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In Manufacturing Delusion (2026), former CIA analyst and conservative commentator Buck Sexton argues that mass delusion isn’t an accident—it’s built. Using stories from counterterrorism work abroad and cultural flashpoints at home, he lays out a playbook of how societies can be pushed to accept obvious contradictions: conditioning, fear, isolation, propaganda, and the “mind-killing” pressures that make people repeat a lie just to keep their jobs, reputations, or social standing intact.
Sexton connects historic totalitarian tactics to modern institutions, media narratives, and emerging tech like AI—warning that the next era of persuasion will be faster, more personal, and harder to detect. The takeaway isn’t despair; it’s defense. If you’ve ever wondered how “everyone just went along with it,” this summary breaks down the mechanisms—and what it looks like to push back.
