This is actually really fascinating, it makes me think harder about social bubbles. Because if you asked me ‘do people realize we have a problem’ I’d say yeah of course they all realize, I mean literally all my friends and family and acquaintances agree on multiple horrible issues we’re trapped in, it’s all we ever talk about, and new people I meet very quickly open up to passionately state this too. Corporations are strangling us, governments are using our money to wage horrific unjust wars we disagree with, public systems are continually eroded for private profit, the media are a joke…. Like I know maybe one or two people who wouldn’t wholeheartedly agree with all of this.
But then I look at comment sections and have a rude awakening.
I think you and your bubble might be an exception. Ever go to a major sporting event ? War propaganda on full display with stadiums full of teary eyed cult members
Yeah no I don’t go to sporting events. But yeah I get my bubble differs from the general population… it could be for many reasons. One may be that we neurodivergent people tend to clump together and also we’re pretty good at spotting patterns.
Social media is definitely being used to target people who eg questioned the covid measures to fool them into thinking climate measures (which harm industry) are part of the same.
Perhaps we'd be better off not on social media, but organising in our local communities.
I participate in local actions as much as I can and I also take solace in finding there are like-minded souls here on Substack. It heartens me and gives me hope in my fellow humans when I read writers like Caitlin and the people contribute interesting, informative and positive comments.
I've not noticed bots but there are definitely trolls about. I now don't feel guilty about liberal use of the block option - life's too short to put up with the incessant whine.
I also try and do my bit to drown them out with lots of restacks rather than just commenting on posts & notes.
I don't know if it makes any difference but it maybe all contributes to some positive shift in the algorithm
I heard a really interesting suggestion that we could use the methodologies of our opposition to promote our angle… for example not approaching people with calls to empathy if they have already shown they aren’t moved from a place of empathy. But instead angling at what they care about. So not ‘innocent people are getting hurt’ but ‘you are being manipulated and your resources are being taken from you (in order to hurt innocent people you can but don’t have to care about).’ I think we’re sometimes too stuck in this ‘wearing our hearts on our sleeve’ mode where we genuinely argue positions that are clearly put forth in bad faith and we just waste our time and sound dumber than we are…
That’s a great point for sussing out if you have common ground. My thing is more about how to influence people you really have no common ground with. They might not want what you want, but you still could use their energy, right? Like dirty energy companies get us to keep using their products by convincing us we can ‘offset our carbon footprint’ by using paper straws. It’s about figuring out what your target actually cares about and angling that as opposed to trying to always reach true understanding which will fail if you’re dealing with someone with a profoundly different sense of morality
Yeah my idea is we become the bad guys. Not try to debate the dirty energy companies, but use their methods. Instead of trying to get people with no interest in empathy or humanity to discover the beauty of these concepts, we offer them what they care about. It isn’t even manipulation really. There are plenty of selfish reasons one might want to fight the current political system.
Many people realize there is a huge problem with our world, but most do not get to working with others to oppose what is happening now and then to work toward finding a solution or some solutions.
The last thing one needs is to have someone throwing a wet blanket over the positive comments on these pages. But avoiding the facts is avoiding reality. So let us be rational and unreservedly accept the supremacy of reason in thinking on what can be changed and what cannot, because much needed change is what is required
So what do we know?
We all know the totally controlled mainstream media, owned and now controlled by the moneyed organisations such as BlackRock and Vanguard, controlling 25 - 30% of all major investments, worldwide, will not be producing front pages telling the truth in the near future assisted by governments like those in the USA and Israel with just too much to hide. So we have to find out some other way.
We also know that the World Health Organisation has plans to add some controls over all countries as they nearly did with the Covid fantasy.
We should also know that the Davos bunch of "special" people have plans through the World Economic Forum, all well under way with a powerful group of active adherents to their philosophies and that such people are in key positions around the globe, avoiding unnecessary publicity (thanks to the media owners / investors) once again. The World Economic Forum brings together chief executive officers from its 1,000 member companies, as well as selected politicians, representatives from academia, NGOs, religious leaders, and the media in an delightful alpine environment.
Not Your average bunch of partygoers. Not a lot in common with ordinary folks.
So its wheels within wheels, some small but ‘vital' examples follow………the word ‘vital’ used as it refers to the future of the whole world. Some collected facts…...
The Chinese biological laboratory in Wuhan is owned by Glaxo. Glaxo is owned by Pfizer (makers of vaccines). Pfizer is run by BlackRock funds.
BlackRock manages SOROS FOUNDATION which serves France's AXA.
AXA owns the German company Wintertor. Wintertor built Chinese laboratories in Wuhan.
It was acquired by a Franco-German alliance.
Black Rock again, controls central banks and manages a third of the world's investment capital. it's also a major shareholder in MICROSOFT (owned by Bill Gates), which in turn is a shareholder of PFIZER and the first sponsor of ……you guessed it…...the World Health Organization.( WHO ). Plenty more like this.
So now you have an idea. The WHO wants to control the whole world.
The Davos exclusives want to control your lives (for their benefit) through the WEF.
The Ziomists want to control the lot…..and they have had 70 years to plan it. Doing well too. Just look at the control they now have in Little Israel (America).
How to fix it.
Look around you. Almost every Western country has elections on the go. All the Party members having almost identical outlooks like the USA, the Uk, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the NATO proxies and on it goes. One political party’s objectives the mirror image of the other. (Stay afloat, follow the exceptional USA, join in any wars on the table. All under some level of influence from the BlackRocks, Vanguards and the like, through investments of a disgraceful magnitude and then, through them the very involved Zionists and with their blessing the corrupted politicians, thick on the ground, but in the USA, almost total (86%)
Not too much of a wet blanket,I hope. But certainly something of a challenge for the likes of us.
That’s true, I do run into a lot of people who agree everything is messed up but believe there’s no help for it and it’s not worth it to try anything. It’s interesting to think that the same western individualism that is supposed to make us believe an individual can create their own fortune with no help from anyone also makes you believe you’re profoundly helpless when you encounter a systemic problem. Almost like it was meant to do that.
That happens too. I guess maybe I’m lucky but I have tended to get close to people who care about the types of things I care about… but out in the acquaintance zone yeah, a lot of people are just skirting the issue.
What scares me is that we are being walked into authoritarianism no matter who wins the upcoming election but not many others are grasping it🫤 I voted for Democrats my entire voting life and things have only gotten worse. Everyone blames the Republicans but the Democrats never do anything. Voting rights, nope. Filibuster.
Bodily autonomy, nope. Filibuster.
Universal healthcare, nope. Filibuster.
Gun control, nope. Filibuster.
Get rid of the filibuster? Biden, nope🤷♀️
Biden voted for Clarence Thomas and Sam Alito. He was horrible to Anita Hill. Biden implemented the EXACT SAME border policy as Trump's. Absolutely no one is calling Biden out on it🤬 Same for Trump's wall, which Biden is building.
here the first step seems to be to look beyond those two. team trump will be entirely responsible for everything he'll do if he's elected, team biden will be entirely responsible for everything he does if he's elected. both will be responsible for what the other does when they're not elected, because they were not a good enough alternative. you should vote 3rd party.
Please vote for Dr. Jill Stein, who is anti-war and stands for progressive politices. She is running on the Green Party ticket and may be on the ballot, and if not, write her in, at least there will others joining you. Writing in a name with no others joining in with you is far less effective as a protest vote.
well, morally it's better to not count for 3rd party then for genocide joe. consider yourself lucky. it will be counted and at least send a signal if stein is on the ballot.
I'm sorry you seem to think the US is a democracy🤣 It's not and it never has been. You see it was founded by wealthy, genocidal, white men to keep slavery alive. England outlawed it in 1799. There first person freed from enslavement happened in 1772. The Revolutionary War was fought shortly thereafter. The writing was on the wall and the founders fought a war to keep POC enslaved on their stolen land. And the Civil War wasn't fought to free the enslaved people, it was fought because the government wouldn't allow slavery to expand westward. The government never told the South they had to give up the practice just that they couldn't expand it. And the "businessmen" of the South threw a royal hissy fit over it.
"I'm sorry you seem to think the US is a democracy🤣 It's not and it never has been. You see it was founded by wealthy, genocidal, white men to keep slavery alive."
I see you're a product of recent education innovations. The first question I have for you then is this: Which (substantial-sized) country's system, created prior to 1776, *should* have provided the model for the US to follow?
I have plenty of other top questions, but they all respect history, kairos, and realpolitik, concepts that seem to have disappeared down a memory hole at the prompting of nefarious forces.
They left England in order to expand slavery. Fought the Revolutionary War to keep it🤷♀️ They created a "democracy" with three anti democratic mechanisms: The Senate, SCOTUS, and the electoral college. All allow for tyranny of the minority. The US has always been an oligarchy. Sure you vote, who picks the candidates you vote for🤔
Voting doesn't matter🤣 Only because of the white supremacy issues here. It doesn't matter who you vote for, we won't get nice things 🤷♀️ The US has always been an oligarchy.
To borrow a saying from Mr Galloway, the Dems and the Reps are two cheeks of the same back side. And the one to “unite” them was a billy boy from AR. The US electorate has been lulled into this dystopia for over 3 decades.
Yeah I wanted gun control until I realized the crazy gun nuts might just be right about our tyrannical government. Be careful not not support other flavored authoritarian that tasted good to you
In economics, treating human labor as just another factor of production, without proper regard for human rights I might add, is the cornerstone of capitalism. This is golden calf ideology, aka propaganda, not physical law, as neo-liberals would have people believe. The Law of Supply and Demand is just another man-made corollary to the it-takes-money-to-make-money trope. All wealth comes from the human labor expended to create it. Capitalist economics is such pure propaganda that it overshadows ethics and morality; even war is downstream from the greed. Thank you for keeping the truth in play.
I don't remember exactly when this happened, but decades ago there was the "Personnel Department". Then it got changed to "Human Resources" and its been that way ever since. 🫤
I remember the day when I called my friend's workplace and asked for 'Personnel," and was told that was not the "Human Resources" Department. I was shocked. This would have been in the early to mid-1960's.
As you point out, both war and the economy are sold to us as moral forces, separating the good from the bad, when in reality they separate the powerful from those without.
Currently stuck on Palestine Deep Dive on YT. Matt Kennard book The Racket. Ryan Dawson interview on Judge Napolitano YT. Dawson film How Israel Stole the Atomic Bomb and Killed JFK. Max Blumenthal comedy standup set at Icarus Fest 2024 Appears more of our society are reacting to “screwed” propaganda. Ralph Nader his Capitol Hill Citizen newspaper read May-June issue. Thanks Caitlin for this spot-on platform to share my “currently stuck”.
If people read the Old Testament, they would have no doubt that this sort of behavior and ideology is not limited to Zionists. The Jewish religion was founded in extreme violence, and it is a serious problem.
Then you haven't read the Old Testament. Way before there were Zionists, there were Jews. Whose core tenant belief is that they are God's chosen people, and everyone else is completely disposable.
There is an supremacist monstrous God of the OT, and there is a loving heavenly father in the NT? I don't think they are the same? People who wish peace and harmony on earth INSISTED that they are the same god?
The whole "but all Jews aren't Zionists" is just a way for Jews to deflect attention away from their history, which is predicated upon bloodthirsty domination of everyone who isn't them. Zionists are saying the quiet part out loud, and the rest of the Jews try to pretend they don't want the same exact thing.
Oh my thank you. I've such gratitude for those who I feel as if they, you, are holding my hand, helping me walk through this delightful time. It sure is the time for a revolution. Helping to expose these hot right- left political deceptions, rings of fire. Silly me but got that song Come on Baby "Light my Fire" ? I'm dancing to it right now! Woodstock generation Granny (who killed JFK?)
As an Australian, I’m proud to follow Caitlin. She speaks plain sense. As a doctor, I found the most difficult patient to help was always those with a chronic psychosis as my advice seemed to “bounce off” their brains. I couldn’t seem to impact their belief systems. But of course, I hear you say- they’re psychotic. Australians are like that in a way- we seem to flout along in our vast island , like the tree in Swiss Family Robinson, safe from the “wild animals “of the world below us. We are so safe that we don’t even know there are “wild animals”, so safe that we aren’t interested in conceptualizing their existence.
Trying to advise these “patients” that their reality is unreal doesn’t seem to hit the mark.
Thank you so much for this piece. It addresses some of the thoughts I have almost every time I read any of your other also always excellent essays. Mainly, some version of, “Yeah, but what can I DO???” And I realize that there is no easy answer. I’m not that much in touch with many people, something of an introvert, and the ones I do have contact with don’t seem to have much interest in hearing anything. For one thing, they are busy with their everyday lives. That, of course, is one of the features of this system. It is designed to keep people occupied that way. Anyway, I will try where I can, and try to think of other things to do.
Thank you Diana. I also have a huge problem with the leadership of the “free” world supporting genocide in Gaza. I just don’t understand the fetish with ‘freedom’ or being ‘free’.
Caitlin, as usual I agree with most everything you’ve said. My agreement matters only that I believe I’ve not been brainwashed with anyone’s bullshit. I have certain beliefs; here’s one of them:
Learn how the federal monetary system actually works!
The federal government is the sole issuer of the US Dollar and has a different set of rules to follow from users of the dollar.
Every dollar the government spends is a new dollar issued for the purpose. Federal taxes received cannot fund any expenditures and are deleted.
Local and state governments are users of the US dollar the same as you and me, therefore Taxes, borrowing, and various federal allotments do pay for expenditures.
The US Dollar economy is a closed-loop circulatory system. The government spends into the economy and closes the loop by taxing out of the economy, regulating the amount of money available for spending by the public. Where money is paid into the economy, and taxes are levied in the economic strata also matters. Currently, huge amounts of money are in the accounts of the ultra-wealthy. That doesn’t matter if the bottom 50% has enough money to live comfortably.
Inflation is a function of the law of supply and demand.
The “Federal Deficit” and “Federal Debt” are accounting identities that show how much money is in the economy. If the economy is functioning well those amounts don’t matter. Too much money in the economy causes excessive spending which leads to inflation. Too little money in the economy causes unemployment to increase.
Although this is about the US system, any country that issues fiat currency such as Canada, Japan, or Australia follows these rules. Countries such as France and Germany that use the Euro do not.
Any information you’ve seen to the contrary is fiction promoted by worldwide banking and other moneyed organizations which include governments. They have their agenda for doing so which in my opinion is not in the public's best interests.
There’s much more to the Federal Monetary system. Several books under the heading of Modern Monetary Theory explain it in detail.
I am not an expert on the Federal reserve? But, at least I know that it is for profit organization? The Feds clicks on the mouse and create 2 trillion for Biden to use as he wishes? In returns, Biden signs IOU interest on the 2 trillions about say 3% per year, plus he adds 2 trillions to the debts he owns this gang (the federal reserves).
At this point, I asked why Biden needs the Feds to issue the 2 trillions? If he clicked on the mouse himself, he will need not to tax us to pay the 3% interest, or to repay the 2 trillion debts ever.
So, they say so far we owe 30 trillions give or take? Suppose Biden or Trump goes to congress and says WE WILL CLOSE DOWN THE FEDS, AND WE WILL PRINT OUR OWN DOLLARS, AND WE WILL TELL THEM FORGET THE 30 TRILLIONS LOANS?
Now, without thinking of assassination as the first thoughts the comes to mind? Why not think monitoring and house arrest to all the people who potentially order the assassination? Voila! A clean break! No debts, less taxes! What is wrong with that ?
The video you linked is from a "Crypto Bro" - i.e. a crypto fanboy. Even the resources linked are sourced by crypto propagandizers.
BTW, "Inside China Business" channel has ONLY one video - the video you linked. I would not trust such sources.
Also, tether is one of the worst stablecoins anyone can use. Maybe you don't follow the crypto markets and are not aware of all the issues. Even so called "stablecoins" are flawed. BTW, there are many models of stablecoins - Fiat-collateralized (eg. tether), Crypto-collateralized (i.e. based on other cryptocurrencies), Commodity-collateralized (i.e. based on precious metals), and the worst kind - Algorithmic stablecoins.
Here are just some (of the many) links for further research on "Tether" and its issues:
>>"China, Russia using USD-backed cryptocurrencies for commodities trade"
NO
Some (a very very small minority) of companies are using tether. China and Russia (especially the official govt.) are NOT using tether. Infact, China has officially banned crypto since 2017 (though illegal crypto trading and mining still occurs), and Russia is planning on banning Crypto too.
Yes, John Zwiebel - you are right. I apologize. The channel does indeed have many videos.
>>"The important thing about the specific video I linked to was the alternative international transactions scheme. Walmsley pointed to the many Chinese banks who were anxious to avoid secondary sanctions."
I understand the point you were trying to make. Thank you for clarifying. (I think I misunderstood your comment).
>>"If you don't like what he has to say, don't listen to him."
I have two points to contend. First of all, I think just about everyone thinks society is sick. The list of people who think things are fine is probably Steven Pinker. But that was step one of your analysis, and from there it goes downhill, because many people have only a vague feeling that things are off, no clear idea of WHAT is wrong or why; and others have a clear idea but they're full of shit. We'd have to have widespread agreement on what's wrong before we could scheme, as a 99%, how to correct it.
Second, we have little time. You focus on the injustices of the Washington-centralized empire, which is only a part--although it plays a large role in blocking solutions. But the ecological damage is actually more urgent--and it's not just climate change, that's just one facet of human overshoot. We also have plummeting biodiversity, all manner of harm to oceans, plastics and thousands of chemicals in the biosphere, and all those nuclear weapons AND power plants, even if we manage to avoid nuclear war, are a radiation hazard for hundreds of thousands of years. Some of these have the potential to cause human extinction within this century, not to mention what they're already doing to so many other species. We really can't wait several hundred years for humanity to wake up, come to understand where the real problems lie, and come to agreement on what to do about it (depose the sociopaths, yes, but if you only replace them with other sociopaths you haven't solved anything).
i don't know what the solution is--and I'm not saying focusing on Gaza and other inter-human injustices is wrong. Allowing the fanatical Zionazis to eliminate Palestinians from Palestine--which I think is the objective--solidifies the general approach to the world's problems of the "western" colonialist mindset, which I think is moving toward a fortress mentality of reserving the world's remaining resources for themselves (white people, in essence). The only way to escape from all these crises without massive premature human death, is to eliminate war, wealth, inequality and the notion of human separation and ownership of the rest of nature.
Radiation hundreds of thousands of years? As a nuclear physicist, that is what they told me, but, as a regular observer, I noticed Hiroshima is not radioactive after only 80 years? Is it possible that they taught me wrong?
Not an expert, not that I'd trust most of them. But while nuclear bombing was and is bad, nuclear reactor meltdowns are far worse and do damage far longer. Chernobyl is the better comparison: still radioactive. I suspect part of the reason Nagasaki and Hiroshima aren't now highly radioactive is air dispersal (vs ground level meltdown). Or the background radiation the world over increased as it dispersed in air from the bombs; I think I read this explanation before. One reactor vs two bombs and the reactor is and remains the issue. So if reactors are bombed in this near-future war? And what determines the war's winner?
I don't know, but I know it depends on the elements--I think it's plutonium that has a half life of hundreds of thousands of years. I know the bombs used in 45 were later considered little primitive ones compared to the ones developed subsequently. Maybe they didn't use plutonium, or not much of it? Or maybe there's some other factor
Thank you for stating the obvious. Not so obvious for most. Materialism has the world in a trance. Pursuit of stuff, which includes status, vacations, toys of all sizes shapes and types, more, bigger, fancier, never enough. Work longer, be online constantly, ignore your children, spouses, neighbors, coworkers- head down! Get ahead!! Take more pills! Binge watch more tragedy, porn, violence. Loving that high speed 5G starlink on my house. My headaches are caused by my boss/spouse/kids-EMFs are perfectly safe and necessary for the information age! Cmon man, Roomba and Alexa are awesome! Make sure to talk on the phone while driving cuz otherwise, BORING to just stare out the windshield-I can multitask and still be present. My facebook scrolling mostly happens behind the wheel anyway and I have yet to cause an accident. Also, I saw one bee last year-they aren't dying. Plenty of fruits and vegetables and almonds at Costco last weekend. Famine isn't coming-I saw the line at Starbucks this morning...everything's fine. Its America, land of plenty. War is "over there". We can vote our way out of things. We are protected by our Constitution dont forget-thats what makes us special. Look at all the people who want to come here...to live in a Democracy! Keep the borders open- these are just people who want a shot at the American Dream and should be given access to a better way of life-plus, we get more Chinese food! Please move over and give them your seat. Its the kind thing to do-like taking poison to keep your 'community-immunity' high! And please dont turn your nose up at those who identify as naked rainbow unicorns who enjoy copulating with children. They're just people too and they have feelings. Free to be you and me, right Marlo?
"The biggest obstacle to our freedom is people’s belief that they are already free. "
This. If a bird was hatched inside of a cage, how do they know that they are caged? They will assume that all birds have a limited space to fly around in. Helping others learn to think for themselves (teaching them critical thinking skills) helps the see the cage bars and realize that there is a bigger world out there beyond them. So, keep on reading and sharing Caitlin's and others' posts here at Substack with your friends and family members who need to understand what true freedom really means.
The problem with revolutions and wars is that the winners just become the same as their enemy. The Russian revolution has finally resulted in Putin who is very much a Czar now. The Chinese revolution got rid of the Emperors, but replaced it with a one party virtual dictatorship. The Iranian revolution replaced the brutal regime of the Shah with the brutal regime of the Ayatollahs. The list of disastrous revolutions in Africa and Latin America is disappointingly long. Not forgetting the American revolution, which booted out the murderous British Empire, only for the US finally to become a murderous empire itself. The British and French fought against Fascism, but are now in danger of becoming themselves fascist. The case of Israel is self evident. So - a peaceful transition is required!
Interesting proposition. Though, I don't see any examples of those from history (maybe my historical knowledge is limited). Do you have examples where peaceful revolutions/transitions have worked and brought about the change needed?
1989 turned out more as another slaughter though. putin gets credit for rebuilding something despite the loss of (cultural and financial) sovereignty. being one of the best world leaders mainly comes from all the nitwits pulling down the bar and him knowing that.
He certainly outclasses most western politicians - imagine Liz Truss going over there to negotiate with Putin - but even so blundering fools like Boris Johnson caused him enormous problems - it's difficult to combat stupidity on a Trump level
I think he is a good leader in many ways, possibly managed to avoid the collapse of Russia after Glasnost and Yeltsin - but he certainly seems to wield enormous power and tolerates no real opposition. And I guess, unlike the Czars he will not have a dynasty.
This is exactly the work. My role in helping people unlearn is in my songs - presenting them on stage IRL each week… and online. I can attest: We have a long way to go.
The leader of the "free word" does not have a free press, according to the latest Reporters Without Borders report on freedom of the press worldwide: https://rsf.org/en/country/united-states
"....the United States has fallen from 45th position in 2023 to 55th in 2024, landing one notch after Belize and one before Gabon....."
Worse yet, at the top of the list are the Scandinavian and Northern European countries where, in theory no one punishes the media for saying the truth.......but if you go on any of the major media in those countries, its filled with lies straight out of the Wash DC propaganda HQ.
Okay. I see where you are coming from. I suppose questions I asked yesterday are out of frustration that at 63, I have seen the sickness for so long but see no remedy short of going off grid. I have traveled and love the places I have seen, been, visited. But in each place the government is the same. The media is the same. The propagandizing is the same. And so the fruitlessness of the fight seems overwhelming and even useless. Let’s see. 🤔
"Right now our society is like a sick man who (A) doesn’t know he’s sick, (B) refuses to believe he is sick, (C) believes the medicine is poison, (D) has no health insurance and can’t afford the medicine anyway, and (E) also has no means of transportation to get to the doctor. The very first step in that long list of obstacles to his health is to get him to understand that he is sick."
The above quote from the article can easily be used by the "Power Elite" [title per C. Wright Mills] or "Global Mafia" [title per Mees Baaijen] to indoctrinate us even more, and kill us off as well. As I recall, there was an oncologist in Michigan that had several offices in the suburbs of Detroit, who diagnosed perfectly-healthy people with terminal cancer so he could make a fortune from "treating them." He eventually landed in jail.
In my own case, over ten years ago I had an MRI scan (due to injuries from a fall two years before) that found a lesion on one of my hip bones that supposedly indicated bone cancer. I had three different doctors "read me the riot act," telling me I had to do this, and had to do that. I just told them all, "no thanks - I'm not interested." You should hear doctors go crazy when you tell them this!
So ten years later I am still here and still healthy. And I do believe most of the cancer "medicines" are "poison" - and glad I refused to take any.
This is actually really fascinating, it makes me think harder about social bubbles. Because if you asked me ‘do people realize we have a problem’ I’d say yeah of course they all realize, I mean literally all my friends and family and acquaintances agree on multiple horrible issues we’re trapped in, it’s all we ever talk about, and new people I meet very quickly open up to passionately state this too. Corporations are strangling us, governments are using our money to wage horrific unjust wars we disagree with, public systems are continually eroded for private profit, the media are a joke…. Like I know maybe one or two people who wouldn’t wholeheartedly agree with all of this.
But then I look at comment sections and have a rude awakening.
I think you and your bubble might be an exception. Ever go to a major sporting event ? War propaganda on full display with stadiums full of teary eyed cult members
Yeah no I don’t go to sporting events. But yeah I get my bubble differs from the general population… it could be for many reasons. One may be that we neurodivergent people tend to clump together and also we’re pretty good at spotting patterns.
NOTABOTORTROLLHeel, Obey, Conf
I think some of the comments are bots and trolls.
Social media is definitely being used to target people who eg questioned the covid measures to fool them into thinking climate measures (which harm industry) are part of the same.
Perhaps we'd be better off not on social media, but organising in our local communities.
I think we should do both if possible Jo
I participate in local actions as much as I can and I also take solace in finding there are like-minded souls here on Substack. It heartens me and gives me hope in my fellow humans when I read writers like Caitlin and the people contribute interesting, informative and positive comments.
I've not noticed bots but there are definitely trolls about. I now don't feel guilty about liberal use of the block option - life's too short to put up with the incessant whine.
I also try and do my bit to drown them out with lots of restacks rather than just commenting on posts & notes.
I don't know if it makes any difference but it maybe all contributes to some positive shift in the algorithm
You are right- even if only online- finding like minded people and learning new things is very encouraging and helpful.
I heard a really interesting suggestion that we could use the methodologies of our opposition to promote our angle… for example not approaching people with calls to empathy if they have already shown they aren’t moved from a place of empathy. But instead angling at what they care about. So not ‘innocent people are getting hurt’ but ‘you are being manipulated and your resources are being taken from you (in order to hurt innocent people you can but don’t have to care about).’ I think we’re sometimes too stuck in this ‘wearing our hearts on our sleeve’ mode where we genuinely argue positions that are clearly put forth in bad faith and we just waste our time and sound dumber than we are…
That’s a great point for sussing out if you have common ground. My thing is more about how to influence people you really have no common ground with. They might not want what you want, but you still could use their energy, right? Like dirty energy companies get us to keep using their products by convincing us we can ‘offset our carbon footprint’ by using paper straws. It’s about figuring out what your target actually cares about and angling that as opposed to trying to always reach true understanding which will fail if you’re dealing with someone with a profoundly different sense of morality
Yeah my idea is we become the bad guys. Not try to debate the dirty energy companies, but use their methods. Instead of trying to get people with no interest in empathy or humanity to discover the beauty of these concepts, we offer them what they care about. It isn’t even manipulation really. There are plenty of selfish reasons one might want to fight the current political system.
Many people realize there is a huge problem with our world, but most do not get to working with others to oppose what is happening now and then to work toward finding a solution or some solutions.
Huge problem, indeed, Susan T.
The last thing one needs is to have someone throwing a wet blanket over the positive comments on these pages. But avoiding the facts is avoiding reality. So let us be rational and unreservedly accept the supremacy of reason in thinking on what can be changed and what cannot, because much needed change is what is required
So what do we know?
We all know the totally controlled mainstream media, owned and now controlled by the moneyed organisations such as BlackRock and Vanguard, controlling 25 - 30% of all major investments, worldwide, will not be producing front pages telling the truth in the near future assisted by governments like those in the USA and Israel with just too much to hide. So we have to find out some other way.
We also know that the World Health Organisation has plans to add some controls over all countries as they nearly did with the Covid fantasy.
We should also know that the Davos bunch of "special" people have plans through the World Economic Forum, all well under way with a powerful group of active adherents to their philosophies and that such people are in key positions around the globe, avoiding unnecessary publicity (thanks to the media owners / investors) once again. The World Economic Forum brings together chief executive officers from its 1,000 member companies, as well as selected politicians, representatives from academia, NGOs, religious leaders, and the media in an delightful alpine environment.
Not Your average bunch of partygoers. Not a lot in common with ordinary folks.
So its wheels within wheels, some small but ‘vital' examples follow………the word ‘vital’ used as it refers to the future of the whole world. Some collected facts…...
The Chinese biological laboratory in Wuhan is owned by Glaxo. Glaxo is owned by Pfizer (makers of vaccines). Pfizer is run by BlackRock funds.
BlackRock manages SOROS FOUNDATION which serves France's AXA.
AXA owns the German company Wintertor. Wintertor built Chinese laboratories in Wuhan.
It was acquired by a Franco-German alliance.
Black Rock again, controls central banks and manages a third of the world's investment capital. it's also a major shareholder in MICROSOFT (owned by Bill Gates), which in turn is a shareholder of PFIZER and the first sponsor of ……you guessed it…...the World Health Organization.( WHO ). Plenty more like this.
So now you have an idea. The WHO wants to control the whole world.
The Davos exclusives want to control your lives (for their benefit) through the WEF.
The Ziomists want to control the lot…..and they have had 70 years to plan it. Doing well too. Just look at the control they now have in Little Israel (America).
How to fix it.
Look around you. Almost every Western country has elections on the go. All the Party members having almost identical outlooks like the USA, the Uk, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the NATO proxies and on it goes. One political party’s objectives the mirror image of the other. (Stay afloat, follow the exceptional USA, join in any wars on the table. All under some level of influence from the BlackRocks, Vanguards and the like, through investments of a disgraceful magnitude and then, through them the very involved Zionists and with their blessing the corrupted politicians, thick on the ground, but in the USA, almost total (86%)
Not too much of a wet blanket,I hope. But certainly something of a challenge for the likes of us.
That’s true, I do run into a lot of people who agree everything is messed up but believe there’s no help for it and it’s not worth it to try anything. It’s interesting to think that the same western individualism that is supposed to make us believe an individual can create their own fortune with no help from anyone also makes you believe you’re profoundly helpless when you encounter a systemic problem. Almost like it was meant to do that.
NOTABOTORTROLLHeel, Obey, Conform and Pray.
Oh Yes-- the Comment Section:
NOTABOTORTROLLHeel, Obey, Conf
That happens too. I guess maybe I’m lucky but I have tended to get close to people who care about the types of things I care about… but out in the acquaintance zone yeah, a lot of people are just skirting the issue.
What scares me is that we are being walked into authoritarianism no matter who wins the upcoming election but not many others are grasping it🫤 I voted for Democrats my entire voting life and things have only gotten worse. Everyone blames the Republicans but the Democrats never do anything. Voting rights, nope. Filibuster.
Bodily autonomy, nope. Filibuster.
Universal healthcare, nope. Filibuster.
Gun control, nope. Filibuster.
Get rid of the filibuster? Biden, nope🤷♀️
Biden voted for Clarence Thomas and Sam Alito. He was horrible to Anita Hill. Biden implemented the EXACT SAME border policy as Trump's. Absolutely no one is calling Biden out on it🤬 Same for Trump's wall, which Biden is building.
here the first step seems to be to look beyond those two. team trump will be entirely responsible for everything he'll do if he's elected, team biden will be entirely responsible for everything he does if he's elected. both will be responsible for what the other does when they're not elected, because they were not a good enough alternative. you should vote 3rd party.
I'm in Texas so my vote for president probably won't count anyway because of the electoral college🤬
If it probably won't count then why not vote with your heart and your conscience?
I can't remember the original source offhand but this sums it up for me:
"Better to vote for something you want and not get it, than to vote for something you don't want, and get it."
I really like that idea. Thank you😁 I'll write in Neil DeGrasse Tyson or Bill Nye😊
Please vote for Dr. Jill Stein, who is anti-war and stands for progressive politices. She is running on the Green Party ticket and may be on the ballot, and if not, write her in, at least there will others joining you. Writing in a name with no others joining in with you is far less effective as a protest vote.
I'm thinking about writing in Neil DeGrasse Tyson or Bill Nye. Both highly intelligent, progressive, and kind people.
you should have absolutely no qualms to vote 3rd party then.
As I stated earlier, being in a red state means my vote for president, unless it's for Trump which is not going to happen, will not count🤬
well, morally it's better to not count for 3rd party then for genocide joe. consider yourself lucky. it will be counted and at least send a signal if stein is on the ballot.
Good point.
I'm sorry you seem to think the US is a democracy🤣 It's not and it never has been. You see it was founded by wealthy, genocidal, white men to keep slavery alive. England outlawed it in 1799. There first person freed from enslavement happened in 1772. The Revolutionary War was fought shortly thereafter. The writing was on the wall and the founders fought a war to keep POC enslaved on their stolen land. And the Civil War wasn't fought to free the enslaved people, it was fought because the government wouldn't allow slavery to expand westward. The government never told the South they had to give up the practice just that they couldn't expand it. And the "businessmen" of the South threw a royal hissy fit over it.
"I'm sorry you seem to think the US is a democracy🤣 It's not and it never has been. You see it was founded by wealthy, genocidal, white men to keep slavery alive."
I see you're a product of recent education innovations. The first question I have for you then is this: Which (substantial-sized) country's system, created prior to 1776, *should* have provided the model for the US to follow?
I have plenty of other top questions, but they all respect history, kairos, and realpolitik, concepts that seem to have disappeared down a memory hole at the prompting of nefarious forces.
They left England in order to expand slavery. Fought the Revolutionary War to keep it🤷♀️ They created a "democracy" with three anti democratic mechanisms: The Senate, SCOTUS, and the electoral college. All allow for tyranny of the minority. The US has always been an oligarchy. Sure you vote, who picks the candidates you vote for🤔
*The.
Voting doesn't matter🤣 Only because of the white supremacy issues here. It doesn't matter who you vote for, we won't get nice things 🤷♀️ The US has always been an oligarchy.
To borrow a saying from Mr Galloway, the Dems and the Reps are two cheeks of the same back side. And the one to “unite” them was a billy boy from AR. The US electorate has been lulled into this dystopia for over 3 decades.
>>"he US electorate has been lulled into this dystopia for over 3 decades."
Much, much longer than that...
Very true…for some our living memory doesn’t go back that far :)
Exactly!
Yeah I wanted gun control until I realized the crazy gun nuts might just be right about our tyrannical government. Be careful not not support other flavored authoritarian that tasted good to you
In economics, treating human labor as just another factor of production, without proper regard for human rights I might add, is the cornerstone of capitalism. This is golden calf ideology, aka propaganda, not physical law, as neo-liberals would have people believe. The Law of Supply and Demand is just another man-made corollary to the it-takes-money-to-make-money trope. All wealth comes from the human labor expended to create it. Capitalist economics is such pure propaganda that it overshadows ethics and morality; even war is downstream from the greed. Thank you for keeping the truth in play.
I don't remember exactly when this happened, but decades ago there was the "Personnel Department". Then it got changed to "Human Resources" and its been that way ever since. 🫤
I remember the day when I called my friend's workplace and asked for 'Personnel," and was told that was not the "Human Resources" Department. I was shocked. This would have been in the early to mid-1960's.
AKA Capitalist Realism, Why It's So Hard To Imagine Life After Capitalism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaASqPnpq5Y
As you point out, both war and the economy are sold to us as moral forces, separating the good from the bad, when in reality they separate the powerful from those without.
Currently stuck on Palestine Deep Dive on YT. Matt Kennard book The Racket. Ryan Dawson interview on Judge Napolitano YT. Dawson film How Israel Stole the Atomic Bomb and Killed JFK. Max Blumenthal comedy standup set at Icarus Fest 2024 Appears more of our society are reacting to “screwed” propaganda. Ralph Nader his Capitol Hill Citizen newspaper read May-June issue. Thanks Caitlin for this spot-on platform to share my “currently stuck”.
If people read the Old Testament, they would have no doubt that this sort of behavior and ideology is not limited to Zionists. The Jewish religion was founded in extreme violence, and it is a serious problem.
Not all Jews are Zionists. Not all Catholics are pedophiles. Not all Secularists are globalist/capitalist genocidal psychopaths.
Then you haven't read the Old Testament. Way before there were Zionists, there were Jews. Whose core tenant belief is that they are God's chosen people, and everyone else is completely disposable.
Actually I have studied the Pentateuch and the old Torah, along with many of the gleanings.
Must be missing quite a few pages.
There is an supremacist monstrous God of the OT, and there is a loving heavenly father in the NT? I don't think they are the same? People who wish peace and harmony on earth INSISTED that they are the same god?
A loving father sends his son to die on torture rack? Sounds very much like the same God of the Old Testament. The actions of a psychotic sociopath.
The whole "but all Jews aren't Zionists" is just a way for Jews to deflect attention away from their history, which is predicated upon bloodthirsty domination of everyone who isn't them. Zionists are saying the quiet part out loud, and the rest of the Jews try to pretend they don't want the same exact thing.
Oh my thank you. I've such gratitude for those who I feel as if they, you, are holding my hand, helping me walk through this delightful time. It sure is the time for a revolution. Helping to expose these hot right- left political deceptions, rings of fire. Silly me but got that song Come on Baby "Light my Fire" ? I'm dancing to it right now! Woodstock generation Granny (who killed JFK?)
As an Australian, I’m proud to follow Caitlin. She speaks plain sense. As a doctor, I found the most difficult patient to help was always those with a chronic psychosis as my advice seemed to “bounce off” their brains. I couldn’t seem to impact their belief systems. But of course, I hear you say- they’re psychotic. Australians are like that in a way- we seem to flout along in our vast island , like the tree in Swiss Family Robinson, safe from the “wild animals “of the world below us. We are so safe that we don’t even know there are “wild animals”, so safe that we aren’t interested in conceptualizing their existence.
Trying to advise these “patients” that their reality is unreal doesn’t seem to hit the mark.
Are Americans the same?
Watched it - thank you.
Thank you so much for this piece. It addresses some of the thoughts I have almost every time I read any of your other also always excellent essays. Mainly, some version of, “Yeah, but what can I DO???” And I realize that there is no easy answer. I’m not that much in touch with many people, something of an introvert, and the ones I do have contact with don’t seem to have much interest in hearing anything. For one thing, they are busy with their everyday lives. That, of course, is one of the features of this system. It is designed to keep people occupied that way. Anyway, I will try where I can, and try to think of other things to do.
I'm wondering if the genocide in Palestine is what is opening people's eyes.
Seeing G7 leaders affirming their commitment to Israel gives me shivers up my spine -- the wrong kind of shivers.
Our western leaders are supporting genocide...
I think Israel as well as the Western leaders have had a major reputation damages that will take decades to repair.
For the young people to chant cease fire now is considered TERRORISM? It is a clown world.
Thank you Diana. I also have a huge problem with the leadership of the “free” world supporting genocide in Gaza. I just don’t understand the fetish with ‘freedom’ or being ‘free’.
I would value fairness more than freedom any day.
Caitlin, as usual I agree with most everything you’ve said. My agreement matters only that I believe I’ve not been brainwashed with anyone’s bullshit. I have certain beliefs; here’s one of them:
Learn how the federal monetary system actually works!
The federal government is the sole issuer of the US Dollar and has a different set of rules to follow from users of the dollar.
Every dollar the government spends is a new dollar issued for the purpose. Federal taxes received cannot fund any expenditures and are deleted.
Local and state governments are users of the US dollar the same as you and me, therefore Taxes, borrowing, and various federal allotments do pay for expenditures.
The US Dollar economy is a closed-loop circulatory system. The government spends into the economy and closes the loop by taxing out of the economy, regulating the amount of money available for spending by the public. Where money is paid into the economy, and taxes are levied in the economic strata also matters. Currently, huge amounts of money are in the accounts of the ultra-wealthy. That doesn’t matter if the bottom 50% has enough money to live comfortably.
Inflation is a function of the law of supply and demand.
The “Federal Deficit” and “Federal Debt” are accounting identities that show how much money is in the economy. If the economy is functioning well those amounts don’t matter. Too much money in the economy causes excessive spending which leads to inflation. Too little money in the economy causes unemployment to increase.
Although this is about the US system, any country that issues fiat currency such as Canada, Japan, or Australia follows these rules. Countries such as France and Germany that use the Euro do not.
Any information you’ve seen to the contrary is fiction promoted by worldwide banking and other moneyed organizations which include governments. They have their agenda for doing so which in my opinion is not in the public's best interests.
There’s much more to the Federal Monetary system. Several books under the heading of Modern Monetary Theory explain it in detail.
https://a.co/d/dIMv6lU
I am not an expert on the Federal reserve? But, at least I know that it is for profit organization? The Feds clicks on the mouse and create 2 trillion for Biden to use as he wishes? In returns, Biden signs IOU interest on the 2 trillions about say 3% per year, plus he adds 2 trillions to the debts he owns this gang (the federal reserves).
At this point, I asked why Biden needs the Feds to issue the 2 trillions? If he clicked on the mouse himself, he will need not to tax us to pay the 3% interest, or to repay the 2 trillion debts ever.
So, they say so far we owe 30 trillions give or take? Suppose Biden or Trump goes to congress and says WE WILL CLOSE DOWN THE FEDS, AND WE WILL PRINT OUR OWN DOLLARS, AND WE WILL TELL THEM FORGET THE 30 TRILLIONS LOANS?
Now, without thinking of assassination as the first thoughts the comes to mind? Why not think monitoring and house arrest to all the people who potentially order the assassination? Voila! A clean break! No debts, less taxes! What is wrong with that ?
the fed reserve is a private entity, isn't it? can't touch that or else you'd be doing socialism, yikes.
The video you linked is from a "Crypto Bro" - i.e. a crypto fanboy. Even the resources linked are sourced by crypto propagandizers.
BTW, "Inside China Business" channel has ONLY one video - the video you linked. I would not trust such sources.
Also, tether is one of the worst stablecoins anyone can use. Maybe you don't follow the crypto markets and are not aware of all the issues. Even so called "stablecoins" are flawed. BTW, there are many models of stablecoins - Fiat-collateralized (eg. tether), Crypto-collateralized (i.e. based on other cryptocurrencies), Commodity-collateralized (i.e. based on precious metals), and the worst kind - Algorithmic stablecoins.
Here are just some (of the many) links for further research on "Tether" and its issues:
(1) https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/ssogsx/analysis_why_is_tether_a_scam_and_its_better_to/
(2) https://newrepublic.com/article/160905/tether-cryptocurrency-scam-enrich-bitcoin-investors
(3) https://coingeek.com/is-tether-a-scam-think-twice-before-using-usdt/
>>"China, Russia using USD-backed cryptocurrencies for commodities trade"
NO
Some (a very very small minority) of companies are using tether. China and Russia (especially the official govt.) are NOT using tether. Infact, China has officially banned crypto since 2017 (though illegal crypto trading and mining still occurs), and Russia is planning on banning Crypto too.
Here are some links:
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_cryptocurrency_by_country_or_territory
(2) https://www.wlglobal.solutions/blog/all-you-need-to-know-about-crypto-regulations-in-china-its-complicated/
(3) https://cryptobriefing.com/russia-crypto-ban-reinforce-ruble/
(4) https://beincrypto.com/russia-ban-crypto-us-sanctions/
(5) https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2024/01/14/dont-assume-china-will-ease-crypto-restrictions-anytime-soon/
Yes, John Zwiebel - you are right. I apologize. The channel does indeed have many videos.
>>"The important thing about the specific video I linked to was the alternative international transactions scheme. Walmsley pointed to the many Chinese banks who were anxious to avoid secondary sanctions."
I understand the point you were trying to make. Thank you for clarifying. (I think I misunderstood your comment).
>>"If you don't like what he has to say, don't listen to him."
Fair enough, I get your point.
I have two points to contend. First of all, I think just about everyone thinks society is sick. The list of people who think things are fine is probably Steven Pinker. But that was step one of your analysis, and from there it goes downhill, because many people have only a vague feeling that things are off, no clear idea of WHAT is wrong or why; and others have a clear idea but they're full of shit. We'd have to have widespread agreement on what's wrong before we could scheme, as a 99%, how to correct it.
Second, we have little time. You focus on the injustices of the Washington-centralized empire, which is only a part--although it plays a large role in blocking solutions. But the ecological damage is actually more urgent--and it's not just climate change, that's just one facet of human overshoot. We also have plummeting biodiversity, all manner of harm to oceans, plastics and thousands of chemicals in the biosphere, and all those nuclear weapons AND power plants, even if we manage to avoid nuclear war, are a radiation hazard for hundreds of thousands of years. Some of these have the potential to cause human extinction within this century, not to mention what they're already doing to so many other species. We really can't wait several hundred years for humanity to wake up, come to understand where the real problems lie, and come to agreement on what to do about it (depose the sociopaths, yes, but if you only replace them with other sociopaths you haven't solved anything).
i don't know what the solution is--and I'm not saying focusing on Gaza and other inter-human injustices is wrong. Allowing the fanatical Zionazis to eliminate Palestinians from Palestine--which I think is the objective--solidifies the general approach to the world's problems of the "western" colonialist mindset, which I think is moving toward a fortress mentality of reserving the world's remaining resources for themselves (white people, in essence). The only way to escape from all these crises without massive premature human death, is to eliminate war, wealth, inequality and the notion of human separation and ownership of the rest of nature.
Radiation hundreds of thousands of years? As a nuclear physicist, that is what they told me, but, as a regular observer, I noticed Hiroshima is not radioactive after only 80 years? Is it possible that they taught me wrong?
Not an expert, not that I'd trust most of them. But while nuclear bombing was and is bad, nuclear reactor meltdowns are far worse and do damage far longer. Chernobyl is the better comparison: still radioactive. I suspect part of the reason Nagasaki and Hiroshima aren't now highly radioactive is air dispersal (vs ground level meltdown). Or the background radiation the world over increased as it dispersed in air from the bombs; I think I read this explanation before. One reactor vs two bombs and the reactor is and remains the issue. So if reactors are bombed in this near-future war? And what determines the war's winner?
yes, of course and I had planned to come back to list every single one ... huh? Game elsewhere, d00d.
I don't know, but I know it depends on the elements--I think it's plutonium that has a half life of hundreds of thousands of years. I know the bombs used in 45 were later considered little primitive ones compared to the ones developed subsequently. Maybe they didn't use plutonium, or not much of it? Or maybe there's some other factor
Thank you for stating the obvious. Not so obvious for most. Materialism has the world in a trance. Pursuit of stuff, which includes status, vacations, toys of all sizes shapes and types, more, bigger, fancier, never enough. Work longer, be online constantly, ignore your children, spouses, neighbors, coworkers- head down! Get ahead!! Take more pills! Binge watch more tragedy, porn, violence. Loving that high speed 5G starlink on my house. My headaches are caused by my boss/spouse/kids-EMFs are perfectly safe and necessary for the information age! Cmon man, Roomba and Alexa are awesome! Make sure to talk on the phone while driving cuz otherwise, BORING to just stare out the windshield-I can multitask and still be present. My facebook scrolling mostly happens behind the wheel anyway and I have yet to cause an accident. Also, I saw one bee last year-they aren't dying. Plenty of fruits and vegetables and almonds at Costco last weekend. Famine isn't coming-I saw the line at Starbucks this morning...everything's fine. Its America, land of plenty. War is "over there". We can vote our way out of things. We are protected by our Constitution dont forget-thats what makes us special. Look at all the people who want to come here...to live in a Democracy! Keep the borders open- these are just people who want a shot at the American Dream and should be given access to a better way of life-plus, we get more Chinese food! Please move over and give them your seat. Its the kind thing to do-like taking poison to keep your 'community-immunity' high! And please dont turn your nose up at those who identify as naked rainbow unicorns who enjoy copulating with children. They're just people too and they have feelings. Free to be you and me, right Marlo?
(What a goddamn nightmare I can't wake up from.)
Great write up LucyNeo! Why live for "tomorrow" when there is no tomorrow? Materialism FTW.
"The biggest obstacle to our freedom is people’s belief that they are already free. "
This. If a bird was hatched inside of a cage, how do they know that they are caged? They will assume that all birds have a limited space to fly around in. Helping others learn to think for themselves (teaching them critical thinking skills) helps the see the cage bars and realize that there is a bigger world out there beyond them. So, keep on reading and sharing Caitlin's and others' posts here at Substack with your friends and family members who need to understand what true freedom really means.
The problem with revolutions and wars is that the winners just become the same as their enemy. The Russian revolution has finally resulted in Putin who is very much a Czar now. The Chinese revolution got rid of the Emperors, but replaced it with a one party virtual dictatorship. The Iranian revolution replaced the brutal regime of the Shah with the brutal regime of the Ayatollahs. The list of disastrous revolutions in Africa and Latin America is disappointingly long. Not forgetting the American revolution, which booted out the murderous British Empire, only for the US finally to become a murderous empire itself. The British and French fought against Fascism, but are now in danger of becoming themselves fascist. The case of Israel is self evident. So - a peaceful transition is required!
>>"So - a peaceful transition is required"
Interesting proposition. Though, I don't see any examples of those from history (maybe my historical knowledge is limited). Do you have examples where peaceful revolutions/transitions have worked and brought about the change needed?
there are very few - I can only think of Czechoslovakia separating peacefully into the Czech Republic and Slovakia
1989 turned out more as another slaughter though. putin gets credit for rebuilding something despite the loss of (cultural and financial) sovereignty. being one of the best world leaders mainly comes from all the nitwits pulling down the bar and him knowing that.
He certainly outclasses most western politicians - imagine Liz Truss going over there to negotiate with Putin - but even so blundering fools like Boris Johnson caused him enormous problems - it's difficult to combat stupidity on a Trump level
Couldn’t agree more about Putin, Realist.
I think he is a good leader in many ways, possibly managed to avoid the collapse of Russia after Glasnost and Yeltsin - but he certainly seems to wield enormous power and tolerates no real opposition. And I guess, unlike the Czars he will not have a dynasty.
This is exactly the work. My role in helping people unlearn is in my songs - presenting them on stage IRL each week… and online. I can attest: We have a long way to go.
The leader of the "free word" does not have a free press, according to the latest Reporters Without Borders report on freedom of the press worldwide: https://rsf.org/en/country/united-states
As Project Censored put it:
https://www.projectcensored.org/rsf-significant-barriers-press-freedom/
"....the United States has fallen from 45th position in 2023 to 55th in 2024, landing one notch after Belize and one before Gabon....."
Worse yet, at the top of the list are the Scandinavian and Northern European countries where, in theory no one punishes the media for saying the truth.......but if you go on any of the major media in those countries, its filled with lies straight out of the Wash DC propaganda HQ.
Okay. I see where you are coming from. I suppose questions I asked yesterday are out of frustration that at 63, I have seen the sickness for so long but see no remedy short of going off grid. I have traveled and love the places I have seen, been, visited. But in each place the government is the same. The media is the same. The propagandizing is the same. And so the fruitlessness of the fight seems overwhelming and even useless. Let’s see. 🤔
"Right now our society is like a sick man who (A) doesn’t know he’s sick, (B) refuses to believe he is sick, (C) believes the medicine is poison, (D) has no health insurance and can’t afford the medicine anyway, and (E) also has no means of transportation to get to the doctor. The very first step in that long list of obstacles to his health is to get him to understand that he is sick."
The above quote from the article can easily be used by the "Power Elite" [title per C. Wright Mills] or "Global Mafia" [title per Mees Baaijen] to indoctrinate us even more, and kill us off as well. As I recall, there was an oncologist in Michigan that had several offices in the suburbs of Detroit, who diagnosed perfectly-healthy people with terminal cancer so he could make a fortune from "treating them." He eventually landed in jail.
In my own case, over ten years ago I had an MRI scan (due to injuries from a fall two years before) that found a lesion on one of my hip bones that supposedly indicated bone cancer. I had three different doctors "read me the riot act," telling me I had to do this, and had to do that. I just told them all, "no thanks - I'm not interested." You should hear doctors go crazy when you tell them this!
So ten years later I am still here and still healthy. And I do believe most of the cancer "medicines" are "poison" - and glad I refused to take any.
"The people are dull, they are sheep and will believe what they are told" Joseph Goeblles propaganda minister for the third reich