We're all Sycophants
Just make sure your obsequious of someone who is worthy
In the recent flurry of news and outrage hides an important lesson: We’re all sycophants.
As the “zone is flooded” with headlines out of Washington, state visits from other controversial rulers, media hysteria over Canada, Panama and Gaza, and what some say is the impending collapse of democracy, it is ironic that we’re all playing the game. We tune in and allow news cycles, pro/against talking heads, and the panicked headlines to dictate our emotional state, shape our desires and map interpretive frameworks and primary lenses on life and meaning. Wherever you are on the political spectrum, it seems there is an epidemic of “excessive and servile” attention to the political realm as if it is the main determinant of reality. The logic of the State is addictive.
I am reminded of Kasparov’s famous quote:
“The point of modern propaganda isn’t only to misinform or push an agenda. It is to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth.”
A fascinating cognitive concept called ‘Integrative Complexity’ (IC) helps explain current polarization, extremism and the ‘circle the wagons’ effect in our tribal in/out group categorizations.
In highly stressful environments humans have physical “fight or flight” responses such as rises in stress hormones, blood pressure spikes, pupil dilation etc. that temporarily lower our capability to differentiate and incorporate differing perspectives. IC is a cognitive measure that is starkly affected by anxiety and stress or threat… how well someone can process information and consider multiple perspectives declines rapidly under these conditions and can even be a predictor of violent, extreme behavior1. This is why creating conditions of panic is a tactic of authoritarian and extremist leaders. The news cycle co-opted by the fear brigade online lowers our ability to think critically and opens us all up to black/white conceptions of reality and urgent crisis/solution constructions. It also assumes the lens of the state is the primary way to think.
To be clear, not all of what’s happening in Washington, Gaza or Canada falls into the category of propaganda or extremism, some of the posturing and bravado and tirades of impending doom should just be ignored. Many of the facts, where we can discern them, are sure concerning. But here’s a key for Christians especially… if we aim to spend our energy focussing on what is true, we need to curate more carefully the objects of our obsequious sycophantic longings and ignore the noise, emotion and bluster, before it shapes us.
But how? I have chosen to not pay much attention to the news, I stopped that during COVID. So much of it, after I got emotionally involved and anxiety levels raised, was bluster, hearsay, and some of it, now with the clarity of hindsight, was just false. But we all move on, and weirdly, those shown to be liars, still do their thing. And, their sycophants keep preening.
With the social media zone flooded with dubious stories, AI generated images and videos, nefarious actors waging campaigns to change your thinking… its just a dangerous space. Or in rare cases where someone gets ‘caught’ we see the ‘rage entrepreneurs’ get fired from one platform and simply go to another. It seems that low rankings of truthfulness and reliability (see media bias chart) are even a badge of honor for some!
The effects are disastrous. I watched, like many of you, friends, church members and neighbors go down various ‘rabbit holes’ and never emerge. Their personalities changed, along with their relationships, values, theology and emotional states. We have limited capacity for following up on everything, it’s easier to be a sycophant.
Christians are instructed to think on:
“whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
How can we engage in a zone purposely flooded with (pardon this guy’s french I’m quoting) “shit”? Well, you don’t. Isaiah faced a similar situation when he contemplated questionable rulers and tumult in his day, but he chose to assign his obsequious allegiance elsewhere:
Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown
are the desire of our hearts… Lord our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honor. (Is 26:8,13)
I’ve written elsewhere that the church fathers had strong words for atmospheres like the political discourse and the gladiatorial arena, where truth was unlikely to be found and strong emotions were stirred. They said simply; “Don’t go.”
So if we’re all sycophants how can we be ‘good’ sycophants?
Start by asking yourself what is your primary lens or logic? How are you seeing the world… is it through the lens of the State or of the Market? or some other lens? For people who take Jesus’ teaching seriously, the primary lens should be that of the Kingdom. Let that lens exercise your discernment muscles and limit intake from sources of tainted water. If we know for example social media channels have no restraints on truthfulness why go there? Read books from other times, cultures and places (like early church fathers!).
Exercise thinking and skills in ‘integrative complexity’ and learn to actively listen to people in real life. Practice silence, solitude, and sabbath. Read things that are true and good and beautiful. Memorize ancient words handed down (Scripture, the creeds etc.). And, most important: be obsequious of someone who is worthy.
I have a suggestion: Jesus.