"... certain influential figures explicitly manipulate their speech in order to primarily amass personal power regardless of any second-order effects" And this

"... certain influential figures explicitly manipulate their speech in order to primarily amass personal power regardless of any second-order effects" And this would include those currently in power, no? Who want to further their ability to put their narrative of choice forward - regardless of how truthful - while suppressing any counter-narratives, even if true.