The mind of Gene Roddenberry produced the Star Trek series in 1966-1969 and because of that series he developed the reputation of a futurist. Roddenberry volunteered for World War II and U.S. Army Air Corps in the fall of 1941 at the age of 20 and was ordered into training as a flying cadet probably because of his interest as in aeronautical engineering and qualified for a pilot’s license. Star Trek had and continues to have a deep impact on popular culture and society. In the 1966 Star Trek episode The Menagerie, a humanoid species called the Talosians were able to create lifelike illusions using “reality distortion fields.”
The phrase was later applied to Steve Jobs for his ability to get people to follow his dream. Jobs used his charism to develop Apple. The reality distortion field refers to your perception of things, as well as the will and motivation to accomplish your dreams and to get other people to follow you.
Replace the fictional Talosians with conservatives. The Republican Party has been using a reality distortion field for decades to get the American public to buy into their warped idea of society. A society where the rich and powerful use their RDF to make them more powerful. This has led us too today’s uneven distribution of wealth where three Americans (Musk, Bezos, and Gates) have more wealth than the bottom 50% of population. The Supreme Court’s decisions on Citizen’s United and the Dobbs decision, as well as other decisions that are contrary to American Democracy. They have effectively distorted their followers’ views about a trickle-down economy, about the role government, religion, and science. They have been ruthless in their distorted view of gun-control and have reduce the average life span of their believers.
Fox News has been the faithful accomplice to conservatives in creating this alternate reality. This may be about to change. The 1.6 billion dollar law suit brought by Dominion, the company that makes voting machines is about ready to bring their RDF crashing down. Fox pundits knowing lied about the results of the 2020 election to expand the conservative reality distortion field.
How long will it take the country to rid itself of the social disease – probably a very long time. People who cannot admit they are wrong are abundant.