When (if) the full story of Jan6 ever comes out I predict it will have multiple levels of intention and complicity.
Broadly
1/The "base" level of the mob reacting out of what they believe & has been taught & insinuated into them for years.
I think this chaos is the cover for

other levels that seem to have a much more clear, "calm" mission.
These are the people who are now utterly confused that what they were told turns out to not be true.
These people being disbarred from flying, or taken into custody, thinking they were just returning home, are
bearing the brunt of the response by the law enforcement system. They are the easiest to see, find, and catch.
They are the pawns. They are the Orcs in the Trumpian system...expendable. Useful. Necessary. But Expendable as the strategy & tactics require.

Who knows if these
people, so adamant in their emotional pumped up outrage will figure this out. For now, the fact that they are the ones being hauled in, the first ones facing the consequences of their actions, seems to be solidifying their martyr frame of mind. I suspect they feel a kinship
with Trump, who does nothing but proclaim himself a victim and a martyr. In this they get to feel even moreso that they are part of the righteous army, gods army, doing gods work.
And they will be used again and again as necessary for the other levels.
2/ The disciplined "soldiers" who had a mission, and were executing it w a systematic intent and efficiency.
Using the mob action to cover their work.

This level is also there to be seen, but will need a great deal of clear, hard, investigation to actually understand fully.
Recalling the video of the stream of men, equipped with military gear, moving through the middle of the crowd. Some of the images, esp the fellow w plastic handcuffs, jumping the seats, seem to capture some of these people in action.

It has been reported that they were on
the way to capture, hold hostage some of the Congress members.
This "mission" is congruent with the public statements made to the crowd by Gulliani and D.Trump.

This level are those who are committed to the cause at a much deeper level than just the mob, stirred up and
manipulated by their fears, as well as the excitement of being part of "the movement".

3/ The level above this is the strategic level. The Generals who execute the strategy. The captains who lead the troops. Broadly this could be the GOP Senate level. Some like Cruz, Hawley
being the public voice. Calling the troops to the battle.

4/ At the top level is the strategic "plan" development happen(ed). The setting of the objectives. Basically Trump and his inner circle.
The objective seems clear... At least the bits we can see.
Retain Trump in power
This objective was implemented in a number of "skirmish" level actions. Seeming to test the system, see if it could be bent, broken and succumb to the project.
The abuse of the courts. The endless counter-factual accusations of fraud (very localized to only those districts
that voted against them/Trump) and etc.

It didn’t work. The backroom calls to Sec's State by Graham, later Trump, are part of testing this battle front. Attacking the voting system and individuals another.

What is likely more pernicious is what we do not know yet.
It seems clear that the events of Jan6 were not simply a spontaneous happening, but a long planned end game.

Such a plan would require these levels of function to implement.
Who turns out to be a functionary at each of these levels is going to be the work of any investigations
The paramount question is
a) whether there will be an investigation
b) if it will be tasked to follow all of the trails and evidence
c) no matter who is found to be implicated and complicit.

My suspicion is there are dark corners in this event that powerful people,
and institutions are not excited to have exposed.

I think the question is far deeper than simple Republican vs Democrat. Right v Left.

At the highest levels I suspect are some of the most powerful concentrations of power. I wonder if this event will end up shining any
light there?

It is not so much a conspiracy theory, as a deduction of hidden cause(s) from the known and "visible" effects.

I do not know who or what sits at the "Trump" level. Or if there are levels above that.
I am quite certain that what we see is not the full picture.
It recalls the notion/analogy that what is in play is a 10,000 piece puzzle, very complicated, very difficult to piece together.. especially as the #PuzzlePiece are being discovered bit by bit.
And, not everything, even what is known, is not yet in the public square.

More from Michael Beaton

The assertion & question of unity, unifying the country, wondering what the hell the problem is, and why is all this happening is taking center stage. Dramatically.
As is the corollary question being tossed about, "How to heal the Nation?".

There is a #systems principle


that is a powerful insight into these, & related, questions.

"You cannot solve a problem at the same level it was created."

If the problem we were solving for were some detail, 'where to place a road; what $ to allocate to this or that project' sort of thing, then the way to

think about the problem, the impasse, is to appeal first to the functions of prior planning, history - meaning what did we do the last time, maybe pragmatics...Eventually, if the organization (whether business, community, or governance) may make a decision and that becomes the

decision. Often, typically, the decision is some sort of amalgam of the various ideas and 'camps' in the room. Rarely, but sometimes, the decision is made out of pure hierarchy..."What the boss says goes, I don't care what you think..." sort of thing. Largely that is old school

and is not the normal way of conflict resolution. Especially in the context of solving a problem.
But a decision is made, and typically people, and the various factions, come together and get to work in the context of the decision. Sometimes called 'teamwork'.
It is not just wrong
& it is not just the epitome of historical ignorance,
& a comprehensive misunderstanding of the relationship of religious and civil society,
This is the declaration of a much deeper intention of instantiating an "American Fundamentalism".
Think "Gilead".


This is the low information ranting of fundamentalists who lay out the emotional, fact & history free, case for what is essentially an American Taliban.
There is no "compromise" or a sense of comity between differences. When you have "the truth" it is a violation to "compromise".

Others, like "The Grand Inquisitor" use the froth and confusion--and subsequent absolutist certainty of their "righteousness" generated by such as this. (and thus justification for killing/harming anyone who disagrees..In the name of God, of course)

It is useful demagoguery.

This battle has been raging for years. Perhaps forever.

One distinctive characteristic of America, has been keeping this level of fundamentalism out of secular power. Individuals, yes, but not the entire system.

One of the consequences of Trumpism is to equate patriotism w religion in a way that births what becomes a passionately ignorant fundamentalism, unmoored from fact or truth,wedded only to its own self as the measure & guide of truth.
It creates a condition of deep tribal devotion

More from Society

Like most movements, I have learned that the definition of feminism has expanded to include simply treating women like human beings.

(A thread for whoever feels like reading)


I have observed feminists on Twitter advocating for rape victims to be heard, rapists to be held accountable, for people to address the misogyny that is deeply rooted in our culture, and for women to be treated with respect.

To me, very easy things to get behind.

And the amount of pushback they receive for those very basic requests is appalling. I see men trip over themselves to defend rape and rapists and misogyny every chance they get. Some accounts are completely dedicated to harassing women on this site. It’s unhealthy.

Furthermore, I have observed how dedicated these misogynists are by how they treat other men that do not immediately side with them. There is an entire lexicon they have created for men who do not openly treat women with disrespect.

Ex: simp, cuck, white knight, beta

All examples of terms they use to demean a man who respects women.

To paraphrase what a wise man on this app said:

Some men hate women so much, they hate men who don’t hate women

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1/ Here’s a list of conversational frameworks I’ve picked up that have been helpful.

Please add your own.

2/ The Magic Question: "What would need to be true for you


3/ On evaluating where someone’s head is at regarding a topic they are being wishy-washy about or delaying.

“Gun to the head—what would you decide now?”

“Fast forward 6 months after your sabbatical--how would you decide: what criteria is most important to you?”

4/ Other Q’s re: decisions:

“Putting aside a list of pros/cons, what’s the *one* reason you’re doing this?” “Why is that the most important reason?”

“What’s end-game here?”

“What does success look like in a world where you pick that path?”

5/ When listening, after empathizing, and wanting to help them make their own decisions without imposing your world view:

“What would the best version of yourself do”?