The Overwhelm is the Goal – Here’s How to Fight Back

The Overwhelm is the Goal – Here’s How to Fight Back

Alright, listen up. What I’m about to read to you is a game-changer. You might want to sit down, read this twice, and share it everywhere. Because this is exactly what’s happening to us right now.

It comes from sociologist Jennifer Walter, and she explains why we all feel like we’re drowning under a flood of news, executive orders, and political chaos.

This is not an accident—it’s a tactic.

1. This is Shock Doctrine in Action

Trump’s first days back in office have been a blitzkrieg of executive orders—over 200 in just a few days. If it feels overwhelming, that’s because it’s meant to be.

This follows the Naomi Klein “Shock Doctrine” playbook—using crisis and chaos to push through radical changes while the public is too disoriented to fight back. They want us paralyzed.

2. Information Overload Makes People Passive

Ever heard of Marshall McLuhan? He predicted this. When people get hit with too much information at once, they actually stop engaging. They check out.

That’s what’s happening right now. The flood of policies, the constant scandals, the outrage cycle—all of it is intentional.

They know that if we’re too exhausted to keep up, we won’t resist.

3. The Media Can’t Keep Up—And That’s the Point

Here’s how agenda-setting theory works:

If ONE major policy change happens, people can focus, analyze, and organize against it.

But if DOZENS of policies drop at once, nobody knows what to focus on.

The media can’t cover everything in-depth, so coverage becomes shallow.

That means less public outrage, less organized resistance.

The result? Weakened democracy. Reduced public engagement.

4. How Do We Fight Back?

→ A. Set Boundaries: Pick Your Battles

You cannot track everything—that’s by design.

Pick 2-3 key issues you care about deeply and focus your energy there.

Trying to fight everything means you fight nothing effectively.

→ B. Use Trusted Experts & Aggregators

Don’t get lost in outrage clickbait. Follow people who break down patterns, not just regurgitate breaking news.

Not everyone yelling about the latest scandal is actually helping.

→ C. Take Breaks – This is a Marathon

When you realize the exhaustion is part of the strategy, you take back power.

Don’t let constant crisis mode burn you out. Take a step back, process, refocus.

→ D. Slow Down Before Reacting

Wait 48 hours before reacting to new policies. Initial reporting is often missing key context.

Urgency is often a distraction from what’s actually important.

→ E. Build Community & Share the Load

We cannot fight this alone.

Different people should track different issues. Divide and conquer.

One person can’t fight everything, but a network can.

5. My Take – How I’m Changing My Approach

As someone who shares news, I’m making a shift.

I don’t want to just dump alarming headlines that make people feel helpless.

Instead, I want to give you the context, the tools, and the strategy to actually push back.

I also need to be careful about what I consume. There’s a difference between information and sensationalized panic. Even when it's coming from “our side.”

Final Thought: They Want Us Scattered—Stay Focused

If outrage and chaos keep us from organizing, then they win.

We need to be deliberate, strategic, and focused.

They want us overwhelmedǰ.

Let’s stay focused, stay smart, and stay in the fight.

Who’s with me?