People are being manipulated to rally behind destructive courses using grievances as bait
09 February 2025 - 15:29
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German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s words could have been written today: “Insanity in individuals is rare, but in groups, parties and nations it is the rule.”
We see right before our eyes how people are being manipulated on the principle of groupthink to blindfold and rally them behind a destructive course using grievances — real and imagined — as bait.
A team of truth-benders and fixers use media platforms to do damage control. In the words of Rudyard Kipling, bending the truth “to make a trap for fools”.
We are familiar with the playbook; it is recorded in Mein Kampf. History rhymes.
Dawie Jacobs Pretoria
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Truth-benders out to deceive
People are being manipulated to rally behind destructive courses using grievances as bait
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s words could have been written today: “Insanity in individuals is rare, but in groups, parties and nations it is the rule.”
We see right before our eyes how people are being manipulated on the principle of groupthink to blindfold and rally them behind a destructive course using grievances — real and imagined — as bait.
A team of truth-benders and fixers use media platforms to do damage control. In the words of Rudyard Kipling, bending the truth “to make a trap for fools”.
We are familiar with the playbook; it is recorded in Mein Kampf. History rhymes.
Dawie Jacobs
Pretoria
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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