There Must Be Some Way Out of Here
Norman Mailer, a towering figure in American literature, often explored the concept of totalitarianism as a creeping force within American governance. His perspective, particularly in works like The Presidential Papers and The Armies of the Night, was that totalitarianism in the United States was less about overt state control and more about cultural conformity and psychological manipulation. Mailer warned against the erosion of individuality and the rise of a homogenized society, where dissent was stifled not through brute force but through societal pressures and the dominance of mass media.
Mailer’s critique was rooted in the idea that totalitarianism could manifest internally without an authoritarian regime. He argued that the United States, in its pursuit of consumerism and technological advancement, risked creating a society where citizens were subtly coerced into compliance. This “soft totalitarianism,” as some scholars have termed it, was characterized by suppressing critical thought and prioritizing collective norms over personal freedoms.
In contrast, the measures the Trump administration took during its second term reflect a more direct and overt approach to governance that some critics have likened to authoritarianism.
For instance, the administration’s use of executive orders to bypass legislative processes and its aggressive stance on immigration enforcement have drawn comparisons to the centralized control typical of totalitarian regimes. Policies like the implementation of ImmigrationOS, a surveillance tool designed to monitor immigrants, have been criticized as invasive and a violation of human rights.
Moreover, the administration’s rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs has been seen as an attempt to suppress minority voices and reinforce societal hierarchies. These actions starkly contrast Mailer’s warnings about cultural conformity, representing a deliberate effort to reshape societal norms through policy rather than subtle cultural shifts.
While Mailer focused on the insidious nature of cultural totalitarianism, the Trump administration’s measures highlight a more explicit form of control that has sparked widespread debate about the balance between national security and individual freedoms. Together, these perspectives underscore the evolving nature of governance and the enduring relevance of Mailer’s insights into the dynamics of power and conformity in American society.
“You can be the best in the world,” Mailer wrote in Advertisements For Myself, “and still lose.”
In Trump’s America, we are finding out that Americans and others with proper papers to be in America can be snatched off the streets, placed on an airplane, and transported to an El Salvadoran prison without due process of law. The Attorney General will steadfastly refuse to talk with the Supreme Court about what facts and laws give the executive branch the authority to do it.
Meanwhile, the chief executive peddles the theory that destroying the means of production and distribution via tariffs means gaining wealth, a theory rejected by the markets and most economists. Nevertheless, a theory propped up by executive fiat, and while a majority of Americans no longer believe that tariffs are the way to a more prosperous union, Trump maintains an eroding base of supporters who are willing to wait months to see if he can tax his way out of a bad economy.
“There must be some way out of here, said the Joker to the thief, intoned Jimi Hendrix in his rendition of Bob Dylan’s All Along the Watchtower.
“No reason to get excited, The thief he kindly spoke. There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke.”
Then the Prophet Isaiah answered, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen and all the graven images of her gods he has broken unto the ground.”
Harold Michael Harvey, JD, is a two-time award-winning author for his memoir, Freaknik Lawyer: A Memoir on the Craft of Resistance, and the historical novel, Watch Night, Our Souls Cried out for Freedom: A Narrative History of Bethel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Macon, Georgia, from 1863 to 2023. Harvey is a past president of the oldest Black Bar Association in Georgia and founder of the Gate City Bar Association Hall of Fame. An avid baseball fan, he is a voting member of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. Harvey is an engaging public speaker. Contact Harvey at [email protected]