Thread by @PnictogenHorses

#skepticism, as a movement, seemed inviting in the 1980s. @RonaldReagan was in power, with the full cooperation of American #journalism and #media. @TheDemocrats try to pretend that the @realDonaldTrump phenomenon was worse, but...Reagan's clown show started the trend.

(1/x)

the @RonaldReagan cabinet was much like @Quillette or @SubstackInc is these days: a loose aggregation of crooks and cranks, miscellaneous right-wing ideologues who did badly in professional life and were inclined to blame "liberals" or "the government" for their problems.

(2/x)

making wild, unsubstantiated claims was now the *in* thing, during @RonaldReagan's figurehead presidency—that's the real power a president has over a country, by the way.

people consciously or sub-consciously copy how a president talks. especially, they copy the *jokes*.

(3/x)

@RonaldReagan's presidency was a memetic presidency—you may ask the esteemed Dr. @RichardDawkins what I mean by the adjective "memetic". you may even get an intelligible answer.

the point was to make Reaganism *memorable*. pithy. catchy! something good on posters or pins.

(4/x)

every @GOP politician (and most of @TheDemocrats as well) now imitate the jokey, trivial style of "Great Communication" that @Peggynoonannyc and other Republican _apparatchiks_ had programmed into Reagan's decaying brain.

@RonaldReagan *trivialized* the presidency.

(5/x)

#skepticism and #rationalism (and #atheism) flourished for a time, as inflammatory reactions to @RonaldReagan and his simplistic, ridiculous style of leadership.

now all the "skeptics" are people like @michaelshermer and @neiltyson.

it's not a pleasant time.

~Mona Drafter