacts to a stimulus: the perceived threat of the cattle driver. It is the idea of safety in numbers, a survival strategy.
However, throughout the centuries, religion, superstitions, despots, forewarnings, omens and even real threats and dangers have caused most humans to panic without rational thought; virtually, to run back into the real and proverbial fire.
Fear can be used as a mighty weapon to pervert and undermine common sense and rational thinking. Many self made kings and tyrants throughout history know this as a powerful tool to reign over masses of people. All people cannot be tyrants, kings or protectors, so as a resolve, they rely on no better alternative than to be led by, ironically, someone who they fear to protect them.
This becomes the dominant fabric of all societies; it is almost a genetic instinct to be submissive to a power structure clothed in the garb of fear.
Now as the protector of the masses he has the carte blanc ability to sway them in any direction: good or bad, for self gain or for their self destruction.
Sometimes, however, this Protector will direct his herd down the path of danger, and it will follow without much hesitation, due to ritual, habit, and allegiance.
Now, let us apply it to the panic, hysteria of today with the spook virus: Many societies around the world went into a frenzy; based in part, on faulty information, blame, and irrational thought and fear, and were led, even further, into the proverbial fire by their ill-informed Protectors.
Finally, when the masses have become fatigued from being penned up, confined, skittish, misled, broke, and when their senses have slowly come back to the realization that much was ado about nothing, that is when reality kicks in; herd mentality kicks in and realize that social distancing is more injurious than the spook virus, therefore, they will, most likely, insist to maintain social distancing from hysterical politicians and quack medical experts.
What a vicious circle is woven in the OK Corral. Maybe, rational thought is finally questioning the Protector's motives and loose marbles; maybe not!
Joseph Phillip De Marco
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