lewrockwell--2020-07-29--Culturally Appropriating the Word ‘Liberal’

I became politically aware as a teenager in the mid-1970s .
It was a different country , and a different world .
America 1.0 , as I like to call it .
I gravitated naturally to the far Left side of the political spectrum .
I was against all war .
I thought the poor were getting a raw deal .
I didn ’ t think blue-collar workers were being paid enough .
I felt sympathy for the unjustly convicted and opposed the death penalty .
I thought marijuana should be legalized .
I believed our leaders should be focusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of senseless foreign intervention .
Most importantly , I became a civil libertarian .
Patrick Henry ’ s words , “ I may not agree with what you say , but I ’ ll defend to my dying day your right to say it ” resonated with me almost as much as Huey Long ’ s great “ Share the Wealth ” speeches .
I was also influenced by Hugh Hefner ’ s Playboy Philosophy , which talked about “ victimless crimes ” and ignited my libertarian streak .
I thought the Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the good guys .
I cast my first vote for Jimmy Carter , even though I liked almost all the other party presidential candidates better .
I really liked Frank Church , especially when he headed the first congressional investigation to expose the abuses of the Central Intelligence Agency .
The Red Trojan Horse : ... Elder , Alasdair Best Price : $ 14.85 Buy New $ 14.50 It didn ’ t take long for me to become more politically mature .
I grew to understand that most of the social programs created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t seem to provide much help to those who needed it .
Once the Vietnam War finally ended , I began to notice that most Democrats were just as pro-war as most Republicans .
The election of Bill Clinton in 1992 signaled the end of the old “ liberalism , ” which had drawn me to politics in the first place .
Clinton was the first politician to make a habit of virtue signaling rhetoric , in which he could “ feel your pain , ” but his “ reforms ” resulted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shorter periods , and convicted more largely Black people of “ victimless crimes ” than ever before .
His myriad of personal and political scandals made Richard Nixon , whom I had considered the ultimate villain in my youth , look like Thomas Jefferson .
Clinton was the first to co-opt the term “ liberal ” without adhering to any of the classic tenets of liberalism .
He didn ’ t overtly support the unions that were even then largely impotent .
He didn ’ t demand higher wages for average workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compensation , often accompanied by large layoffs .
He lobbied hard for the passage of NAFTA , one of the deadliest pieces of legislation in our history , and never batted an eye at the outsourcing and offshore factories that followed .
Bill Clinton might have bombed Kosovo , and helped consolidate the media into a handful of huge corporations , but he could speak identity politics fluently .
And that ’ s all that mattered to his base , which were being converted from empathetic , traditional liberals fighting for the little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those they opposed .
By the time Barack Obama arrived on the scene , he was treated like a male , biracial Mother Theresa by a fawning media and an even larger constituency indoctrinated for years by the virtue signaling professors that were already dominant in every major university .
Obama was celebrated for what he was and how he looked , not for his political beliefs or principles .
He was perhaps even better at feeling others ’ pain that Bill Clinton was .
But he too proved to be adept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which he actually bragged about .
And his supporters loved it .
Fools , Frauds and Fire ... Scruton , Roger Best Price : $ 15.32 Buy New $ 17.40 The election of Donald Trump triggered something deep inside all of those now mature Social Justice Warriors , who ’ d been born under Clinton and climbed to positions of power under Obama .
We see them now as the mayors and police chiefs of all the cities being besieged by looting , who have no desire to stop it .
The classical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thomas Jefferson , Thomas Paine , Patrick Henry , Charles Dickens , William Jennings Bryan , Huey Long , and John F. Kennedy , are now all but gone from public life .
Some of my friends , like peace activist Cindy Sheehan and former Rep. Cynthia McKinney , try their best , but no one on the left is interested in marching for peace now .
Or protecting civil liberties .
Sheehan and McKinney aren ’ t going to be welcome at the Democratic convention .
Instead , “ liberals ” today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warriors .
They think and act with emotion , not reason .
Their primary goal doesn ’ t seem to be fighting for the rights of those who ’ ve been denied them , but to take away the rights of those they disagree with .
They don ’ t remotely believe in the Bill of Rights , especially the First Amendment .
How many people have been fired recently , for posting a comment on social media , in their free time , which offended these Social Justice Warriors ?
These poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrition , but still lose their jobs , anyway .
Why they still apologize for exercising their constitutional right to free speech is beyond me .
The virtue signalers whose loud complaints got them fired , feel no remorse .
No sense of guilt over families thrown into financial turmoil , especially in this unprecedented fragile economy .
The new Left doesn ’ t care about the unemployed , especially if they disagree with them politically .
It makes them feel good to see someone that offended them fired .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t take much for Social Justice Warrior to demand someone ’ s termination .
A pro soccer player was recently cut by his team for comments his wife made on Twitter .
The stepmother of one of the officers involved in the shooting of the man found asleep in a Burger King drive-through was fired .
For being his stepmother .
Others have lost their jobs for uttering undeniable truths like “ all lives matter.
” When that is considered not only controversial , but a fireable offense , then we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Into the Lion ’ s ... Maltz , Mr Steve Best Price : $ 14.37 Buy New $ 14.00 I am very active on social media .
For celebrating Roger Stone ’ s commutation , I was blasted by some who had been big fans of my work .
One person told me Stone should be shot for treason .
Another said he should be hanged .
Someone else said no one deserved prison more than him , and that he should be given a life sentence .
For contrived process crimes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courtroom ?
So Stone deserves prison more than serial killers and child rapists ?
I had much the same reaction for posting what I considered very good news , about embattled Kentucky teenager Nicholas Sandmann winning an undisclosed out of court settlement from the Washington Post .
A good cyber friend , whom I respect greatly , called him a name and said he should “ have his teeth kicked in.
” Others called the teenager a “ racist.
” Clearly , that MAGA hat triggered them .
They don ’ t need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sets Social Justice Warriors off like nothing else .
The irrational hostility of these authoritarians who have commandeered the political Left is centered on Donald Trump .
The inner party members in George Orwell ’ s 1984 , engaged in the “ two minute hate ” while viewing the image and hearing the words of the opposition leader known as Goldstein .
Today ’ s Social Justice Warriors engage in a 24 hour hate against the image and words of Donald Trump .
There is a consistent anti-White theme to everything the Social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While the vast majority of these virtue signalers are White themselves , that doesn ’ t stop them from blasting “ White privilege ” nonstop .
The irony of a group like Black Lives Matter being only 16 % Black has been lost on our largely dumbed down populace .
These protesters and looters are largely angry Whites .
Who or what is financing and supporting them ought to be of concern to investigative journalists , if we had any .
Sustainable : The WAR o ... DeWeese , Tom Best Price : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the violent tearing down of statues , the Social Justice Warriors have crossed another line .
They have met no resistance from any of the “ White supremacists ” running this “ racist ” country yet .
Their irrationality is on full display here .
They have claimed Mahatma Gandhi , a Brown man who fought White colonialism and inspired the Black civil rights movement , was a “ White Supremacist.
” They want to tear down his statue , too .
How can you possibly have a rational discourse with such people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a positive term .
It indicated one who was interested in reform , and advocating for the poor and powerless .
It has come to mean an authoritarian control freak , who not only has never heard of “ victimless crimes , ” but wants to create new offenses , such as “ hate crimes , ” to punish those whose beliefs make them angry .
The Social Justice Warriors probably have never heard of Orwell ’ s “ thought crime , ” and thus have no awareness of how close they come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know I ’ m in a very small minority .
Anti-war .
Anti death penalty .
A free speech purist .
Not ashamed of being White .
Concerned with class , not race .
Judging people , like Martin Luther King , by the content of their character .
The Best of Donald Jeffries

I became politically aware as a teenager in the mid-1970s. It was a different country, and a different world. America 1.0, as I like to call it. I gravitated naturally to the far Left side of the political spectrum. I was against all war. I thought the poor were getting a raw deal. I didn’t think blue-collar workers were being paid enough. I felt sympathy for the unjustly convicted and opposed the death penalty. I thought marijuana should be legalized. I believed our leaders should be focusing on the many domestic problems, instead of senseless foreign intervention.
Most importantly, I became a civil libertarian. Patrick Henry’s words, “I may not agree with what you say, but I’ll defend to my dying day your right to say it” resonated with me almost as much as Huey Long’s great “Share the Wealth” speeches. I was also influenced by Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Philosophy, which talked about “victimless crimes” and ignited my libertarian streak.
I thought the Democrats, or most of them, were the good guys. I cast my first vote for Jimmy Carter, even though I liked almost all the other party presidential candidates better. I really liked Frank Church, especially when he headed the first congressional investigation to expose the abuses of the Central Intelligence Agency. The Red Trojan Horse: ... Elder, Alasdair Best Price: $14.85 Buy New $14.50 (as of 03:45 UTC - Details)
It didn’t take long for me to become more politically mature. I grew to understand that most of the social programs created additional costly bureaucracies, and didn’t seem to provide much help to those who needed it. Once the Vietnam War finally ended, I began to notice that most Democrats were just as pro-war as most Republicans.
The election of Bill Clinton in 1992 signaled the end of the old “liberalism,” which had drawn me to politics in the first place. Clinton was the first politician to make a habit of virtue signaling rhetoric, in which he could “feel your pain,” but his “reforms” resulted in poor people getting less financial aid for shorter periods, and convicted more largely Black people of “victimless crimes” than ever before. His myriad of personal and political scandals made Richard Nixon, whom I had considered the ultimate villain in my youth, look like Thomas Jefferson.
Clinton was the first to co-opt the term “liberal” without adhering to any of the classic tenets of liberalism. He didn’t overtly support the unions that were even then largely impotent. He didn’t demand higher wages for average workers, or criticize the incredible growth of CEO compensation, often accompanied by large layoffs. He lobbied hard for the passage of NAFTA, one of the deadliest pieces of legislation in our history, and never batted an eye at the outsourcing and offshore factories that followed.
Bill Clinton might have bombed Kosovo, and helped consolidate the media into a handful of huge corporations, but he could speak identity politics fluently. And that’s all that mattered to his base, which were being converted from empathetic, traditional liberals fighting for the little guy into authoritarians concerned over the views of those they opposed.
By the time Barack Obama arrived on the scene, he was treated like a male, biracial Mother Theresa by a fawning media and an even larger constituency indoctrinated for years by the virtue signaling professors that were already dominant in every major university. Obama was celebrated for what he was and how he looked, not for his political beliefs or principles. He was perhaps even better at feeling others’ pain that Bill Clinton was. But he too proved to be adept and bombing and even killing others, which he actually bragged about. And his supporters loved it. Fools, Frauds and Fire... Scruton, Roger Best Price: $15.32 Buy New $17.40 (as of 03:56 UTC - Details)
The election of Donald Trump triggered something deep inside all of those now mature Social Justice Warriors, who’d been born under Clinton and climbed to positions of power under Obama. We see them now as the mayors and police chiefs of all the cities being besieged by looting, who have no desire to stop it.
The classical liberals, inspired by the likes of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, Charles Dickens, William Jennings Bryan, Huey Long, and John F. Kennedy, are now all but gone from public life. Some of my friends, like peace activist Cindy Sheehan and former Rep. Cynthia McKinney, try their best, but no one on the left is interested in marching for peace now. Or protecting civil liberties. Sheehan and McKinney aren’t going to be welcome at the Democratic convention.
Instead, “liberals” today largely consist of often deluded Social Justice Warriors. They think and act with emotion, not reason. Their primary goal doesn’t seem to be fighting for the rights of those who’ve been denied them, but to take away the rights of those they disagree with. They don’t remotely believe in the Bill of Rights, especially the First Amendment. How many people have been fired recently, for posting a comment on social media, in their free time, which offended these Social Justice Warriors?
These poor souls are forced into public acts of contrition, but still lose their jobs, anyway. Why they still apologize for exercising their constitutional right to free speech is beyond me. The virtue signalers whose loud complaints got them fired, feel no remorse. No sense of guilt over families thrown into financial turmoil, especially in this unprecedented fragile economy. The new Left doesn’t care about the unemployed, especially if they disagree with them politically. It makes them feel good to see someone that offended them fired. That’s the essence of identity politics.
It doesn’t take much for Social Justice Warrior to demand someone’s termination. A pro soccer player was recently cut by his team for comments his wife made on Twitter. The stepmother of one of the officers involved in the shooting of the man found asleep in a Burger King drive-through was fired. For being his stepmother. Others have lost their jobs for uttering undeniable truths like “all lives matter.” When that is considered not only controversial, but a fireable offense, then we have reached the heights of lunacy. Into the Lion’s ... Maltz, Mr Steve Best Price: $14.37 Buy New $14.00 (as of 03:45 UTC - Details)
I am very active on social media. For celebrating Roger Stone’s commutation, I was blasted by some who had been big fans of my work. One person told me Stone should be shot for treason. Another said he should be hanged. Someone else said no one deserved prison more than him, and that he should be given a life sentence. For contrived process crimes, and a politicized prosecution in a kangaroo courtroom? So Stone deserves prison more than serial killers and child rapists?
I had much the same reaction for posting what I considered very good news, about embattled Kentucky teenager Nicholas Sandmann winning an undisclosed out of court settlement from the Washington Post. A good cyber friend, whom I respect greatly, called him a name and said he should “have his teeth kicked in.” Others called the teenager a “racist.” Clearly, that MAGA hat triggered them. They don’t need much triggering, but this red hat sets Social Justice Warriors off like nothing else.
The irrational hostility of these authoritarians who have commandeered the political Left is centered on Donald Trump. The inner party members in George Orwell’s 1984, engaged in the “two minute hate” while viewing the image and hearing the words of the opposition leader known as Goldstein. Today’s Social Justice Warriors engage in a 24 hour hate against the image and words of Donald Trump.
There is a consistent anti-White theme to everything the Social Justice Warriors say, and advocate. While the vast majority of these virtue signalers are White themselves, that doesn’t stop them from blasting “White privilege” nonstop. The irony of a group like Black Lives Matter being only 16% Black has been lost on our largely dumbed down populace. These protesters and looters are largely angry Whites. Who or what is financing and supporting them ought to be of concern to investigative journalists, if we had any.
Sustainable: The WAR o... DeWeese, Tom Best Price: $14.99 Buy New $15.21 (as of 03:59 UTC - Details) With the violent tearing down of statues, the Social Justice Warriors have crossed another line. They have met no resistance from any of the “White supremacists” running this “racist” country yet. Their irrationality is on full display here. They have claimed Mahatma Gandhi, a Brown man who fought White colonialism and inspired the Black civil rights movement, was a “White Supremacist.” They want to tear down his statue, too. How can you possibly have a rational discourse with such people?
“Liberal” used to be a positive term. It indicated one who was interested in reform, and advocating for the poor and powerless. It has come to mean an authoritarian control freak, who not only has never heard of “victimless crimes,” but wants to create new offenses, such as “hate crimes,” to punish those whose beliefs make them angry. The Social Justice Warriors probably have never heard of Orwell’s “thought crime,” and thus have no awareness of how close they come to supporting such a dangerous concept.
I know I’m in a very small minority. Anti-war. Anti death penalty. A free speech purist. Not ashamed of being White. Concerned with class, not race. Judging people, like Martin Luther King, by the content of their character.
Reprinted with the author’s permission.
The Best of Donald Jeffries


lewrockwell--2020-07-29--Rise of the Crypto-Caucasians

Rise of the Crypto-Caucasians

There ’ s an old saying I just coined : “ You can ignore the race war , but the race war won ’ t ignore you.
” No matter how insulated you think you are , the people in this country who are dead-set on making everything about race will eventually reach your doorstep .
Hollywood , that most leftist of leftist towns where every white wears a BLM pin and conservative thought has long been banished , just learned the hard way that the race war awards no points for wokeness .
Whites got ta go .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wars aren ’ t about ideology but , well , race ( as should be obvious from the name ) .
“ Actors , writers and producers warn of ‘ reverse racism ’ in the film industry which has created a ‘ toxic ’ climate for anyone who is a white , middle-age man.
” So said the headline in last week ’ s Daily Mail ( because no local paper would dare touch the story ) .
Yep—it ’ s official : If yer white , get outta site !
( I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yer white , yer presence is a blight ” and “ If yer white , to yer career say g ’ night ” ) .
2018 - Present ( n1oz G ...
Check Amazon for Pricing .
A revolution is under way .
White actors are being fired .
Edicts from studio bosses make it clear that only minorities—racial and sexual—can be given jobs .
A new wave of what has been termed by some as anti-white prejudice is causing writers , directors and producers to fear they will never work again .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more toxic than Chernobyl , ” with leading actors afraid to speak out amid concern they will be labeled racist .
Dozens of producers , writers and actors have spoken to ‘ The Mail ’ on Sunday about the wave of “ reverse racism ” pulsing through the industry .
I know one of those people , and I can confirm that the paper is accurately reporting this story .
The antiwhite blacklist is being carried out in the name of the “ BIPOC ” coalition : “ Black , Indigenous , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times explained last month , the term “ BIPOC ” is used primarily to pacify blacks , many of whom dislike the more generalized “ people of color ” label , because they feel it doesn ’ t give blacks an “ individual identity ” separate from Latinos , Injuns , and Asians .
BIPOC makes clear that this is a coalition of BLACKS ( first ) and POCs ( second ) .
There ’ s simmering rivalry in the acronym .
Remember that ; it ’ ll prove relevant .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that wasn ’ t .
The Last Gold Rushu202 ... Haynes , Bill Buy New $ 28.00 Lesly Kahn is one of the most influential and respected acting coaches in the business .
She draws a lot of water in this town , and she never gives impractical advice .
In leaked 2018 audio from one of Kahn ’ s classes , the esteemed teacher told a Jewish actress who had ambiguously “ ethnic ” features that she should pretend to be Latina for the sake of getting work .
Kahn told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Rosa Ramirez ” and go all ¡ay Chihuahua !
at auditions : The Latin could actually get you interviews for representation .
Just the fact that your name is Rosa Ramirez is gon na get you a meeting… .
So you might try it… .
Go to the headshot shop and tell them you ’ re Latin .
Wear something fucking red .
Wear some fucking sparkly earrings .
Just fucking come up with the most Latin name you can come up with… .
Aren ’ t we allowed to change our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our names to ?
Make sure before you change it to Rosa Ramirez that there isn ’ t already a Rosa Ramirez in SAG , and if there is , we try a slightly different name .
Funny enough , there ’ s historical precedent for what Kahn suggested .
There were so many popular “ Latin ” leading men and women in Hollywood ’ s early days , several non-Hispanic actors rose to great prominence by pretending to be spicy frijoles ( for example , New York-born Jew Jacob Krantz , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ricardo Cortez ) .

There’s an old saying I just coined: “You can ignore the race war, but the race war won’t ignore you.” No matter how insulated you think you are, the people in this country who are dead-set on making everything about race will eventually reach your doorstep.
Hollywood, that most leftist of leftist towns where every white wears a BLM pin and conservative thought has long been banished, just learned the hard way that the race war awards no points for wokeness. Whites gotta go. And that includes woke whites. Because race wars aren’t about ideology but, well, race (as should be obvious from the name).
“Actors, writers and producers warn of ‘reverse racism’ in the film industry which has created a ‘toxic’ climate for anyone who is a white, middle-age man.” So said the headline in last week’s Daily Mail (because no local paper would dare touch the story). Yep—it’s official: If yer white, get outta site! (I also would’ve accepted “If yer white, yer presence is a blight” and “If yer white, to yer career say g’night”). 2018 - Present (n1oz G... Check Amazon for Pricing.
A revolution is under way. White actors are being fired. Edicts from studio bosses make it clear that only minorities—racial and sexual—can be given jobs. A new wave of what has been termed by some as anti-white prejudice is causing writers, directors and producers to fear they will never work again. One described the current atmosphere as “more toxic than Chernobyl,” with leading actors afraid to speak out amid concern they will be labeled racist. Dozens of producers, writers and actors have spoken to ‘The Mail’ on Sunday about the wave of “reverse racism” pulsing through the industry.
I know one of those people, and I can confirm that the paper is accurately reporting this story.
For whites, “their careers are pretty much over,” said one of the execs. Adding insult to injury, certain skilled whites are being asked to continue working behind the scenes as advisers—unpaid and uncredited—so that all those new nonwhite hires can appear more capable than they actually are.
The antiwhite blacklist is being carried out in the name of the “BIPOC” coalition: “Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.” As The New York Times explained last month, the term “BIPOC” is used primarily to pacify blacks, many of whom dislike the more generalized “people of color” label, because they feel it doesn’t give blacks an “individual identity” separate from Latinos, Injuns, and Asians. BIPOC makes clear that this is a coalition of BLACKS (first) and POCs (second).
There’s simmering rivalry in the acronym. Remember that; it’ll prove relevant. But first, the tale of the cancellation that wasn’t. The Last Gold Rushu202... Haynes, Bill Buy New $28.00 (as of 04:04 UTC - Details)
Lesly Kahn is one of the most influential and respected acting coaches in the business. She draws a lot of water in this town, and she never gives impractical advice. In leaked 2018 audio from one of Kahn’s classes, the esteemed teacher told a Jewish actress who had ambiguously “ethnic” features that she should pretend to be Latina for the sake of getting work. Kahn told the young student to change her name to “Rosa Ramirez” and go all ¡ay Chihuahua! at auditions:
The Latin could actually get you interviews for representation. Just the fact that your name is Rosa Ramirez is gonna get you a meeting…. So you might try it…. Go to the headshot shop and tell them you’re Latin. Wear something fucking red. Wear some fucking sparkly earrings. Just fucking come up with the most Latin name you can come up with…. Aren’t we allowed to change our names to whatever we want to change our names to? Make sure before you change it to Rosa Ramirez that there isn’t already a Rosa Ramirez in SAG, and if there is, we try a slightly different name.
Funny enough, there’s historical precedent for what Kahn suggested. There were so many popular “Latin” leading men and women in Hollywood’s early days, several non-Hispanic actors rose to great prominence by pretending to be spicy frijoles (for example, New York-born Jew Jacob Krantz, who found cinematic fame as “Latin lover” Ricardo Cortez).
Read the Whole Article


lewrockwell--2020-07-29--The Insane Leading the Blind

The Insane Leading the Blind

On our way to becoming a nation of hobos , the Democratic Party ’ s Antifa shock troops brought out the lethal weapons this weekend , hoping to provoke a Kent State 2.0 type bloodbath that would clinch the election for the mummified remains of Joe Biden , currently reposing in his basement sepulcher .
How ’ d that work out ?
In Louisville , Saturday , just after lunchtime , the self-styled Not Fucking Around Coalition ( NFAC ) was mustering for action and “ inspecting firearms ” ( according to NFAC comandante Grand Master Jay ) when one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down three NFAC warriors — nicely demonstrating the hazards of fucking around with loaded weapons .
In Austin Saturday night , one feckless BLM mob marcher name of Garrett Foster brought his AK-47 to the street party .
When he pointed it at a motorist trapped by the crowd , he got blown away to that great struggle session in the sky , the surprise of his life , I ’ m sure .
Living in the Long Eme ... James Howard Kunstler Buy New $ 24.95 In Portland , OR , police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Molotov cocktails in the nearby park that serves as the rioters ’ marshaling yard .
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler did not attend the evening ’ s frolics at the sore beset federal courthouse , having successfully subjected himself to ritual humiliation himself a few nights earlier .
After midnight Sunday , police declared the Antifa actions “ a riot ” and made a few arrests .
Up Seattle way , a federal judge struck down the city council ’ s order against police using tear gas and pepper spray on rioters just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
SPD Chief Carmen Best declared , “ In the spirit of offering trust and full transparency , I want to advise you that SPD officers will be carrying pepper spray and blast balls today , as would be typical for events that carry potential to include violence.
” Hours later , after Antifas smashed the windows of ground-floor businesses , set fire to a construction site , and trashed the SPD ’ s East Precinct building , pepper spray and blast balls were deployed and forty-five of the mob were arrested ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges ) , while twenty-one SPD officers were injured .
The Witch of Hebron : A ... Kunstler , James Howard Best Price : $ 1.30 Buy New $ 9.96 Down in LA , Antifas broke into the federal Bureau of Prisons Detention Center .
In Richmond , VA , rioters set fire to a city dump truck used as a barrier to protect a police station .
So it goes in the insurrection summer of 2020 .
The nation ’ s attention is averted from the real action taking place as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollar slides on the Forex market — meaning that not only is business failing everywhere , and livelihoods extinguished , but the medium-of-exchange that represents all transactions by any remaining business is accelerating its decline toward the target value : zero .
This is unfortunately what comes of the fiscal profligacy prompted by the corona virus crisis , with the Senate poised to introduce another $ 1 trillion in an emergency assistance spending bill that would reimburse 70 percent of unemployed workers ’ lost wages .
Over on the House side , Speaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 trillion in emergency spending , designed to crater the dollar even faster and , theoretically , assure a Democratic Party victory on November 3 ( to govern the smoldering cinder that will be left of the USA ) .
A History of the Futur ... Kunstler , James Howard Best Price : $ 7.93 Buy New $ 10.05 The counterforce to that lethal inflation is the choking off of capital flows from the tens of millions of mortgages , car loans , and myriad other obligations that can ’ t possibly be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October .
These tributaries flow into the larger rivers of capital , and when they dry up the entire global banking order may keel over , with those fabled financial weapons of mass destruction , the derivatives , triggering an orgy of counterparty insolvency .
When capital stops flowing , you see , money doesn ’ t just sit there , it vanishes .
The question is : can it disappear faster than fiscal policy-gone-wild can summon fresh money into existence ?
I guess we ’ ll find out .
The world has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Plague Years , the Thirty Years ’ War , the Great Depression — but never broke like this , or this badly , or had so many people in it who were going to suffer from being broke .
The Antifas on the streets of Portland , Seattle , and elsewhere probably don ’ t have collateralized loan obligations and other financial esoterica on their minds , but these things lurk somewhere in the collective subconscious behind the nihilism they ’ ve fallen into these brutal dog days of summer as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Best of James Howard Kunstler

On our way to becoming a nation of hobos, the Democratic Party’s Antifa shock troops brought out the lethal weapons this weekend, hoping to provoke a Kent State 2.0 type bloodbath that would clinch the election for the mummified remains of Joe Biden, currently reposing in his basement sepulcher. How’d that work out?
In Louisville, Saturday, just after lunchtime, the self-styled Not Fucking Around Coalition (NFAC) was mustering for action and “inspecting firearms” (according to NFAC comandante Grand Master Jay) when one of said weapons accidently discharged and mowed down three NFAC warriors — nicely demonstrating the hazards of fucking around with loaded weapons.
In Austin Saturday night, one feckless BLM mob marcher name of Garrett Foster brought his AK-47 to the street party. When he pointed it at a motorist trapped by the crowd, he got blown away to that great struggle session in the sky, the surprise of his life, I’m sure. Living in the Long Eme... James Howard Kunstler Buy New $24.95 (as of 10:56 UTC - Details)
In Portland, OR, police found a bag of loaded rifle magazines and Molotov cocktails in the nearby park that serves as the rioters’ marshaling yard. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler did not attend the evening’s frolics at the sore beset federal courthouse, having successfully subjected himself to ritual humiliation himself a few nights earlier. After midnight Sunday, police declared the Antifa actions “a riot” and made a few arrests.
Up Seattle way, a federal judge struck down the city council’s order against police using tear gas and pepper spray on rioters just in time for another weekend of rioting. SPD Chief Carmen Best declared, “In the spirit of offering trust and full transparency, I want to advise you that SPD officers will be carrying pepper spray and blast balls today, as would be typical for events that carry potential to include violence.” Hours later, after Antifas smashed the windows of ground-floor businesses, set fire to a construction site, and trashed the SPD’s East Precinct building, pepper spray and blast balls were deployed and forty-five of the mob were arrested (on rioting, assault, and other charges), while twenty-one SPD officers were injured. The Witch of Hebron: A... Kunstler, James Howard Best Price: $1.30 Buy New $9.96 (as of 10:15 UTC - Details)
Down in LA, Antifas broke into the federal Bureau of Prisons Detention Center. In Richmond, VA, rioters set fire to a city dump truck used as a barrier to protect a police station.
So it goes in the insurrection summer of 2020. The nation’s attention is averted from the real action taking place as the economy continues to implode and the US dollar slides on the Forex market — meaning that not only is business failing everywhere, and livelihoods extinguished, but the medium-of-exchange that represents all transactions by any remaining business is accelerating its decline toward the target value: zero. This is unfortunately what comes of the fiscal profligacy prompted by the corona virus crisis, with the Senate poised to introduce another $1 trillion in an emergency assistance spending bill that would reimburse 70 percent of unemployed workers’ lost wages. Over on the House side, Speaker Nancy Pelosi upped the ante to $3 trillion in emergency spending, designed to crater the dollar even faster and, theoretically, assure a Democratic Party victory on November 3 (to govern the smoldering cinder that will be left of the USA). A History of the Futur... Kunstler, James Howard Best Price: $7.93 Buy New $10.05 (as of 10:30 UTC - Details)
The counterforce to that lethal inflation is the choking off of capital flows from the tens of millions of mortgages, car loans, and myriad other obligations that can’t possibly be paid in August, September, and October. These tributaries flow into the larger rivers of capital, and when they dry up the entire global banking order may keel over, with those fabled financial weapons of mass destruction, the derivatives, triggering an orgy of counterparty insolvency. When capital stops flowing, you see, money doesn’t just sit there, it vanishes. The question is: can it disappear faster than fiscal policy-gone-wild can summon fresh money into existence? I guess we’ll find out.
The world has gone broke before — the Dark Ages, the Plague Years, the Thirty Years’ War, the Great Depression — but never broke like this, or this badly, or had so many people in it who were going to suffer from being broke. The Antifas on the streets of Portland, Seattle, and elsewhere probably don’t have collateralized loan obligations and other financial esoterica on their minds, but these things lurk somewhere in the collective subconscious behind the nihilism they’ve fallen into these brutal dog days of summer as the insane lead the blind.
Reprinted with permission from Kunstler.com.
The Best of James Howard Kunstler


The Mourning After

The lockdown and its enforced boredom have been replaced by a consistent feeling of loss , my nephew by marriage Hansie Schoenburg , age 33 , from a brain tumor , and my close friend Shariar Bachtiar , 72 , most likely by his own hand .
Hansie was tall , blond , a Yale grad , and extremely handsome .
Recently married , he died surrounded by his family .
Shariar was the Persian Boy , who as a slender , bright-eyed 6-year-old who spoke not a word of English was dispatched from Persia to an English school known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Persian Boy learned early to do without parents .
The bitter irony of their death was that Hansie willed himself to live these last fifteen years , whereas Shariar had had enough .
Unlike many newly rich , vulgar Iranians running around London ’ s clubs back in the ’ 70s , Shariar Bachtiar came from an old and good family that had seen better days when the Shah ’ s father grabbed power in the ’ 20s .
A young Shariar was first noticed by the last Shah ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a young Taki in the South of France .
The Persian and I did not know each other , but we sort of got together when the predatory Aschraf invited me to dinner .
I did a Usain Bolt and ran for the hills , Shariar obeyed the royal command .
The Unquiet Grave : A W ... Connolly , Cyril Best Price : $ 9.36 Buy New $ 9.47 I never allowed him to forget it , that ’ s for sure .
The truth is , sixty years ago I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shah ’ s beautiful ex-wife who was divorced by him because she could not have children .
Soraya warned me to keep things to myself , otherwise the Shah ’ s secret police would do me in .
( He was very jealous . )
The Persian Boy , in the meantime , did not stay long with the emperor ’ s twin .
He loved beautiful , tall English girls , and he and I got our stories straight and it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship , pardon the pun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best describe as a long period of permanent adolescence .
The Persian cut a wide swath among English debs , Trinnys and India Janes galore , because back then he was loaded , very slim , short , and very handsome in an Oriental way .
He had taken to England like the proverbial duck to H2O , dominated by English school impressions , mostly fair play on the sporting field .
I have met many athletes , but no one as naturally Taki ’ s Noughties Taki Theodoracopulos Best Price : $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having sand kicked in his face by the beach bully .
No sand ever touched him .
He was a terrific all-rounder in cricket and a very good tennis player .
I played against him when I could still hit the ball and he was tough , never giving pace and returning everything .
He was also known as the man who never slept .
Always in love , Cyril Connolly ’ s The Unquiet Grave comes to mind , and the dread symbol of the pram in the hall never to blemish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Persian Boy became a fixture in the chic nightclubs of the time , Annabel ’ s and Tramp , always escorting beautiful young women , always on the lookout for more .
He would be the last to leave but up early for tennis or cricket practice , his afternoons spent playing bridge or teaching the game , his weekends in grand country houses captaining cricket teams , never out , taking wicket after wicket .
The Best of Taki Theodoracopulos

The lockdown and its enforced boredom have been replaced by a consistent feeling of loss, my nephew by marriage Hansie Schoenburg, age 33, from a brain tumor, and my close friend Shariar Bachtiar, 72, most likely by his own hand. Hansie was tall, blond, a Yale grad, and extremely handsome. Recently married, he died surrounded by his family.
Shariar was the Persian Boy, who as a slender, bright-eyed 6-year-old who spoke not a word of English was dispatched from Persia to an English school known for its cold rooms and strict rules. The Persian Boy learned early to do without parents. The bitter irony of their death was that Hansie willed himself to live these last fifteen years, whereas Shariar had had enough. Unlike many newly rich, vulgar Iranians running around London’s clubs back in the ’70s, Shariar Bachtiar came from an old and good family that had seen better days when the Shah’s father grabbed power in the ’20s. A young Shariar was first noticed by the last Shah’s twin sister Aschraf in Tehran, as was a young Taki in the South of France. The Persian and I did not know each other, but we sort of got together when the predatory Aschraf invited me to dinner. I did a Usain Bolt and ran for the hills, Shariar obeyed the royal command. The Unquiet Grave: A W... Connolly, Cyril Best Price: $9.36 Buy New $9.47 (as of 05:21 UTC - Details)
I never allowed him to forget it, that’s for sure. The truth is, sixty years ago I was sneaking around with Soraya, the Shah’s beautiful ex-wife who was divorced by him because she could not have children. Soraya warned me to keep things to myself, otherwise the Shah’s secret police would do me in. (He was very jealous.) The Persian Boy, in the meantime, did not stay long with the emperor’s twin. He loved beautiful, tall English girls, and he and I got our stories straight and it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, pardon the pun.
What followed was what I can best describe as a long period of permanent adolescence. The Persian cut a wide swath among English debs, Trinnys and India Janes galore, because back then he was loaded, very slim, short, and very handsome in an Oriental way. He had taken to England like the proverbial duck to H2O, dominated by English school impressions, mostly fair play on the sporting field. I have met many athletes, but no one as naturally Taki’s Noughties Taki Theodoracopulos Best Price: $53.85 (as of 03:03 UTC - Details) gifted as this prime suspect for having sand kicked in his face by the beach bully. No sand ever touched him. He was a terrific all-rounder in cricket and a very good tennis player. I played against him when I could still hit the ball and he was tough, never giving pace and returning everything. He was also known as the man who never slept.
Always in love, Cyril Connolly’s The Unquiet Grave comes to mind, and the dread symbol of the pram in the hall never to blemish the Persian’s household. The Persian Boy became a fixture in the chic nightclubs of the time, Annabel’s and Tramp, always escorting beautiful young women, always on the lookout for more. He would be the last to leave but up early for tennis or cricket practice, his afternoons spent playing bridge or teaching the game, his weekends in grand country houses captaining cricket teams, never out, taking wicket after wicket.
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Taki Theodoracopulos


lewrockwell--2020-07-29--COVID Trauma-Based Mind Control

COVID Trauma-Based Mind Control

“ Can we get control of an individual to the point where he will do our bidding against his will and even against fundamental laws of nature , such as self preservation ?
” ( CIA interdepartmental memo , Project ARTICHOKE , January 1952 ) The covert operation called COVID , which has been planned for years , is all about trauma-based mind control .
The trauma combines fear of a germ with the sudden psychic shock of the lockdowns , the masks , the social distancing , the economic destruction .
For many people , this trauma is paralyzing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : HOW CAN THIS BE ?
AM I LIVING IN A DREAM ?
Project Artichoke Silvey , David M. Best Price : $ 13.49 Buy New $ 14.99 The government and media messaging about the “ pandemic ” was immediate , and it was launched as a wall-to-wall campaign .
News reports , ads , public service announcements , talk shows , newspaper articles , press conferences , etc .
No room was permitted for counter-opinion and evidence or intelligent discussion and debate .
The messaging flood plays a major role in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subconscious paralysis , people obey .
They follow orders .
They sleep-walk .
They even , on top of the layer of paralysis , actively defend the powers-that-be .
—This would be the time for a political leader to step forward and address the people , in order to wake them up—first , by directing them to look around and see the unconscionable economic and , therefore , human wreckage .
This leader , this president , would describe in sufficient detail the horrendous situation : job loss , business closures , bankruptcies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The national engine of production , shut down .
The “ cure worse than the disease.
” Far worse .
Then the leader would rally the nation with a plan for recovery .
This would be a further wake-up call .
For example , for a start , the creation of a million jobs , to repair the crumbling national infrastructure .
Roads , highways , bridges , canals .
Trauma and paralysis need “ a reverse vector.
” Supplied with great energy and conviction .
We see none of that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they aren ’ t forcing more restrictive measures on the people .
The Search for the u20 ... John Marks Best Price : $ 6.33 Buy New $ 17.85 Perhaps the political leader with the most swagger and counter-consensus attitude—in the still most powerful nation in the world—is Donald Trump .
Is he waking up the country ?
Is he stepping to the podium and laying bare the economic devastation that has been leveled at the people ?
Is he voicing a plan for recovery ?
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and conspicuous lack of real leadership , nothing unusual , because they are still in the middle of the trauma and the shock .
But there is “ plenty of unusual.
” A leader who doesn ’ t lead .
A leader who , in a time of crisis , when leadership means so much , doesn ’ t step up .
THAT is unusual .
That is madness .
Now , add this : the Stockholm Syndrome .
People under rule by edict and force will often develop an attachment to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love .
Why ?
Because they see no other option .
And because , on a subconscious level , the whole surreal world they are now living in makes no sense at all unless their rulers are doing the right thing .
Operation Paperclip : T ... Jacobsen , Annie Best Price : $ 9.51 Buy New $ 12.83 Therefore , their leaders must be right .
They have to be right .
The governors and mayors have to be right .
Even the president , in doing nothing substantial , is right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job and business and money is also paralyzing in the extreme .
The government prescription seems to be : WAIT .
Keep living on Welfare and bailout until the money runs out or until the crisis is declared over .
All in all , many people are subconsciously asking this question : would I rather wake up and therefore see the mass insanity all around me , or would I prefer to stay asleep and follow orders and pretend that is the best course of action ?
They choose the second option .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ life at a new and different level .
It means seeing the truth .
It ’ s the first step to coming up with a strategy for dealing with the reality that has been imposed .
Not waking up means living in a state of conformity , accepting official statements and orders , following those orders , fitting in , acting normal , adjusting , behaving according to stimulus-response .
Re quarantine , isolation , social distancing , wearing masks : “ We did not know what the Russian [ brainwashing ] procedures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were producing some peculiar changes of attitude .
How ?
One possible factor was perceptual isolation and we concentrated on that.
” ( Donald Hebb , Sensory Deprivation : A Symposium Held at Harvard Medical School .
Cambridge , MA , Harvard University Press , 1961 ) Brainwashing : Its Hist ... Hunter , Edward Best Price : $ 19.04 Buy New $ 9.98 John Q Citizen would say : “ But I have to believe the quarantines , the isolation , the lockdowns , the distancing , the masks…they ’ re all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If I stop believing that , things would look very different .
And I don ’ t want thing to look very different.
” Re the use of fake official science as mind control : “ Brainwashing is a system of befogging the brain so a person can be seduced into acceptance of what otherwise would be abhorrent to him .
He loses touch with reality…However , in order to prevent people from recognizing the inherent evils in brainwashing , the Reds [ Communists ] pretend that it is only another name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unquestioned respect , such as education or reform.
” ( Edward Hunter , Brainwashing .
New York : Pyramid Books .
1956 ) Re the recruitment of citizens to operate as contact tracers in a wide-ranging program : “ Brainwashing is defined as an observable set of transactions between a charismatically-structured collectivity and an isolated agent of the collectivity with the goal of transforming the agent into a deployable agent.
” ( Thomas Robbins , Benjamin David Zablocki , Misunderstanding Cults , 2001 ) The Best of Jon Rappoport

“Can we get control of an individual to the point where he will do our bidding against his will and even against fundamental laws of nature, such as self preservation?” (CIA interdepartmental memo, Project ARTICHOKE, January 1952)
The covert operation called COVID, which has been planned for years, is all about trauma-based mind control.
The trauma combines fear of a germ with the sudden psychic shock of the lockdowns, the masks, the social distancing, the economic destruction.
For many people, this trauma is paralyzing on a subconscious level.
As in: HOW CAN THIS BE? AM I LIVING IN A DREAM? Project Artichoke Silvey, David M. Best Price: $13.49 Buy New $14.99 (as of 05:25 UTC - Details)
The government and media messaging about the “pandemic” was immediate, and it was launched as a wall-to-wall campaign. News reports, ads, public service announcements, talk shows, newspaper articles, press conferences, etc. No room was permitted for counter-opinion and evidence or intelligent discussion and debate. The messaging flood plays a major role in the trauma effect.
In a state of subconscious paralysis, people obey. They follow orders. They sleep-walk. They even, on top of the layer of paralysis, actively defend the powers-that-be.
A nation asleep. A world asleep.
—This would be the time for a political leader to step forward and address the people, in order to wake them up—first, by directing them to look around and see the unconscionable economic and, therefore, human wreckage.
This leader, this president, would describe in sufficient detail the horrendous situation: job loss, business closures, bankruptcies, suicides, murders, broken families. The national engine of production, shut down. The “cure worse than the disease.” Far worse.
Then the leader would rally the nation with a plan for recovery. This would be a further wake-up call. For example, for a start, the creation of a million jobs, to repair the crumbling national infrastructure. Roads, highways, bridges, canals.
Trauma and paralysis need “a reverse vector.” Supplied with great energy and conviction.
We see none of that. Political leaders are mainly timid and brainless—when they aren’t forcing more restrictive measures on the people. The Search for the u20... John Marks Best Price: $6.33 Buy New $17.85 (as of 02:00 UTC - Details)
Perhaps the political leader with the most swagger and counter-consensus attitude—in the still most powerful nation in the world—is Donald Trump. Is he waking up the country? Is he stepping to the podium and laying bare the economic devastation that has been leveled at the people? Is he voicing a plan for recovery?
No.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE?
Most people see, in his maddening and conspicuous lack of real leadership, nothing unusual, because they are still in the middle of the trauma and the shock.
But there is “plenty of unusual.” A leader who doesn’t lead. A leader who, in a time of crisis, when leadership means so much, doesn’t step up.
THAT is unusual. That is madness.
Now, add this: the Stockholm Syndrome. People under rule by edict and force will often develop an attachment to their oppressors. Loyalty. Even a perverse love.
Why? Because they see no other option.
And because, on a subconscious level, the whole surreal world they are now living in makes no sense at all unless their rulers are doing the right thing. Operation Paperclip: T... Jacobsen, Annie Best Price: $9.51 Buy New $12.83 (as of 05:25 UTC - Details)
Therefore, their leaders must be right. They have to be right.
The governors and mayors have to be right. Even the president, in doing nothing substantial, is right.
Of course, the loss of job and business and money is also paralyzing in the extreme. The government prescription seems to be: WAIT. Keep living on Welfare and bailout until the money runs out or until the crisis is declared over.
All in all, many people are subconsciously asking this question: would I rather wake up and therefore see the mass insanity all around me, or would I prefer to stay asleep and follow orders and pretend that is the best course of action? They choose the second option.
Waking up means the individual is living life at a new and different level. It means seeing the truth. It’s the first step to coming up with a strategy for dealing with the reality that has been imposed.
Not waking up means living in a state of conformity, accepting official statements and orders, following those orders, fitting in, acting normal, adjusting, behaving according to stimulus-response.
Re quarantine, isolation, social distancing, wearing masks: “We did not know what the Russian [brainwashing] procedures were, but it seemed that they were producing some peculiar changes of attitude. How? One possible factor was perceptual isolation and we concentrated on that.” (Donald Hebb, Sensory Deprivation: A Symposium Held at Harvard Medical School. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1961)
Brainwashing: Its Hist... Hunter, Edward Best Price: $19.04 Buy New $9.98 (as of 05:25 UTC - Details) John Q Citizen would say: “But I have to believe the quarantines, the isolation, the lockdowns, the distancing, the masks…they’re all happening so we can contain the virus. If I stop believing that, things would look very different. And I don’t want thing to look very different.”
Re the use of fake official science as mind control: “Brainwashing is a system of befogging the brain so a person can be seduced into acceptance of what otherwise would be abhorrent to him. He loses touch with reality…However, in order to prevent people from recognizing the inherent evils in brainwashing, the Reds [Communists] pretend that it is only another name for something already very familiar and of unquestioned respect, such as education or reform.” (Edward Hunter, Brainwashing. New York: Pyramid Books. 1956)
Re the recruitment of citizens to operate as contact tracers in a wide-ranging program: “Brainwashing is defined as an observable set of transactions between a charismatically-structured collectivity and an isolated agent of the collectivity with the goal of transforming the agent into a deployable agent.” (Thomas Robbins, Benjamin David Zablocki, Misunderstanding Cults, 2001)
COVID IS A MASS MIND CONTROL PROGRAM.
Reprinted with permission from Jon Rappoport’s blog.
The Best of Jon Rappoport


lewrockwell--2020-07-30--The Seven-Step Path from Pandemic to Totalitarianism

As if it was planned in advance , billions of people around the globe are being forced step by rapid step into a radically different way of life , one that involves far less personal , physical and financial freedom and agency .
Here is the template for rolling this out .
A new virus starts to spread around the world .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) declares a pandemic .
International agencies , public-health officials , politicians , media and other influential voices fan fear by focusing almost exclusively on the contagiousness of the virus and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ characterizing the virus as extremely dangerous .
The Origins of Totalit ... Hannah Arendt Best Price : $ 8.49 Buy New $ 12.90 Within a few days governments at national and local levels also declare states of emergency .
At lightning speed they impose lock-down measures that confine most people to their homes – starting with closing schools – and shut down much of the global economy .
World markets implode .
The stunned , fearful and credulous public – convinced over the previous few years that their bodies do not have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ producing antibodies that confer long-lasting immunity – largely complies willingly .
The first weekly virtual class on local emergency and crisis responses to COVID19 is held for mayors and other city officials around the world .
Coordinated by a handful of American organizations in the academic , medical , financial , political and transportation spheres , the classes feature guests ranging from Barack Obama to Bill Gates .
National , state/provincial and municipal leaders , as well as public-health officials , start daily press briefings .
They use them to pump out frightening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the potential to kill many millions .
The Rape of the Mind : ... Joost A. M. Meerloo Best Price : $ 14.72 Buy New $ 2.99 Most of this information is hard to decipher and sheds little real light on the natural course of the virus ’ s spread through each geographic area .
Officials and media downplay or distort inconveniently low death tolls from the virus and instead focus on alarming statistics produced by compliant academics , social-media influencers and high-profile organizations .
The main message is that this is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unless virtually everybody stays at home .
Mainstream media amplify the trope that the world is at the mercy of the virus .
Simultaneously , central banks and governments hand out massive amounts of cash largely to benefit the big banks .
And they bring in giant private-sector financial firms to manage the process despite these global companies ’ very poor track record in the 2008-2009 crash .
Governments also rapidly start to create trillions of pounds ’ worth of programs that include compensating businesses and workers for their shutdown-related losses .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of government and public health to very rapidly ramp up testing for viral RNA , along with production of personal protective equipment .
Battle for the Mind : A ... William Sargant Best Price : $ 5.02 Buy New $ 15.89 They push aside the need for regulation , including quality standards and independent verification of tests ’ rates of accuracy , by insisting that fast approval and roll-out are imperative for saving lives .
Models are released that predict snowballing of numbers of cases , hospitalizations and deaths even under best-case scenarios @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public-health officials significantly loosen the criteria for viral infections , outbreaks and deaths , particularly in the oldest members of society .
That increases the numbers of cases and deaths ascribed to the new pathogen .
The media continue to clamour for more testing and for severe punishment of people who aren ’ t completely compliant with the lock-down measures .
As a result , there ’ s little backlash as police and military with sweeping new powers enforce these measures and give stiff penalties or even jail terms to those who disobey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive numbers of people ’ s movements via their cellphones .
Vast human resources are focused on tracking down people who have had contact with a virus-positive individual and confining them to their homes .
Thus the portion of the public exposed to the virus remains relatively small .
It also contributes to social isolation .
Among many effects , this enables those in control to even further erase individual and collective choices , voices and power .

As if it was planned in advance, billions of people around the globe are being forced step by rapid step into a radically different way of life, one that involves far less personal, physical and financial freedom and agency.
Here is the template for rolling this out.
STEP 1
A new virus starts to spread around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) declares a pandemic.
International agencies, public-health officials, politicians, media and other influential voices fan fear by focusing almost exclusively on the contagiousness of the virus and the rising numbers of cases, and by characterizing the virus as extremely dangerous. The Origins of Totalit... Hannah Arendt Best Price: $8.49 Buy New $12.90 (as of 06:35 UTC - Details)
Within a few days governments at national and local levels also declare states of emergency. At lightning speed they impose lock-down measures that confine most people to their homes – starting with closing schools – and shut down much of the global economy. World markets implode.
The stunned, fearful and credulous public – convinced over the previous few years that their bodies do not have the natural ability to react to pathogens by producing antibodies that confer long-lasting immunity – largely complies willingly.
The first weekly virtual class on local emergency and crisis responses to COVID19 is held for mayors and other city officials around the world. Coordinated by a handful of American organizations in the academic, medical, financial, political and transportation spheres, the classes feature guests ranging from Barack Obama to Bill Gates.
STEP 2
National, state/provincial and municipal leaders, as well as public-health officials, start daily press briefings. They use them to pump out frightening statistics and modelling asserting the virus has the potential to kill many millions. The Rape of the Mind: ... Joost A. M. Meerloo Best Price: $14.72 Buy New $2.99 (as of 06:50 UTC - Details)
Most of this information is hard to decipher and sheds little real light on the natural course of the virus’s spread through each geographic area.
Officials and media downplay or distort inconveniently low death tolls from the virus and instead focus on alarming statistics produced by compliant academics, social-media influencers and high-profile organizations.
The main message is that this is a war and many lives are at stake unless virtually everybody stays at home. Mainstream media amplify the trope that the world is at the mercy of the virus.
Simultaneously, central banks and governments hand out massive amounts of cash largely to benefit the big banks. And they bring in giant private-sector financial firms to manage the process despite these global companies’ very poor track record in the 2008-2009 crash. Governments also rapidly start to create trillions of pounds’ worth of programs that include compensating businesses and workers for their shutdown-related losses.
STEP 3
There is a concerted effort by all levels of government and public health to very rapidly ramp up testing for viral RNA, along with production of personal protective equipment. Battle for the Mind: A... William Sargant Best Price: $5.02 Buy New $15.89 (as of 04:04 UTC - Details)
They push aside the need for regulation, including quality standards and independent verification of tests’ rates of accuracy, by insisting that fast approval and roll-out are imperative for saving lives.
Models are released that predict snowballing of numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths even under best-case scenarios.
At about the same time, public-health officials significantly loosen the criteria for viral infections, outbreaks and deaths, particularly in the oldest members of society. That increases the numbers of cases and deaths ascribed to the new pathogen.
The media continue to clamour for more testing and for severe punishment of people who aren’t completely compliant with the lock-down measures.
As a result, there’s little backlash as police and military with sweeping new powers enforce these measures and give stiff penalties or even jail terms to those who disobey orders. States also monitor with impunity massive numbers of people’s movements via their cellphones.
Vast human resources are focused on tracking down people who have had contact with a virus-positive individual and confining them to their homes. Thus the portion of the public exposed to the virus remains relatively small.
It also contributes to social isolation. Among many effects, this enables those in control to even further erase individual and collective choices, voices and power.
Read the Whole Article


lewrockwell--2020-07-30--Another Failure of the COVID Diagnostic Test

In previous articles , I ’ ve detailed several key reasons why the PCR test is worthless and deceptive .
( PCR article archive here ) .
Here I discuss yet another reason : the uniformity of the test has never been properly validated .
Different labs come up with different results .
Let ’ s start here—the reference is the NY Times , January 22 , 2007 , “ Faith in Quick Tests Leads to Epidemic That Wasn ’ t. ” “ Dr .
Brooke Herndon , an internist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center , could not stop coughing…By late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospital were coughing… ” COVID-19 OUTBREAK : How ... O'Donnel , Kevin Buy New $ 7.99 “ For months , nearly everyone involved thought the medical center had had a huge whooping cough outbreak , with extensive ramifications .
Nearly 1,000 health care workers at the hospital in Lebanon , N.H. , were given a preliminary test and furloughed from work until their results were in ; 142 people , including Dr. Herndon , were told they appeared to have the disease ; and thousands were given antibiotics and a vaccine for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of commission , including some in intensive care.
” “ Then , about eight months later , health care workers were dumbfounded to receive an e-mail message from the hospital administration informing them that the whole thing was a false alarm.
” “ Now , as they look back on the episode , epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists say the problem was that they placed too much faith in a quick and highly sensitive molecular test [ PCR ] that led them astray.
” “ There are no national data on pseudo-epidemics caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Dr. Trish M. Perl , an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins and past president of the Society of Health Care Epidemiologists of America .
But , she said , pseudo-epidemics happen all the time .
The Dartmouth case may have been one the largest , but it was by no means an exception , she said.
” “ Many of the new molecular [ PCR ] tests are quick but technically demanding , and each laboratory may do them in its own way .
These tests , called ‘ home brews , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are no good estimates of their error rates .
But their very sensitivity makes false positives likely , and when hundreds or thousands of people are tested , as occurred at Dartmouth , false positives can make it seem like there is an epidemic.
” “ ’ You ’ re in a little bit of no man ’ s land , ’ with the new molecular [ PCR ] tests , said Dr. Mark Perkins , an infectious disease specialist and chief scientific officer at the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Melinda Gates Foundation .
‘ All bets are off on exact performance ’ .
” Plagues , Pandemics and ... Quinlan , Heather E. Buy New $ 22.95 “ With pertussis , she [ Dr. Kretsinger , CDC ] said , ‘ there are probably 100 different P.C.R .
protocols and methods being used throughout the country , ’ and it is unclear how often any of them are accurate .
‘ We have had a number of outbreaks where we believe that despite the presence of P.C.R.-positive results , the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added.
” “ Dr .
Cathy A. Petti , an infectious disease specialist at the University of Utah , said the story had one clear lesson.
” “ ’ The big message is that every lab is vulnerable to having false positives , ’ Dr. Petti said .
‘ No single test result is absolute and that is even more important with a test result based on P.C.R ’ .
” —Sobering , to say the least .
Of course , some people will claim that since the date of the Times ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been made in the PCR test .
Really ?
The truth is , something much worse is lurking in the weeds .
It has been lurking ever since the PCR was approved for use in diagnostics : No large study validating the uniformity of PCR results , from lab to lab , has ever been done .
You would think at least a dozen very large studies had checked for uniform results , before unleashing the PCR on the public ; but no , this was not the case .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what should have been done decades ago : Take a thousand volunteers .
Remove tissue samples from each person .
Send those samples to 30 different labs .
Have the labs run PCR and announce their findings for each volunteer .
“ We found the following virus in sample 1… ” Something simple like that .
Biohazard : The Chillin ... Handelman , Stephen Buy New $ 13.99 Now compare the findings , in each of the 1000 cases , from all 30 labs .
Are the findings the same ?
Are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board ?
My money would be against it .
Strongly against .
But this is not the end of the process .
SEVERAL of these large-scale studies should be done .
In EACH study , there are 1000 volunteers and 30 labs .
Why ?
Because , as you can readily see , the whole story about a current pandemic is riding on those tests .
The story , the containment measures , the lockdowns , the economic devastation , the human destruction—it ’ s all built on the presumption that the PCR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s unthinkable that these validation studies of the PCR weren ’ t done decades ago .
But they weren ’ t .
And there is only one reason why : to avoid the truth .
The results of the PCR aren ’ t uniform .
They vary from lab to lab .
One lab says positive for virus B .
Another lab says negative for virus B .
Both labs are looking at the same sample .
No ?
Couldn ’ t be ?
Then prove it with the several large-scale studies I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give you a rough fictional analogy for the current testing situation— In an old-growth forest of immense trees , a government agency tests white spots found on some trunks .
The verdict ?
A highly destructive and novel fungus , for which there is no remedy .
Without immediate and drastic action , the fungus will spread to the whole forest and destroy all the trees .
The Case Against Masks ... Heckenlively , Kent Buy New $ 12.99 So a government contract is signed with a logging company , and workers move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , another lab tests those white spots and reports they ’ re harmless bird droppings .
Yet another lab claims they ’ re a mild traditional fungus of no great concern .
The reports of these two labs are suppressed and censored .
The labs are put on a quiet blacklist , and their business dries up .
An analyst at the US Forestry Service sends a memo to his boss .
It details the fact that the test which found deadly fungus is unreliable .
Different labs doing the test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Worse yet , that test was never properly validated as a uniform process before being approved for use .
In other words , no one did a large study in which multiple labs used the test to determine the composition of spots found on trees .
No one made sure that all labs came to the same conclusions using the test .
The Forestry analyst writes : “ The test has inherent flaws .
Different labs examining the same sample will always come up with different results .
This has disastrous consequences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see that now ; we are cutting down half a forest to prevent the spread of a fungus which has been noticed for centuries , and never caused serious harm… ” The analyst is fired from his job and firmly reminded that he signed a non-disclosure agreement , and he better keep his mouth shut .
The tree-cutting goes on .
A developer buys up the cleared land at a very low price… In essence , the pipeline of information from actually reliable sources , to the government , and then to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against unwelcome intrusions of TRUTH .
In the case of the PCR test , that ’ s what is happening .
The Best of Jon Rappoport

In previous articles, I’ve detailed several key reasons why the PCR test is worthless and deceptive. (PCR article archive here).
Here I discuss yet another reason: the uniformity of the test has never been properly validated. Different labs come up with different results.
Let’s start here—the reference is the NY Times, January 22, 2007, “Faith in Quick Tests Leads to Epidemic That Wasn’t.”
“Dr. Brooke Herndon, an internist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, could not stop coughing…By late April, other health care workers at the hospital were coughing…”
COVID-19 OUTBREAK: How... O'Donnel, Kevin Buy New $7.99 (as of 05:05 UTC - Details) “For months, nearly everyone involved thought the medical center had had a huge whooping cough outbreak, with extensive ramifications. Nearly 1,000 health care workers at the hospital in Lebanon, N.H., were given a preliminary test and furloughed from work until their results were in; 142 people, including Dr. Herndon, were told they appeared to have the disease; and thousands were given antibiotics and a vaccine for protection. Hospital beds were taken out of commission, including some in intensive care.”
“Then, about eight months later, health care workers were dumbfounded to receive an e-mail message from the hospital administration informing them that the whole thing was a false alarm.”
“Now, as they look back on the episode, epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists say the problem was that they placed too much faith in a quick and highly sensitive molecular test [PCR] that led them astray.”
“There are no national data on pseudo-epidemics caused by an overreliance on such molecular tests, said Dr. Trish M. Perl, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins and past president of the Society of Health Care Epidemiologists of America. But, she said, pseudo-epidemics happen all the time. The Dartmouth case may have been one the largest, but it was by no means an exception, she said.”
“Many of the new molecular [PCR] tests are quick but technically demanding, and each laboratory may do them in its own way. These tests, called ‘home brews,’ are not commercially available, and there are no good estimates of their error rates. But their very sensitivity makes false positives likely, and when hundreds or thousands of people are tested, as occurred at Dartmouth, false positives can make it seem like there is an epidemic.”
“’You’re in a little bit of no man’s land,’ with the new molecular [PCR] tests, said Dr. Mark Perkins, an infectious disease specialist and chief scientific officer at the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, a nonprofit foundation supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. ‘All bets are off on exact performance’.” Plagues, Pandemics and... Quinlan, Heather E. Buy New $22.95 (as of 03:02 UTC - Details)
“With pertussis, she [Dr. Kretsinger, CDC] said, ‘there are probably 100 different P.C.R. protocols and methods being used throughout the country,’ and it is unclear how often any of them are accurate. ‘We have had a number of outbreaks where we believe that despite the presence of P.C.R.-positive results, the disease was not pertussis,’ Dr. Kretsinger added.”
“Dr. Cathy A. Petti, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Utah, said the story had one clear lesson.”
“’The big message is that every lab is vulnerable to having false positives,’ Dr. Petti said. ‘No single test result is absolute and that is even more important with a test result based on P.C.R’.”
—Sobering, to say the least. Of course, some people will claim that since the date of the Times’ article (2007), vast improvements have been made in the PCR test.
Really? The truth is, something much worse is lurking in the weeds. It has been lurking ever since the PCR was approved for use in diagnostics:
No large study validating the uniformity of PCR results, from lab to lab, has ever been done.
You would think at least a dozen very large studies had checked for uniform results, before unleashing the PCR on the public; but no, this was not the case. It is still not the case.
Here is what should have been done decades ago:
Take a thousand volunteers. Remove tissue samples from each person. Send those samples to 30 different labs. Have the labs run PCR and announce their findings for each volunteer.
“We found the following virus in sample 1…” Something simple like that. Biohazard: The Chillin... Handelman, Stephen Buy New $13.99 (as of 04:05 UTC - Details)
Now compare the findings, in each of the 1000 cases, from all 30 labs. Are the findings the same? Are the outcomes uniform all the way across the board?
My money would be against it. Strongly against.
But this is not the end of the process. SEVERAL of these large-scale studies should be done. In EACH study, there are 1000 volunteers and 30 labs.
Why? Because, as you can readily see, the whole story about a current pandemic is riding on those tests. The story, the containment measures, the lockdowns, the economic devastation, the human destruction—it’s all built on the presumption that the PCR is a valid test.
It’s unthinkable that these validation studies of the PCR weren’t done decades ago. But they weren’t. And there is only one reason why: to avoid the truth. The results of the PCR aren’t uniform. They vary from lab to lab.
One lab says positive for virus B. Another lab says negative for virus B. Both labs are looking at the same sample.
No? Couldn’t be? Then prove it with the several large-scale studies I’m proposing.
I’ll give you a rough fictional analogy for the current testing situation—
In an old-growth forest of immense trees, a government agency tests white spots found on some trunks. The verdict? A highly destructive and novel fungus, for which there is no remedy. Without immediate and drastic action, the fungus will spread to the whole forest and destroy all the trees. The Case Against Masks... Heckenlively, Kent Buy New $12.99 (as of 04:52 UTC - Details)
So a government contract is signed with a logging company, and workers move in and start cutting down many trees.
Meanwhile, another lab tests those white spots and reports they’re harmless bird droppings. Yet another lab claims they’re a mild traditional fungus of no great concern.
The reports of these two labs are suppressed and censored. The labs are put on a quiet blacklist, and their business dries up.
The tree cutting continues.
An analyst at the US Forestry Service sends a memo to his boss. It details the fact that the test which found deadly fungus is unreliable. Different labs doing the test come up with different and conflicting results.
Worse yet, that test was never properly validated as a uniform process before being approved for use. In other words, no one did a large study in which multiple labs used the test to determine the composition of spots found on trees. No one made sure that all labs came to the same conclusions using the test.
The Forestry analyst writes: “The test has inherent flaws. Different labs examining the same sample will always come up with different results. This has disastrous consequences in the real world. You can see that now; we are cutting down half a forest to prevent the spread of a fungus which has been noticed for centuries, and never caused serious harm…”
The analyst is fired from his job and firmly reminded that he signed a non-disclosure agreement, and he better keep his mouth shut.
The tree-cutting goes on. A developer buys up the cleared land at a very low price…
In essence, the pipeline of information from actually reliable sources, to the government, and then to the public, is narrowed, and guarded against unwelcome intrusions of TRUTH.
In the case of the PCR test, that’s what is happening.
SOURCE:
nytimes.com/2007/01/22/health/22whoop.html
Reprinted with permission from Jon Rappoport’s blog.
The Best of Jon Rappoport


Our Work

There is something sick about the first person who said “ Humans just don ’ t follow orders very well .
I wish I had a creature that would follow my orders perfectly .
How do I train such a creature ?
” In time , another person realized no such creature exists .
Many share this want .
Some seek to help empower the individual .
All too often , in this want , is the dismissal of a human ’ s individuality .
Great effort has gone into denying the human his individuality .
Correspondingly , great effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as possible , into a well-behaved and predictable input and output mechanism : Behavioral psychology , management , marketing , education are but a few of the fields that put so much effort into this .
“ How to make man behave less like man , more like animal , ” has been the focus of that work .
Outsmarting the Sociop ... Stout Ph.D. , Martha Best Price : $ 19.36 Buy New $ 17.12 It is dehumanizing in the truest sense of that word .
But it doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further , for a beast is a biological entity with its own unpredictabilities .
Adherents create a perfect idea : a computer with ultimate intelligence and great power which never questions commands .
That becomes the new ideal to which man is compared , to which man is pushed to be like .
How can man be a predictable and interchangeable commodity ?
How can the natural affinity for man to question authority be minimized and then neutralized ?
There are those who seek to use computers to empower the individual .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of many in the tech world is not coincidental .
It is an expression of their values .
That output includes their politics .
It is rooted in bad philosophy that refuses to recognize reality for what it is and refuses to recognize individuals as such .
This is true of so many , from a social-justicey-kool-aid-haired intern at Google up to Bill Gates .
This thinking crosses disciplines and reaches far beyond tech , to all corners of professional life .
Introducing Logic : A G ... Shatil , Sharron Best Price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Based on bad philosophy and , at times , bad people , of mentally deficient sociopathy , a common attitude is how can computers be used to help man serve others like predictable automatons .
How can man be seen more like computer ?
How can man be made more like computer ?
This is the inherent sociopathy in mainstream tech .
It is also the work of individuals in many fields , who could never fathom the dictum “ The law exists for man , and not man for the law.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strange estimations , meant to indicate perfect markets or perfect competition , in the case of economists , but those estimations do not reflect reality .
Correspondingly , their work becomes to bring reality , closer to their model – a fool ’ s errand – rather than bring their model closer to reality .
Or in the case of climate scientists who assume away all the variables of reality in their models and then seek to make reality more closely match their results rather than bring greater reality to their models .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the algorithm that describes human needs and wants in a simple piece of math .
But it doesn ’ t .
The algorithm was wrong from the very beginning .
Then the presumption is that the human user is wrong .
Could ten thousand PhDs working on a project possibly be more wrong than Joe Sixpack ?
“ User error ” it is then called , alongside many other dismissive and distracting terms for failure , when in fact what was wrong was the idea that assuming away variables brings you closer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the heart of that thinking .
The Singularity Is Nea ... Kurzweil , Ray Best Price : $ 2.30 Buy New $ 12.71 Man is man .
Beast is beast .
Machine is machine .
Great effort will continue to be put forward into confusing those three ideas , distinct and true .
Great pain will be caused by those refusing to acknowledge the distinct reality dividing these three groupings .
Their disregard for reality will not change reality .
Reality will care not for the opinion of such men .
Reality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Reality forms no plebiscite to determine the feelings of those its rules affect .
And consequently , it is reality that will continue being reality , regardless of the degree to which the sociopath ignores reality .
The true variable is in how much pain will be created by this attempt to idealize away reality , to assume away truth , to claim reality has no application on reality .
And that variable is determined by how much faith man puts in the sociopath , how much power man places in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is directly proportional to the amount of pain that can be caused by such ideas .
Relegate them to the attic , where the nutty , dysfunctional uncle has long belonged , and where wiser generations placed him , or in the basement as an occasional diversion on a boring day .
That ’ s where wiser generations placed these eccentrics who had such poor understanding of humanity and reality , and had such poor social graces , that they were seen as mere dismissed eccentrics , so public in their sociopathy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Coming of Neo-Feud ... Kotkin , Joel Best Price : $ 30.51 Buy New $ 19.54 But that is not every eccentric , for more than that was placed into determining one ’ s value .
Today , being eccentric is practically an asset in itself .
Our society , appreciative of the advances of some eccentrics , appreciative of the oddball , and awash with cheap money and easy credit , cares little for the philosophical discernment needed to root out the sociopath .
The sociopath and eccentric are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look alike if you know no better and believe that no one would ever put a sociopath on the cover of a magazine or hand him wads of cash .
To the contrary , in this era , those are more likely to be marks of the sociopath than not .
The venture capitalist knows : throw a million dollars at one hundred eccentrics and one will make you into a billionaire .
No longer relegated to the attic , the sociopath may even sound good occasionally , especially in sound bites , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch is right twice a day , but seldom is the toxic philosophy of the sociopath even right that often .
The roots of these beliefs are bad , as bad as it comes .
How very distracting this era of easy money , world reserve status , and quantitative easing to infinity can be on what really matters .
And reality is nothing .
Insightful data is irrelevant , wisdom more irrelevant .
Technocracy : The Hard ... Wood , Patrick M. Best Price : $ 33.00 Buy New $ 24.59 Narrative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It becomes immoral to do anything but bow to the greatest sociopathy and to pretend you have no memory and no ability to reason .
How did so many Americans get here ?
But the remnant remains .
Continuing to ask hard questions .
Continuing to be intellectually rigorous .
Continuing to be exacting .
Because no matter what an academic movement says about what reality is , reality doesn ’ t care .
Logic is our greatest tool for separating us from the beast , our greatest tool in separating us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history , there has never been a lack of the anti-logical .
There has never been a lack of sophistry .
It may forever be with us and that should not for a moment faze you .
Reality has a way of snapping back into proper form that which thinks itself immune from reality .
It is our job to know the truth as best as possible and to organize our resources as best we can in accordance with that truth .
That is our work .
No more .
No less .
@ @ @ @ @

There is something sick about the first person who said “Humans just don’t follow orders very well. I wish I had a creature that would follow my orders perfectly. How do I train such a creature?”
In time, another person realized no such creature exists.
Many share this want. Some seek to help empower the individual. All too often, in this want, is the dismissal of a human’s individuality.
Great effort has gone into denying the human his individuality. Correspondingly, great effort has gone into making him, as much as possible, into a well-behaved and predictable input and output mechanism:
Behavioral psychology, management, marketing, education are but a few of the fields that put so much effort into this. “How to make man behave less like man, more like animal,” has been the focus of that work. Outsmarting the Sociop... Stout Ph.D., Martha Best Price: $19.36 Buy New $17.12 (as of 04:06 UTC - Details)
It is dehumanizing in the truest sense of that word.
But it doesn’t stop there. It goes a step further, for a beast is a biological entity with its own unpredictabilities.
Adherents create a perfect idea: a computer with ultimate intelligence and great power which never questions commands.
That becomes the new ideal to which man is compared, to which man is pushed to be like.
How can man be a predictable and interchangeable commodity?
How can the natural affinity for man to question authority be minimized and then neutralized?
There are those who seek to use computers to empower the individual. They are few in number.
The output of many in the tech world is not coincidental. It is an expression of their values. That output includes their politics. It is rooted in bad philosophy that refuses to recognize reality for what it is and refuses to recognize individuals as such. This is true of so many, from a social-justicey-kool-aid-haired intern at Google up to Bill Gates. This thinking crosses disciplines and reaches far beyond tech, to all corners of professional life. Introducing Logic: A G... Shatil, Sharron Best Price: $4.34 Buy New $3.25 (as of 04:06 UTC - Details)
Based on bad philosophy and, at times, bad people, of mentally deficient sociopathy, a common attitude is how can computers be used to help man serve others like predictable automatons. How can man be seen more like computer? How can man be made more like computer?
This is the inherent sociopathy in mainstream tech.
It is also the work of individuals in many fields, who could never fathom the dictum “The law exists for man, and not man for the law.” For they go through their professions making strange estimations, meant to indicate perfect markets or perfect competition, in the case of economists, but those estimations do not reflect reality.
Correspondingly, their work becomes to bring reality, closer to their model – a fool’s errand – rather than bring their model closer to reality.
Or in the case of climate scientists who assume away all the variables of reality in their models and then seek to make reality more closely match their results rather than bring greater reality to their models.
Another example is the informatic, making the algorithm that describes human needs and wants in a simple piece of math. But it doesn’t. The algorithm was wrong from the very beginning. Then the presumption is that the human user is wrong. Could ten thousand PhDs working on a project possibly be more wrong than Joe Sixpack? “User error” it is then called, alongside many other dismissive and distracting terms for failure, when in fact what was wrong was the idea that assuming away variables brings you closer to reality.
There is so little reality at the heart of that thinking. The Singularity Is Nea... Kurzweil, Ray Best Price: $2.30 Buy New $12.71 (as of 04:06 UTC - Details)
Man is man.
Beast is beast.
Machine is machine.
Great effort will continue to be put forward into confusing those three ideas, distinct and true. Great pain will be caused by those refusing to acknowledge the distinct reality dividing these three groupings.
Their disregard for reality will not change reality. Reality will care not for the opinion of such men. Reality takes no poll before exacting its rules. Reality forms no plebiscite to determine the feelings of those its rules affect.
And consequently, it is reality that will continue being reality, regardless of the degree to which the sociopath ignores reality.
The true variable is in how much pain will be created by this attempt to idealize away reality, to assume away truth, to claim reality has no application on reality.
And that variable is determined by how much faith man puts in the sociopath, how much power man places in the hands of those who deny reality.
This is directly proportional to the amount of pain that can be caused by such ideas.
Relegate them to the attic, where the nutty, dysfunctional uncle has long belonged, and where wiser generations placed him, or in the basement as an occasional diversion on a boring day.
That’s where wiser generations placed these eccentrics who had such poor understanding of humanity and reality, and had such poor social graces, that they were seen as mere dismissed eccentrics, so public in their sociopathy that no one could take them seriously. The Coming of Neo-Feud... Kotkin, Joel Best Price: $30.51 Buy New $19.54 (as of 04:06 UTC - Details)
But that is not every eccentric, for more than that was placed into determining one’s value.
Today, being eccentric is practically an asset in itself. Our society, appreciative of the advances of some eccentrics, appreciative of the oddball, and awash with cheap money and easy credit, cares little for the philosophical discernment needed to root out the sociopath.
The sociopath and eccentric are not the same. But they sure can look alike if you know no better and believe that no one would ever put a sociopath on the cover of a magazine or hand him wads of cash. To the contrary, in this era, those are more likely to be marks of the sociopath than not.
The venture capitalist knows: throw a million dollars at one hundred eccentrics and one will make you into a billionaire.
No longer relegated to the attic, the sociopath may even sound good occasionally, especially in sound bites, or in softball interviews. A broken watch is right twice a day, but seldom is the toxic philosophy of the sociopath even right that often.
The roots of these beliefs are bad, as bad as it comes. How very distracting this era of easy money, world reserve status, and quantitative easing to infinity can be on what really matters.
Suddenly frivolity matters.
And reality is nothing.
Insightful data is irrelevant, wisdom more irrelevant. Technocracy: The Hard ... Wood, Patrick M. Best Price: $33.00 Buy New $24.59 (as of 03:55 UTC - Details)
Narrative and image and force rule the day.
It becomes immoral to do anything but bow to the greatest sociopathy and to pretend you have no memory and no ability to reason.
How did so many Americans get here?
They stopped asking hard questions.
And it didn’t start yesterday.
But the remnant remains. Continuing to ask hard questions. Continuing to be intellectually rigorous. Continuing to be exacting.
Because no matter what an academic movement says about what reality is, reality doesn’t care.
Logic is our greatest tool for separating us from the beast, our greatest tool in separating us from the machines.
In all recorded history, there has never been a lack of the anti-logical. There has never been a lack of sophistry. It may forever be with us and that should not for a moment faze you. Reality has a way of snapping back into proper form that which thinks itself immune from reality.
It is our job to know the truth as best as possible and to organize our resources as best we can in accordance with that truth.
That is our work. No more. No less.
The Best of Allan Stevo