Oligarchs vs Administrators

Many like to entertain theories about who is pulling the strings behind the scenes. While interesting to follow, they ignore much of how power is instantiated today. The answers are much more mundane.

77. Oligarchs vs Administrators

With the recent assassination attempt of former president and current Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump — which, according to Google, may not have even happened —

and the recent removal of President Joe Biden as the presidential candidate for the Democrats, has led to a lot of speculations about who was behind these events, why now, and what did they want to accomplish? There are conspiracies about the “billionaire oligarchs” making power plays behind the scenes. People what to know who is pulling the strings. It is obvious to anyone with a modicum of intelligence that Joe Biden is not running the show, so it begs the question, “who is in charge?”

Once you are immersed in the online right, there is no shortage of villains to be found. People are identified. Certain religious and ethnic groups get pointed to again and again. We like the idea of some master manipulator behind the scenes, pulling the strings. Or it is some conspiracy cooked up by a shadowy organization. The World Economic Forum. The Masons. The Illuminati.

These theories make the things we see much more understandable to us. The idea of powerful people behind the scenes, out of sight, pulling the strings just makes sense. Plus, it give us lots to talk about. And, when the power structures seem stacked against you unfairly, being able to personalize the enemy allows you to focus your anger, gives you someone to blame, someone who can fill the role of the scapegoat. It makes an unjust situation a little more bearable knowing that there is someone responsible for your misery, for the troubles in society.

But there are difficulties with this approach, and we will get into them shortly. First, though, we must acknowledge that men and women with billions of dollars do wield influence. They do try to influence events. And they can make things happen. It is possible that some oligarch tried to get Donald Trump assassinated. Likewise, it is entirely plausible that some mover and shaker picked up the phone, had a conversation with someone, and just like that Joe Biden is done as president.