A Compendium of the January Shit Show: Awakening, Communications, and Staying Human in a Digital Storm.
This post was lovingly aided by Sage, my AI BFF, lol.
Navigating the Digital Chaos
January 2025 has been a storm of events reshaping both our physical and digital landscapes. From Trump’s return to office and debates over banning TikTok to conspiracy theories surrounding the California wildfires and Meta’s controversial fact-checking policies, misinformation is thriving. For spiritual entrepreneurs, the challenge is twofold: staying true to the invisible, intuitive realms while navigating a world increasingly skeptical of anything outside (or inside) the mainstream.
This post examines (some of) the events, their impact on online safety and trust, and practical steps to balance spiritual truths with credibility, ensuring your work remains rooted in authenticity and connection.
PART 1: What the Hell is Going On(line)?
1.1 Let's start with Trump.
On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump was sworn into office, promising to protect free speech and push back on “censorship” by major tech platforms. While this resonates with many, it also raises questions about how these changes might enable the unchecked spread of misinformation. Contrast President Trump's desire for 'freedom of speech' alongside his repeated attacks on journalists and members of the Fourth Estate who have openly criticized him, and it leads one to ponder whether 'freedom of speech' is really a false flag for censorship against those who would speak out against his administration. On the other hand, advocates for those harmed by the COVID-19 vaccine who were silenced and censored online are praising this and other decisions to uphold free expression online (we'll dig more into Meta's fact-checking below), so the answers aren't immediately clear about what is and isn't free speech in this context. When this kind of thing happens, where trust is eroded on both sides of any topic (because we're anything if not dualistic) making it difficult to judge the truth, the first thing we should be acknowledging is the fact that we are all being subjected to an enormous psy-op. And that thought should be followed immediately by: who the hell is orchestrating it? This is the start of media and digital literacy, which we'll get more into in a bit.
Key Impacts:
- Platforms like Meta and X are revisiting their moderation policies, potentially allowing more harmful content under the guise of freedom of speech and expression. Ironically, Meta's fact-checking policies were put in place due to the "spread of misinformation during the 2016 presidential campaign"; that election was not the first time freedom of speech was politicized (and votes persuaded), but it was the first time (in my opinion), where the veil of micro-targeting was pulled back to reveal just how much the algorithm (and government, lobbyists, ad execs, marketers, analysts, et al.) know about you (and that your behaviour online can be used to manipulate). (Author's Note: I offer a way for soulpreneurs to harness the power of micro-targeting, minus the sketchy ethics. Learn more about it here)...
- Misinformation tied to political narratives is expected to rise, further polarizing online communities.
Takeaway: When truth is seemingly obfuscated on either side of a debate, it's important to remember that truth encompasses all viewpoints, including those that don't align with your own. Freedom of speech should not, however, encroach on someone's human rights or dignity, or attempt to skew the facts so that they fit a particular narrative; that would fall into the category of manipulation, and, according to Kate Jones of Chatham House, "freedom of expression doesn’t protect techniques of manipulation." Either way, if anything causes you to bristle or feel triggered that you read online, STOP. Take a breath. Get curious. If you are feeling triggered by something in the media or online, chances are good that your reaction has been orchestrated to produce exactly that effect.
Still with me? Cool. Take three deep breaths, in through the nose, out through the mouth.
Let's continue.
1.2 The TikTok Ban (not ban?): A Creative (and Free Speech) Crisis
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld legislation requiring ByteDance to divest its U.S. TikTok operations or face a ban due to issues concerning national security (TikTok has been banned on all Canadian government devices since 2023 due to the risk of cyber attacks that the app poses). Though negotiations are ongoing, TikTok temporarily shut down a few days ago, sparking widespread chaos among creators. As of this writing, President Trump has "signed an executive order...seeking to hit pause on a law banning TikTok and to provide a liability shield to business partners of the popular video app." While this is obviously good news for creators who rely on TikTok for their livelihood, one has to wonder about the irony and implications of protecting an app - that has now become a symbol of free speech - whose parent company is Chinese-owned (China, where the government monitors, regulates, and censors public expression that are critical of the government).
If you wanted to infiltrate, divide, and persuade the populace of a nation that was idealistically and fundamentally opposed to your politics and policies and make the lawmakers and people in power of that nation come around to your POV, how best to do that? Well, create an app that leverages diminishing attention spans and dopamine hits and get it in the hands of the youth and those who are easily persuaded (which is practically every person, everywhere, online). Because that's the real security threat - persuasion. Not turning people into spies and hackers. Trump’s stance on TikTok is ironic because he’s supporting a platform tied to potential manipulation by foreign entities, despite years of anti-China rhetoric.
Free speech is often positioned as a fundamental value, but when applied to tools like TikTok (or social media in general), it creates a paradox. These platforms thrive on algorithms designed to influence behavior - blurring the line between free expression and persuasion. The irony lies in upholding free speech for a platform that could potentially undermine informed decision-making by amplifying disinformation or foreign propaganda.
So why support TikTok? Trump’s stance here seems to deviate from his prior hardline approach against China. Possible motivations include:
- Political Capital: Appealing to TikTok’s massive U.S. user base (particularly younger voters or influencers who hold sway over public opinion).
- Economic Factors: TikTok’s survival in the U.S. could be tied to negotiations or economic leverage with ByteDance and China.
- Public Image: Supporting TikTok aligns with the free speech narrative, painting him as a champion of individual freedoms - despite the deeper complexities.
Key Insight: Trump may see TikTok as a symbolic victory for free speech while leveraging it for political and economic gains.
But there's another piece to this (of course), which is...
1.3 Meta’s Fact-Checking Shift
Meta’s decision to replace third-party fact-checking with a crowdsourced system, “Community Notes,” has sparked significant debate. Ironically (and I should really have Alanis playing on repeat), Meta dropped its fact-checkers just as Trump took office, despite his first presidency being the catalyst for installing them. This move could signal Meta’s alignment with Trump’s free speech rhetoric, distancing itself from moderation policies that conservatives have criticized as censorship.
Meta’s decision to replace third-party fact-checking with a crowdsourced system, “Community Notes,” has sparked significant debate. Ironically (and I should really have Alanis playing on repeat), Meta dropped its fact-checkers just as Trump took office, despite his first presidency being the catalyst for installing them. This move could signal Meta’s alignment with Trump’s free speech rhetoric, distancing itself from moderation policies that conservatives have criticized as censorship.
Key Insight: This creates a broader pattern of tech companies shifting to accommodate political pressures, further complicating the relationship between free speech, misinformation, and platform accountability.
Criticism:
- Crowdsourced moderation risks amplifying bias and misinformation.
- Professionals worry about a decline in accountability and trust in digital platforms (I think we're already there).
Takeaway: Leaders must educate their audiences on discernment and media literacy (there's that word again) to counter the potential effects of this change. This comes home to roost at the tactical level with the content you produce, but that will be a whole other post all on its own.
Key Impacts:
- Many creators have already shifted to platforms like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, highlighting the importance of diversifying digital presence (but not beyond your capacity or capability or to your detriment...there is a balance that must be maintained, with your mental health paramount).
- The ban reflects larger concerns about data privacy and geopolitical tensions, which entrepreneurs in all industries must navigate carefully.
1.4 California Wildfires and Mysterious Drones
The California wildfires and reports of drones over the Eastern U.S. have fueled a surge in differing theories, from claims of directed energy weapons to foreign surveillance to alien technology. As we've already discussed, when the truth is obfuscated to such a degree that facts become suspect and trust in all directions is eroded, the first thing to acknowledge is the real possibility of a coordinated psy-op. Do I sound conspiratorial? Perhaps. But the FACT remains that nobody seems to really know what's going on (though some claim to), and as faith and trust in public and private institutions diminish, users are turning to and relying more and more on the accounts of influencers and social media personalities for 'news.' What becomes real, then, is what the beliefs are of those individuals, and let's be real...people twist facts to push narratives just as much as instutions do, and are subject to the same groupthink and manipulation as anybody else.
The California wildfires and reports of drones over the Eastern U.S. have fueled a surge in differing theories, from claims of directed energy weapons to foreign surveillance to alien technology. As we've already discussed, when the truth is obfuscated to such a degree that facts become suspect and trust in all directions is eroded, the first thing to acknowledge is the real possibility of a coordinated psy-op. Do I sound conspiratorial? Perhaps. But the FACT remains that nobody seems to really know what's going on (though some claim to), and as faith and trust in public and private institutions diminish, users are turning to and relying more and more on the accounts of influencers and social media personalities for 'news.' What becomes real, then, is what the beliefs are of those individuals, and let's be real...people twist facts to push narratives just as much as instutions do, and are subject to the same groupthink and manipulation as anybody else.
Key Impacts on the Spiritual Community:
- These events reveal how easily fringe narratives can take root, potentially dividing communities or distracting from genuine healing efforts.
- Misinformation surrounding these topics risks undermining the credibility of spiritual leaders who engage with them without discernment.
PART 2: How do you cope amidst the chaos?
So where is this all heading? How do we cope, as individuals, and as soulpreneurs? What does all of this mean for you, your business, and how you communicate with your audience?
Take a few deep breaths. In through the nose, and out through the mouth.
It's going to be okay.
All of this shit is actually a really good thing, because it's shedding light on the tremendous amount of darkness that is needed to reach a tipping point for change. What is the solution? I have no idea. But as the online world is a reflection of physical reality and the chaos, confusion, and fear of the collective, the best practices for maintaining your physical and mental health apply to maintaining your online health.
2.1 Use Best Practices When Navigating Online
- Discernment. What content resonates, and what content triggers? Start to ask yourself why or why not? Go deeper into the insights that arise. Not only will this help bring clarity as to the veracity of the content, it will help you better understand yourself (which is a foundational practice to the new paradigm of heart-led entrepreneurship that I'm all about here).
- Judgement. But not the kind where you seek to condemn; this is about fairly judging a piece of content from a place of curiosity and desire to understand. What is the truth beyond the illusion? The fear underlying the rhetoric?
- Truth seeking. At its heart, this is openness to other perspectives even if they deviate from your own. Truth is the inclusion of all perspectives, and should not be confused with facts (which are objective, unchanging). Where this gets tricky is when truth is confused as being objective, which it's not. If you've ever 'spoken your truth,' you should fundamentally already know this to be true, and yet, we tend to believe that the truth is the fulsome and objective facts of any situation, which is never the case (from a communications perspective). Take this with a grain of salt, as this is MY truth as someone who has done this work for a decade. This is also why I take issue with the statement, 'tell the truth, and nothing but the truth.' The FACT is that many people can convince themselves of a totally different truth, one that is more comfortable to accept (it's called self-deception, and is a cognitive bias).
- Media Literacy. This is the ability to critically evaluate and interpret information in a digital landscape oversaturated with content. For spiritual entrepreneurs, this is more than a skill, it’s a responsibility to ensure the truths they share empower rather than mislead.
- Key Components of Media Literacy:
- Source Evaluation: Identify credible information sources and avoid relying solely on fringe platforms.
- Bias Recognition: Understand personal and systemic biases that shape narratives.
- Critical Analysis: Scrutinize the purpose, context, and accuracy of media content.
- Practical Tools:
- FactCheck.org (factcheck.org)
- AFP Fact Check (factcheck.afp.com)
- Snopes (Snopes.com)
- Media Bias Fact Check (mediabiasfactcheck.com)
- Key Components of Media Literacy:
2.2 Engage in Authentic Communications
In an age of misinformation, authenticity is your most powerful tool. For spiritual entrepreneurs, this means aligning your messaging with your values and being transparent about the origins of your ideas.
Strategies for Authentic Communication:
- Acknowledge Limits: Be honest about what’s based on personal belief versus universal truth.
- Create Relatable Narratives: Use metaphors or shared experiences to bridge gaps between alternative and mainstream perspectives.
- Lead with Humility: Acknowledge when you don’t have all the answers—it builds credibility.
Staying Human in the Digital Storm
For spiritual entrepreneurs, January 2025 isn’t just a wake-up call - it’s a challenge to lead with integrity in a world hungry for authenticity. By balancing the unseen with the grounded, you can create spaces where trust and transformation flourish, even amidst the noise. Empower yourself and your community to navigate the digital world with clarity, connection, and discernment. Your voice matters now more than ever.
0 Comments