In an age where truth has become a malleable commodity, shaped by the whims of broligarchs and the machinations of Silicon Valley, navigating the post-truth landscape can feel like an insurmountable challenge. But veteran investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr, no stranger to the perils of speaking truth to power, offers a glimmer of hope in the form of 20 hard-won lessons for surviving the onslaught of McMuskism – a toxic brew of McCarthyism, Trumpian politics, and the invasive reach of tech titans like Elon Musk.
The Writing on the Wall
As Cadwalladr points out, the warning signs are already here. Trump’s recent appointments – an intelligence director who parrots Russian propaganda, a Christian nationalist as defense secretary, and a vaccine skeptic heading health – paint a grim picture of what’s to come. If destroying American democracy, values, and institutions is the goal, these moves are textbook.
Journalists are first, but everyone else is next.
Carole Cadwalladr
Trump’s multi-billion dollar lawsuits against “enemy” media outlets and publishers, coupled with his proposed FBI director’s stance on prosecuting journalists, signal an impending wave of political persecution. Cadwalladr warns that while journalists, academics, and writers may be the first targets, doctors, teachers, and professionals from all walks of life will soon follow. The playbook of authoritarianism is as predictable as it is efficient.
Naming the Beast
To confront the threat, Cadwalladr argues, we must first understand its nature. She dubs this new era “McMuskism” – a potent combination of McCarthyist tactics, Trumpian politics, Muskian disruption, and the invasive power of Silicon Valley’s surveillance tools. It’s a world where political witch-hunts and online mobs wield the power to destroy lives and careers with terrifying speed and efficiency.
Harnessing Our Power
Yet even in the face of such daunting adversaries, Cadwalladr insists that we are not powerless. She urges institutions and organizations to form emergency committees, seek guidance from those who have endured authoritarianism, and resist the urge to capitulate to fear. Knowing who we are and what we stand for, she argues, is the first line of defense.
Do not kiss the ring. Do not bend to power. Power will come to you, anyway. Don’t make it easy. Not everyone can stand and fight. But nobody needs to bend the knee until there’s an actual memo to that effect. WAIT FOR THE MEMO.
Carole Cadwalladr
Practical Measures
On a practical level, Cadwalladr offers a host of strategies for safeguarding our privacy and autonomy in an age of surveillance capitalism. From treating personal data like nude selfies to conducting transactions in cash, her advice is both sobering and empowering. She urges us to seek out unlikely allies, maintain a sense of humor, and never forget that tech billionaires are not gods, but rather “over-entitled nerds with extraordinary historical luck.”
Above all, Cadwalladr reminds us that truth still matters. As NYU philosophy professor Tamsin Shaw notes, “We can’t even fully recognize what tyranny is if we let the ruling powers get away with lying to us all.” In a world where facts are under siege, holding fast to the truth is an act of resistance.
A Call to Action
Cadwalladr’s lessons are not just a survival guide, but a rallying cry. She challenges us to think beyond short-term cycles and develop a 30-year roadmap out of the post-truth morass. It’s a daunting task, but one we cannot afford to shirk. As she pointedly reminds us, the broligarchs are playing a long game – and so must we.
In the end, Cadwalladr’s message is one of resilience, solidarity, and the enduring power of truth. Though the path ahead may be treacherous, she offers us a compass to navigate the darkness – one forged in the fire of her own battles against the forces of disinformation and deceit. It’s a compass that points unfailingly toward the light of truth, justice, and the belief that, even in the face of overwhelming odds, we have the power to shape our destiny.
As we stand on the precipice of a new era, Carole Cadwalladr’s 20 lessons serve as a clarion call – a reminder that, though the road ahead may be fraught with peril, we do not walk it alone. Armed with knowledge, fortitude, and an unwavering commitment to the truth, we may yet weather the gathering storm and emerge, battered but unbroken, into a brighter dawn.
