Remember that fear and loneliness — often deeply embedded by past conditioning — can drive people to act or speak in ways that contradict their beliefs, values, and character.
Often, these actions stem from an aching vulnerability or need for connection. Over time, these compensating mechanisms can pull people into patterns of behavior that harden into their identity.
Examples:
- A relative suddenly aligns with an extreme political movement.
- A rational friend starts to indulge conspiracy theories (That goddamn Bigfoot is controlling our mortgage rates!).
- A colleague becomes unusually hostile or competitive.
- A loved one begins gossiping or stoking drama within your family.
For those you care about, it may be worth intervening. Give them grace. Seek to understand what may be driving their uncharacteristic actions. Remember how frustrating — and common — it is to act in ways that you know are out of step with your ideal self.
Also remember that in the attention economy, fear and loneliness are weaponized against us. Media platforms exploit these vulnerabilities to simulate connection, stoke outrage, capture attention (sell advertising), and manipulate us into spreading more of the same.
“Fear is the most valuable commodity in the universe.”
~Max Brooks, World War Z (Book)
“Politics is the art of marshaling hatreds.”
~Unknown