Combatting the Hegelian Dialectic
by Donavon L Riley

The pressure to “choose a side” is constant. Our response to politics and cultural events, our religious beliefs, our philosophical principles, our moral stance on the headline of the week is demanded on an hour to hour basis by corporate media talking heads, social media algorithms, and interpersonal conversations. And too often we are swept away by the current of emotions that drench “this week’s thing” as people scramble to prove their righteousness and/or their fealty to their tribe, team, party, etc. Why?

It is how the Machine manipulates us. The masses are bewitched by manufactured outrage, sympathy, support, or revulsion for a purported ally or enemy. Then we demand something be done about that which captivates our attention. “Save them!”  “We have to send aid!” “We must protect democracy and freedom!” “That man is a dictator, he must be dethroned!” And so on and so on and so on. This is how the Machine and its managers offer us an illusion of choice to get what they want. 

Any time we feel that we must rush to support or condemn this week’s hero or villain, taking a side on some current event that is amplified by corporate media and social media algorithms, we have fallen into a trap. 

George Hegel wrote: “…the framework for guiding thoughts and actions into conflicts that lead to a predetermined solution. This is accomplished by manipulating consciousness into a circular pattern of thought and action. The synthetic solution to these conflicts can’t be introduced unless those being manipulated take a side that will advance the predetermined agenda.” — George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, The Hegelian Dialectic.

Today, we suffer this dialectic daily. We have been trained by our screens not to question the motives and intent of those presenting the news story to us, or whether what we are seeing is being produced in such a way as to illicit a thoughtless, emotional reaction. 

The managers create a conflict, which is intended to conjure a response from us. Then we demand they do something to fix the problem, and as such, we accept their proposed solution. And so, new legislation is passed, freedoms are surrendered for the sake of safety, and those who question the narrative are demonized, marginalized, and used as examples of bad actors. 

Every day we are directed to focus our attention on the latest political debate, an ongoing war, injustice in our cities, a public health crisis, celebrity scandal, or a financial disaster. The reporting is relentless. People are talking about it at work, around the dinner table, at church, in the gym, everywhere we go the conversation seems centered on the same topics. And still we don’t step back to ask, “Why are we all so concerned about this when last week it was something else, and why are there only two positions — for or against — available to us to choose?”

Who’s to blame? Anyone who doesn’t choose a side. Anyone who chooses “the wrong side.” Anyone who doesn’t insist that “something needs to be done about this.” At the same time, we are told to blame this politician, or that celebrity, or those people until citizens rally together, marching on city hall, demanding that our leaders save us. 

Our leaders then graciously capitulate to the masses, “for the sake of democracy,” moving quickly to resolve the artificial problem they created. And it is always the same resolution: curtailment of freedom and further proliferation of technology designed to surveil our every movement, thought, and word in order to maintain a vice-like grip on our behavior. More manipulation, more control, more influence for the managers and more power for the Machine.  

So what can be done about this? How can we step out of the current of noise and survey what’s actually occurring? What follows is a six point outline I have developed for how to educate yourself, combat the influence of the dialectic, and help others to do likewise:

1. Awareness and Education

• Educate Yourself and Others: Understand the structure of the dialectic. Recognize patterns where problems and reactions are engineered to guide you towards a specific solution.
• Critical Thinking: Develop and encourage critical thinking skills. Question the motives behind the presented thesis and antithesis.

2. Identifying Patterns

• Analyze News and Information: Look for recurring themes in media and public discourse. Notice if there is a pattern of presenting a problem, provoking a reaction, and then offering a solution that benefits a particular group.
• Ask Who Benefits: Whenever faced with a supposed crisis or solution, consider who stands to gain from the proposed synthesis.

3. Independent Verification

• Research Multiple Sources: Avoid relying on a single source of information. Cross-reference facts and opinions from diverse perspectives to get a more balanced view.
• Fact-Checking: Use fact-checking tools and resources to verify the accuracy of claims and data.

4. Emotional Regulation

• Stay Calm: Manipulators often use emotional triggers to provoke reactions. By staying calm and not reacting impulsively, you can think more clearly and avoid being swayed by emotional appeals.
• Mindfulness Practices: Techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, and prayer can help in maintaining emotional balance and clarity of thought.

5. Community Engagement

• Discuss and Debate: Engage in discussions with others to test and refine your understanding. Group deliberation can expose hidden biases and manipulative tactics.
• Build Networks: Form or join groups that prioritize informed discussion and critical analysis of current events.

6. Transparency and Accountability

• Demand Transparency: Advocate for transparency in decision-making processes, whether in government, organizations, or media.
• Hold Leaders Accountable: Ensure that leaders and policymakers are held accountable for their actions and decisions. Public scrutiny can deter manipulative practices.