The least astonishing aspect of the United States’ stunning fall from representative democracy to one-party dictatorship in just one generation is the proliferation of the Big Lie.
The Big Lie’s origins lie at the feet of Adolph Hitler and not his odious and malevolent lackey Joseph Goebbels, as is commonly thought.
The Big Lie’s power rests in creating the biggest lie possible, repeating it until the entire base (cult) is gaslit, then create a succinct thought-stopping cliché and encouraging the sheep to bleat it over and over until the opposition drops from exhaustion.
Success requires an army of gullible cretins with zero thinking skills, much less critical thinking skills, and the ability to torment the cult while telling them how wonderful everything is.
The technique is stunningly effective and lethal. We are watching it eviscerate polite discourse and democratic norms in every corner of the planet.
Other resources:
“Anatomy of the Big Lie: Participatory Disinformation vs. Democracy” via TechPolicy [link]
Howling Yeti 