Power for Good

Power for Good

By Max Thor Thomason

Election night 20XX.

They almost got away with it.

They almost won.

They almost destroyed democracy and our way of life. Those fascists.

Amazing that we won, when you think about it. How could we compete? You cannot argue rationally with the irrational. Evidence of their hypocrisy was always shrugged off by their supporters. Their indoctrination and belief in their leader were incorrigible; like trying to put a wealthy man in prison, no amount of evidence or reasoning would stick. You may as well shout and scream into the abyss. You wouldn't hear anything back. Or at least nothing that made any sense to us.

And their tactics were disgusting. Abusing social media, spreading lies that supported their cause. The audacity to claim that they were rights loving. Hiding behind "freedom of speech" while proposing ideas that would strip us of our freedoms.

The tactics.

The algorithms told animal lovers we would kill their animals. It told the religious we were the devil. It even whispered directly into voters’ ears that we would take away their rights! Ludicrous when you think it about it. Actually insane. But as I said you cannot argue with the irrational.

So, how do you fight them? How did we win? How did I win? Firstly, I had to put my hand up for leadership. Only I showed the fortitude. I pointed out that we would have to fight fire with fire. The old tactics, although tried and tested, were tested until failure. The activism, the campaigning, the “winning the argument", didn't matter when we lost again. If the other side of the aisle won again, the fight would be over. They would pass legislation that meant that the good side would never win again. Constituent border changes would replace their methods of voter suppression; getting their quasi-military supporters to muscle out ours on polling days or sneaking in funding cuts in key places, filibuster here and there or anything that gave them an edge.

Back to me: I gathered a team of the good and the true. We promised each other to always be good, to do no evil. My inner circle and I exchanged tokens to remind us of our intent. She gave me a heart shaped locket, with an inscription reading "be good, be true" and I always keep it on me. Always. It reminds me of my purpose. It reminds me that I am right. And how can I not always be right if I am on the good side? If my intentions are just.

I dragged our party into the future. We must embrace technology if we are to win. Some detractors argued against it on ethical grounds, but they were silenced when I got results. The algorithm became our friend. It whispered to the electorate about our truth, it exposed their lies. Sometimes it even presented our lies as the truth when required. Was that so bad when our purpose was so noble, so good? We wouldn't use power for evil like they would!

Our popularity grew when we used their own tactics against them! The algorithm was now our weapon. Our Saviour. Did that not make me, our Saviour? We could control the story... for good. Does that mean to benefit all? Or does it mean forever? Never mind, it matters little.

Our supporters crowded out theirs on election day. We must be right, the majority agreed with us. Is that not democracy? Still, those who were supposed to be on my side cast doubts on the morality of using our enemies’ tactics. But we won. I won. It is now up to me to save us from the fascists. My supporters tell me I am right. I only hear validation, since our victory, since my victory.

The first of a series of bills pass tomorrow. I need to keep the enemy out so a moderate increase to my term limit gives me more time to save the country.

Some of the enemies of the state have a so-called free media. A propaganda machine by any other name. A corrupt media that needed silencing. My enemies need silencing. So, our anti-corruption legislation will shut them up. I had the majority; this is what the people want. What they voted for. If anything, making it easier for us to always win elections is the just thing to do. It's what the people voted for...

Do we really need elections if the people will always vote for me? I just won again.

Sounds like an irresponsible use of the people’s money to run elections if the results are a forgone conclusion. Do you not agree? Silence.

She asked about the locket, was I doing good?

Silence.

What a silly question. If I am doing it, then it must be good! Where is that locket? Where did it go?

Silence.

This is the end. This is the goal we wanted. The goal I wanted. Did I do good? We don’t need to win anymore.

We won, for good.