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Comment by hansvs | Hacker News Reader

Reading this article gave me goosebumps and an overall melancholy feeling. I can't quite put my finger on why though...

I think it has to do with the subtext (I might be reading into this...) that knowledge is no longer a respected asset, but instead is viewed by some as a symbol of the 'old' status quo (and its related issues and in particular its failure in resolving some of those issues). The reaction to this, as I have understood it, is to either shun those who use knowledge (in the sense of this 'old' way) or outright censor them (remove them from the knowledge-pool).

The article did help in my understanding of identity-politics and why its such a powerful force in the USA and, for example, less so in places like Europe.

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We should never assume that the loudest voices are also representing the majority opinion. This brought us into so many crises in the past.

Right now the world is changing as it did a few times in the past as well. From families to tribes, from tribes to cities, from cities to countries to nations to whatever is currently in the brewing. And always when such a big change happens it is not possible for us humans to really understand it. There are some who overinterpret the change and become zealous about enforcing it, but in the wrong way. There are also those that want to stay close to the old ways and therefore enforce these with zealous spirit.

That doesn't mean the majority will not do as it always did: try to make the best of what happens around them while continue to live their normal lifes. And in that regard the majority is also interested in knowledge and logic and fairness etc.

If you feel knowledge is an important part of your path continue believing in it and that there are enough other people around you who feel the same. Even if they don't speak up. This crisis will pass and then we'll live in a new world. And certainly we rather need more knowledge workers than in past iterations.

> We should never assume that the loudest voices are also representing the majority opinion.

While that is certainly true...it is also often the loudest voices that control the narrative, and therefore politics. Sometimes to disastrous consequences.

I feel that what is currently brewing is a form of social cults, or if you prefer softer phrasing, cultural tribes. With a very strong feedback control loop deriving from social networking.

Aspects we can see emerging (and mentioned in the article) include: submission to and no questioning of the leadership/apostles; there being only one absolute truth; a persecution complex; control of actions through indoctrination and isolation; group think; and cognitive dissonance.

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