The events of the 2020 election season now appear to be behind us. (Well, I can hope, right?)

The other wing of the Boot-on-Your-Neck Party, out of power (mostly) for four years, now has the baton firmly in their hand. At the end of Annus Horribilis 2020, the multiple attempted coups against the Donald, the Beer Flu, resulting Panic, Lockdown and Rebellion, uprisings in the names of “anti-fascism” and “black lives matter,” and the bizarre election season have brought us to this point. Nationally, trust in institutions, politicians and bureaucrats, and even neighbors and family has been shattered.

Previously, we discussed the topic of trust and its importance in society – especially American mainstream culture and society. Societal trust is rapidly declining in much of the Fifty States and much of the population. Now, it is not just in urban areas.

How many examples we’ve seen in 2020! Not JUST the events I’ve listed. NOT limited to DC’s streets, the Capitol, or the inner cities. (Although all of these are constant scenes of distrust, dishonesty and disloyalty. Not just violence.) 2021 is starting no differently.

In every part of this land, destroying trust in others rapidly promotes growing tribalism, feudalism, socialism, and extremism. Why? Largely because the extremists of all sides are taking advantage of the fears and events. Those very things caused and encouraged by media and the powers-that-be. And the number of extremists grows daily.

Why?

Those who have been extremists benefit by destroying trust: dividing us into tribes. Creating conditions in which trust in other people (like our neighbors, customers, and merchants) is replaced by trust in some sort of gang: in self-proclaimed leaders and messiahs who thereby gain power and wealth. This situation, in turn, turn more people into extremists.

Tribalism is a phase through which groups of people pass, especially in times and places with problematic communications. But it is corrosive. Those in tribes often (even usually) consider members of other groups or tribes to NOT be truly people. That is why, in so many tribe’s languages, their word for themselves is “People.” Or “Real People.” And why often the same word means both “stranger” and “enemy.”

Their language dictates their view of the world and of people outside their group.

Because they view others as “not really real people,” they treat those people in evil ways. They are fair game to be killed, or kidnapped and enslaved. The “others” are to be USED: to be robbed, blamed, mistreated, prevented from doing many things, conned, and ridiculed. Which just feeds the idea of “who we trust” and “who we don’t trust.”

Precisely the same problem that we face today. (Let us discuss tribalism more in the future.) Suffice to say, tribal societies on a large scale have VERY limited social trust. That is the situation we are rapidly sliding into today.

Some people in the Fifty States don’t trust ANY politician. But others distrust SOME politicians and yet still trust their politicians.

Many people don’t trust ANY media – especially not mainstream media. Others – sadly, the majority of people, it seems – trust some media without qualification. And therefore consider anyone or anything saying something different as wrong, bed, even evil.

The same thing can be said for health care providers, especially after the trials and troubles of the Pandemic Panic of 2020 (and continuing).

Ditto for cops, for military units, and especially for big companies.

It becomes “MY politician” and “MY TV channel or radio show” and “MY doctor.” Until and unless they demonstrate that they do not share your worldview and that of your tribe. Whatever you call your tribe. Then they are outcast, driven out of the camp, their reputations and very existence attacked.

Sometimes this sort of conflict actually creates tribes, as unrelated, unassociated people band together out of a sense of defense and survival, and become yet another tribe.

But we see the opposite: tribes encourage the creation of feudal societies, in which oaths of personal fealty between individuals let them defend each other against the bad actions (aggression) of the tribes in which they have to live. They may not be recognized as oaths, but they are nevertheless as binding obligations as oaths are supposed to be. The stronger, more powerful, more influential, defends the weaker and poorer, who support the stronger with their labor, products, and wealth. It CAN be acceptable, at least for a time, but rapidly declines into a very disagreeable, tormented society in which no one has much freedom. Not even the rulers.

Or it degrades into socialism, in which EVERYTHING is for the tribe and there is nothing significant for individuals or families – including such things as free enterprise, free markets, and security. Physical or financial. And in which those who would have been tribal chiefs (and their lackeys), or feudal lords (and their lackeys), instead become “servants of the people” awarded for their onerous burden of caring for the people with power and riches.

All of this contrasts with a free society in which individuals have liberty AND responsibility in living their own lives, making their own choices, doing what is right in their own eyes, NOT what they are forced to do by their chiefs, feudal overlords, or bureaucrats and elected “leaders.” It seems likely that the time for such freedom and responsibility has passed – at least for a short time. And unless some folks are right and the Triumvirate of Biden (Harris-waiting-in-the-wings), Schumer, and Pelosi will be too incompetent or too hyped and grabbing for money more than power.

BUT…

This too shall pass, and the more they overreach, the more likely this cabal will grasp nothing but air. And continue to anger more and more people, pushing them to do something?

Something like decide to stop playing their games? Refusing to obey, to pay, to deal with government agencies and refuse to show up in court? Work with the cops who are NOT jack-booted thugs and as ticked at this as other people?

Enough is enough.