MAGA Land

Artwork by Michael DiMilo

By Geoffrey Carter

American culture has entered what might be called a fractured state, divided along splintered planes of competing realities. A majority of us are still living in the real world, but a substantial portion of our population is living in a carefully manipulated alternative existence—a sort of ideological twilight zone. Facts and empirical evidence are meaningless to these delusionists; only the word of their leader, Trump, is believable to them.

This fantasy bubble is buttressed by unrelenting media loops and never-ending echo chambers, expanding to the point where these delusions have become a new reality. Most recently these fantasies have included the notions that the presidential election was stolen, democrats are engaged in global pedophilia and child-trafficking rings, and that Bill Gates will be implanting micro-chips into Covid-19 vaccinations. These delusionists prefer to deny the reality of the outside world. They are not comfortable there—they seem to want an alternative reality. They say they want to “Make America Great Again”. 

Perhaps we can help them find their new reality, a MAGA-Land, their very own city on a hill. The tools are available. The “Alzheimer Village” model may just be the thing. Facilities like this, originating in the Netherlands, offer residents the freedom to function independently while living in a carefully constructed reality. They are set up to resemble town squares complete with shops and commons, so that the patients are able go shopping, head to the bakery, or visit friends safely, never suspecting that the clerks, waiters, and other denizens of the town are undercover health workers assigned to supervise them. Even though the patients are unable to navigate the pitfalls of everyday existence on the outside, in this controlled setting they can function under the illusion that they are in complete control of their lives. 

As these villages have been incredibly successful in helping Alzheimer patients lead happy and independent lives, perhaps a variant of this concept could be used to allow the Trumpists to live in psychological comfort. Should they choose to, these delusionists might want to move into carefully controlled communities where there are no differences, either of heritage, skin color, or opinion—and no disturbing debates about gun control, women’s rights, or racial equity. 

In fact, it almost seems as if these Trumpists already have one foot in this other world. Reintegration into these MAGA Villages would be not be a huge transition for them, as they are already living within a carefully regulated environment where information is carefully screened and rationed. The “correct” version of the news is all they hear—and all they would ever wish to hear. 

One of the main features of the Alzheimer village is that it contains touchstones like songs, snapshots, or movies that jog residents’ memories. In the case of the Alzheimer’s patients, these items help reassure inmates by invoking long-term associations. As many members of the delusionists seem emotionally hard-wired into a Norman Rockwell type version of American history, residents might feel safer if their MAGA Village would be designed like a mid-fifties American suburb complete with nice little ranch homes, white picket fences, manicured lawns, and quiet streets. There should be one fire truck (complete with dalmatian), an ice cream parlor, and a bowling alley. It would be just as the residents remembered—or think they remember. Living here, they may feel as if they have actually made America great again, or, more pertinently, they may ultimately—and hopefully—realize that America was no greater then than it is now. 

Some of them will still remember the horrors of the outside world. In order to reassure this segment of the population that their lifestyles are not in danger from their collective imagined demons, these new MAGA communities might allow residents to carry rubber assault weapons (loaded with blanks, of course), a license to build a Lego wall surrounding the community, and permission to let residents to fly flags and banners—no larger than six inches square—pledging their ideological allegiance. These concessions would give them the illusion of homogeneity (at least until they start looking more closely at their neighbors). 

Of course, reassuring this population may not be enough. Some delusionists may need to undergo therapy to help them deal with their painful pasts. One such technique might entail holding presidential elections or mock Capitol Building raids within the community each week. Organizing impromptu parades of flag laden pick-up trucks traversing the perimeter of the Lego wall may also help the delusionists mitigate trauma sustained in the outside world. Of course, the lack of Black Lives Matter activists to protest against may cause some confusion in their ranks, but these anxieties are usually alleviated by letting the pick-ups run a few more laps.  

Of course, there is no guarantee that all village residents will be able sustain the delusional bubble; they may not be strong enough to withstand the creeping presence of truth. Once Trump, their illusory savior, leaves—or is removed—from office (and our lives), most will turn to another myth—that their great leader was wrongfully deposed—by having his throne stolen from him by unscrupulous liberals. Some others will move on. Most, however, will choose the former, refusing to let go of the delusion that Trump is their one true leader, the chosen one. 

In their cases, living in the MAGA Villages may ultimately prove to be counter-productive to the sustainability of these delusionists. If, indeed, their minds have atrophied to the point where they no longer wish to escape from their sandcastles in the sky, the contrived reality in their walled community will very likely become their final prison. They will remain sequestered in these communities, afraid to venture outside, inbreeding amongst themselves until the shallow gene pool yields nothing but weak-minded and spindly humanoids incapable of free thought. That acorn will not fall far from the tree.