The Power of the Super Bowl ~ The Power of Language ~ Why Freedom of Assembly is so important ~ Elites are not monolithic

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⬅️ Ch. 2 Notes | Syllabus | Ch. 4 Notes ➡️

For this chapter, I'd like to summarize a little differently.  Here are notes.  But additionally, here's a short essay summarizing what our group discussed and also how I personally understood/synthesized Scott.

I. The Power of the Super Bowl

The hegemonic power structure (to use Josh's favorite phrase in NCE) will always want to impose their own value systems and rituals.  And it's critically important that the dominant see the subordinates partaking with full-throated enthusiasm.  The dominant don't want to be tyrants.  They want "willing affirmation".  So to get "willing affirmation", the dominant constructs elaborate rituals that legitimize their power.   Example: the Super Bowl every year here in the US.  Scott calls these rituals where subordinate kowtow to the dominant as "symbolic taxes":

No one, not even Robert Kraft, wants to be seen as tyrannical.  The dominant elite want to be seen as benevolent rulers who rule over willing subordinates.  eg. NFL owners who on average makes 7,000 time more than the average fan:

And yet, every year, when the Super Bowl rolls around, tens of thousands of subordinates dress up in their favorite team uniforms and go wild.  All the super-rich NFL owners look around and see the delight they're bringing the masses and that gives them legitimacy - a "hypnosis" that they possess "high moral purpose" to keep the socioeconomic fabric stitched together, strong:

For society to work, the subordinates must genuinely psychologically believe the dominant are truly "the victors".  When Robert Kraft sees all the people across the country walking around in Patriots jerseys, this reaffirms the public transcript.  Kraft is the giver of happiness, the giver of bread and circuses.

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II. The Power of Language (eg. The Arrival)

As @cybercypress writes and @emilia shared —and as we saw in The Arrival (2016)— words and grammar have great power.  They literally shape our reality and determine what is "truth".  The dominant will always be trying to impose a certain semiotic structure:  Who is a bandit or criminal?  Who is a witch?  Who is satanic?

Scott writes about the power of Russell Conjugations:

Critically, to propagate these values, the dominant need to control distribution of information (news networks), education, and all social infrastructure.  This made me think of Elon and X.  eg. Today, there are five major social network platforms:

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III. Why Freedom of Assembly is so important (and why DFOS, Bluesky, and other counter-hegemonic social infrastructure matters)

For our discussion last week, a big part we all honed in on in Ch. 3 what the critical importance of the freedom of assembly.  (Literally in the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights.)

The dominant will constantly be trying to atomize the subordinate population to control the vocabulary and Overton Window.  Because as long as the subordinates are atomized they are a non-threat. It's only when the subordinates gather in spaces together do they present danger to the dominant.

Counter-hegemonic social infrastructure is necessary for a healthy society and civilization.  It cannot just be Elon with his thumb on the scale deciding what speech gets reach. Or Jeff over at the Post deciding what cartoons run and which don't.

The dominant will consistently be trying to do everything in their power to prevent subordinates from gathering in unauthorized forums:

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IV. Elites are not monolithic though. It is critical they all sing the same tune.

Made me think of Prime Minister Mark Carney's Davos speech.  Even if something is objectively laughably untrue (eg. the idea that "rules-based international order" exists, is not impartial, and really isn't just made-up), him saying that so publicly at Davos was absolutely insane.  Everyone knows the public transcript of "rules-based international order" is untrue.  But him just having the chutzpah to just come out and say it as the Canadian Prime Minister was next-level gigachad work.