Why The Former President Quit Blogging

 #343: The Disease: Fearsome Big Man Syndrome

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The news that our 45th president had abandoned his blog: "From The Desk Of...", after less than one month, struck me as revealing.  There was a lesson in there somewhere.  Only today, when I was reading Judd Legum's Popular Information newsletter on Substack, which discussed the matter, did it all make sense.

No, contrary to Uproxx' take--that everybody has the same theory (free trial period ran out, etc.), Popular Information connected the dots.  The real failing was that Facebook and Twitter weren't involved.  Without the Facebook algorithm feeding likely followers links to his blog, there was no 'street signage'.  There was no ad in the window, or doorman waving pedestrians in.  So, potential followers weren't likely to step inside one of the dozens of shops as they walked down the sidewalk.

Then, I took it one more step: what's the emotion one feels when viewing an ad in one's feed?  Well, normal people either accept or reject the appeal, then move on to the next item.  But certain kinds of people are especially susceptible to ads that rely on fear as a motivator.  They unconsciously think to themselves "If I choose to ignore this appeal, they'll know, and they're powerful; so, I'd better get on their good side".

Of course this is the basis of the protection racket, and of fascism: one must obey those above one in an authoritarian order that is based on fear of betrayal.  Social media that involves choosing to accept or reject an appeal is perfect for organizing a fascist movement, since the weak-minded ask "How do I know they aren't watching me right now?  I'd better not get in trouble."  Plus, to arouse the viewer's sense of fear, the appeal often dwells on scary subjects like "uncontrolled crime", "exploding deficits", "taking away your...", and "ruining our... (social order)".

Segments of the population that aren't susceptible to fear-based appeals have a hard time understanding all this.  But what if you knew your every move on the web was being monitored, and there were people shadowing you on the street.  Yeah, that's how saying 'Yes' to an appeal from a Fearsome Big Man makes sense--because it's easier than finding the courage in a dangerous world to say 'No'.

So, in other words, if there's no baited hook in their feed, potential 'followers' will prove hard to catch.  At which point the fisherman cuts bait and heads home.