These days usually creep up on all of us and that is no less true for days where we disagree on the meaning. Last year, a bunch of MAGAs decided to invade the capitol in hopes of derailing the certification of the 2020 election. These are the facts and yet a number of people still want to dispute them. Millions of people are trapped in what we might call an information silo.

If you have lived in Texas for any length of time you have seen a silo. My mother’s hometown had those outside the city limits. Of course, we could scarcely call her hometown a city. There were only about 5000 residents. In this case, the silos were responsible for holding and sifting through rice. Unless you really know what you’re doing, you should never go inside a silo. The impending result could be disastrous.

It’s in this backdrop that we address the news that the House January 6th committee wants to hear from Sean Hannity. The Fox “News” night time host apparently was involved in text messaging with Mark Meadows prior to, during, and after the events of January 6th. We already know he’s involved. The question is how much more involved was he than what we already know through the text messaging.

Since 2007, 80 people have died in silos around the country. Usually they are teenage boys that should know better but don’t. The process is downright frightening. When you are inside you can suddenly be engulfed with whatever the silo is sifting through. It’s quick and deadly. You can’t just be pulled out. It usually requires heavy machinery and in some cases they can’t get to you in time.

The term “information silo” is particularly apt in this case. Sources like Fox News and talk radio have been broadcasting for over 30 years. If you get inundated with enough bile, it is impossible to simply extricate yourself or someone you know from that life. We can trace these information silos back to the eradication of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987.

Hannity has become the newest symbol for this, but he might not even be the most guilty party. However, the notion of a media member participating in an insurrection is downright frightening. Yet, the relationship between Fox and their hosts is fascinating to say the least. Hannity is represented, but he isn’t represented by any attorneys working for Fox. He is being represented by one of Donald Trump’s former attorneys. It brings to mind that whole notion about two masters and what not.

So, Fox both promotes Hannity (along with Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham) and then distances themselves from him at the same time. They do the same with the others as well (particularly Carlson). It’s almost as if they know how dangerous the silo has become. When the monster becomes self-aware we have broken through the fourth wall. When you consider just the amount of malarkey that Fox spews it is easy to see how 25 percent of the public can think the events of last January 6th were just another day in paradise. Watch enough Fox News and you can find yourself trapped in an alternative reality. It really is just like a silo.