By John Q. Hosedrinker 
In addition to the main content, Bulwark+ offers “Bulwark+ Takes,” a feature providing concise news commentary from the entire team. This platform includes ad-free video shorts, exclusive livestreams for Bulwark+ members, and archives of live events. Recognizing the continuous nature of news, “Bulwark+ Takes” ensures constant engagement with current events.
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The government is telling you not to believe your eyes. This is a chilling reality, isn’t it? It’s a sentiment echoed across various observations, and it’s something that feels like it’s becoming increasingly relevant. The core of this issue isn’t new; it’s a tactic as old as time: control the narrative, and you control the people. The quotes from George Orwell’s *1984* are incredibly prescient. The idea that a controlling entity dictates what constitutes truth, and that you should reject the evidence of your senses, is a terrifying concept. It’s a command, a final and essential one, because it allows them to reshape reality to their advantage.
The current situation feels like we’re caught in a cycle of distortion. It’s not just about a single event or a particular policy; it’s about a systematic attempt to manipulate perception. We see this in the aftermath of events, where official narratives often clash violently with eyewitness accounts and visual evidence. The case of Alex Pretti, as highlighted in some of the commentary, perfectly illustrates this. An individual is killed, and the official response appears to be an attempt to redefine the victim as the aggressor, twisting the narrative to serve a specific agenda. The use of DARVO – Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender – is a common tool in this game of manipulation. It’s designed to confuse, exhaust, and ultimately silence anyone who questions the official story.
This approach seems to have escalated, with those in power operating with the assumption that the public won’t pay attention to reality. They attempt to frame events through a prism of their own creation, distorting facts and declaring their version of truth. Trump’s approach, as some believe, reflects an absence of any adult supervision, marked by relentless DARVO tactics. This can work, especially if you are surrounded by people who are deeply committed to the same ideology. But the hope is that, as the distortion intensifies, more and more people will wake up and see the true reality. The question then becomes: What is the breaking point? What level of brutality or distortion will finally push the public to reject the lies?
This erosion of truth isn’t just a political strategy; it’s a systematic dismantling of trust. Think about the impact of this on law enforcement, for instance. If the public is conditioned to disbelieve what they see and hear, how can they trust the agents who are meant to protect them? Any citizen charged with crimes should now require actual video evidence of their alleged crimes. In an environment like this, the very foundation of justice is threatened. What we’re increasingly seeing is not just a disagreement over facts but a war on reality itself. The goal is to create a situation where any information that contradicts the official narrative is dismissed as “fake news,” “misinformation,” or simply ignored.
The rise of digital media has made it even more complex. As technology advances, the ability to create and disseminate convincing “fake” videos, images, and statements increases. While we can look at videos posted by people with cell phones, we’re also seeing the administration posting their own videos. The problem here is the infiltration of social media and platforms like Reddit, using bots and other methods to spread their message. That means that we all get spammed with competing videos and online statements. It’s a battle for the truth, and the battleground is your own senses. This administration has lost any remaining credibility, and the public is left in a state of confusion.
It’s a frightening prospect. How can you tell what’s real and what’s manipulated? The government is telling you lies, and their goal is for you to believe them. The response from some is to reject the manipulation outright. “Don’t Look Up!” – a reference to the film and the implicit warning within it. Trust your eyes, and reject the lies. Recognize that this isn’t a new phenomenon. It’s been happening for a long time. It didn’t start with gas chambers. It started with one party controlling the media. One party controlling the message. One party deciding what is truth.
There is a sense of urgency. The stakes are incredibly high. Is this our government or a fascist, authoritarian regime? It’s a question worth asking. As it stands, there is an attempt to silence dissent, and the consequences of going against the grain are potentially very serious. Cross them and you die. The hope is that there is an end to this. That someday, this nightmare will end. But it will take time and it will take work. The key is to refuse to be gaslit, to cling to the truth, and to recognize that the fight for reality is a fight for the very soul of democracy.