The Illusion of Progress

 

In 2015, during a commencement speech at Dillard University, Denzel Washington said, “Don't confuse movement with progress." It is an important message that reminds us that not all activity results in meaningful progress. I find that much of the turmoil surrounding the leader of the MAGA party, is just movement without advancement. His followers rightfully deride the painfully slow progress of a government debating matters ad nauseum without taking any action. The mistake with MAGA is that they then cheer their Yosemite Sam leader when he fires his two six-shooters from the hip and at least hits something. It doesn't matter what he hits. Anything will do. Tear down the east wing of the White House without consultation. Start a war without provocation or imminent danger. Neither extreme represents progress.

This goes to the notion that it is important to plan your action, consider the consequences of your actions, and then execute the plan. Motion and progress are not synonymous. Donald Trump pulled the trigger on Venezuela, captured their leader, and brought about a regime change. One leader in captivity but not much else has changed. It cost taxpayers around $4 billion to do this.

A short time later, Trump pulled the trigger a second time. This time in Iran. There were no pre-announced objectives and the explanations that came later have been conflicting and fluid. At a cost of up to $2 billion per day in military expenditures, taxpayers should be entitled to a reasonable explanation of why the president decided that this was a good idea. Even if prohibiting Iran from developing a nuclear capability was a laudable objective, was this the best way to get there?

Mathematician Kate Ertmann wrote of the chaos theory and how it might explain some of what we are experiencing under Donald Trump. She talks of individual biases that inform our own decisions. A chaotic tuning parameter is when those biases become all encompassing, to the point where an entire administration’s decisions are led by one person’s belief system. She recommends taking immediate action, even a little nudge sometimes, to counter his deviations from legal or accepted behavior. This may not stop something from happening, but even a nudge may redirect its final destination. The Iranians used the Strait of Hormuz to nudge the whole world and Trump’s easy win is now a “clusterduck.”

The term helter-skelter references a state of utter confusion, disorganization, or reckless hasty action. Charles Manson used the term to describe his apocalyptic race war scenario. His psychological profile included extreme narcissism, paranoid delusion, and manipulative psychopathy. In psychology, a "helter-skelter" mindset refers to a state of mind characterized by chaotic, disorganized, and reckless haste. It is a way of operating without order, planning, or methodical arrangement, where actions are taken in a confused, frenzied rush.

This is not to draw direct comparisons between Manson and Trump, but to show some parallels in their thinking that should give us all some pause. With Manson we have charismatic authority and manipulation-check. Manson’s psychological profile included extreme narcissism often exhibiting irritable outbursts-check. Delusional thinking where Manson thought he was a prophetic messiah figure-check. Manson’s followers were conditioned to share his delusion in a cult dynamic where the leader’s distortions became their absolute truth-check. Hmmm, maybe I am making a more direct comparison than I thought. One difference, Manson’s cult killed nine people. The Trump war in Iran…