Barry Brewer

Feeling like we are “in-the-know” is incredibly addictive.

When we feel like we are “in-the-know” it props up some aspect of our self-concept. It makes us feel smarter than other people. Smugly self-assured. I think there are narcissistic elements, elitist tendencies, but also elements tied to survival, an evolutionary adaptation.

There’s something about believing that we are solely capable of curating and analyzing available information; as if we are running our own truth and accuracy filtering algorithms, whereas the closer version to our situation is that we are being fed bite sized pieces of information by 3rd parties and algorithms produced by people who want to direct our attention so as to influence that which we believe to be true, or just keep us sticking around, usually to sell us something.

We are regularly lied to. Everywhere you turn you are faced with another lie, and this onslaught of lies, deception and manipulation (in every media type, personal interactions, government reports, business narratives, law enforcement, judiciary, etc…) has fostered a hyper-vigilance and compulsion to respond, “correct”, shout down, snicker, sneer at and reprimand at every opportunity – just not at the right people.

For the elitists, those who feel the compulsion to assert how “smart” they are (face meet mirror) there is no discourse. No listening. No ability to expand and consider another person’s observations; regardless of completely different life experiences.

This brand of elitism is white knuckled by the status seeking & self-impressed. Humility is considered a weakness to be exploited, to reinforce our self-image and to make matters worse people follow the arrogant and assertive.

I assert no panacea, I wish all joy.