Columnist Daniel Cantor Yalowitz: What in the world are we witnessing?

Daniel Cantor Yalowitz

Daniel Cantor Yalowitz

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

Published: 02-17-2025 7:31 AM

These are simply and profoundly crazy times, well beyond the pale of what we have seen before concerning the leadership of our federal government. Whatever other words we may use, I imagine that terms like chaos, terror, fear, intimidation, lies out of control, unrepentant anger, petulance, and obfuscation might be among them (at least, those are some of my more polite ones).

Yes, DJT won the 2024 presidential election, fair and square. No, it was by not a “mandate.” Truth and fact: Less than half (49.8%) of our U.S. electorate actually voted for him.

These past weeks since the inauguration, other equally unsavory characters have surfaced, and found themselves placed or voted into positions of leadership, no matter how completely unqualified they are. Most of these folks likely could never be elected to their cabinet or faux positions or roles. But here they are, and here we are. All this coming from the unfiltered, sociopathic mind of one individual who both seems to know precisely what he’s doing (causing daily chaos) while at the same time being clueless and feckless.

Each day leaves us breathless, with far more questions than could ever receive comprehensible responses. Much like staying ahead of the pain, as doctors suggest, our once-again president manages to stay ahead of the news cycles that are of his own bogus creation, leaving even those he says he has chosen to collaborate with unaware and sometimes spellbound.

What are we witnessing? DJT and his crew use tactics, such as a fire hose of falsehood and nonsense, “Chaos Politics,” “Shock Doctrine,” and gaslighting, to sow confusion and distraction, not just among American voters and citizens, but among our global leaders and citizens. It becomes nearly impossible to pin down a stable reality.

His strategy thrives on disorientation, keeping us in a state of suspended disbelief in which we are exhausted, confused, and feel truth is nowhere to be found. Leaders and the general public become unable to effectively counter policy shifts or power grabs. I see this all as purposeful, calculated nonsense on his part. But here he is and here we are.

Daily, I roll my eyes, scratch my head, breathe deeply, and wonder, “How did we get here?” “How did this actually happen?” “What could be next?” While it’s certainly hard to ascertain how, when, and where this all began, I also pose the question, “When will it ever end — or will it?”

Much like that old 1997 Barry Levenson/Dustin Hoffman/Robert De Niro movie, “Wag the Dog,” we are witnessing the virulence and violence of fake news coming from DJT and his pals. Most days, it doesn’t feel real — and most of it isn’t. So much of it feels more like “let’s throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks” than it does the thoughtful deliberations of a government by the people, of the people, and for the people — kind of the way it used to be — or it’s s’posed to be?

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I wonder, who is the “we” that elected this man, not only once, but again? What are many of them — those beyond his narrow and narrowing base — thinking now? Seems more and more that most of those folks who checked his name on Nov. 4 are going to be the ones whose voices are stilled and without agency. What then?

So, I ask you as I ask of myself, what are we actually witnessing? None of this is new. It’s just the same spin and variation that goes back nearly 10 years now.

Ironically, it is the voice of “the people” that continues to be stilled, shut down, and terminated. If we once thought that dialogue including differences of opinion matters, surely it looks like this is less and less the case. In short, we are living in, observing, and almost (but not quite) paralyzed within a mess and a morass that seems more and more impossible from which to extricate ourselves.

Beyond what we are witnessing each day emanating from our federally elected and unelected “leaders,” I am also witnessing things that concern me more and more. I’m thinking about the fear and anxiety etched into people’s eyes, faces, and bodies; attitudes that sound like “I’m giving up and moving to”; the ever-more pervasive epidemics of sleeplessness, diabetes, obesity, and night terrors; illegal and misuse of drugs and medications. We could go on and on.

So, it’s not only the outward-facing witnessing of negativity but also the inward awareness of the chaos and craziness that is impacting our lives. I am witnessing ongoing efforts to demoralize and disempower the majority of our fellow Americans, along with those we know and don’t know around the world who share our fears and anxieties.

Witnessing is a powerful and universal human experience. When we see and sense what is really going on with DJT and his cronies, we have no choice but to question and not to give up, though his every statement and action clearly suggest that we do otherwise.

Let’s witness and act on what we know is fact-based truth, none of which this president seems to know about. Let’s corroborate what we hear and see. Let’s look to one another to make sure our own daily news as accurate, truthful, and fact-based as possible, no matter what it takes.

One action I recommend to anyone supportive of this perspective is to open and read an incredibly informative and strategic article titled “Indivisible: A Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink” at indivisible.org. It will help sort out for each of us what a next appropriate action step could be.

Daniel Cantor Yalowitz writes a regular column in the Recorder. A developmental and intercultural psychologist, he has facilitated change in many organizations and communities around the world. His two most recent books are “Journeying with Your Archetypes” and “Reflections on the Nature of Friendship.” Reach out to him at danielcyalowitz@gmail.com.