“Turning the heat up little by little is how you cook a crab. It’s also how you destroy democracy.” These jarring words from comedian and radio host D.L. Hughley, shared in his segment “Notes From The GED Section,” provide a sobering perspective on the growing normalization of turmoil in America. Through the metaphor of cooking a crab, Hughley highlights how societal complacency allows injustices and systemic failures to escalate unchecked.
Hughley paints a picture of how slow, incremental changes can lead to people accepting the previously unthinkable. He compares it to cooking a live crab, explaining, “If you threw the crabs in scalding hot water, of course mayhem would ensue … but when you turn the heat up a little at a time, they don’t realize what’s happening.” This analogy speaks to the gradual erosion of democratic values and public outrage, as shocking events become part of the daily backdrop.
“We’re used to it,” Hughley says repeatedly, citing examples like children being separated from parents, innocent people being deported, and political leaders prioritizing dismantlement over progress. With each disturbing event, he notes how society grows desensitized. Punishing policies and outrageous claims no longer provoke the level of outrage they once did, making the abnormal seem normal. “The speed that we got so used to it amazes me,” he reflects.
Hughley’s commentary challenges listeners to confront this complacency. “We are used to masked men snatching people off the streets, never to be heard from or seen again,” he remarks. Yet, as he reminds us, this desensitization isn’t accidental. It’s the result of systemic efforts to turn up the heat gradually, eroding resistance and accountability.
This thought-provoking metaphor underscores the importance of vigilance. By allowing these small yet consequential injustices to simmer, society risks being cooked in a democracy that once seemed unshakable. Hughley’s words serve as a call to action, urging us to recognize the heat rising before it’s too late.