Listen to a reading of this article: ❖ In the western world's mad rush to ramp up censorship and dangerous cold war escalations against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, the Australian government has done what it always does and raised the bar of authoritarianism a click above everyone else in the room.
I think of .au as more like a vassal to .us empire than member.
When I try to look on the bright side, I see this rush to abandon constitutional protections on free speech, and to deploy private sector monopoly power to push a Nato orthodoxy, as solid evidence of the decline and perhaps imminent collapse of the empire. I don't know how it will work out but the new Iron Curtain that's being hung up may end up around the Nato countries, as the rest of the world learns to do business in and keep savings/reserves in currencies beyond arbitrary US/Nato sanction/confiscation. The reserve currency status of the dollar comes simply from net exporters to the USA estimating that it a safe choice as a store of wealth and buying T-bills, and US militarily spending depends on those t-bill sales (i.e. the $s Americans spend on imported goods and services end up deposited at the Treasury to fund the MIC). And we can now see day-by-day in the international business news how this empire might end.
2nd comment, sorry. I think your feeling nervous, Caitlin, makes sense. But if and how much you are punished depends on how much of a danger you are. They continue to use Snowden and Assange like heads on spikes outside the fortress, holding them up as examples of what happens if you embarrass the US government. So how come you and Aaron Maté are allowed to do what you do? I believe it's because you don't have enough audience to be a problem. So your liberty may depend on the success of authoritarian management of the generic reality and your inability to substantially threaten it. It's so depressing.
Just a simple thought. If we all unplugged from the matrix, what narrative would be left to control? Here's an invitation, or perhaps an invocation: Evacuate immediately from all social media. Avoid any news reports that smell off. Do a deep dive into your own confirmation bias. Go into the woods if you can and watch moss grow. Dip your toes into a body of water. Grow things. Read more poetry. Dance in the kitchen while you make dinner. Hug more people. Make more eye contact. Boycott screens and establish a rich inner life. Practice gratitude. Forgive yourself.
That poor kid asked a really thoughtful and consice (and gutsy) question about the narrative involving Ukraine and Russia and THAT was the response...
Sadly, when the audience applauded, I soon came to the realization that that kid was the only adult in the audience. He didn't belong there, not for the question he asked, but because he was the only human left in a room of zombies.
Isn't it strange to hear from folks on social media advocating the benefits of opting out of social media? My suggestion is let them be the guinea pigs. Go away for a year and get back to us. We are curious to learn the upside as well as the downside. Just need someone to go first.
I talk about this post along with the last two in my new YouTube, Yanis Varoufakis is Naive on Ukraine. I put Caitlin's Substack in the description. Here's the link:
Of course, you realise that the definition of 'misinformation' is: anything deviating from the Party line. This has always been true in repressive totalitarian regimes. It is time to recognise that it is now true in the 'free' West, as well.
Ministries of Truth are catching on everywhere, along with Ministries of Sanctions, although they are to this point still unofficial and embedded in the mundane affairs of state: but it's all very professional, authoritative, right from the top, and on the up-and-up. About as far up as you can go in that very dark place. If the world survives this trite kind of insanity, it won't even be represented in art and literature ,as in the works of Orwell, Picasso's Guernica, and others: it's too downright dumb, boring, narrow, obvious, unimaginative, ignoble - all the crap you avoid in propagandized movies, art and literature.
I agree, Caitlin: we are witnessing a protean assault on democracy and basic freedoms. Although the process is not yet complete, and in the end it is hard to see how it will be sustainable, we have to admit that the Empire is succeeding quite well in its objectives at the moment, and that is very worrying
I think of .au as more like a vassal to .us empire than member.
When I try to look on the bright side, I see this rush to abandon constitutional protections on free speech, and to deploy private sector monopoly power to push a Nato orthodoxy, as solid evidence of the decline and perhaps imminent collapse of the empire. I don't know how it will work out but the new Iron Curtain that's being hung up may end up around the Nato countries, as the rest of the world learns to do business in and keep savings/reserves in currencies beyond arbitrary US/Nato sanction/confiscation. The reserve currency status of the dollar comes simply from net exporters to the USA estimating that it a safe choice as a store of wealth and buying T-bills, and US militarily spending depends on those t-bill sales (i.e. the $s Americans spend on imported goods and services end up deposited at the Treasury to fund the MIC). And we can now see day-by-day in the international business news how this empire might end.
2nd comment, sorry. I think your feeling nervous, Caitlin, makes sense. But if and how much you are punished depends on how much of a danger you are. They continue to use Snowden and Assange like heads on spikes outside the fortress, holding them up as examples of what happens if you embarrass the US government. So how come you and Aaron Maté are allowed to do what you do? I believe it's because you don't have enough audience to be a problem. So your liberty may depend on the success of authoritarian management of the generic reality and your inability to substantially threaten it. It's so depressing.
Just a simple thought. If we all unplugged from the matrix, what narrative would be left to control? Here's an invitation, or perhaps an invocation: Evacuate immediately from all social media. Avoid any news reports that smell off. Do a deep dive into your own confirmation bias. Go into the woods if you can and watch moss grow. Dip your toes into a body of water. Grow things. Read more poetry. Dance in the kitchen while you make dinner. Hug more people. Make more eye contact. Boycott screens and establish a rich inner life. Practice gratitude. Forgive yourself.
That poor kid asked a really thoughtful and consice (and gutsy) question about the narrative involving Ukraine and Russia and THAT was the response...
Sadly, when the audience applauded, I soon came to the realization that that kid was the only adult in the audience. He didn't belong there, not for the question he asked, but because he was the only human left in a room of zombies.
Isn't it strange to hear from folks on social media advocating the benefits of opting out of social media? My suggestion is let them be the guinea pigs. Go away for a year and get back to us. We are curious to learn the upside as well as the downside. Just need someone to go first.
I understand your fear Caitlin, but please keep doing what you are doing. You serve the truth, and truth is the only path to justice.
I talk about this post along with the last two in my new YouTube, Yanis Varoufakis is Naive on Ukraine. I put Caitlin's Substack in the description. Here's the link:
https://youtu.be/mYaPiQBdteQ
Boy you wanna see some heavy handed group think.....Australia will lead the way! Ask Djokovic.
How very convenient for H.M. Australian Government.
Of course, you realise that the definition of 'misinformation' is: anything deviating from the Party line. This has always been true in repressive totalitarian regimes. It is time to recognise that it is now true in the 'free' West, as well.
Ministries of Truth are catching on everywhere, along with Ministries of Sanctions, although they are to this point still unofficial and embedded in the mundane affairs of state: but it's all very professional, authoritative, right from the top, and on the up-and-up. About as far up as you can go in that very dark place. If the world survives this trite kind of insanity, it won't even be represented in art and literature ,as in the works of Orwell, Picasso's Guernica, and others: it's too downright dumb, boring, narrow, obvious, unimaginative, ignoble - all the crap you avoid in propagandized movies, art and literature.
Very glad you were not one of the 10, Caitlin. Lots of your readers (fans) were worried. :-)
I agree, Caitlin: we are witnessing a protean assault on democracy and basic freedoms. Although the process is not yet complete, and in the end it is hard to see how it will be sustainable, we have to admit that the Empire is succeeding quite well in its objectives at the moment, and that is very worrying
China will crush, economically, the zionist outpost aka Australia in good time, return it to the natives, and live happily ever after together.