Hillary Clinton is well-versed in the concept of using loneliness as a weapon.

The​ Weaponization of Loneliness: Exploring the Epidemic

In a ‍recent article at The Atlantic, Hillary Clinton‍ delves into ​the topic of loneliness, a ‌subject that coincidentally shares the ⁢same title as my own book, “The Weaponization of Loneliness.” While Clinton’s piece has sparked criticism⁣ from conservatives, both she and her critics fail to⁢ fully explain the concept of weaponizing loneliness and how it impacts individuals and society as a whole.

Many of Clinton’s critics focus on her demonization of political opponents, which is understandable. She targets ‍various groups, including “right-wing” individuals, white men, “incels,” Rush Limbaugh, MAGA supporters, QAnon, Steve Bannon, and concerned parents. However, there is more to the issue than just political finger-pointing.

“Those responsible for our crisis of ⁢loneliness have created and exploited a growing‌ sense of alienation through right-wing ​propaganda and misinformation, ⁤malign foreign interference ⁢in our elections, and the vociferous backlash against social progress.”

Clinton resurrects her infamous “vast right-wing conspiracy” narrative, suggesting that those responsible for the loneliness epidemic have utilized these tactics. Ironically, her language⁣ mirrors the very suppression ​and isolation she claims to oppose. Such ⁢demonization only‍ serves to shut down conversation,⁣ isolate dissenting voices, and enforce compliance with unreasonable demands.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Americans are undeniably​ suffering from an epidemic of loneliness and social isolation. This is not breaking ⁣news. Tragic⁢ consequences,‍ such⁣ as increased deaths of despair and negative effects on mental and physical health, have been making headlines ‌for decades.⁣ But what⁤ lies at the root‍ of this fracturing?

A ‘Machinery of Loneliness’ Drives⁢ This Crisis

Clinton’s article aims ‌to promote Surgeon General Vivek‌ Murthy’s recent 81-page advisory ⁣titled ‍”Our Epidemic of Loneliness⁤ and Social Isolation.” ⁤She presents her 1996 book, “It Takes a Village,” as a precursor to Murthy’s advisory.

Murthy’s advisory should ⁤raise concerns for all Americans. It declares ​the loneliness epidemic a public health ‍crisis that demands urgent ‌government intervention. However, it also opens the door for extensive government intrusion into our ‌private lives, as I have previously discussed in a series of articles at The Federalist.

Resistance against this initiative is crucial. To understand why, we must turn to Hannah Arendt’s monumental work, “The Origins of Totalitarianism.” Arendt observed that people can only be ⁤fully terrorized into compliance if they are first isolated ‍from one another. “Therefore,” ‌she wrote, “one of the primary concerns of all tyrannical governments is to bring this isolation about.”

This process ⁣involves ⁢what I refer to as the “machinery of ​loneliness.” It is not a new phenomenon, stretching back through modern history, at least ‍since the French Revolution. To rein it ​in and revive civil society with trustworthy institutions, we must recognize its components:

• Identity politics, which strips away individuality and divides us into oppressor and‍ victim groups.
• Political correctness,‍ which controls our ‌speech through self-censorship and the fear of social ostracism.
• Mob agitation, taking various forms, but always enforcing the above and‍ cultivating conformity, compliance, and social distrust.

The machinery ⁢is further fueled by⁣ propaganda, censorship, the criminalization of comedy, and a culture of snitching. New technologies⁤ also play a role in perpetuating this system.

Harnessing the Terror of Social Rejection

Under these conditions, the innate human fear of social rejection becomes a​ powerful weapon. This fear⁣ ignites​ our impulse to conform and keeps the machinery running⁢ smoothly. We become ‍entangled in this matrix whenever we believe that⁤ compliance is necessary for social acceptance, a fundamental human need.

Those ⁣with a totalitarian impulse⁢ for social engineering ⁣rely on maintaining this machinery. Attacks on free speech are essential to the process. Without open dialogue, we cannot develop genuine bonds of trust. If we cannot establish trusting relationships within our families, communities, and friendships, we become increasingly ‍dependent on our government captors, akin to Stockholm Syndrome.

Over ⁤the years, this machinery has been intertwined with⁣ policies that promote alienation, despair, ⁢and loneliness. The massive welfare state contributes to urban blight, family breakdown, dependency, and community disintegration. The opioid epidemic, homelessness, and crime are left unaddressed. Elites push for infanticidal abortion, the medical transitioning of children, and the erosion of parental rights, all of which isolate us and destabilize healthy human relationships.

Furthermore,⁢ the COVID-19 mandates enforced ⁢our isolation through face coverings, ⁤lockdowns, ⁢vaccine mandates, and the separation from​ our dying loved ones. Today, the calls for censorship under the guise of protecting us from misinformation pose a significant⁢ threat. Any government that⁤ monitors and punishes its citizens’‍ conversations isolates them from one another.

Government Disruption of Healthy ⁤Relationships

Murthy’s advisory incorporates the weaponization of loneliness by implementing programs that disrupt the development of healthy⁤ human relationships. These programs include⁤ identity politics,⁢ surveillance,‌ propaganda, and ‌the censorship ⁤required ⁣by the DEI ⁣(diversity, equity, and inclusion) regime.

It⁤ is ⁣not surprising that proponents of government bureaucracy, like Clinton and Murthy, suddenly show a keen interest in “curing” the loneliness that their policies have contributed to. However, we must be cautious of‍ the vast scope ⁣of this project, ​as legislation has been introduced to ⁤enact it. Like ⁤all collectivist ‌schemes, it disguises itself as compassion but ultimately leads to further atomization.

Clinton’s utopian vision of a village relies on the authority and force of the federal⁢ bureaucracy, along⁢ with ⁤the vilification of opposing views. Unfortunately, “The Weaponization of Loneliness” as a ⁣headline for Clinton’s Atlantic article ‍seems ⁤more like a statement of her intent rather than the warning I express in my book’s subtitle: “How Tyrants Stoke Our Fear of Isolation to Silence,⁣ Divide, and Conquer.”

Ultimately, the​ best ‌course of action for government actors, although unlikely,⁤ is to step aside. If they ⁤genuinely want to help, they should encourage the organic development of families, faith-based institutions, ⁣and friendships without constant threats of‌ demonization and the resulting loneliness.