sociologist Jennifer Walter on what's happening in the US and what to do about it

[KatK]

This is pretty good!

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."

[D. Spaulding]

1. It boils down to Bannon's strategy that the Trumpers are following;

"Flood the zone with Sh!t".
And it's working so far. It's got normal people off balance and reeling.

[bdamomma]

30. Yes

they want us to be disoriented and fearful, do not fall into their trap.

[Kablooie]

57. NY Times said this is now Stephen Miller who is doing this.

[2naSalit]

60. Which is...

Essentially Shock Doctrine.

[Ocelot II]

2. Which leads to gnashing of teeth and rending of garments,

Last edited Mon Jan 27, 2025, 10:48 AM - Edit history (1)

much whining about how nobody's doing anything!!, and sneering at those who point out that responding to the firehose of shit will require a measured response aimed at specific targets, which can't happen in a week. So much good advice in the OP: We can't just stuff all the shit back into the firehose and shoot it right back at them; we need calibrated pressure washers aimed at specific piles of shit. As individuals we can't keep track of it all but we can take specific issues, maybe volunteer for or contribute to an organization that's litigating in that area (e.g., ACLU). Pay attention to trusted sources; don't jump to conclusions or jerk a knee or panic on account of what some rando posted on social media. Resist being overwhelmed before trying to do anything else. Assume nothing.

[orangecrush]

6. Whining?

Really?

[cally]

3. This is good but could you provide a link?

n/t

[chia]

7. Link:

Post by @itsjenniferwalter

View on Threads

[Pinback]

8. The author is on Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/itsjenniferwalter.bsky.social

I haven’t found a link to this exact post there yet. Looks like Chia’s screen capture is from Threads.

[Qutzupalotl]

23. Thanks. There is a similar but abbreviated thread here:

As a Sociologist, I need to tell you

the chaos cascade (200+ exec orders) isn't dysfunction — it's disaster capitalism's playbook. your confusion = their strategy.

— Jennifer Walter, Swiss Sociologist (@itsjenniferwalter.bsky.social) 2025-01-22T17:39:05.723Z

[liberalla]

4. I agree KatK. This is good. It's already calmed somewhat.

Bookmarking!

Thank you!

[Easterncedar]

5. Right on!

Thanks for posting this. Such great advice should be set on periodic repeat. I am bookmarking it.

[William Seger]

9. I've compared it to being hit with an AR-15 on full auto

Before you have time to react to a hit, you're hit again and again, and when it's over, there's nothing to do but try to pick up the pieces.

[SCantiGOP]

10. "Your focus is resistance."

This is Rule #1.

[Beringia]

11. Dan Rather had the same take on this, called it the Firehose effect

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219935008

[DinahMoeHum]

12. Duck underneath the big waves as you paddle out.

In surfer lingo, it's called the Duck Dive

Let the tidal wave of bullshit crash above you as you safely maneuver underneath the wave then pop up again and proceed paddling out.

[Trust_Reality]

16. I like your analogy.

I find it quite helpful because of it's visual and tangible nature, I think. It helps me focus on the basic idea.

[KPN]

50. As a long time surfer myself, I love that -- because

it so, so fits. Especially when the swell is daunting — when you’re out in the water and thinking you’d rather not be. Hyperventilate and Duck Dive!

[mcar]

13. Excellent advice. Thanks. nt

[Ligyron]

14. That's exactly what happened with the 35 dollar Insulin cap supposedly ending.

It wasn't exactly but a lot of people's reaction to the possibility, including mine, had us freaking out.

[Evolve Dammit]

44. Rug being pulled out. Tell me he isn't a sociopath.

[Haru]

15. Stay Focused

For most Americans the bottom line is inflation, interest rates, jobs

[underpants]

18. ✅

[PunkinPi]

17. K&R nt

[underpants]

19. Good advice. I'm just staying focused on the fact that Trump sucks

Clustertrump

[twodogsbarking]

20. For being the land of the free they sure are telling us what to do a lot.

A revolution may come.

[Prairie Gates]

21. "Traditional media can't keep up with the pace, leading to superficial coverage."

When has traditional media done anything OTHER THAN superficial coverage since the 1980s?

[oldmanlynn]

22. My worries are the Leaders in the Democratic party

Arent looking well enough ahead to get dems in a better place. Republicans have worked a long term strategy while dems have focused on get out the vote.

We need to thing bold and play unfair. Hit them hard. Stop ceding the narrative to republicans. Stop letting republicans define democrats.

[bdamomma]

32. We need

to get some new blood and new leadership. Fresh ideas. And the pound those ideas to the GOP and never give up.

[MadameButterfly]

40. It might take some time to work out strategies

It's only been a week and as bad as we thought it would be, he still surprises us

[calimary]

24. This!

[calimary]

25. THIS!

[calimary]

26. This THis THIs and THIS!!!

[Evolve Dammit]

45. Emphasis Dammit!! This!

[Baron2024]

27. Following

Good post.

[tishaLA]

28. Sadly, much of this was entirely predictable

We knew that a large number of these was coming because he told us they were, but we (our party leaders or whoever) didn't have an aggressive strategy and messaging apparatus in place to create an effective opposition.

[samnsara]

29. the nazi salute..the guatamala stuff..the threat to not send calif $...

...its all noise to distract.

I dont listen to ANY ANY ANY national news. I rarely catch the local stuff and just for weather. I dont pay attention to ANY trump related news ( if I can help it)... and once in a great while I will log into twitter so I cant be a B****C****troll (once innawhile) . ALL my family and close friends were Kamala supporters. I log onto DU now mostly to read the headlines and to keep up on some non political forums.

I find suggestions like the original post above to be very helpful. Ive tried to identify trusted experts in various fields ( health issues, economy, survival).

I find Blue Sky to be exceptionally helpful and supportive.

all of us who watched the train-wreck trump called a campaign, knew that when he was telling folk they didnt have to vote..he just wanted their money. we KNEW..KNEW damned well, shenanigans were going on. Maybe nothing illegal...but there was a gross manipulation of simpletons that were ready to follow the leader.

[not fooled]

31. Yeah

It's all noise to distract while they pursue their real agenda--looting the country and selling it off.

Drives me nuts when the smart MSNBC hosts spend so much time on the bait stories--which are important and deserve coverage, but clearly red don is dropping the chum in the waters to get exactly this response--while the oligarchical takeover gets relegated to secondary status. The emerging oligarchy does get coverage, but not enough. I would prefer to see the main stories each day about the content of bills being introduced, policies being enacted, etc. especially economic and financial, because that's where the looting is going to happen.

[Evolve Dammit]

46. C-Span

[PatrickforB]

33. This is an excellent post. I've bookmarked it. Thanks! n/t

[Mike 03]

34. Thanks for posting. This is outstanding for its specificity and

reasonableness. She's spot on. This x 1,000,000:

This isn't just politics as usual - it's a strategic exploitation of cognitive limits.

This is someone who gets it, totally.

Bookmarked and kicked

[Cha]

35. That's exactly how I feel.. Overwhelmed!

Thank you & sociologist Jennifer Walter for this, KatK!

[iemanja]

51. Me too!

[Cha]

53. It made me order a

a Bach Flower Remedy called Elm and as incredible as it may sound to many it actually helps me with being Overwhelmed.

It may sound cray to some.. but I've been taking them off and On since the '80s... so I took a chance talking out loud about them

My emotions are off the charts with worry and stress.

[iemanja]

54. I'm glad to hear you've found something that helps!

[Cha]

55. Mahalo, I wish you and others could too..

All you Patriots!

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

36. Finally - someone gets it, with props to Naomi Klein no less! It is

classic shock doctrine being leveled at us, and all this quibbling in recent weeks re fine points of what our message shouldve been and what it should be... its all totally meaningless UNLESS and UNTIL there is a way of getting it HEARD above the barrage of all the rapidfire shocks and noise being directed against us to overwhelm and overpower us. And please note this began long before this last election. One aspect of their strategy is that it totally overwhelms and dominates news and social media - IMHO its amazing that Harris- Walz did as well as they did!!!! They could hardly get a word in edgewise.

[uponit7771]

37. EXCELLENT ADVISE !!

[yellow dahlia]

38. .

[proud patriot]

39. Thanks for posting this

[BarbD]

41. "How to Stand Up to a Dictator" by Maria Ressa

is an excellent book. She won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for her work as a journalist in the Philippines. We can learn from her. To quote from her final paragraph, "We can't feel sorry for ourselves. Now is the time to act."

[Pinback]

47. Thanks - link:

https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-to-stand-up-to-a-dictator-the-fight-for-our-future-maria-ressa/18321577

[surfered]

42. Sound very similar as to how to respond to "Gishgallup"

[leighbythesea2]

43. Also see Amy Siskand "The List"

Last edited Mon Jan 27, 2025, 10:46 PM - Edit history (1)

She’s been tracking “not normal” events that take place generally early in authoritarian movements. She started in 2016. With Biden in place she stopped. Now it’s accelerating. She is back at it.

On Facebook, bc she left twitter. I believe she is on threads. Not yet on bluesky but I’m hopeful.

She puts out her “list” for the last 7 days every Wednesday. The first “week” which wasn’t technically a week because Monday was the inauguration, there were over 100 “not normal” events. She did a live stream about “what to do” that I found helpful, similar to what is in OP.

]https://www.facebook.com/1386931613/posts/10235559794960607/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

[wendyb-NC]

48. Good suggestions

Thank you for posting it. I bookmarked it, and will look her up. Everything, she says is happening before our eyes.

[prme]

49. Give em the old razzle dazzle

https://www.allmusicals.com/lyrics/chicago/razzledazzle.htm

[leighbythesea2]

52. See also Amy Siskand "The List"

Since 2016 she’s been documenting “not normal” events that typically preclude authoritarian take overs. That people don’t notice or see as warning signs though they should. (Or they do but dismiss)

She puts out a list for the week every Wednesday.

When trump ended in 2020 it was 100 events a week. (After 4 years, his last week tallied 100)

His first less than half a week in 2025 was 120.

Has a book.
She’s on fb, threads. Hopefully bluesky soon.
Similar info. A good watch if you’re on fb.

https://fb.watch/xo3w1n6MAY/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

[creeksneakers2]

56. We may fall behind for a time

But over time with persistence we can catch up.

[AllyCat]

58. Is there a link anywhere to this?

Everything I pop up seems to be here or some p0rи site.

[OldBaldy1701E]

59. Good advice!

Will anyone in the upper echelons take it?

Of course, we could stop it all if we wanted to.

Do we?

Based on what I have seen so far...

[HumanBeingCitizen]

61. Link

I'd seen this some time ago and it calmed me.

It also inspired me to put it in video form: https://youtube.com/shorts/Ca55XrnHgZk 😊

[Lulu KC]

62. "Video is private"