Q: You’re a much sought-after advisor in certain political circles. What is it you offer?
A: There are two types of politician. There are the naïve ones who want to help people, even if it means going against the rich and powerful. I don’t have time for them. Then there are those who recognise they need to stand with the rich and powerful, and the way to do that is win public office by attacking vulnerable scapegoats. That’s where I come in.
Q: Tell me if I’ve got this right. Politicians who ally themselves with the rich and powerful look to you for advice on how to get the wider public to support them to go after scapegoats you identify, and deflect people from seeing the actual harm and exploitation caused by the rich and powerful.
A: That’s a rather crude way of putting it. It’s actually a fine art.
Q: What do you mean?
A: Well, look at the real problems. If people realise it’s powerful and irresponsible corporations that’s behind them, you can imagine how they’d be clamouring for actions to deal with them. So you need to change the way they see things. Tell them the increasing weather extremes have nothing to do with fossil fuels, but are caused by nutters pushing crazy green policies. Warn them that more people are killed by guns because ‘liberals’ make it too difficult for people to buy guns to protect themselves. Explain to them that it is not gambling, sugary food, nicotine, or alcohol that bring about harm and addiction, but the deplorable character of addicts who have no one to blame but themselves. Remind them that unemployment is only a problem because the ‘socialists’ encourage people to be lazy and rely on welfare.
Q: Why would anyone believe you despite all the evidence to the contrary?
A: You’ve got to know which button to push.
Q: Care to explain that?
A: When people are angry, they need to channel that anger somewhere. Well-meaning politicians present facts politely – and drearily – and few listen to them. Whereas I put on my best outraged face, and rail at immigrants, refugees, feminists, anyone speaking up for ethnic minorities or human rights, and anything to do with health & safety or has ‘Europe’ in its name. You see, these are easy targets. We’ve got most of the media, countless troll factories, all the not so well-meaning politicians, lined up to pump out scare stories about them – immigrants are taking all the jobs, refugees are getting fancy accommodation, everyone on benefit is a cheat … And say that often enough, people repeat it to their mates as though it’s the gospel truth.
Q: How does that help anyone?
A: You have no idea. Once people have scapegoats they can blame and hate, you can give them a lot of satisfaction just by hurting stigmatised groups – make them suffer, deport them if you can, let them starve and get no help when they are sick, make them feel despised and isolated, vilify them at every opportunity. At the same time, once consumed with rage and disaffection, they won’t listen to facts or expert analyses about the real causes of the social, economic, or environmental problems facing them. My rich and powerful clients don’t have to worry about meddlesome politicians stepping in to deal with their irresponsible and harmful activities. It’s a win-win.
Q: Win-win for the rich and powerful who are basically ruining others’ lives.
A: Others’ lives don’t matter. That, incidentally, is our mission statement.
