"Remember: They want you scattered. Your focus is resistance."

[CoopersDad]

First seen on Facebook, I tracked it down to the original source and feel it's essential to our success and our sanity.

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.

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.

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?

1️⃣ 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.

2️⃣ Use aggregators and experts: Find trusted analysts who do the heavy lifting of synthesis. Look for those explaining patterns, not just events.

3️⃣ Remember: Feeling overwhelmed is the point.
When you recognize this, you regain some power. Take breaks. Process. This is a marathon.

4️⃣ Practice going slow: Wait 48hrs before reacting to new policies. The urgent clouds the important. Initial reporting often misses context.

5️⃣ 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. ✊🏼✊🏼

Shared with permission from Jen | Sociologist & Pathfinder (@itsjenniferwalter) on Threads.

https://www.threads.net/@itsjenniferwalter

[Tanuki]

1. Thanks for searching this out and sharing.

It has some good advice and I would not have seen it, as I am not on Facebook or Threads.

[CoopersDad]

4. Steve Bannon refers to as "flooding the zone with shit".

Others compare it to the "Gish Gallop":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gish_gallop

[gab13by13]

2. Is this directed at unwashed Democrats

or directed at Congressional Democrats?

[CoopersDad]

3. I believe it's sage advice for all of us, voters, children, all elected officials.

I am afraid I don't know what an "unwashed Democrat" means, but I will say, yes, it's directed at them, too.