Hyper Normalisation.

By constructing his narratives from a thousand historical clips Adam Curtis’s films always ring true. Hyper Normalisation follows the meta-realities leading to our current situation. Meta as in how the mind-constructions of its protagonists have created a wholly unnatural reality.

In 1975 the banks foreclosed on New York City. They refused to buy the bonds that funded its borrowing. Near collapse NYC agreed for the banks to run its finances, which meant from then on austerity would fund bank profits. This one transaction ruptured the collective agreement between government and its population. Both became puppets of the hidden hand of finance. Government would henceforth simply pretend to govern while the population had no redress over the hand they couldn’t see. The tale moves to the Middle East where Kissinger is duplicitous with Asad the elder who, taken for a fool, hates America. After terrorist bombings America blames Libya because Gaddafi has no Arab friends even though proof points to Asad who is friends with Iran. They vilify Gaddafi and apply sanctions. Gaddafi admits to crimes he hasn’t committed (Lockerby), gives up his WMDs, which he hasn’t got and is proclaimed heroic but then left to die in the Libyan revolution. Asad is emboldened, dies and is succeeded by Asad the younger. The Islamic world ferments. If  ‘inshalla’ (if God permits) is to be believed he really doesn’t like Arabic countries. Meanwhile back in the western world governments continue to pretend governance and the populous is subsumed in its own unrealities, both controlled into an unnatural reality imposed by what one can’t see and the other can’t admit to. Individuals bask in algorithms designed to reflect their every desire. If you’re pro Trump your searches will deliver affirmative articles, as will those selected for you if you’re anti Trump. Mesmerised by your own reflection you will never see past it in a process of ultimate fragmentation. Thus Brexit’s fractious 50/50 followed by a similar result in the US election. We have become stuck in an unreal stasis where the traditional levers of government, unions and even finance no longer work. But 350 words can’t do this film justice. Best watch it for yourself.