1/Today's @bopinion post is about what Twitter and other social media platforms are doing to modern institutions.
I didn't know an English word for it, so I used a Japanese word:
gekokujo (下剋上)
bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…
I didn't know an English word for it, so I used a Japanese word:
gekokujo (下剋上)
bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…
2/In America, anti-establishment populism is in the air.
It's in the air in politics...
It's in the air in politics...
5/It's in the air in science fiction, romance writing, young adult novels, and even...knitting??
theverge.com/2018/7/24/1760…
npr.org/2020/01/09/795…
newyorker.com/books/under-re…
nytimes.com/2019/06/24/sty…
theverge.com/2018/7/24/1760…
npr.org/2020/01/09/795…
newyorker.com/books/under-re…
nytimes.com/2019/06/24/sty…
6/And it's in the air in the economics profession.
bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…
noahpinionblog.blogspot.com/2016/07/econom…
bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…
noahpinionblog.blogspot.com/2016/07/econom…
7/But it's not just "populism". That word does not capture the detail of what's going on.
What's happening is that lower-ranked people are calling in outside help from social media in order to challenge their higher-ups within the organization.
This is gekokujo.
What's happening is that lower-ranked people are calling in outside help from social media in order to challenge their higher-ups within the organization.
This is gekokujo.
8/A brief history recap: In the 1920s and 1930s, a group of very ideological young Japanese army officers, calling themselves the Imperial Way clique, staged a bunch of attempted coups, disobeyed orders, and started a war in Manchuria.
amazon.com/Rising-Sun-Dec…
amazon.com/Rising-Sun-Dec…
9/Despite all this, the Imperial Way guys went unpunished for a long time. After each coup attempt they'd get a very short jail sentence and then they'd be right back out on the street plotting the next coup.
Why?
Because they had popular support.
Why?
Because they had popular support.
10/The authorities and the moderates (which the Imperial Way people sometimes labeled the "control faction") were scared to crack down hard on the rebellious young officers because of the prevalence of nationalistic, jingoistic fervor throughout the country.
11/But there was only so far that the Imperial Way guys could push the authorities before the crackdown came. After a particularly large and violent coup attempt in 1936, the Emperor and the military finally cracked down hard.
japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/0…
japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/0…
12/But the authorities didn't just crack down.
They also diverted the energy that was fueling gekokujo by sending all the angry young army guys, and much of the jingoistic, riled-up populace, off to fight a big big war.
...and, well, you know what happened next.
They also diverted the energy that was fueling gekokujo by sending all the angry young army guys, and much of the jingoistic, riled-up populace, off to fight a big big war.
...and, well, you know what happened next.
13/Gekokujo is sometimes used by bad actors.
Sometimes it's used by people who seem good in the moment and whom we realize are bad in restrospect.
But often, it is used by genuinely good people, for genuinely good causes!
Sometimes it's used by people who seem good in the moment and whom we realize are bad in restrospect.
But often, it is used by genuinely good people, for genuinely good causes!
14/As an example of how gekokujo can do good, it's wonderful that the econ profession is finally trying to rid itself of sexism. That would never have happened without the support of social media. That was a heroic episode of gekokujo!
15/Often, organizations are corrupt, leaders are tyrannical and exploitative, and existing hierarchies are unjust.
By calling in help from social media, gekokujo can bring needed change.
By calling in help from social media, gekokujo can bring needed change.
16/Gekokujo can also be used by bad people for bad ends, such as when the alt-right used Twitter to overthrow the Republican Party establishment.
17/But good or bad, gekokujo carries a great danger.
The danger is what happens when the authorities have finally had enough.
The danger is what happens when the authorities have finally had enough.
18/The authorities can crack down harshly, as China has done.
They can turn communities against each other and encourage mass violence, as it appears that Indian authorities are doing.
nytimes.com/2020/03/03/opi…
They can turn communities against each other and encourage mass violence, as it appears that Indian authorities are doing.
nytimes.com/2020/03/03/opi…
19/Or, most frighteningly, authorities can do what Japan did. They can try to divert popular energy and anger by starting a big war.
This is the possibility that should frighten us most.
This is the possibility that should frighten us most.
20/The scariest thing about trying to bring down the Establishment is when the Establishment decides to fight back.
(end)
bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…
(end)
bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…
