We're Being Played

Key Concepts Public Key Concepts
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41

Adam and I have chosen to dedicate our lives to the project known as Peak Prosperity.  Our mission is enormous; create a world worth inheriting.
That requires our full and undivided attention.

So…if we are going to support ourselves then when it comes to 'selling information' there are really only two major paths in the internet space.

  1.  The volume model

  2.  The subscription model

The volume model simply means "drive traffic."  There are pros and cons to this approach we should discuss.  The pros are you get lots of eyeballs and you reach lots of people and you get to make your content apparently 'free.'  I say 'apparently' because nothing is free and the costs are revealed in the cons.  The cons are that one becomes a slave to constantly updating content, with hourly being the minimum update frequency necessary, but 5 to 10 minutes being 'state of the art.'  Because of this requirement, one's content, by definition, slips in quality.  It becomes 'fluff.'  Worse, in the consumer culture we live in certain things drive traffic better than others.  Attractive women showing lots of skin works, celebrities work, and so do kittens and dog gifs and videos.  Also, because your job is not to drive anyone away, you don't moderate comments at all and you end up with the usual crap show and ignorance swap meets you typically find on most volume centered sites.

If we ran the volume model I can 100% guarantee you that we'd have an entirely different set of complaints being registered and we'd have an entirely different set of people gathered here.  Also, we'd probably not be in service to our mission.  Compromises would have to be made.

The subscription model allows us to focus on quality over quantity.  We get to moderate the heck out of our site and not have to worry about showing anybody the door who refuses to abide by the site's posting agreements.  Most importantly, for me personally, I don't ever have to feel compromised by what I am posting or offering.  Full integrity.  On the con side, we reach fewer people, there's less traffic, and some people use the fact that we charge for a portion of our content as the "reason" they can feel justified in tuning out our message.

It's not really a valid reason, of course, but a means to avoid experiencing any psychic discomfort.  

As to the content I personally choose to write about it is the result of extensive reading and sorting and sifting.  What I write about is what rises to the top given my personal abilities, capacity, and filters.  Some people find utility in what I see and how I see it and a great many don't.  

Welcome to personal choice and trusting oneself.

Now, about the substance of the content…I will say this…if what I am writing strikes you as overly negative, or fear based, or centering on problems over happier things, well then, that's because the world is racing head first into a nested set of predicaments that will defy any and all attempts to ignore them or pretend they don't exist.

If anyone can honestly peer into the data of the world as it stands and not be deeply concerned, then they are not going to resonate with how I see the world.

But it would be unfair to characterize my writing or approach as being fear-based for the purpose of driving additional sales.

I could easily, and with full conscious intent, create a website with content that would simply shriek fear and loathing at all times.  Heck, I would create a universe of them to capture the left, the right and the center, with a pair for each, one greed based ("six tips for living longer and looking better!"  "The next eight stocks that will soar in the new bull market!") and one fear based ("These are the foods that will harm your child" "The government is tracking you and will put you in this FEMA camp!").

Instead, what we've done here is we assemble data, analyze it, and place it into a digestible form with full transparency into the source of every bit of the information presented.  If you think that our content is fear-based, or full of unnecessary urgency, then our request is that you present alternative data with a different interpretation.

In short, if the state of the world doesn't create a sense of great concern and urgency in you, you probably haven't looked at it too closely…and are probably not ready for the content of this site and its contributors.

Too long, didn't read (TL;DR) version; At Peak Prosperity we let the facts speak for themselves.  And we're proud to be making a living doing it while the mainstream media loses readership and money by trying to sell propaganda and false dreams.

 

 

42

Let me state that my limits are within what I can trust him to do.
Chris is not the Savior of the Universe, nor a Power Ranger, nor even a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. I don’t trust him for these things (sorry Chris! Maybe next time.)
Chris has a storyline that is accurate within the limits of what he can see, and he has made a website helping people deal with life within the confines of that story line.
Within the range of that mission, I have an overwhelming vote of confidence. He has done what he set out to do.
As to his ability to see and understand the reality around us, that of course is going to be limited: he is a little more reactive than I, and I, fortunately or unfortunately, am more reactive than (say) my mother-in-law or my brother.
But as to who sees more clearly, who knows: I guess we’ll find out.
And yes, his work needs to be supported, or it will be unsupported. Take your pick, how.

43

Dave,
The book "Sugar, Salt, Fat" provides more research on the Coke/Pepsi conundrum.  While Pepsi wins the "one sip" taste test, an entire can does not taste better than a can of Coke.  Pepsi pegs the short-term bliss point, but most palates find it overwhelming in larger doses.  Please read the book for a better explanation.

The NIH article that you reference "Prefrontal cortex damage abolishes brand-cued changes in cola preference" also doesn't go beyond the first sip of beverage.  Most Coke drinkers understand what the full can is going to taste like.  So the "Pepsi Paradox" may not be such a paradox after all.  Individuals with damage to the prefrontal cortex may find that the entire can tastes like the first sip, whereas other get "fed up" after the third, fourth, or fifth sip of Pepsi.

Not to say that brand loyalty isn't brainwashed into us.  Just that this example may be more nuanced than it first appears.

 

44

We now have the bloggers coming for each other.Who's next,Sesame Street,Dora the Explorer?One month ago,you couldn't make this up…Insanity…

45

Chris,
Why are you evading my legitimate concern of Alexander Dugin and his influence over Donald Trump?

46

All major indexes trade at all-time highs as energy surges 2% (Yahoo Finance)

47

From your link I got this;

ALEKSANDR DUGIN: Go ahead, Mr. Trump. In Trump we trust.

WELNA: That's Aleksandr Dugin, a Russian political analyst who's been called Putin's Rasputin. In a video posted on YouTube, Dugin says while Hillary Clinton's worse than President Obama and would destroy America...

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

DUGIN: Donald Trump's America can be friend and ally, or at least an indifferent power that concentrates on itself and minds its own business.

WELNA: Russians' perception that Trump sees their nation as a friend rather than an adversary may stem from comments like these, which he made to Bloomberg TV four months ago.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

TRUMP: We're always fighting. We're the one that wants to go to World War III with Russia over Ukraine. So we're the ones always fighting. We're the ones putting up a lot of the money for NATO disproportionately - a lot.

Doesn't sound like Trump and Dugin have a special relationship to me. It just sounds like neither party want a war. Why is that a bad thing?

Cheers,

Luke

 

48

We are all standing around a large pond in a dense fog.

Sometimes, a shadow appears at the opposite side of the pond. A few ripple patterns emerge across the water's surface. A bit later, a different shadow appears. Different ripple patterns.

Not easy to see what is happening directly through the fog, but by observing the shadows that appear (and reappear) and watching the ripple patterns they create and how they interact - we can slowly piece together a narrative about what is really going on with the shadows and the pond.

Trump being elected is analogous to someone tossing a boulder into the pond.

It will take a while for the water to settle and the shadows to reappear.

Maybe people are just a bit worn out after this election. Perhaps they are just observing what is happening to see what happens next without trying predict what will happen.

Enjoy your turkey.

50
Hey Chris - thanks for taking the time to reply, and being open to discussion about this stuff. I should mention that despite what my post count of 1 (now 2 :) might imply I've followed your work since about 2008-2009 and have found a lot of very helpful ideas that have influenced my thinking over the years. I attended a live talk / Q&A in Sebastopol a few years back that was very engaging and interesting. So my questioning isn't coming from the perspective of someone new to all this or too scared to hear the message. 
 
Your points about the volume model vs subscription model were interesting, especially about setting some selection influence on the type of community that forms. I'm definitely not suggesting you go in the direction of Buzzfeed and try to post empty clickbait every 5 minutes. But I also think it's not so black and white as "volume" vs. "subscription". There are succesful "free" blogs out there who post once a week or once a month and earn their popularity with their quality (a quality post can become a go-to resource for some idea or topic and have a long tail). I'm not a blogger though and am not privy to their financial statements so I may be talking out my ass on this one, you probably have a better sense of these business models than I do. 
 
There are at least a few models beyond volume / subscription - a donation or fundraising-based business model, for example, possibly with specific published fundraising targets based on salaries and operating costs. Or a sliding scale / pay-what-you-want subscription model. Or have the articles as a free resource and use it to help raise awareness of paid seminars, the book etc. Personally I'd love to have a donation option - $30/month seems too steep for me given my present level of engagement, but I do greatly appreciate your work and would happily provide some support. Anyway you know your situation and the financial math a lot better than I do, and the reasons for settling on the business model you've settled on.
 
You mentioned: "On the con side, we reach fewer people, there's less traffic, and some people use the fact that we charge for a portion of our content as the "reason" they can feel justified in tuning out our message. It's not really a valid reason, of course, but a means to avoid experiencing any psychic discomfort."
 
I take a bit of issue with this. If your mission is to have an impact on the world, then wouldn't you want to reach more people? There are enough seminar scams etc. out there promising safety or wealth for very expensive prices (e.g. Trump University) that I think it's justified to question the motivations. I don't think you can just write off any suspicion as "avoiding psychological discomfort", i.e. that anyone questioning the business model and motivations is just too scared to handle the truth. 
 
I hope I'm not offending or being too confrontational in all this. These have been questions on my mind for a while so I thought I'd bring them up - my intention is certainly not to mess up your business or make you feel bad about what you're doing, I've always appreciated your levelheadedness, attention to detail, and encouragement of people to verify things and come to their own conclusions. Even the free content here is well above and beyond most of what's out there. 
 
51

Hi Luke,
Just wanted to point out that raising kids is really expensive, braces, college, healthcare and all, so the cost for membership is really reasonable and of value for those of us who make it a priority.  Was looking at a greeting card in the checkout lane at the grocery store and the price tag was $7.95 not kidding, a card that will be admired for what 60 seconds, oh heck let's be generous two minutes, now that's expensive.

Suggestion, pay $30 for a monthly membership several times a year and catch up on everything you missed.  It's all a matter of choices.

AKGrannyWGrit

52

Hi Luke,
Just wanted to point out that raising kids is really expensive, braces, college, healthcare and all, so the cost for membership is really reasonable and of value for those of us who make it a priority.  Was looking at a greeting card in the checkout lane at the grocery store and the price tag was $7.95 not kidding, a card that will be admired for what 60 seconds, oh heck let's be generous two minutes, now that's expensive.

Suggestion, pay $30 for a monthly membership several times a year and catch up on everything you missed.  It's all a matter of choices.

AKGrannyWGrit

53

I have been reading Chris and Adams work since they started this site.  I felt the same as Luke for a long time and just read the public articles.  Somewhere along the lines the light bulb went off that I couldn't rely on other people to pay the freight for sane and well thought out comment.  I can get free news and opinion from the MSM.  We know how that works out.  So I recently made the decision to become a member here because I value the considered non-dogmatic opinions that Adam and Chris present.  I actually see hope for the future on this site when I read the well expressed and obviously passionate thoughts by people who post here. I think it is time for thoughtful people of all flavors to come together and start talking and working for our future.  If we don't it does indeed look pretty bleak.  Just my outlook and I certainly don't have all the answers but I am looking and would rather be hopeful than fearful. God Bless and take care.

54

waterdog-
Well now, that's unfortunate.  :slight_smile:

Did the book you refer to actually stage a full-on taste test that includes participants executing a blind and semi-blind taste test where they all get to (repeatedly) drink an entire can?  Just curious how far they went in exploring the issue.

 

 

55

I reread my post, and I don't think I was clear about something. 
I DO believe in the Savior of the Universe (interestingly, this was the feast of Christ the King of the Universe this last week.  Our pastor pointed out that the feast was promulgated in response to the ugliness that was arising with Hitler/mussolini/KKK etc.  We are in similar times now)
I do not believe in the fictional power rangers or TMNTs. 
Because of the first, is why my focus is more on the spiritual.  It's also why I am relatively trapped financially.  And it is clear that Chris isn't him. 
But I also don't trust him to be a cartoon character (2-dimensional) and magically make everything good that way.

Chris is a valuable human who has chosen a difficult task for his job, and is carrying it out as well as he can.  I appreciate his efforts.

  - Michael

56

Interesting Canadian slant on Trump's approach to sharing his viewpoints with the world.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/donald-trump-press-protective-pool-reporters-journalism-1.3854296

 

57

I think it's very interesting that Trump called the press into a "deep background" meeting, chewed them out, and then leaked the info himself.  Then he displays his contempt for them, by giving them a "lid" and – oops – going out after the evening was over. 
It would appear that – to use the rules for rulers meme that Chris likes right now – one of the old guard keys (the press) is considered by Trump to be highly undesirable, if necessary, and maybe completely unnecessary. 
Thank goodness that in a Democratic Republic, most of the "putting down" goes through dropped promises, or broken habits, and not through the loss of human life as it does in dictatorships.

Quite simply, at this point the best the press can do, is step back, start covering their news from afar, and gleaning what they can from whom they can.  When Trump decides by whom he will release info, they then need to approach THAT person as the new de facto press secretary.  And meahwhile, they need to quit licking their wounds, and just accept that they gambled badly and lost badly. 

The sooner they do that, the sooner Trump is likely to start working with them in some capacity, IF he feels so inclined.  He might not.

 

58

I suspect that behind closed doors the meeting between Trump and the press went quite smoothly, and that the "he ripped their head's off" meme is for public consumption to appease his base.
Just a thought anyway.

59

Thanks for looking over the material.  I'm very glad that we're not going to war with Russia and upset with Obama for pushing things that far, although I think that he was encouraged by the conservatives who were always calling Democrats weak on defense.  I would have rather skipped all of the wars the Republicans tricked us into and put that money into infrastructure all along, like Trump is talking about now. 
I'm good with both avoiding war and building infrastructure, but we need to improve energy efficiency and alternative energy infrastructure, not more oil and gas fracking that destroys the planet's critical water supplies and this great wall that Trump promised.

But my biggest concern is with Dugin, the leader of the Eurasian fascists, claiming victory with Trump's election.  http://katehon.com/directives/donald-trumps-victory  When you read through Dugin's material, it's obvious that he and Trump have been talking and when you look at Trump's actions (talking about pulling out of NATO) it's obvious that he is following through on what Dugin wants done. 

The American people need to wake up to what is being said and planned between these two.  Dugin says that Trump is going to end America's unipolar world, a Trump America where liberalism is intolerable, and collapse all major news networks with the idea of replacing them with the like of Alex Jones.  He goes on to say that a second America will emerge from the shadows that would put the unipolar world leader into the same position as everyone else, creating a new multipolar world.  Dugin even assures his readers by spelling out what Trump value, and what he doesn't value, conservative, American or Christian ones.

If a Democrat had been making the same sort of deals, I'm sure that the Republicans would be crying treason.

But I suppose the thing that alarms me the most is Dugin's directive for Putin to reduce the liberal globalist in Eurasia while Trump reduces them in America.  http://katehon.com/directives/donald-trump-swamp-and-fire  And it looks like everything is going according to Dugin's plan when Trump creates a new position for his Alt Right spokesman Steve Bannon  https://4threvolutionarywar.wordpress.com/2016/11/18/i-am-thomas-cromwell-in-the-court-of-the-tudors-steve-bannon/  When I see hate groups proliferating as the news media chants the "Drain the Swamp" that Dugin directed, I see not only a special relationship, but also a well orchestrated one.

No war with Russia and building infrastructure are great things.  That's what I have always spoken out for as an environmentalist.  But I want us to obtained sustainability by working together with the better sides of our humanity, not by reducing the number of humans when the conservative population kills out the liberal population, as Dugin implies. 

If you feel like I'm misinterpreting Dugin's sites, I'm all ears and open your view of him and growing fascist movement he represents.  But if you look over his sites and see the connections for yourself, please help me to get other to realize what is at stake before Trump becomes president and implements his fascist coup d'etat.

 

 

 

60
Make new friends, and Keep the Old, Some are silver the others are Gold.
61

Just curious, what is your take on 9/11?