lewrockwell--2020-06-18--Lockdowns, Tracing, Testing, Vaccinating, and Liberty

Liberty : “ the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one ’ s way of life , behavior , or political views ; the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.
” These are the days .
These are the days when men and women accept draconian measures as if they were trifles .
The nation and the world come grinding to a halt , and it is just another “ interruption.
” In 1776 , there was a revolution against restraints from a foreign power .
Now there is bleating from domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , vaccinating , and the majority of the populace obeys these tyrants without question .
Even with loyalty .
Birthed after blood and sacrifice , national government in the United States was severely hamstrung , in order to prevent abuses of power .
But it has become the teat , the Giver and the Taker .
The wanton parent .
And now for decades , people have shrugged : “ What harm could come from a government giving gifts ?
” AIDS Inc. Rappoport , Jon Best Price : $ 33.29 Buy New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harm could come from schools that don ’ t teach history ?
We already have freedom .
Who cares how we got it ?
” The exalted nature of Liberty has been disposed of in a sea of amnesia .
“ Liberty is not a means to a higher political end .
It is itself the highest political end .
It is not for the sake of a good public administration that it is required , but for security in the pursuit of the highest objects of civil society , and of private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) “ There is danger from all men .
The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.
” ( John Adams , 1772 ) If ye love wealth better than liberty , the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom , go home from us in peace .
We ask not your counsels or arms .
Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you .
May your chains set lightly upon you , and may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ( Samuel Adams , 1776 ) “ The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.
” ( Edmund Burke , 1784 ) Does none of this matter now ?
Are pacification and passivity the cardinal virtues ?
If so , I suggest a new Constitution , where we can enshrine these qualities with official language and be done with it .
ONE : Shout “ this is science !
” when anyone threatens the power of government .
TWO : Censor dissent for the sake of public safety , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and corporations .
Disrupt the lives of dissenters .
THREE : Give up Liberty when the authorities demand it .
That is all .
Done .
We threw off the King of England so we could have YouTube and Facebook .
“ Perhaps the enemies of liberty are such only because they judge it by its loud voice .
If they knew its charms , the dignity that accompanies it , how much a free man feels like a king , the perpetual inner light that is produced by decorous self-awareness and realization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends of freedom than those who are its worst enemies.
” ( Jose Marti , 1893 ) Unreported Truths abou ... Berenson , Alex Buy New $ 5.99 “ What light is to the eyes , what love is to the heart , Liberty is to the soul of man .
Without it , there come suffocation , degradation and death.
” ( Robert G Ingersoll , 1887 ) If I had a child , I would home school him , and for a year we would do nothing but delve deeply into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re-establishing its exalted nature .
For those of you who do have children , that is what I suggest .
An education of mind , body , heart , and soul .
Where Liberty once was .
That creature called socialism is , in effect , the transfer of any remaining Liberty to government , based on the fatuous hope that giving complete power to a tyrannical force will somehow reform that force and transform it into a messiah .
And this is the best formulation .
A more realistic appraisal would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whereby elite men behind a curtain preach Centralized Authority as Kindness and Fairness , in order to raise an army of idealistic ravening wolves who will dispossess the people of everything they own .
Obviously , in order for this operation to succeed , the people must have forgotten that ANY quality of The Individual could occupy an exalted and eternal position—a quality such as Liberty .
Once upon a time , defiant poetry about Liberty from oppression could move armies .
The stakes were as high as they have ever been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington ’ s troops were encamped at McKonkey ’ s Ferry on the Delaware River opposite Trenton , New Jersey .
In August , they had suffered humiliating defeats and lost New York City to British troops .
Between September and December , 11,000 American volunteers gave up the fight and returned to their families .
General Washington could foresee the destiny of a rebellion without an army if the rest of his men returned home when their service contracts expired on December 31 .
He knew that without an upswing in morale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Revolution would come to a swift and humiliating end.
” “ … [ Thomas Paine ’ s ] Common Sense was the clarion call that began the revolution .
As Washington ’ s troops retreated from New York through New Jersey , Paine again rose to the challenge of literary warfare .
With another pamphlet ] American Crisis , he delivered the words that would salvage the revolution.
” “ Washington commanded that the freshly printed pamphlet be read aloud to his dispirited men ; the rousing prose had its intended effect .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beleaguered troops mustered their remaining hopes for victory and crossed the icy Delaware River to defeat hung-over Hessians on Christmas night and on January 2 , the British army ’ s best general , Earl Cornwallis , at the Battle of Princeton .
With victory in New Jersey , Washington won not only two battles , but also the love and thanks of man and woman.
” Paine ’ s famous words : “ THESE are the times that try men ’ s souls .
The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the service of their country ; but he that stands it now , deserves the love and thanks of man and woman .
Tyranny , like hell , is not easily conquered ; yet we have this consolation with us , that the harder the conflict , the more glorious the triumph .
What we obtain too cheap , we esteem too lightly : it is dearness only that gives every thing its value .
Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods ; and it would be strange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FREEDOM should not be highly rated.
” Jabbed : How the Vaccin ... Wilcox , Brett Best Price : $ 13.02 Buy New $ 13.05 Paine wrote more : “ …I have as little superstition in me as any man living , but my secret opinion has ever been , and still is , that God Almighty will not give up a people to military destruction , or leave them unsupportedly to perish , who have so earnestly and so repeatedly sought to avoid the calamities of war , by every decent method @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have I so much of the infidel in me , as to suppose that He has relinquished the government of the world , and given us up to the care of devils… ” “ …in the fourteenth century the whole English army , after ravaging the kingdom of France , was driven back like men petrified with fear ; and this brave exploit was performed by a few broken forces collected and headed by a woman , Joan of Arc.
” “ …Let it be told to the future world , that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but hope and virtue could survive , that the city and the country , alarmed at one common danger , came forth to meet and to repulse it.
” “ …Say not that thousands [ of soldiers ] are gone , turn out your tens of thousands ; throw not the burden of the day upon Providence , but ‘ show your faith by your works , ’ that God may bless you .
It matters not where you live , or what rank of life you hold , the evil or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far and the near , the home counties and the back , the rich and the poor , will suffer or rejoice alike .
The heart that feels not now is dead ; the blood of his children will curse his cowardice , who shrinks back at a time when a little might have saved the whole , and made them happy .
I love the man that can smile in trouble , that can gather strength from distress , and grow brave by reflection .
‘ Tis the business of little minds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is firm , and whose conscience approves his conduct , will pursue his principles unto death….
” The contest is not over .
It is never over .
The Best of Jon Rappoport

Liberty: “the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views; the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.”
These are the days. These are the days when men and women accept draconian measures as if they were trifles.
The nation and the world come grinding to a halt, and it is just another “interruption.”
In 1776, there was a revolution against restraints from a foreign power. Now there is bleating from domestic governors about lockdowns, tracing, testing, vaccinating, and the majority of the populace obeys these tyrants without question. Even with loyalty.
Birthed after blood and sacrifice, national government in the United States was severely hamstrung, in order to prevent abuses of power. But it has become the teat, the Giver and the Taker. The wanton parent.
And now for decades, people have shrugged: “What harm could come from a government giving gifts?” AIDS Inc. Rappoport, Jon Best Price: $33.29 Buy New $18.89 (as of 03:34 UTC - Details)
People say, “What harm could come from schools that don’t teach history? We already have freedom. Who cares how we got it?”
The exalted nature of Liberty has been disposed of in a sea of amnesia.
“Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. It is not for the sake of a good public administration that it is required, but for security in the pursuit of the highest objects of civil society, and of private life.” (Lord Acton, 1877)
“There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.” (John Adams, 1772)
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.” (Samuel Adams, 1776)
“The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.” (Edmund Burke, 1784)
Does none of this matter now? Are pacification and passivity the cardinal virtues? If so, I suggest a new Constitution, where we can enshrine these qualities with official language and be done with it.
BILL OF RIGHTS:
ONE: Shout “this is science!” when anyone threatens the power of government.
TWO: Censor dissent for the sake of public safety, according to guidelines laid down by government and corporations. Disrupt the lives of dissenters.
THREE: Give up Liberty when the authorities demand it.
That is all. Done.
We threw off the King of England so we could have YouTube and Facebook.
Exalted Liberty, tossed overboard into a sea of hypnotic assurance.
“Perhaps the enemies of liberty are such only because they judge it by its loud voice. If they knew its charms, the dignity that accompanies it, how much a free man feels like a king, the perpetual inner light that is produced by decorous self-awareness and realization, perhaps there would be no greater friends of freedom than those who are its worst enemies.” (Jose Marti, 1893) Unreported Truths abou... Berenson, Alex Buy New $5.99 (as of 03:17 UTC - Details)
“What light is to the eyes, what love is to the heart, Liberty is to the soul of man. Without it, there come suffocation, degradation and death.” (Robert G Ingersoll, 1887)
If I had a child, I would home school him, and for a year we would do nothing but delve deeply into these and other remembrances of Liberty, re-establishing its exalted nature. For those of you who do have children, that is what I suggest.
An education of mind, body, heart, and soul.
Where Liberty once was.
That creature called socialism is, in effect, the transfer of any remaining Liberty to government, based on the fatuous hope that giving complete power to a tyrannical force will somehow reform that force and transform it into a messiah. And this is the best formulation. A more realistic appraisal would be: socialism is a notorious promoted enslavement, whereby elite men behind a curtain preach Centralized Authority as Kindness and Fairness, in order to raise an army of idealistic ravening wolves who will dispossess the people of everything they own.
Obviously, in order for this operation to succeed, the people must have forgotten that ANY quality of The Individual could occupy an exalted and eternal position—a quality such as Liberty.
Once upon a time, defiant poetry about Liberty from oppression could move armies. The stakes were as high as they have ever been.
From history.com: “…General George Washington’s troops were encamped at McKonkey’s Ferry on the Delaware River opposite Trenton, New Jersey. In August, they had suffered humiliating defeats and lost New York City to British troops. Between September and December, 11,000 American volunteers gave up the fight and returned to their families. General Washington could foresee the destiny of a rebellion without an army if the rest of his men returned home when their service contracts expired on December 31. He knew that without an upswing in morale and a significant victory, the American Revolution would come to a swift and humiliating end.”
“…[Thomas Paine’s] Common Sense was the clarion call that began the revolution. As Washington’s troops retreated from New York through New Jersey, Paine again rose to the challenge of literary warfare. With another pamphlet] American Crisis, he delivered the words that would salvage the revolution.”
“Washington commanded that the freshly printed pamphlet be read aloud to his dispirited men; the rousing prose had its intended effect. Reciting Paine’s impassioned words, the beleaguered troops mustered their remaining hopes for victory and crossed the icy Delaware River to defeat hung-over Hessians on Christmas night and on January 2, the British army’s best general, Earl Cornwallis, at the Battle of Princeton. With victory in New Jersey, Washington won not only two battles, but also the love and thanks of man and woman.”
Paine’s famous words: “THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.” Jabbed: How the Vaccin... Wilcox, Brett Best Price: $13.02 Buy New $13.05 (as of 03:50 UTC - Details)
Paine wrote more: “…I have as little superstition in me as any man living, but my secret opinion has ever been, and still is, that God Almighty will not give up a people to military destruction, or leave them unsupportedly to perish, who have so earnestly and so repeatedly sought to avoid the calamities of war, by every decent method which wisdom could invent.”
“Neither have I so much of the infidel in me, as to suppose that He has relinquished the government of the world, and given us up to the care of devils…”
“…in the fourteenth century the whole English army, after ravaging the kingdom of France, was driven back like men petrified with fear; and this brave exploit was performed by a few broken forces collected and headed by a woman, Joan of Arc.”
“…Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it.”
“…Say not that thousands [of soldiers] are gone, turn out your tens of thousands; throw not the burden of the day upon Providence, but ‘show your faith by your works,’ that God may bless you. It matters not where you live, or what rank of life you hold, the evil or the blessing will reach you all. The far and the near, the home counties and the back, the rich and the poor, will suffer or rejoice alike. The heart that feels not now is dead; the blood of his children will curse his cowardice, who shrinks back at a time when a little might have saved the whole, and made them happy. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘ Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death….”
The contest is not over. It is never over.
Reprinted with permission from Jon Rappoport’s blog.
The Best of Jon Rappoport


lewrockwell--2020-06-18--How Fake Science Is Used as Propaganda

How Fake Science Is Used as Propaganda

International Man : The Lancet recently retracted an anti-hydroxychloroquine study , which the media had used to attack Trump .
Trump had admitted to taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventative measure against the coronavirus .
The media then went into a frenzy .
The talking heads often cited The Lancet study as proof hydroxychloroquine was dangerous .
The bottom line is that bogus research made its way—likely deliberately—into one of the most prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals in the world .
People then used this “ science ” as a political weapon .
What is your take on this ?
Doug Casey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charade is tragic , except that “ tragic ” has become the most overused word in the language today .
It bears a short discussion .
A Collection of Marxis ... Engels , Friedrich Buy New $ 5.98 Look at the recent death of a small-time career criminal , George Floyd .
It ’ s as if “ tragic ” were part of his name .
It ’ s as if people no longer understand the meaning of the word .
A tragedy used to mean that a heroic protagonist succumbed to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the degraded melodrama , just villains , where a costumed thug murdered a street thug under the color of law .
Sorry to go off on a tangent .
But it ’ s a timely instance of another word whose meaning has been twisted .
It ’ s Orwellian , like so many other things in our devolving society .
Let ’ s talk about something that ’ s actually tragic : the corruption of science over the last couple of generations .
I ’ ve subscribed to Scientific American , Discover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During this time , I ’ ve noticed a distinct change in their respective editorial policies .
They ’ ve all been politicized , captured by the PC left .
These popular magazines are nowhere near the quality they once were .
But this is just symptomatic of a bigger problem .
You might recall the 2018 hoax where three academics , disgusted with widespread incompetence and dishonesty in research , submitted absurd “ spoof ” papers to twenty leading journals .
They were written in gobbledygook , full of made-up facts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as I recall , were peer-reviewed and published .
If you research the subject a bit , you come to the conclusion half the peer-reviewed papers—absolutely in “ soft ” fields like psychology , sociology , political science , race and gender studies , etc.—are unreadable , dishonest , useless , and pointless .
Why might this be ?
If an academic wants to advance in today ’ s university system , he has to publish research .
It ’ s Pareto ’ s Law in action , the 80–20 rule .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this sort of thing is crap because it ’ s written mainly to fabricate credentials , not advance knowledge .
It ’ s causing the average guy , who may not know anything about science but still has some respect for it , to lose that respect .
That ’ s because science has become politicized .
You can see it with the conflicting information about COVID-19 .
Is it deadly or just another seasonal flu ?
Does it affect everyone , like the black death , or mainly the old and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus get very sick or die or only a tiny percentage ?
Should you quarantine or live normally ?
So far , as near as I can tell , the great virus hysteria has gone from being the next black plague to basically a big nothing .
It ’ s not nearly as bad as the Asian Flu from the 50s or the Hong Kong Flu from the 60s .
Forget about the Spanish Flu—there ’ s no comparison whatsoever .
The main effect of COVID isn ’ t medical ; it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroyed the economy .
And political actions are even more insane than those after 9/11 .
Crystallizing Public O ... Bernays , Edward Best Price : $ 9.20 Buy New $ 11.97 Politics thrives on hysteria .
The politicization of everything is the real problem .
And it ’ s not just about the total disruption of society and multitrillion-dollar deficits .
For instance , I ’ ve played poker with a bunch of guys in Aspen every Monday night for years .
Now , even though the lockdown in town is easing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of them insist that everyone wear a mask .
I won ’ t , nor will a couple of other guys .
So , between that and a few guys who are now scared to socialize no matter what … game over .
It may also mean the end of a larger Friday business lunch group I belong to that ’ s been around for decades .
There are millions of similar small rips in the social fabric taking place everywhere now .
And they ’ re largely justified by “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the knock-on effects of the virus will last much , much longer than the trivial virus itself—which will soon burn out and be forgotten .
The political , economic , and social changes , however , will linger for years , as will attitudes toward “ science.
” International Man : What are the implications of people corrupting the scientific process to launder their political propaganda to shape mainstream opinions ?
Doug Casey : You might think this is a new thing , but the left , in particular—who have always been advocates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to further their political agenda .
The first important instance of this was Karl Marx and his notion of “ scientific socialism ” —a totally bogus idea .
Since he first promoted it over 150 years ago , the concept has become ingrained in the culture , especially academia .
People have been taught to believe there ’ s such a thing as “ scientific socialism , ” and that it ’ s not just inevitable , but desirable .
In fact , it ’ s pseudoscience .
But that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science in modern times .
Keynesianism is another example .
Keynesians believe that they can manipulate the economy as if it were a machine .
A machine is a horrible analogy for the economy , however .
It ’ s not a machine or a factory where you can pull levers to make magic happen—which is precisely what the Keynesians ( who run the economic world today ) think they can do .
The economy is more like a rainforest , which is very complex .
It can ’ t be manipulated from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you do try to manipulate a rainforest from outside , you ’ re likely to destroy it .
Keynesianism is a perfect example of scientism ( that ’ s the use of the vocabulary and trappings of science for inappropriate subjects ) .
You can see scientism used everywhere in the humanities and “ soft ” sciences .
This is usually to legitimize some type of state intervention .
You Lie !
: The Evasions ... Cashill , Jack Best Price : $ 5.93 Buy New $ 17.79 Sociology and psychology are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re not generally scientific so much as scientistic .
They often try to put a scientific patina on forcing people to interact with each other in prescribed ways .
But it goes way beyond just sociology and psychology .
English departments are notorious for using leftist literary works to insinuate certain ideas in students .
Economics departments use arcane math formulas to describe human action—pure scientism , with lots of ideological baggage .
Marx himself was primarily a historian .
Many college degrees today are completely bogus and worthless .
An example ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The trend is way out of control .
Ridiculous scientific concepts that started with Marx are everywhere .
The same people—by that , I mean those with Marxist , socialist , and Keynesian outlooks—are behind the global warming frenzy , which is full of pseudoscience , fudged numbers , and bogus statistics .
The latest manifestation of all this , of course , is the COVID hysteria .
But behind it all is state funding of science—Big Science .
It started in earnest after World War II .
Government funding is authorized by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons .
In order to qualify , you have to come up with results that are politically acceptable , which itself is the best reason for not having any government funding .
But some might ask : Without the government , where would Big Science get the billions needed for giant projects ?
In fact , most of the capital that goes into scientific research from the state would still go into science ; knowledge has value .
But money would be allocated economically , not politically , thereby creating more wealth—much more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on politically caused boondoggles .
Most government science spending is necessarily misallocated .
The increasingly political nature of science funding has served to discredit the idea of science itself .
International Man : The Democrats liken themselves as the so-called “ Party of Science.
” What do you think ?
Doug Casey : It ’ s nonsense , but it ’ s very clever marketing on their part .
They get away with it because the Republicans are basically the party of business .
And more importantly , the people who vote Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the Long Run We Are ... Mann , Geoff Best Price : $ 11.75 Buy New $ 15.72 That ’ s a problem because scientific thinkers tend to see religion as irrelevant , dangerous , or even laughable—at best , as an inaccurate or bogus way to describe the world .
Democrats , on the other hand , are notoriously secular and non-religious .
Coincidentally , so are most scientists .
That ’ s resulted in some unfortunate confusion .
Democrats , illogically , seem to believe that just because they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The fact is , however , that the Democrats are not the party of science .
In fact , they ’ re the party of pseudoscience , bogus science , and scientism .
Science doesn ’ t mix well with politics—or religion .
But Democrats are clever marketers , linking themselves with science to differentiate themselves from Republicans , the party of tradition and religion .
When you think about tradition and religion , it can bring to mind flat earth theories , geocentric astronomy , Torquemada , the persecution of Galileo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to paint themselves as rational advanced thinkers and Republicans as superstitious atavists .
Of course , religion and science have been at each other ’ s throats forever .
Another reason I ’ ve always said the Dems are more the evil party and the Reps more the stupid party .
But a pox on both their houses… International Man : Events like this seem to be a prime reason why a growing number of people are losing confidence in previously credible institutions and the self-anointed “ experts.
” What does this mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now have college degrees that they think mean something .
In fact , they ’ re worth less than a high school diploma was before World War 2 .
People go on to get PhDs , which , it ’ s always been said , stands for “ piled higher and deeper.
” Especially since World War 2 , government has gotten vastly bigger and involved in everything .
Huge mistake… The government ’ s role is simple—to protect people from coercion : protection from domestic coercion , which implies the police force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implies an army ; and providing justice within the country , which implies a judicial system .
The government shouldn ’ t do anything else .
But since it ’ s now involved in absolutely everything , you need “ experts ” to decide what ’ s to be done .
We see this today with people like Dr. Anthony Fauci , who ’ s nothing more than a lifelong bureaucrat .
He ’ s lived in the swamp his entire life , and he ’ s a typical technocrat .
He believes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you .
People like Fauci have assumed tremendous power over other people and the way society works .
He ’ s a clever politician and has been effective at backslapping and backstabbing .
And wheedling his way into a high bureaucratic position .
The government is full of people like him .
Another important thing about COVID is that they call it a “ health crisis.
” That ’ s untrue for several reasons .
First , health is something that you take care of yourself .
It ’ s personal , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as medicine has become , it ’ s of little use for maintaining your health .
You maintain your health through proper diet , exercise , and good habits .
Medicine is about repairing damage if you have a serious injury or illness .
It overlaps , obviously , but is essentially very different from health care .
Anyway , COVID has been dressed up as an excuse to not just destroy the economy , but in many ways , destroy society itself .
Similar to global warming , Keynesianism , Marxism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s one of many signs of how society is degrading at an accelerating rate .
I don ’ t know what the next massive boondoggle is going to be after this is over .
You might recall the police state pictured in the excellent movie “ V for Vendetta ” was brought into being because of a fake virus epidemic .
Talk about life imitating art !
If things keep going in this direction , the US will start looking like the old USSR .
International Man : Society is degrading at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do to protect themselves ?
Doug Casey : Unfortunately , the whole world seems to worship democracy .
Democracy , however , is really just mob rule dressed in a coat and tie .
Worse , that trend is not only still in motion , but it ’ s accelerating .
What can you do to protect yourself ?
It ’ s becoming a situation of sauve qui peut—every man for himself .
That ’ s where gold comes in .
I ’ ve always been a fan of gold—always for savings and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been great , and gold bugs have done very well .
It ’ s gone from $ 35 to over $ 1,700 .
And it ’ s going much higher .
It ’ s a great way to save money and build capital over time .
At the moment , I ’ m speculating in gold mining stocks , which are extremely cheap .
I expect the next mania to be in them .
But I don ’ t have any political solutions for people , except to stop looking to politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop acting like a bunch of chimpanzees looking for a leader .
Politics is the problem , the cause of most of today ’ s problems .
It ’ s not the solution .
The Best of Doug Casey

International Man: The Lancet recently retracted an anti-hydroxychloroquine study, which the media had used to attack Trump.
Trump had admitted to taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventative measure against the coronavirus. The media then went into a frenzy. The talking heads often cited The Lancet study as proof hydroxychloroquine was dangerous.
The bottom line is that bogus research made its way—likely deliberately—into one of the most prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals in the world. People then used this “science” as a political weapon.
What is your take on this?
Doug Casey: I’d say the whole charade is tragic, except that “tragic” has become the most overused word in the language today. It bears a short discussion. A Collection of Marxis... Engels, Friedrich Buy New $5.98 (as of 03:58 UTC - Details)
Look at the recent death of a small-time career criminal, George Floyd. It’s as if “tragic” were part of his name. It’s as if people no longer understand the meaning of the word. A tragedy used to mean that a heroic protagonist succumbed to a cosmic force. There are no heroes in the degraded melodrama, just villains, where a costumed thug murdered a street thug under the color of law.
Sorry to go off on a tangent. But it’s a timely instance of another word whose meaning has been twisted. It’s Orwellian, like so many other things in our devolving society.
Let’s talk about something that’s actually tragic: the corruption of science over the last couple of generations.
I’ve subscribed to Scientific American, Discover, and New Scientist for many years. During this time, I’ve noticed a distinct change in their respective editorial policies. They’ve all been politicized, captured by the PC left. These popular magazines are nowhere near the quality they once were. But this is just symptomatic of a bigger problem.
You might recall the 2018 hoax where three academics, disgusted with widespread incompetence and dishonesty in research, submitted absurd “spoof” papers to twenty leading journals. They were written in gobbledygook, full of made-up facts and flawed reasoning. But most, as I recall, were peer-reviewed and published.
If you research the subject a bit, you come to the conclusion half the peer-reviewed papers—absolutely in “soft” fields like psychology, sociology, political science, race and gender studies, etc.—are unreadable, dishonest, useless, and pointless.
Why might this be? If an academic wants to advance in today’s university system, he has to publish research. It’s Pareto’s Law in action, the 80–20 rule. It’s pretty reliable, 80% of this sort of thing is crap because it’s written mainly to fabricate credentials, not advance knowledge.
This is a bad thing.
It’s causing the average guy, who may not know anything about science but still has some respect for it, to lose that respect. That’s because science has become politicized.
You can see it with the conflicting information about COVID-19. Is it deadly or just another seasonal flu? Does it affect everyone, like the black death, or mainly the old and sick? Does almost everyone who contracts the virus get very sick or die or only a tiny percentage? Should you quarantine or live normally?
So far, as near as I can tell, the great virus hysteria has gone from being the next black plague to basically a big nothing. It’s not nearly as bad as the Asian Flu from the 50s or the Hong Kong Flu from the 60s. Forget about the Spanish Flu—there’s no comparison whatsoever. The main effect of COVID isn’t medical; it’s the hysteria that’s destroyed the economy. And political actions are even more insane than those after 9/11. Crystallizing Public O... Bernays, Edward Best Price: $9.20 Buy New $11.97 (as of 04:13 UTC - Details)
Politics thrives on hysteria. The politicization of everything is the real problem. And it’s not just about the total disruption of society and multitrillion-dollar deficits. For instance, I’ve played poker with a bunch of guys in Aspen every Monday night for years. Now, even though the lockdown in town is easing, the group is breaking up because most of them insist that everyone wear a mask. I won’t, nor will a couple of other guys. So, between that and a few guys who are now scared to socialize no matter what … game over. It may also mean the end of a larger Friday business lunch group I belong to that’s been around for decades.
There are millions of similar small rips in the social fabric taking place everywhere now. And they’re largely justified by “the science.”
The real problem is that the knock-on effects of the virus will last much, much longer than the trivial virus itself—which will soon burn out and be forgotten. The political, economic, and social changes, however, will linger for years, as will attitudes toward “science.”
International Man: What are the implications of people corrupting the scientific process to launder their political propaganda to shape mainstream opinions?
Doug Casey: You might think this is a new thing, but the left, in particular—who have always been advocates of social engineering— love using “science” to further their political agenda.
The first important instance of this was Karl Marx and his notion of “scientific socialism”—a totally bogus idea.
Since he first promoted it over 150 years ago, the concept has become ingrained in the culture, especially academia. People have been taught to believe there’s such a thing as “scientific socialism,” and that it’s not just inevitable, but desirable. In fact, it’s pseudoscience. But that’s just the first example of corruption of science in modern times.
Keynesianism is another example. Keynesians believe that they can manipulate the economy as if it were a machine.
A machine is a horrible analogy for the economy, however. It’s not a machine or a factory where you can pull levers to make magic happen—which is precisely what the Keynesians (who run the economic world today) think they can do.
The economy is more like a rainforest, which is very complex. It can’t be manipulated from outside by apparatchiks enforcing rules. And if you do try to manipulate a rainforest from outside, you’re likely to destroy it.
Keynesianism is a perfect example of scientism (that’s the use of the vocabulary and trappings of science for inappropriate subjects). You can see scientism used everywhere in the humanities and “soft” sciences. This is usually to legitimize some type of state intervention. You Lie!: The Evasions... Cashill, Jack Best Price: $5.93 Buy New $17.79 (as of 11:38 UTC - Details)
Sociology and psychology are basically about social engineering. They’re not generally scientific so much as scientistic. They often try to put a scientific patina on forcing people to interact with each other in prescribed ways.
But it goes way beyond just sociology and psychology. English departments are notorious for using leftist literary works to insinuate certain ideas in students. Economics departments use arcane math formulas to describe human action—pure scientism, with lots of ideological baggage. Marx himself was primarily a historian. Many college degrees today are completely bogus and worthless. An example? There are degrees in gender studies.
The trend is way out of control. Ridiculous scientific concepts that started with Marx are everywhere.
The same people—by that, I mean those with Marxist, socialist, and Keynesian outlooks—are behind the global warming frenzy, which is full of pseudoscience, fudged numbers, and bogus statistics.
The latest manifestation of all this, of course, is the COVID hysteria.
But behind it all is state funding of science—Big Science. It started in earnest after World War II.
Government funding is authorized by politicians. They make decisions for political reasons. In order to qualify, you have to come up with results that are politically acceptable, which itself is the best reason for not having any government funding.
But some might ask: Without the government, where would Big Science get the billions needed for giant projects?
In fact, most of the capital that goes into scientific research from the state would still go into science; knowledge has value. But money would be allocated economically, not politically, thereby creating more wealth—much more than today, when much is wasted on politically caused boondoggles. Most government science spending is necessarily misallocated.
The increasingly political nature of science funding has served to discredit the idea of science itself.
International Man: The Democrats liken themselves as the so-called “Party of Science.” What do you think?
Doug Casey: It’s nonsense, but it’s very clever marketing on their part.
They get away with it because the Republicans are basically the party of business. And more importantly, the people who vote Republican tend to be traditionalist and religion-oriented. In the Long Run We Are... Mann, Geoff Best Price: $11.75 Buy New $15.72 (as of 03:58 UTC - Details)
That’s a problem because scientific thinkers tend to see religion as irrelevant, dangerous, or even laughable—at best, as an inaccurate or bogus way to describe the world.
Democrats, on the other hand, are notoriously secular and non-religious. Coincidentally, so are most scientists. That’s resulted in some unfortunate confusion. Democrats, illogically, seem to believe that just because they’re secular, they must be scientific.
The fact is, however, that the Democrats are not the party of science.
In fact, they’re the party of pseudoscience, bogus science, and scientism. Science doesn’t mix well with politics—or religion.
But Democrats are clever marketers, linking themselves with science to differentiate themselves from Republicans, the party of tradition and religion.
When you think about tradition and religion, it can bring to mind flat earth theories, geocentric astronomy, Torquemada, the persecution of Galileo, and witch trials. Democrats love to paint themselves as rational advanced thinkers and Republicans as superstitious atavists.
Of course, religion and science have been at each other’s throats forever. Another reason I’ve always said the Dems are more the evil party and the Reps more the stupid party. But a pox on both their houses…
International Man: Events like this seem to be a prime reason why a growing number of people are losing confidence in previously credible institutions and the self-anointed “experts.”
What does this mean?
Doug Casey: Tens of millions now have college degrees that they think mean something. In fact, they’re worth less than a high school diploma was before World War 2. People go on to get PhDs, which, it’s always been said, stands for “piled higher and deeper.”
Especially since World War 2, government has gotten vastly bigger and involved in everything. Huge mistake…
The government’s role is simple—to protect people from coercion: protection from domestic coercion, which implies the police force; protection from transnational coercion, which implies an army; and providing justice within the country, which implies a judicial system.
The government shouldn’t do anything else.
But since it’s now involved in absolutely everything, you need “experts” to decide what’s to be done.
We see this today with people like Dr. Anthony Fauci, who’s nothing more than a lifelong bureaucrat. He’s lived in the swamp his entire life, and he’s a typical technocrat. He believes he knows what’s best for you.
People like Fauci have assumed tremendous power over other people and the way society works. He’s a clever politician and has been effective at backslapping and backstabbing. And wheedling his way into a high bureaucratic position. The government is full of people like him.
Another important thing about COVID is that they call it a “health crisis.”
That’s untrue for several reasons. First, health is something that you take care of yourself. It’s personal, not public. As wonderful and as advanced as medicine has become, it’s of little use for maintaining your health.
You maintain your health through proper diet, exercise, and good habits. Medicine is about repairing damage if you have a serious injury or illness. It overlaps, obviously, but is essentially very different from health care.
Anyway, COVID has been dressed up as an excuse to not just destroy the economy, but in many ways, destroy society itself. Similar to global warming, Keynesianism, Marxism, and other forms of scientism.
It’s one of many signs of how society is degrading at an accelerating rate.
I don’t know what the next massive boondoggle is going to be after this is over. You might recall the police state pictured in the excellent movie “V for Vendetta” was brought into being because of a fake virus epidemic. Talk about life imitating art! If things keep going in this direction, the US will start looking like the old USSR.
International Man: Society is degrading at an accelerating pace. What can people do to protect themselves?
Doug Casey: Unfortunately, the whole world seems to worship democracy. Democracy, however, is really just mob rule dressed in a coat and tie. Worse, that trend is not only still in motion, but it’s accelerating.
What can you do to protect yourself? It’s becoming a situation of sauve qui peut—every man for himself. That’s where gold comes in.
I’ve always been a fan of gold—always for savings and often as a speculation. It’s been great, and gold bugs have done very well. It’s gone from $35 to over $1,700. And it’s going much higher.
It’s a great way to save money and build capital over time. At the moment, I’m speculating in gold mining stocks, which are extremely cheap. I expect the next mania to be in them.
But I don’t have any political solutions for people, except to stop looking to politics as the solution to problems. And stop acting like a bunch of chimpanzees looking for a leader.
Politics is the problem, the cause of most of today’s problems. It’s not the solution.
Reprinted with permission from International Man.
The Best of Doug Casey


lewrockwell--2020-06-18--Welcome to the Epic the Other Generations Could Only Have Dreamt of

“ From my youngest days I always had the feeling that we were all involved in some great crusade , that the world was a battleground for good and evil , and that our lives would be consumed in that conflict.
” With those lines , Kennedy begins his book “ American Values.
” In them , he cites a fundamental conflict .
This conflict is at the heart of the greatest stories of literature going back to Gilgamesh : a battle between good and evil .
In Gilgamesh : The tyrant king , Gilgamesh , does harm to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mighty counterweight to him , Enkidu .
At first coming into conflict with one another , the two go on a journey together in search of everlasting life , Enkidu dies along the way , Gilgamesh returns a changed man .
American Values : Lesso ... Kennedy Jr. , Robert F. Best Price : $ 4.09 Buy New $ 10.23 In The Odyssey : With Odysseus still not home from the Trojan War , a group of young men have moved into his home where they are eating his food , drinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He must go through a series of ordeals on his journey to make his way home , where he finally accomplishes a great feat , kills the freeloaders , and is accepted back home by his wife .
In Beowulf : The title hero , a great warrior , gathers a few people together to save another man ’ s land from a terrible monster , Grendel .
He must repeat that task with the monster ’ s mother who wants revenge for the death of her son .
Years later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evil dragon bringing terror .
Question : Will you wear that face mask today ?
Answer : No .
Neither with a court order nor a drawn gun will that fear mask touch the hallowed land of my face .
Question : Will you close your business ?
Answer : No , in fact I ’ m ready to take on the extra work of those who have foolishly closed their own businesses and who have carelessly sent their own employees home to face eviction and destitution .
Some may shrug as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other choice , ” as they try to deflect their own responsibility for themselves onto another .
Shame on them .
Question : Will you hide in your home ?
Answer : No .
I will be more a part of the world than I have ever been and when it suits me , I will be more in touch with my inner terrain than I have ever been .
Some may instead explain “ Unfortunately , that ’ s the law , and I always follow the law , ” as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to describe what is essentially a press release from a mayor ‘ s office or some other minor pettifogger with a sinecure calling for lockdowns .
Again , this is but the deflection of personal responsibility onto another .
It is the avoidance of life , for to know life comes with all the bold pain your actions have earned you , as well all the bold joy your actions have earned you .
Don ’ t be distracted by those around you , just because we live in an age that abhors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that obsessively socializes and mitigates risk , rather than embracing it as part of a well-lived life in contact with reality .
Don ’ t be like them .
Embrace responsibility .
It was never about them .
It ’ s always been about you .
To pretend it is otherwise is to distract you from what matters .
Gilgamesh : A New Engli ... Best Price : $ 2.30 Buy New $ 3.76 In a time of dichotomous good and evil , the greatest acts are those that appear the most mundane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where such mundane acts have the power to change the world .
What You Need To Be Convinced Of It is in convincing you that your acts are mundane , that the greatest victory over you is won , that the little details of your life are inconsequential , when nothing could be further from the truth .
Stretching back to Mesopotamia , this is the story of the literature of the West : that your actions matter , that your journey in life matters , that everything rests on them .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the troubadours of the pre-Renaissance , when we pull this through the notion of natural rights that has come in dribs and drabs over the course of time , we come to see every man is a sovereign , if he will make himself so .
The gifts are given to us .
We have the free will to accept or deny them , even in the lulling personal disarmament of the modern era in which man rejects religion more than ever and in which he needs a dose of theology around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the land ’ s east of Mesopotamia , the one they called the great one , “ Mahatma , ” is paraphrased as saying ” Be the change you wish to see in the world.
” It is in fact the only way the world changes .
One person at a time is the only way the world changes : by you changing you .
No one has the ability to change another .
To try doing so is a fool ’ s errand .
But yourself you can change .
You are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In yourself , you have the potential to alter the course of the world as you know it .
It doesn ’ t mean the world revolves around you .
It doesn ’ t mean everyone must drop what they are doing to serve you .
It means that the seemingly minimal impact you have on the world by being the absolutely best you can be is far more impact than you realize .
You must therefore always try to be the very best you can be as it ripples out into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When you write me , and you say “ I only wear my mask at the grocery store , ” or “ I only closed down my business because I was left with no other option when everyone else did the same , ” or “ I closed down my church because that is the direction everyone else was leaning , ” do you think I see tiny exceptions that indicate a reasonable person behaving reasonably in response to the pressures of his environment ?
The Wanderings of Odys ... Sutcliff , Rosemary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 6.56 I see no such thing .
I see you , the inheritor of all that is intellectually developed in our past , the one who has been given the gift of ages of learning , if you will take it , given the gift of ages of technology , if you will take it .
What do you do ?
You refuse to take it .
Those who sow get to reap .
That is a law of nature .
That is a law of life .
Do you then act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on this earth ?
With every one of the too few breaths you will take ?
No .
You refuse to embrace your role on this planet .
You refuse to embrace yourself as an individual .
You refuse to acknowledge how all human action , and all human change takes place , one person at a time .
And you refuse to recognize the sheer magnitude of your own life .
The myth of our era is that we are all small potatoes and not worth much , that we are all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are all audience members , not the star of our own lives , that we are all audience members not the only way that life progresses .
This era demands that you believe yourself an audience member , especially in your own life , rather than the sovereign that you will be if you just make it so .
Every little attention seeking peasant who makes the news with some act of sociopathy and the many more who never make the news need to hear this .
Only in believing the myths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meaningless would they possibly seek the “ fifteen minutes of fame ” that we are each allotted according to the emulator of mass production , Andy Warhol .
Beowulf Hall , J. Lesslie Buy New $ 14.99 His art is based on mass-produced products that simplified life for man .
The products didn ’ t exist to commoditize man .
You can ’ t commoditize man .
The Orthodox Christians — of which Andy Warhol ( born Andrew Warhola ) was once one , his Rusyn parents having come from the eastern portion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ town of Medzilaborce , a town marred by the ugly architecture of communism , but still dotted by the onion domes of the church , the communists long gone , the oppressors who preceded them long gone , the “ articular ” churches made of fragile wood by edict of the crown , still dot the landscape centuries later — in those churches the orthodox preach the axiomatic significance of the belief that man is not an automaton , a machine , or a beast , but is created in God ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the splendor of life that entails .
No , we aren ’ t all here for the fifteen minutes of fame .
Only one who accepts man as an interchangeable commodity could suggest such a thing .
Every moment in life , every decision , is a chance to make the world a little better than you found it or a little worse .
You are truly the star of your life , your every moment of existence matters , and in this era especially , your choices between good and evil matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And Now If You Let It Be In every moment , you choose to embrace more of you or relinquish more of you .
You embrace or you relinquish your birthright .
You embrace or relinquish your hero ’ s journey .
If you say “ It ’ s only a face mask , ” you ’ ve missed the point of every second of your life .
There is no “ just , ” there is no “ only.
” The seconds count .
What you call minutia matters so much that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the individual acts .
Two men in the West Wing remain unmasked .
One man in my home remains unmasked .
And what about you ?
What did you do with the opportunities given to you ?
Did you squander them ?
Did you tell yourself the moments didn ’ t matter , the minutia didn ’ t matter , the way that centuries of minor Mephistopheleses whispering around every corner want you to believe ?
Is that what you did with the opportunity ?
The battle is here , if you let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if you let it be .
Your life is the battleground , if you let it be .
How to Win America for ... Stevo , Allan J Best Price : $ 23.33 Buy New $ 17.95 You might even win , if you quit being such a coward .
You don ’ t need a childhood in Hyannisport to know that .
There are no minutia in human action .
Every choice is a gift given to you .
Every act , the potential to reap the rewards of a gift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chance to win victory , to charge forward .
In the individual act is where that epic is fought .
Your life is an epic .
Your life is the greatest story every told .
You have been given the gift of living through such a moment .
If you allow it to be so .
Unless you are too busy with other things .
Unless you are too distracted to know what ’ s happening in front of you .
Unless you have taught yourself to be too dishonest to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unless , unless , unless… It comes down to this moment .
No other .
And in a moment , it will come down to another moment .
And then again .
That is the great gift we call the present .
In it , the great gift we call free will .
With it , the great gift we call the individual .
That is where the epic battle is fought .
That is where the world is changed .
The enemy who works against you can hope to distract you from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confuse you , to run you around in circles , to leave you second-guessing , and quarreling , and bickering .
Can it always be the oppressor ’ s fault that you are so oppressible ?
The Know Your Bill of ... Patrick , Sean Best Price : $ 18.15 Buy New $ 11.69 The epic of our age is in our moment .
The epic of every age , is in the moment , but this one a little more .
It is in the moment .
In the life of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual , that one can resolve to not give in to evil , but to proceed ever more boldly against it .
The Best of Allan Stevo

“From my youngest days I always had the feeling that we were all involved in some great crusade, that the world was a battleground for good and evil, and that our lives would be consumed in that conflict.”
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
With those lines, Kennedy begins his book “American Values.” In them, he cites a fundamental conflict. This conflict is at the heart of the greatest stories of literature going back to Gilgamesh: a battle between good and evil.
Welcome to 2020.
In Gilgamesh: The tyrant king, Gilgamesh, does harm to the people of Uruk. The gods make a mighty counterweight to him, Enkidu. At first coming into conflict with one another, the two go on a journey together in search of everlasting life, Enkidu dies along the way, Gilgamesh returns a changed man. American Values: Lesso... Kennedy Jr., Robert F. Best Price: $4.09 Buy New $10.23 (as of 03:59 UTC - Details)
In The Odyssey: With Odysseus still not home from the Trojan War, a group of young men have moved into his home where they are eating his food, drinking his wine, and courting his wife. He must go through a series of ordeals on his journey to make his way home, where he finally accomplishes a great feat, kills the freeloaders, and is accepted back home by his wife.
In Beowulf: The title hero, a great warrior, gathers a few people together to save another man’s land from a terrible monster, Grendel. He must repeat that task with the monster’s mother who wants revenge for the death of her son. Years later, Beowulf, repeats this feat against an evil dragon bringing terror.
Existential Questions In 2020
Question: Will you wear that face mask today?
Answer: No. Neither with a court order nor a drawn gun will that fear mask touch the hallowed land of my face.
Question: Will you close your business ?
Answer: No, in fact I’m ready to take on the extra work of those who have foolishly closed their own businesses and who have carelessly sent their own employees home to face eviction and destitution. Some may shrug as they do this saying “I had no other choice,” as they try to deflect their own responsibility for themselves onto another. Shame on them.
Question: Will you hide in your home?
Answer: No. I will be more a part of the world than I have ever been and when it suits me, I will be more in touch with my inner terrain than I have ever been. Some may instead explain “Unfortunately, that’s the law, and I always follow the law,” as they mistakenly apply the word “law” to describe what is essentially a press release from a mayor‘s office or some other minor pettifogger with a sinecure calling for lockdowns. Again, this is but the deflection of personal responsibility onto another. It is the avoidance of life, for to know life comes with all the bold pain your actions have earned you, as well all the bold joy your actions have earned you.
Don’t be distracted by those around you, just because we live in an age that abhors the slightest hint of the negative, that obsessively socializes and mitigates risk, rather than embracing it as part of a well-lived life in contact with reality. Don’t be like them. Embrace responsibility.
It was never about them. It’s always been about you. To pretend it is otherwise is to distract you from what matters. Gilgamesh: A New Engli... Best Price: $2.30 Buy New $3.76 (as of 03:59 UTC - Details)
Your individual action matters.
In a time of dichotomous good and evil, the greatest acts are those that appear the most mundane. It is in an epic era where such mundane acts have the power to change the world.
What You Need To Be Convinced Of
It is in convincing you that your acts are mundane, that the greatest victory over you is won, that the little details of your life are inconsequential, when nothing could be further from the truth.
Stretching back to Mesopotamia, this is the story of the literature of the West: that your actions matter, that your journey in life matters, that everything rests on them.
When we pull this through the individual expression of the troubadours of the pre-Renaissance, when we pull this through the notion of natural rights that has come in dribs and drabs over the course of time, we come to see every man is a sovereign, if he will make himself so. The gifts are given to us. We have the free will to accept or deny them, even in the lulling personal disarmament of the modern era in which man rejects religion more than ever and in which he needs a dose of theology around free will more than ever.
In the land’s east of Mesopotamia, the one they called the great one, “Mahatma,” is paraphrased as saying ”Be the change you wish to see in the world.” It is in fact the only way the world changes.
One person at a time is the only way the world changes: by you changing you. No one has the ability to change another. To try doing so is a fool’s errand. But yourself you can change. You are the only one you can change.
In yourself, you have the potential to alter the course of the world as you know it.
It doesn’t mean the world revolves around you. It doesn’t mean everyone must drop what they are doing to serve you. It means that the seemingly minimal impact you have on the world by being the absolutely best you can be is far more impact than you realize. You must therefore always try to be the very best you can be as it ripples out into the world in ways unpredictable and immeasurable.
When you write me, and you say “I only wear my mask at the grocery store,” or “I only closed down my business because I was left with no other option when everyone else did the same,” or “I closed down my church because that is the direction everyone else was leaning,” do you think I see tiny exceptions that indicate a reasonable person behaving reasonably in response to the pressures of his environment? The Wanderings of Odys... Sutcliff, Rosemary Best Price: $2.54 Buy New $6.56 (as of 03:59 UTC - Details)
I see no such thing. I see you, the inheritor of all that is intellectually developed in our past, the one who has been given the gift of ages of learning, if you will take it, given the gift of ages of technology, if you will take it.
What do you do?
You refuse to take it.
Those who sow get to reap. That is a law of nature. That is a law of life.
Do you then act to reap with every second you have on this earth? With every one of the too few breaths you will take?
No. You refuse to embrace your role on this planet.
You refuse to embrace yourself as an individual.
You refuse to acknowledge how all human action, and all human change takes place, one person at a time.
And you refuse to recognize the sheer magnitude of your own life.
The myth of our era is that we are all small potatoes and not worth much, that we are all audience members, not congregation members, we are all audience members, not the star of our own lives, that we are all audience members not the only way that life progresses.
This era demands that you believe yourself an audience member, especially in your own life, rather than the sovereign that you will be if you just make it so.
Every little attention seeking peasant who makes the news with some act of sociopathy and the many more who never make the news need to hear this. Only in believing the myths of the era and seeing their lives meaningless would they possibly seek the “fifteen minutes of fame” that we are each allotted according to the emulator of mass production, Andy Warhol. Beowulf Hall, J. Lesslie Buy New $14.99 (as of 03:59 UTC - Details)
His art is based on mass-produced products that simplified life for man. The products didn’t exist to commoditize man. You can’t commoditize man. The Orthodox Christians — of which Andy Warhol (born Andrew Warhola) was once one, his Rusyn parents having come from the eastern portion of presentday Slovakia, near the sleepy town of Medzilaborce, a town marred by the ugly architecture of communism, but still dotted by the onion domes of the church, the communists long gone, the oppressors who preceded them long gone, the “articular” churches made of fragile wood by edict of the crown, still dot the landscape centuries later — in those churches the orthodox preach the axiomatic significance of the belief that man is not an automaton, a machine, or a beast, but is created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27) and all the splendor of life that entails.
No, we aren’t all here for the fifteen minutes of fame. Only one who accepts man as an interchangeable commodity could suggest such a thing. Every moment in life, every decision, is a chance to make the world a little better than you found it or a little worse. You are truly the star of your life, your every moment of existence matters, and in this era especially, your choices between good and evil matter so much.
The Battle Is Here And Now If You Let It Be
In every moment, you choose to embrace more of you or relinquish more of you. You embrace or you relinquish your birthright. You embrace or relinquish your hero’s journey.
If you say “It’s only a face mask,” you’ve missed the point of every second of your life. There is no “just,” there is no “only.” The seconds count. What you call minutia matters so much that it is all we actually have: the individual acts.
Two men in the West Wing remain unmasked. One man in my home remains unmasked.
And what about you?
What did you do with the opportunities given to you?
Did you squander them?
Did you tell yourself the moments didn’t matter, the minutia didn’t matter, the way that centuries of minor Mephistopheleses whispering around every corner want you to believe?
Is that what you did with the opportunity?
The battle is here, if you let it be. The epic is here, if you let it be. Your life is the battleground, if you let it be. How to Win America for... Stevo, Allan J Best Price: $14.36 Buy New $17.95 (as of 04:37 UTC - Details)
You might even win, if you quit being such a coward.
You don’t need a childhood in Hyannisport to know that.
There are no minutia in human action. Every choice is a gift given to you. Every act, the potential to reap the rewards of a gift given to you. Every moment, a chance to win victory, to charge forward.
In the individual act is where that epic is fought.
Your life is an epic. Your life is the greatest story every told. You have been given the gift of living through such a moment.
If you allow it to be so.
Unless you are too busy with other things. Unless you are too distracted to know what’s happening in front of you. Unless you have taught yourself to be too dishonest to be able to live an authentic moment. Unless, unless, unless…
It comes down to this moment. No other. And in a moment, it will come down to another moment. And then again.
That is the great gift we call the present.
In it, the great gift we call free will.
With it, the great gift we call the individual.
That is where the epic battle is fought. That is where the world is changed.
The enemy who works against you can hope to distract you from that basic detail of life, to confuse you, to run you around in circles, to leave you second-guessing, and quarreling, and bickering. Can it always be the oppressor’s fault that you are so oppressible? The Know Your Bill of ... Patrick, Sean Best Price: $18.15 Buy New $11.69 (as of 09:00 UTC - Details)
The battle is crystal clear.
The epic of our age is in our moment.
The epic of every age, is in the moment, but this one a little more.
It is in the moment.
In the life of the individual.
In the acts of the individual, that one can resolve to not give in to evil, but to proceed ever more boldly against it.
Who’s with me?
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