Isn’t Inglish wonderful? We have shocked and we have discombobulated.
Here is a reasonable interview with Prof David Jacobs. Allow him to rattle your cage. It won’t hurt, and it may fineness your model of Reality.
https://youtu.be/l7aqIs-eHwo
The left-right “Oligarchy-constructed fight club” is just fascinating to behold. Over 20 years, “right” has gone from “Invade Iraq” (because - uh - WMD!) to “America First - No More Endless Wars!” Although the “right” is still working this one through.
And over 50 years, the “left” has gone from “US Out of VIETNAM!” to - “leaving Syria and Afghanistan (after only 20 years!) would be a disaster!”
The effect on anyone with a functioning memory must be very distressing. “Wait - what? Afghanistan? 20 years? While I wasn’t watching!”
But has anyone noticed? A few, maybe. But mostly not. The Oligarchy knows that constant appeals to tribalism will usually overcome either memory, or common sense - at least for most people. Most see: “my side is right! my side is winning! Yay!” Its the sports-team-phenomenon, applied to politics. Never mind that both sides are - to a large extent - “Oligarchy” sides, at least when it counts.
What is the Oligarchy Party Platform?
- Eternal war/regime-change/colonialism. "Afghanistan Forever!!"
- No Cheap Treatments For You - the Oligarchy (Pharma)-captured bureaucracy dictates all medical treatments. Which we all pay for!
- Reduce Worker Share of the Economy - via steady, deceptively-measured inflation, unlimited immigration, globalized manufacturing (i.e. "free trade")
- Downplay public debate on economic issues (falling real wages of the working class, inflation, corruption, 'The Fed", sickcare @ 20% of GDP, the revolving door in Washington, etc)
- Magnify public debate on divisive, irreconcilable "social" issues - the "you guys fight" tribalism strategy.
- Maintain control over the narrative - via Media & Technology; astro-turfing bots, paid flunkies in media, and Oligarchy ownership of media organizations.
- Centralize Profits - by a) facilitating and encouraging monopolies, while b) injuring and destroying small business.
- Centralize law enforcement - by a) defund local police, while b) increasing funding for national police. [Central authority is always easier for Oligarchy to capture and control. Its more efficient - fewer flunkies to first recruit, and then reward.]
- Exercise power and influence over "international" (unelected-bureaucrat) organizations by funding them directly (c.f. BMGF -> WHO for $400 million/year)
- Conceal Oligarchy ownership using front companies (BlackRock, Vanguard, etc).
- Reward Oligarchy flunkies with "book deals" and "high paying jobs" post government service. (Positive example: Obama ($65M), Ben Bernanke ($10M/yr), half of the generals in the Pentagon. Negative example: Jimmy Carter. No Book Deal For You, Jimmy.)
- Punish real whistleblowers with the full force of the Federal law enforcement agencies. (Examples: Manning, Snowden, Assange.)
Arthur, how do I get enrolled in the breeding program?
It does seem to me that Mike may have pinpointed the best option currently on offer from TPTB, aliens or not. Mrs. Ubermeister doesn’t want me to sign up, though.
The Left-Right dichotomy is Authoritarian Capitalist Left and Authoritarian Capitalist Right. Either way, authoritarian capitalist’s view the world from a demand-side economic playground. No limits to anything they personally desire; Everything in the store is for sale, including the store and it’s employees.
This is the Overton Window of U.S. politik.
Reading the comments and having watched the video it’s become glaringly apparent the media sewn divide is deep, wide and likely to be unspannable by the common biped. And in that respect we are all common bipeds. So where do we go from here? Battle lines are being drawn, people are doubling down on their side of the isle, both claiming the moral high ground for whatever reason they see fit. The concept of America is gone. I find it important to have read Sir John Glubb, “The Fate of Empires” to get a sense that this too shall pass, and something else will emerge. What will that be? Communist Authoritarians (of either side), Fascist Authoritarians (some say the US is already well beyond turning back and Fascism is already taken firm hold), or some new form of “Big Brother” (this one concerns me the most given the power of technology never before seen or wielded by humans). What’s become most obvious is those riding with moral indignation against the others with the same, will not yield, and as such the rhetoric crescendo has become deafening. Is is too much to ask to stop the flight? If to only allow those passengers that want to be left alone, and leave others to theirs, safe passage. The problem as I see it for folks of my camp, the leave me alone camp and I’ll leave you alone camp, are getting dragged kicking into the quagmire, and what I can also say that if those that are dragged in, are forced to fight, they’ll be fighting for one thing and one thing only, to be left alone. I’d like to think the majority of Americans are of the same camp, despite the indoctrination camps called Colleges and High Schools. I fear this will all get a lot uglier before it gets better and we need to take care to shape the future that will leave people to their own, free of “Big Brother”. Nobody wants what’s coming, and when it knocks on your door, what will you do? Are you prepared? Chris is doing a fantastic job trying to get us motivated to get prepared,…
National Data as of July 16. 
Doug,
One of the things that the heroes on Omaha beach were fighting for was NOT having a bunch of “doctors” be able to inject with their EXPERIMENTAL compounds against your wishes.
Regards,
Ed
Chris, as a psychologist (ret), I want to voice my support for your thoughts and perspective. I recall studying this research while a grad student in the early '70s. It had undergone professional scrutiny and was widely respected. It had become a cornerstone of our clinical training at that time. It is foundational in behavioral psychology on which some of the most effective clinical interventions are based.
I appreciate your application of this research to our current social unrest. While I’m not familiar with current research in this area, I think you are probably “spot on”. At the very least, it’s a useful framework for understanding what’s happening now. And your emphasis on recognizing these dynamics in current social unrest is so helpful. With this recognition, we are much better equipped to avoid getting caught up in the useless divisiveness that’s so prevalent, and in avoiding this conflict are in a much better position to be truly helpful.
Thanks so much!
In the ancient Near East it was commonly believed that the gods had grown weary of looking after theri own needs and had created humans to be their slaves. We the people had as our purpose in life to grow and prepare the food (as if gods need food), build and manage the temples, make the sacrifices and other offerings, and so on.
Nothing new under the sun.
Plato observed that republics tend to slide into dictatorships. While that observation was made in the Greek city-state society of his day, it applies even now. While order is better than chaos, order has so often slid into dictatorship.
Australia is no exception to this trend. We have authoritarian and almost dictatorial federal and state governments in power now, all determined to pursue their own agendas — or the agendas of their lobbyists — and simply ignore what the people may think.
One agenda is to pursue economic growth policies heedless of the effects on the biosphere. The biosphere is irrelevant to development. If nothing else, the plague provides a very convenient excuse for stifling all public manifestations of dissent and behind the scenes proceeding to do what TPTB have intended all along.
I’m not angry with the people as a whole. They accept what they read and hear because it has come from reputable sources, and most people lack the time, interest or resources to check up on much or any of it.
It has been obvious and evident for years, but has recently become quite evident from the behaviour and attitudes of our Prime Minister that almost no politician ever says “I made a mistake I apologise.” To an extent this recalcitrance is not entirely their fault either. They’re trapped in a system which requires perfection, expects hypocrisy, and painfully punishes mistakes. It’s a system designed to fail.
I agree that most of your comment. People are getting dragged in to fight who previously just wanted to be left alone. But I disagree on one part. Once you are dragged into the fight. Once you are fighting for your livelihood, you stop being a gentleman fighter and are willing to just put the fire out at whatever the cost. It is like a civil war. Up until a point, one of the parties just wants to get along. But as soon as you kill one of them they are all in. It’s sadly like that. I think.
FWIW: I think the only way to avoid or minimize the shocks is to go Galt: Get away from reliance on the system with a homestead. I believe the shocks will get much worse, and the people in the streets will only get more violent. If the current systems of gov’t get overthrown or replaced, its like to be replace with an even more authoritarian gov’t.
When I look at the big\long picture, It seems the world is heading down the same path that lead to the crisises of the early 20th century: WW1, Pandemic, global economic depression, rise of marxism, WW2. The names & order of events have changed, but the outcomes appear to be alarming similar.
The next crisis that I see in over the next 12 to 24 mouths is rising food & energy prices which is going to “up the voltage” for the population. We saw in 2008 when food & energy prices lead to mass protests, some of which destabilized some of the economically weaker nations (ie Arab spring). I think this is very likely to repeat since most of the food exporters are experience horrible crops productions this year. This is going to likely result is a major decline in food exports later this year as well as soaring food prices.
“One of the things that the heroes on Omaha beach were fighting for was NOT having a bunch of “doctors” be able to inject with their EXPERIMENTAL compounds against your wishes.”
Are you suggesting that any soldier who was wading ashore, climbing cliffs and taking out heavily fortified Nazi positions would have said, even in part, that they were fighting to prevent doctors from vaccinating them? I think you are completely misreading the situation and my suggestions.
First, in all likelihood, they were fighting for the guys next to them who were dying in bloody chaos. In the final analysis that’s what soldiers in combat always fight for. Higher abstract ideals kind of disappear in those situations.
What I’m saying is that asking people to mask, maintain distance and even get vaccinated are really…really tiny sacrifices to make for the public health. As Junger pointed out in an only slightly different context, failure to do so isn’t standing up for freedom, it is infantile. It is increasingly clear that vaccines are very effective in preventing infection, illness, hospitalization and death. Take a look at the data then do the right thing.
Repost of 36, above:
“Doug,
I am curious whether you approve of the active suppression of Ivermectin? Do you feel the evidence of the effectiveness of Ivermectin, vitamin D, Fluvoxamine, etc. is not yet convincing and the public must be protected from these?”
You didn’t answer my question. Please explain how you justify the FDA’s lack of approval for Ivermectin over a year and a quarter after the first notice of its clear effectiveness in preventing and treating Covid. How about the lack of recommendation of vitamin D?
Trusting TPTB (and your) recommendations would be a lot easier after Ivermectin’s suppression is adequately explained. As things are now, it appears that the suppression of Ivermectin is the most evil act of bureaucratic murder of my lifetime, but willing to listen.
I don’t know much about “Ivermectin, vitamin D, Fluvoxamine” so please don’t cite me as an authority. My only comments are that I recently read that there is no peer reviewed evidence showing Ivermectin is effective in fighting covid. That, in itself, should be sufficient for the FDA not to approve it.
Vitamin D comes from sunlight, plenty of which I get on a daily basis. So far, except for its association with skin cancer, I seem to be doing ok.
To quote Schultz, “I know nothing” about Fluvoxamine.
Numerous meta-analyses show that increased sunlight exposure is associated with decreased morbidity and mortality, including melanoma. Unless you’re stupid about it and let yourself burn.
Don’t assume you are getting enough Vitamin D. What is your tested level?
Ivermectin as a very effective therapeutic agent has been published in peer reviewed journals. Go back and get your facts straight.
“Ivermectin as a very effective therapeutic agent has been published in peer reviewed journals. Go back and get your facts straight.”
Cite them.
Hi Doug,
In a free society you CAN’T MAKE anyone inject themselves with any substance because that violates the sovereignty an individual has over his own body. You want everyone to risk death, which until full, long-term trials can be completed, CANNOT be discounted. I believe that such a position is completely unwarranted given the existence of effective treatments.
Best regards,
Ed