I am so tired of hearing about Iranian terrorists, Hamas terrorists, how poor little Israel is just defending itself when it shoots another starving Palestinian, Trump going on about how he should get the Nobel peace prize, about how he and his cohorts are just sooooo good trying to bring peace to the world with more bombs, more weapons. I want a world without fires, without bombs, without starving people being shot, without children losing their limbs. That must be the craziness in me coming out.
Remember Genocide Joe and Holocaust Harris? There is only one party in the US: the WAR PARTY, that funds the election campaigns, etc, and the Israel Lobby. AIPAC bragged last year about their high percentage of primary races bought and "won".
Since the '63 Coup, we've had puppets, red and blue.
Given we have the Uniparty with two names, naming one part, as if they have different aims, especially with respect to military matters, is a serious misunderstanding of the underlying reality.
The word is Duopoly. Relax I assumed the comment was aimed at the party in power considering during the Genocide Joe admin the same feelings were expressed. Remember the Duopoly is trying it's best to divide us. There are no stooges here. Would 70% agreement be OK : )
The Duopoly is fighting all of us. We get used to fighting the party in power and as we see in statements from the Duopoly they are in agreement. We fight together : )
FWIW: I think the label "Duopoly" dilutes the nature of the forces we're up against. What makes it a "Duopoly"? Where does the money come from? Is it "clean" or "dirty" money?
I don't have a better label. Maybe someone can suggest one.
That would just be a world without the West. Seriously! Honestly.. Without the west stirring all these shit through the past century+, all other humans on earth have gotten along with each other pretty well trading and learning from each other. Fights? Yes, sometimes. But not gaslighting and genocide on such scale.
If the brainiacs developing AI large language modules are to be successful at mimicking human linguistic behaviors, will they successfully teach the algorithms to lie as apparently slickly but grossly unsuccessfully like Trump, Hegseth, and the other losers in DC?
That's why teaching peole CRITICAL THINKING skills is even more important in the age of AI. Without these skills, people are often ill-equipped to know WHO to trust, WHAT to trust, how to separate FACT from FICTION, which narratives work against them (instead of for them), and more.
Many false 'belief systems' (including cultish thinking, etc.) and narratives propagate like mind-viruses precisely for this VERY SAME reason.
This 'lack of ability in critical thinking' is what leads Israelis to believe in narratives of 'Jewish Supremacy' just as it led many Nazis to believe in narratives of 'Aryan supremacy', and just as it CURRENTLY leads many Americans to believe in narratives of 'American supremacy/exceptionalism'.
I went to school for 8 years (Aged 5 to 13) and during that time I was fortunate to have two teachers who emphasised critical thinking (in 1965 and 1968). Is it possible that young people these days can go through their whole education without being shown how to see the narrative for what it is?
Yes, I fear for the future. Even billionaires and people in positions of power and authority lack adequate critical thinking skills. As an example of this, I present you with Donald Trump -> he is so moronic that he himself is aiding the destruction of the U.S. Empire through many of his actions and decisions (which he obviously doesn't realize). I'm not complaining...I recently heard a Chinese Government official say that 'Never interrupt your enemy when they are in the process of making mistakes and harming themselves'.
Unfortunately, too many people lack critical thinking skills. That is one reason for WHY our world is in the dystopian state that it is in currently. People often land up being their own enemies by supporting narratives that work against them (while thinking that these narratives work in their favor). An easy example of this is the 'narratives that Israelis hold' of 'Jewish supremacy'. Another example (from America) is that of 'White Supremacist' narratives.
Maybe this is the human condition. Maybe a more evolved humanoid species needs to come into existence after we (the homosapiens) annihilate ourselves with our technologies and pathologies.
I think the narratives of the power mongers and the gullibility of the general population have been the curse of humanity ever since we moved on from grunting and began to articulate ideas with spoken language. Those who could see through the trickery and treachery have usually been the outcasts of the group.
Chang, seems the last few months have sucked out the last vestiges of optimism you used to have about waking the masses up and making more people see reality and now you've slowly come to accept it might be far too late for the vast majority of humans especially westerners
Yes, it's always a balancing act between optimism and what I call realism (instead of pessimism).
But I am no expert on the issue, and while I like to hope, I can't but help tempering my 'hope' with the present unfolding of events (not to mention a deeper analysis of past events).
I believe the earth (i.e. planet) would be fine (and maybe even better) without the existence of humans (in their present evolutionary state).
My REAL HOPE is that somehow (I don't know the how part) homosapiens evolve (in many different ways) before they land up annihilating all life-forms on earth.
The way to evolve is to begin to connect back to spirituality and metaphysics and inner work rather than scientific materialism and realism that had been hand in hand with capitalism to lead us to this current end game of standing over an Abyss of our own making
I believe you said you're an atheist and I'm all for everyone choosing their path and living life their way but I genuinely respect you and I've come to admire you through our interractions on this platform ( despite our rocky start over andrew tate, do you recall that? 😅 ) and so I'll just make a plea to you one time to try and give spirituality a go
And not religion as I'm also not religious but True Spirituality without dogma or doctrine and essentially connecting with one's own innate divinity
I'm sure you're already on that path as you're too self aware and conscious not to have done intense inner work and inner acceptance of your Shadow and light side
All I ask is you become more open to the idea of a Spiritual World and Realms and that we humans are connected to something vastly greater and more infinite than this dreadful physical reality we have defaced.
If you can open yourself up to that Chang, I promise that you will enter a Realm of wonder that can't be placed into words but will be for you alone and the Universe to enjoy together and what humans are currently missing which is their severance away from the Divine Spark within us and why the world is in its current rotten state.
I hope you give this path a try if you haven't 🙂❤️
It’s not just “possible”—it’s already happened. We now have generations growing up unable to take their eyes off the little screen in front of them. They’ve been hoodwinked and mentally dulled by “the narrative,” delivered through psychological vehicles disguised as reality. The so-called education system has conscripted entire swaths of the population into mindless groupthink.
While in your world (and mine) genocide is evil, why?
I cannot imagine a more moral man than Chris Hedges. Listen as he lists the many genocides of the past. How easily men can be convinced that murder is God's Will.
>>"I cannot imagine a more moral man than Chris Hedges"
Morality is subjective (not objective). YOU may consider Chris Hedges to be the most moral person in the world (or history), but other people will worship their own heroes and their qualities (such as morality or others).
>>"Whose story do you want to tell?"
I don't want to tell any stories. I want people to think critically ABOUT stories (told by others and themselves) regardless of the author/spreader of stories (i.e. narratives).
Whose stories/facts/fictions? EVERYONE's (throughout history). Ask "WHAT skills do I need to believe/prove the veracity of stories (i.e. narratives)?"
Does not seem to be Chang's point. I imagine Hedges would agree with the need for critical thinking. Dehumanization of a people is a first step toward genocide. Israelis have been brainwashed for decades (77 years) that Palestinians are their enemy. Many facets to the history, such as the Eastern European Jew treating Arab Jews as second class or worse. After WW2, the British Jews didn't want the poor Eastern European Jews. There was a classist element within the diaspora. BTW, Netanyahu's name was Milekowski, as all of the Israeli PMs changed their European names to West Asia-sounding names.
I just caught the documentary The Bibi Files. Check it out if you get a chance. Helps understand what happened in Israel the last few years with the corruption investigation. And YIKES on Smotrich and Ben Givr.
DEFUND THE ISRAELI HOLOCAUST IN GAZA PALESTINE. LET GAZA LIVE. FREE PALESTINE. PEACE
When one demands "critical thinking" it most often means, "recite my narrative or else."
That is what Chang wants. His superiority complex in demeaning Hedges and Good accomplished nothing and is an example of Caitlin's fictional illness which he projects on others.
Is THAT what you got out of my comment? Maybe read my comment again. My comment does not mention a single thing about Israelis or Palestinians or Genocide.
Subjective morality is the view that moral judgments are based on personal preferences, feelings, or opinions rather than on objective facts or universal principles. It implies that there is no absolute right or wrong, but rather that morality is relative to each individual or culture. It can be contrasted with objective morality, which holds that moral judgments are grounded in some external reality or rationality that transcends human subjectivity.
For most of us, our personal moral codes are shaped by factors like:
(1) Our upbringing and life experiences: The moral values instilled in us by our parents and communities often stick with us.
(2) Cultural influences: The society and culture we live in significantly impact our views on moral. issues. What is acceptable in one culture may be taboo in another.
(3) Personal values: Things like compassion, fairness, and harm reduction are common moral values, but we don’t all prioritize them the same way.
(4) Context: Moral judgments are often highly dependent on context. For example, killing another person is usually considered wrong, but not if done in self-defense or during war.
The subjective view stands in contrast to moral objectivism,, which holds that certain moral truths are universal and unchanging. However, subjective morality does not mean “anything goes.” Most of us share some basic moral intuitions and principles in common. But there is no consensus on many moral issues, and reasonable people can disagree.
If you want to know my moral stances on Israel/Palestine/Genocide, you can either ASK me or read my comments on Caitlin's substack instead of JUMPING to conclusions and ASSUMING things based on your 'inadequate critical thinking skills'. This isn't a vitriolic statement, it is an observational assessment based on your comments and responses.
I could not agree more my friend. I already see that happening and I don't blame them. I think it started when I was buying something with cash and the teller could not make change doing the simple math. I put that thought away as a one off, then it happened again : (
If a child is raised by psychopathic parents it is likely to develop a psychosis itself. If the 'brainiacs' constructing AIs development. are indeed liars and psychopaths the AI will be evil.
At our lab have had these discussions, Sci-Fi seems to have revealed the evil of machine language decades ago. I was having coffee, (Just Coffee worker owned) with students. I see the first rejection of AI via creative work. They made the statements about human creation over AI creation by preference. I asked if that was because of the human connection to the feeling of the creator. Interesting discussion.
We created an AI imagining sensor characterization program so students would not spend days ramping voltages and temperatures waiting for data, ramping, changing, over and over. The AI managed to do the work in one day. My worry, without students doing the work they lose the base knowledge of how the systems work and how to correct problems. We shall see my friend. Do me a favor check our the Vera Rubin first light images of the latest most powerful ground based telescope on Pachon in Chile. The first light party was amazing : )
You do raise some fundamental questions in science education, which I wonder how I'd deal with were I still in the trenches. I would have similar concerns to the ones you raise. Individual student learning styles and motivations will likely play a role here, and teachers will need to pay attention to this. Will they? is one concern.The images are beautiful, thanks.
ai, is already a much better liar and indeed gets its lies from the 'common sense' on the internet. empire feeds the internet, llm's often reproduce subtle imperial propaganda.
I'll just give you the simple answer that there are some folks in this fucked up Western culture who attempt to stay as clear of Hollywood as guiding principle as possible, Instead I read Gary Marcus and other sources on AI. It's a far more reliable and nuanced way to get information. And the fact that someone would be shocked -- shocked, I tell you -- to learn I had not ever watched "The Matrix" series is a true commentary on where the fucking culture gleans its information. And as a biomedical scientist, I assure you that I'm painfully familiar with how that process in my area of expertise works, say pharmacology, where the public's understanding of the potent bio-active chemicals it puts into its bodies is laughable, derived largely from Pharma ad propaganda, which is to say Hollywood-level productions.
CJ>>"That’s the story. In real life, the most aggressive and unreasonable actor on the world stage by far is the empire-like power structure that is loosely centralized around Washington DC."
THIS! Readers, please INJECT this FACT into your DNA (especially important for Americans and those suffering from the disease of 'American Exceptionalism').
My apologies for interjecting this yet again. If you aren't following Aaron Good's research you aren't going to be able to "inject this (fact) into your DNA".
You won't understand who it is that is manipulating your thoughts and dreams.
I almost mentioned Four Died Trying, Devil's Chess Club and AARON GOOD'S American Exception pod, Substack, etc in above post. I appreciate his scholarship, and Bryce's contribution, the discussions with guests, such as Col Larry Wilkerson, etc.
Aron's latest Substack is quite something. I have Alfred McCoy's MASSIVE book on CIA complicity in the global drug trade, which I see Aaron referenced in the piece.
Learned about SCADS from Aaron, I believe. Kevin Ryan on recognizing State Crimes Against Democracy in real time... so informative. PEACE
That's YOUR opinion. Aaron Good seems to be one of your 'heroes'. He's not mine. I find him to possess WEAK critical thinking skills. That doesn't mean he's not right on some things. It means, he seems to arrive at conclusions (correct or incorrect ones) based on narratives and belief systems MORE than on evidence-based reasoning and scientific methodologies.
But sure, shill for Aaron Good and be his PR agent if that is what you wish (and seem to be doing) - as evidenced by the numerous times your comments reference 'Aaron Good' in Caitlin's substack as the solution to understanding the U.S. Empire.
>>"You won't understand who it is that is manipulating your thoughts and dreams."
Instead of "thoughts and dreams", focus on narratives (and how they are formed and spread), techniques of propaganda, argumentation strategies, psychological manipulation tactics (including gaslighting, indoctrination, etc.) and more.
And no, I don't need to read/reference anything Aaron Good (your hero) says to understand how the U.S. Empire works. There are many other excellent sources for that. But you do you.
Good provides a solid foundation for Caitlin's morality stories. He tells us who the men are that commit the crimes Caitlin chronicles.
She tells us the what. He tells us the who. If you don't know "who" (and the "why" [Hudson and Wolff] of those "who") then where do you direct your energies.
You never, ever name names. You never, ever provide a focus on what needs to be done to change things.
Here's where I will point out that while Caitlin tells us what is wrong, not once has she provided direction on what to do about it. Yeah, it is 'kind of obvious' -- except it's not. Are we suppose to be "Aaron Bushnell" or Luigi.
Surely, no one serious is going to fall for that bromide -- "vote".
I note you don't list your other "excellent sources".
The vitriol you express will garner a lot of followers. Evangelical preachers have shown you the way haven't they. Are donations to your church falling off?
I'll spread the response into multiple comments (for space reasons).
Part 1: Sources (incomplete list)
Here are only SOME of my sources (in no particular order) ->
(REMEMBER -> There is NO SUCH THING as 'unbiased news' or 'unbiased humans')
(1) Democracy Now
(2) MintPress News
(3) The Intercept
(4) Consortium News
(6) Al Jazeera (be aware of middle-east bias)
(7) BreakThrough News
(8) Democracy At Work (Richard Wolff)
(9) DW News (be aware of Western bias with this German news channel)
(10) Empire Files (Abby Martin)
(11) Frontline PBS (be aware of US/Western bias)
(12) Geopolitical Economy Report (Ben Norton - be aware of Russian/Chinese bias)
(13) Going Underground with RT (be aware of Russian bias)
(14) Jacobin
(15) Novara Media
(16) ProPublica (be aware of US bias)
(17) Robert Reich (be aware of Democratic party bias)
(18) The Breach (Canadian)
(19) The Real News Network
(20) The Institute of Art and Ideas
(21) UnHerd (be aware of right-wing/conservative bias)
(22) Vice News (be aware of liberal bias)
(23) Vox (be aware of liberal bias)
(24) Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
.....too many more to list.....
Other individuals: Katie Helper, Rania Khalek, Matt Taibbi, Glenn Greenwald, Aaron Mate, Max Blumenthal, Seymour Hersh, Chris Hedges, John Pilger, Michael Parenti, Noam Chomsky, Yanis Varoufakis, Caitlin Johnstone, Peter Joseph, James Randi, John Mearsheimer, Vijay Prashad, Michael Hudson, ....again, too many more to list.... (again, be aware of each individual's biases)
Middle-Eastern News sources (for following the Israel-Palestine conflict AND Western hegemony in the Middle-East):
(1) Middle East Eye
(2) Al Jazeera
(3) Mondoweiss
(4) The Electronic Intifada
Some YouTube Channels ->
acTVism Munich, AJ+, Back to the Science (Susan Oliver), Bad Faith (Briahna Joy Gray), BadEmpanada, BettBeat Media, CNA Insider, Double Down News, Glenn Diesen, Go Meta with Oli Sharpe, India & Global Left, International Manifesto Group, Leeja Miller (be aware of liberal/Democratic party bias), Neutrality Studies, Peoples Dispatch, PoliticsJOE, Rachel Bevins, Real Progressives, Robert Reich (be aware of liberal/Democratic party bias), Samo Burja, Science is Dope, Second Thought, Skeptic (Michael Shermer - be aware of liberal/capitalism bias), The Burning Archive, The People's Forum NYC, The Swoletariat, The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow, theAnalysis-news, uncivilized... again, too many to list.
I have to throw-in Daniel Davis' 'Deep Dive' on YouTube. Otherwise looks like a good list here. Many I've accessed for many years, some I've come to dismiss over time, others I'll have to check out. Thanks!
Yes, like I mentioned, my list is incomplete - I’d be here all night if I attempted to list EVERY source on EVERY subject/topic that I am interested in (and still not arrive at an exhaustive enough list).
Another person that I highly respect is David Harvey (economics and Marxism) and the husband-and-wife team of economists Prabhat Patnaik and Utsa Patnaik (if you like Michael Hudson and Richard Wolff).
Funny that your #1 resource is Democracy Now. Aaron Mate, who used to work for DN, has wondered out loud "Wha' happened". If you listen selectively to what Amy says, you can gain support for your goals from her reporting. But way too often, there's the "fingernails on the chalkboard" experience that is so dissonant with reality that one can't take her seriously. I confess I don't have an example because I stopped taking Amy seriously about a decade ago so I don't pay attention to her any longer.
I suppose such an experience happens with almost all news sources.
But what am I to do with this list? Put mine next to it and then what?
You don't like Aaron Good because you claim he has "Weak critical thinking".
It has been my experience that the people who criticize Good do so because of his Deep Dive into "The American Exception". They still hang on to this quaint idea that "America is a force for good", no matter how much you might criticize it, there's no recognition that it is rotten to the core.
That's where Norman Finkelstein comes in and explains the "Jewish Supremacists" who have infiltrated the US congress with the lone hero, Thomas Massie, explaining to us AIPAC control of our government, thus we can throw the "tail wags the dog" Israel conspiracy out the window.
It is the Deep State that makes these choices. Brian Berletic uses the "Deep State" products from Oligarchic financed "Think Tanks" to explain the "continuity of agenda" that overrides any elected political formulation of policy.
But this only makes sense because of Good's revelation of the nature of the "Deep State" which he says is a horrible label, but no other fits.
One has to endure Good's 24 hour YouTube series "Empire and the Deep State" to even begin to understand the breadth and depth of the true nature of the American economy and political system.
Lest one come away thinking this is just another "Anti-Semitic" screed, the "Deep State" arrived with the Puritans. The "Jewish Mafia" lead by Meyer Lansky was able to carve out representation in the Deep State and the "Boston Brahmins" are more than willing to let the Jews be the front that they hide behind.
It is quite unfortunate that many (probably most) reading this and coming across "Deep State" will immediately cover their ears and squeeze their eyes shut and scream "conspiracy theory".
What part of ["REMEMBER -> There is NO SUCH THING as 'unbiased news' or 'unbiased humans']" did you NOT understand?
What part of ["I PREFER to think for MYSELF (rather than to believe whatever someone ELSE thinks I should believe). And I don't have any heroes (but I do respect many people for many different reasons)"] did you NOT understand?
Are you suffering from 'reading comprehension' issues?
(1) Let me start by saying that you seem to suffer from an 'inferiority complex' as you have LIKED your comment above - that is already a bad sign.
(2) >>"Evangelical preachers have shown you the way haven't they. Are donations to your church falling off?"
You see what I mean by your lack of 'critical thinking' skills? I'm an atheist btw, so religions, christians, evangelicals, etc. are irrelevant here. But it is interesting how you jumped to such conclusions. On what evidence?
Just based on the above statement alone by you, you have indicated that you lack evidence-based reasoning (amongst many other thinking flaws). So WHY should I trust you or your opinions? You've given me NO REASON to. Hence, why should I trust your opinions of ANYBODY? (Aaron Good or otherwise)
(3) It seems like you enjoy letting OTHERS do your thinking for you, and you ascribe to 'hero worship' and such mentalities. I have no heroes. I prefer to do my thinking based on my skills (which I'm constantly working on forever).
There are SO MANY logical fallacies, conflations, etc. that you make (including bad analogies) that I don't know where to start (or even if I should)
I'll end with this. I PREFER to think for MYSELF (rather than to believe whatever someone ELSE thinks I should believe). And I don't have any heroes (but I do respect many people for many different reasons).
So you go right on ahead and treat everything your hero 'Aaron Good' says as Gospel if you wish. I prefer to think critically about him (and all other sources).
JohnOnKaui, please work on your 'critical thinking skills' before you make a further FOOL of yourself (or is it too late for that?)
Also, know the DIFFERENCE between 'ignoring something' (I've never ignored the Deep State, I just don't buy into your hero 'Aaron Good's conceptions of it and his method for arriving at the conclusions he does) and 'thinking for yourself'.
How else are they supposed to convince people to justify their military actions? Through fear and something outlandish seems weird until you consider propaganda that creates irrational fear. This mental manipulation isn't just about our enemies, it is used to justify protecting Americans from these evil psychopaths, like the Patriot act. Sure Putin is going to take over Europe, he was very specific with the Ukraine he didn't attack a country in NATO...Sure China is going to take over the world...I mean they are just going to attack all their business partners? Oddly we constantly do business with China. Kim Jung Un of North Korea was turned to be a minor joke, still "crazy" but not worth noting "little rocket man" reference. The US empire does the same song and dance to justify military action and war, flag waving patriotism, intent protect, etc... I can't even say how ridiculous my country is with its hero trope, save the world from bad guys bullshit...Which country has bases in every part of the world? Who has the most military bases in other nations? Who pushes Australia around?
Get a load of this. As always the oligarchy corporations come together, their think tank is chosen to write the position paper, the lawyers draw up the legalities, the governments sign off on the plans, the public propaganda begins.
This is one of the most evil inhumane programs ever conceived by the US and Israel. And if it works there, it will work in anywhere.
“Let’s hope someone finds a way to protect the world from the insanity of the western empire.”
Someone? I hope you’re being ironic, because that’s not the way it works. As we have seen in the last 3.5 years, the “someone” putting words into action are:
- Russia
- the Palestinian resistance
- Hezbollah
- Yemen / Ansar Allah
- China
- Iran
- a small number of actionists in empire-controlled countries
All of these parties have paid dearly for their efforts. None of them have given up. We all need to support them in whatever ways we can. The “someone” is us. Otherwise the oligarchs win.
Caitlin as excellent as ever, but let me propose a simple theory
Perhaps the USA (aided by its friends) is not really an empire at all, but just a bunch of financiers wanting to extort wealth through selling war, chaos and "protection", while clinging to the US-dollar printing press? Then of course the stories make perfect sense.
Imagine running the biggest organized crime syndicate on the planet, backed by a nuclear arsenal that could end humanity, and also having the ability to print your own money.
Caitlin's ability and wisdom to put things in perspective is on full display here in today's Newsletter.
The US empire has been speeding ahead to the climax engulfing us today. It piggybacked on the violence of the old colonial powers to make a world in its image - one more lethal, more delusional - than ever before. One that lets its proxy the Israeli regime commit a genocide in real time. Almost as a lesson to countries that won't roll over.... ?
China, Russia, Iran, and a few more countries daring to resist have to be brought into its orbit of serfdom, failing that create forever wars to keep those countries unstable. It is an unintellectual, wicked, nightmarish world - ".... it was the worst of times; it was an age of darkness".
The spectacle at the NATO summit with "daddy" being flattered and cajoled so that he won't threaten to abandon them, spoke volumes about the ruling class of Europe.
The only silver lining was ( the Democratic socialist ) Zohran Mamdani's victory in the primary for New York mayor.
The threat from nuclear weapons is exaggerated deliberately to get populations scared. The world has survived hundreds of atomic tests, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and nuclear power meltdowns. The threat of nuclear fallout has been exaggerated. It makes weaker countries afraid to use what they have against powerful countries. The powerful could be turned to meek in seconds. Dust spreading from jerusalem wouldn't affect much of the world, but would fix 99 percent of the world's problems.
Yes, it is now up to the non-Western world to contain the Western one. The West, its politicians, media and most of its citizens are completely brainwashed; though we have also ourselves benefited from and are dependent on the fruits of Empire; we're not going to do anything to bring it down.
A crazy lunatic like Trump can play tricks at will and still be believed. Pretend to want peace in Ukraine, though he's funding the war. Pretend to want peace in Gaza, though he's funding the genocide. Pretend to negotiate peace with Iran, though he's plotting regime change. Pretend to be splitting from NATO so that member states up their spending, like the good little children that they are.
It’s not only gross to watch the spectacle of Trump calling the dignified and restrained sovereign nation, Iran, a naughty child and to characterise himself, for allegedly destroying non-existent nukes, as the father figure (though Trump is actually working for nuclear proliferation not against it).
It’s skin crawling for Trump to be happy Rutte referred to him in a ‘Daddy, you’re my daddy’ way because this is sexual role play talk. Trump's actions are not about saving the world from nukes nor is it about being blackmailed by Israel over the Epstein tapes. Trump doesn’t give a shit. He knows he can do and say whatever he likes and his vassals will continue to bend over to be fucked up the arse by him.
A few of us voice our disgust and many protest for Palestine but it's up to BRICS now. We must do all we can to support multipolarity.
We are the monsters. I have been telling people this for years. They are too brainwashed to listen. But we have to keep trying, for the sake of the rest of the world! Know your facts, everyone. Make them look at them.
Ouch!!!!
Very nice one, Caitlin.
These should be standard public service announcements.
Indeed
I am so tired of hearing about Iranian terrorists, Hamas terrorists, how poor little Israel is just defending itself when it shoots another starving Palestinian, Trump going on about how he should get the Nobel peace prize, about how he and his cohorts are just sooooo good trying to bring peace to the world with more bombs, more weapons. I want a world without fires, without bombs, without starving people being shot, without children losing their limbs. That must be the craziness in me coming out.
Stay "crazy" Susan. It's much better than the alternative.
We must ‘Turn OFF!’ The Republican war machine..’
Turn off ALL war machines.
Remember Genocide Joe and Holocaust Harris? There is only one party in the US: the WAR PARTY, that funds the election campaigns, etc, and the Israel Lobby. AIPAC bragged last year about their high percentage of primary races bought and "won".
Since the '63 Coup, we've had puppets, red and blue.
I think Musk had more to do with getting Drumpf in than AIPAC, he has the tech and a already declared that he gor Drumpf into the whitehouse.
That's just a scuffle over who gets a higher billing in the credits.
War is not exclusive to Republicans
Given we have the Uniparty with two names, naming one part, as if they have different aims, especially with respect to military matters, is a serious misunderstanding of the underlying reality.
Ya know what?
As soon as any commentator identifies a specific party as the only one being evil, I find myself dismissing their argument.
Are you blaming the "Republican war Machine", when it was Obama that made the Ukraine war possible and Biden who escalated it?
Either you are ignorant, or you are a Democratic stooge.
Let me anticipate you accusing me of being MAGA.
'You disgust me.'
The word is Duopoly. Relax I assumed the comment was aimed at the party in power considering during the Genocide Joe admin the same feelings were expressed. Remember the Duopoly is trying it's best to divide us. There are no stooges here. Would 70% agreement be OK : )
Sure, I can accept that argument.
But the point remains, anyone who says "it is all Trump's fault" or "it is all Biden's fault", is diverting us from finding a solution.
Hm and the Democrats would be better????
The Duopoly is fighting all of us. We get used to fighting the party in power and as we see in statements from the Duopoly they are in agreement. We fight together : )
FWIW: I think the label "Duopoly" dilutes the nature of the forces we're up against. What makes it a "Duopoly"? Where does the money come from? Is it "clean" or "dirty" money?
I don't have a better label. Maybe someone can suggest one.
Let me guess? 9/11? Nope, Sunni fanatics, sponsored and funded by Saudi Arabia and the Gulfie tyrannies.
Al Qaeda? Nope, Sunni fanatics, sponsored and funded by Saudi Arabia and the Gulfie tyrannies.
ISIS? Nope, Sunni fanatics, sponsored and funded by Saudi Arabia and the Gulfie tyrannies.
But go on, tell how bad Iran is.
Feral my dear kitty:
Please don’t tell me that you don’t believe 9/11 was an inside job.
What is "inside"?
What is "outside"?
Please don't tell me you think bin Laden did it all by himself.
I express no opinion, and it doesn't matter.
Hell yes 👏🏼
That would just be a world without the West. Seriously! Honestly.. Without the west stirring all these shit through the past century+, all other humans on earth have gotten along with each other pretty well trading and learning from each other. Fights? Yes, sometimes. But not gaslighting and genocide on such scale.
I love you. I pray to the Universe your dreams come true.
"The greatest purveyor of violence in the world today: my own government.”
MLK, April 4, 1967
If the brainiacs developing AI large language modules are to be successful at mimicking human linguistic behaviors, will they successfully teach the algorithms to lie as apparently slickly but grossly unsuccessfully like Trump, Hegseth, and the other losers in DC?
That's why teaching peole CRITICAL THINKING skills is even more important in the age of AI. Without these skills, people are often ill-equipped to know WHO to trust, WHAT to trust, how to separate FACT from FICTION, which narratives work against them (instead of for them), and more.
Many false 'belief systems' (including cultish thinking, etc.) and narratives propagate like mind-viruses precisely for this VERY SAME reason.
This 'lack of ability in critical thinking' is what leads Israelis to believe in narratives of 'Jewish Supremacy' just as it led many Nazis to believe in narratives of 'Aryan supremacy', and just as it CURRENTLY leads many Americans to believe in narratives of 'American supremacy/exceptionalism'.
I went to school for 8 years (Aged 5 to 13) and during that time I was fortunate to have two teachers who emphasised critical thinking (in 1965 and 1968). Is it possible that young people these days can go through their whole education without being shown how to see the narrative for what it is?
Yes, I fear for the future. Even billionaires and people in positions of power and authority lack adequate critical thinking skills. As an example of this, I present you with Donald Trump -> he is so moronic that he himself is aiding the destruction of the U.S. Empire through many of his actions and decisions (which he obviously doesn't realize). I'm not complaining...I recently heard a Chinese Government official say that 'Never interrupt your enemy when they are in the process of making mistakes and harming themselves'.
Unfortunately, too many people lack critical thinking skills. That is one reason for WHY our world is in the dystopian state that it is in currently. People often land up being their own enemies by supporting narratives that work against them (while thinking that these narratives work in their favor). An easy example of this is the 'narratives that Israelis hold' of 'Jewish supremacy'. Another example (from America) is that of 'White Supremacist' narratives.
Maybe this is the human condition. Maybe a more evolved humanoid species needs to come into existence after we (the homosapiens) annihilate ourselves with our technologies and pathologies.
I think the narratives of the power mongers and the gullibility of the general population have been the curse of humanity ever since we moved on from grunting and began to articulate ideas with spoken language. Those who could see through the trickery and treachery have usually been the outcasts of the group.
So very true, Step O’Rafferty!
Have I ever disagreed with you my friend. If I did, please ignore me
: )
Chang, seems the last few months have sucked out the last vestiges of optimism you used to have about waking the masses up and making more people see reality and now you've slowly come to accept it might be far too late for the vast majority of humans especially westerners
Am I on the right track?
Yes, it's always a balancing act between optimism and what I call realism (instead of pessimism).
But I am no expert on the issue, and while I like to hope, I can't but help tempering my 'hope' with the present unfolding of events (not to mention a deeper analysis of past events).
I believe the earth (i.e. planet) would be fine (and maybe even better) without the existence of humans (in their present evolutionary state).
My REAL HOPE is that somehow (I don't know the how part) homosapiens evolve (in many different ways) before they land up annihilating all life-forms on earth.
The way to evolve is to begin to connect back to spirituality and metaphysics and inner work rather than scientific materialism and realism that had been hand in hand with capitalism to lead us to this current end game of standing over an Abyss of our own making
I believe you said you're an atheist and I'm all for everyone choosing their path and living life their way but I genuinely respect you and I've come to admire you through our interractions on this platform ( despite our rocky start over andrew tate, do you recall that? 😅 ) and so I'll just make a plea to you one time to try and give spirituality a go
And not religion as I'm also not religious but True Spirituality without dogma or doctrine and essentially connecting with one's own innate divinity
I'm sure you're already on that path as you're too self aware and conscious not to have done intense inner work and inner acceptance of your Shadow and light side
All I ask is you become more open to the idea of a Spiritual World and Realms and that we humans are connected to something vastly greater and more infinite than this dreadful physical reality we have defaced.
If you can open yourself up to that Chang, I promise that you will enter a Realm of wonder that can't be placed into words but will be for you alone and the Universe to enjoy together and what humans are currently missing which is their severance away from the Divine Spark within us and why the world is in its current rotten state.
I hope you give this path a try if you haven't 🙂❤️
It’s not just “possible”—it’s already happened. We now have generations growing up unable to take their eyes off the little screen in front of them. They’ve been hoodwinked and mentally dulled by “the narrative,” delivered through psychological vehicles disguised as reality. The so-called education system has conscripted entire swaths of the population into mindless groupthink.
I agree with everything my friend Chang has said. I work with students all day.
Whose story do you want to tell?
Whose Facts?
Whose Fictions?
While in your world (and mine) genocide is evil, why?
I cannot imagine a more moral man than Chris Hedges. Listen as he lists the many genocides of the past. How easily men can be convinced that murder is God's Will.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCgQ5pehHqg
>>"I cannot imagine a more moral man than Chris Hedges"
Morality is subjective (not objective). YOU may consider Chris Hedges to be the most moral person in the world (or history), but other people will worship their own heroes and their qualities (such as morality or others).
>>"Whose story do you want to tell?"
I don't want to tell any stories. I want people to think critically ABOUT stories (told by others and themselves) regardless of the author/spreader of stories (i.e. narratives).
Whose stories/facts/fictions? EVERYONE's (throughout history). Ask "WHAT skills do I need to believe/prove the veracity of stories (i.e. narratives)?"
"Morality is subjective"
Yep. The Israelis think genociding Palestinians is moral.
I didn't realize you supported that subjective position.
Does not seem to be Chang's point. I imagine Hedges would agree with the need for critical thinking. Dehumanization of a people is a first step toward genocide. Israelis have been brainwashed for decades (77 years) that Palestinians are their enemy. Many facets to the history, such as the Eastern European Jew treating Arab Jews as second class or worse. After WW2, the British Jews didn't want the poor Eastern European Jews. There was a classist element within the diaspora. BTW, Netanyahu's name was Milekowski, as all of the Israeli PMs changed their European names to West Asia-sounding names.
I just caught the documentary The Bibi Files. Check it out if you get a chance. Helps understand what happened in Israel the last few years with the corruption investigation. And YIKES on Smotrich and Ben Givr.
DEFUND THE ISRAELI HOLOCAUST IN GAZA PALESTINE. LET GAZA LIVE. FREE PALESTINE. PEACE
When one demands "critical thinking" it most often means, "recite my narrative or else."
That is what Chang wants. His superiority complex in demeaning Hedges and Good accomplished nothing and is an example of Caitlin's fictional illness which he projects on others.
Is THAT what you got out of my comment? Maybe read my comment again. My comment does not mention a single thing about Israelis or Palestinians or Genocide.
Subjective morality is the view that moral judgments are based on personal preferences, feelings, or opinions rather than on objective facts or universal principles. It implies that there is no absolute right or wrong, but rather that morality is relative to each individual or culture. It can be contrasted with objective morality, which holds that moral judgments are grounded in some external reality or rationality that transcends human subjectivity.
For most of us, our personal moral codes are shaped by factors like:
(1) Our upbringing and life experiences: The moral values instilled in us by our parents and communities often stick with us.
(2) Cultural influences: The society and culture we live in significantly impact our views on moral. issues. What is acceptable in one culture may be taboo in another.
(3) Personal values: Things like compassion, fairness, and harm reduction are common moral values, but we don’t all prioritize them the same way.
(4) Context: Moral judgments are often highly dependent on context. For example, killing another person is usually considered wrong, but not if done in self-defense or during war.
The subjective view stands in contrast to moral objectivism,, which holds that certain moral truths are universal and unchanging. However, subjective morality does not mean “anything goes.” Most of us share some basic moral intuitions and principles in common. But there is no consensus on many moral issues, and reasonable people can disagree.
If you want to know my moral stances on Israel/Palestine/Genocide, you can either ASK me or read my comments on Caitlin's substack instead of JUMPING to conclusions and ASSUMING things based on your 'inadequate critical thinking skills'. This isn't a vitriolic statement, it is an observational assessment based on your comments and responses.
Hey, I get from your comments what I get from your comments.
Your inability to concisely, coherently and explicitly express yourself is not my problem.
Very good points
I could not agree more my friend. I already see that happening and I don't blame them. I think it started when I was buying something with cash and the teller could not make change doing the simple math. I put that thought away as a one off, then it happened again : (
If a child is raised by psychopathic parents it is likely to develop a psychosis itself. If the 'brainiacs' constructing AIs development. are indeed liars and psychopaths the AI will be evil.
At our lab have had these discussions, Sci-Fi seems to have revealed the evil of machine language decades ago. I was having coffee, (Just Coffee worker owned) with students. I see the first rejection of AI via creative work. They made the statements about human creation over AI creation by preference. I asked if that was because of the human connection to the feeling of the creator. Interesting discussion.
We created an AI imagining sensor characterization program so students would not spend days ramping voltages and temperatures waiting for data, ramping, changing, over and over. The AI managed to do the work in one day. My worry, without students doing the work they lose the base knowledge of how the systems work and how to correct problems. We shall see my friend. Do me a favor check our the Vera Rubin first light images of the latest most powerful ground based telescope on Pachon in Chile. The first light party was amazing : )
https://rubinobservatory.org/news/rubin-first-look/cosmic-treasure-chest
My DNA is there : )
You do raise some fundamental questions in science education, which I wonder how I'd deal with were I still in the trenches. I would have similar concerns to the ones you raise. Individual student learning styles and motivations will likely play a role here, and teachers will need to pay attention to this. Will they? is one concern.The images are beautiful, thanks.
ai, is already a much better liar and indeed gets its lies from the 'common sense' on the internet. empire feeds the internet, llm's often reproduce subtle imperial propaganda.
I've actually seen Gary Marcus offer evidence for that in one of his posts, if I remember.
Just hope not
Did you miss the "Terminator" movies?
Did you miss "The Matrix" series?
Surely you wouldn't suggest that they are "just fiction".
I'll just give you the simple answer that there are some folks in this fucked up Western culture who attempt to stay as clear of Hollywood as guiding principle as possible, Instead I read Gary Marcus and other sources on AI. It's a far more reliable and nuanced way to get information. And the fact that someone would be shocked -- shocked, I tell you -- to learn I had not ever watched "The Matrix" series is a true commentary on where the fucking culture gleans its information. And as a biomedical scientist, I assure you that I'm painfully familiar with how that process in my area of expertise works, say pharmacology, where the public's understanding of the potent bio-active chemicals it puts into its bodies is laughable, derived largely from Pharma ad propaganda, which is to say Hollywood-level productions.
No TV for me. Books and more books.
Good question ⬆️ Anything is possible with AI 🤖
CJ>>"That’s the story. In real life, the most aggressive and unreasonable actor on the world stage by far is the empire-like power structure that is loosely centralized around Washington DC."
THIS! Readers, please INJECT this FACT into your DNA (especially important for Americans and those suffering from the disease of 'American Exceptionalism').
Thank you Caitlin!
My apologies for interjecting this yet again. If you aren't following Aaron Good's research you aren't going to be able to "inject this (fact) into your DNA".
You won't understand who it is that is manipulating your thoughts and dreams.
I almost mentioned Four Died Trying, Devil's Chess Club and AARON GOOD'S American Exception pod, Substack, etc in above post. I appreciate his scholarship, and Bryce's contribution, the discussions with guests, such as Col Larry Wilkerson, etc.
Aron's latest Substack is quite something. I have Alfred McCoy's MASSIVE book on CIA complicity in the global drug trade, which I see Aaron referenced in the piece.
Learned about SCADS from Aaron, I believe. Kevin Ryan on recognizing State Crimes Against Democracy in real time... so informative. PEACE
Good doesn't preach. He just provides facts. And then he asks you to make sense of those facts.
The inevitable conclusion dovetails precisely with Wolff and Hudson's critique of Capitalism.
That's YOUR opinion. Aaron Good seems to be one of your 'heroes'. He's not mine. I find him to possess WEAK critical thinking skills. That doesn't mean he's not right on some things. It means, he seems to arrive at conclusions (correct or incorrect ones) based on narratives and belief systems MORE than on evidence-based reasoning and scientific methodologies.
But sure, shill for Aaron Good and be his PR agent if that is what you wish (and seem to be doing) - as evidenced by the numerous times your comments reference 'Aaron Good' in Caitlin's substack as the solution to understanding the U.S. Empire.
>>"You won't understand who it is that is manipulating your thoughts and dreams."
Instead of "thoughts and dreams", focus on narratives (and how they are formed and spread), techniques of propaganda, argumentation strategies, psychological manipulation tactics (including gaslighting, indoctrination, etc.) and more.
And no, I don't need to read/reference anything Aaron Good (your hero) says to understand how the U.S. Empire works. There are many other excellent sources for that. But you do you.
Wow....
I mean Wow, Wow, Wow...
Good provides a solid foundation for Caitlin's morality stories. He tells us who the men are that commit the crimes Caitlin chronicles.
She tells us the what. He tells us the who. If you don't know "who" (and the "why" [Hudson and Wolff] of those "who") then where do you direct your energies.
You never, ever name names. You never, ever provide a focus on what needs to be done to change things.
Here's where I will point out that while Caitlin tells us what is wrong, not once has she provided direction on what to do about it. Yeah, it is 'kind of obvious' -- except it's not. Are we suppose to be "Aaron Bushnell" or Luigi.
Surely, no one serious is going to fall for that bromide -- "vote".
I note you don't list your other "excellent sources".
The vitriol you express will garner a lot of followers. Evangelical preachers have shown you the way haven't they. Are donations to your church falling off?
I'll spread the response into multiple comments (for space reasons).
Part 1: Sources (incomplete list)
Here are only SOME of my sources (in no particular order) ->
(REMEMBER -> There is NO SUCH THING as 'unbiased news' or 'unbiased humans')
(1) Democracy Now
(2) MintPress News
(3) The Intercept
(4) Consortium News
(6) Al Jazeera (be aware of middle-east bias)
(7) BreakThrough News
(8) Democracy At Work (Richard Wolff)
(9) DW News (be aware of Western bias with this German news channel)
(10) Empire Files (Abby Martin)
(11) Frontline PBS (be aware of US/Western bias)
(12) Geopolitical Economy Report (Ben Norton - be aware of Russian/Chinese bias)
(13) Going Underground with RT (be aware of Russian bias)
(14) Jacobin
(15) Novara Media
(16) ProPublica (be aware of US bias)
(17) Robert Reich (be aware of Democratic party bias)
(18) The Breach (Canadian)
(19) The Real News Network
(20) The Institute of Art and Ideas
(21) UnHerd (be aware of right-wing/conservative bias)
(22) Vice News (be aware of liberal bias)
(23) Vox (be aware of liberal bias)
(24) Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
.....too many more to list.....
Other individuals: Katie Helper, Rania Khalek, Matt Taibbi, Glenn Greenwald, Aaron Mate, Max Blumenthal, Seymour Hersh, Chris Hedges, John Pilger, Michael Parenti, Noam Chomsky, Yanis Varoufakis, Caitlin Johnstone, Peter Joseph, James Randi, John Mearsheimer, Vijay Prashad, Michael Hudson, ....again, too many more to list.... (again, be aware of each individual's biases)
Middle-Eastern News sources (for following the Israel-Palestine conflict AND Western hegemony in the Middle-East):
(1) Middle East Eye
(2) Al Jazeera
(3) Mondoweiss
(4) The Electronic Intifada
Some YouTube Channels ->
acTVism Munich, AJ+, Back to the Science (Susan Oliver), Bad Faith (Briahna Joy Gray), BadEmpanada, BettBeat Media, CNA Insider, Double Down News, Glenn Diesen, Go Meta with Oli Sharpe, India & Global Left, International Manifesto Group, Leeja Miller (be aware of liberal/Democratic party bias), Neutrality Studies, Peoples Dispatch, PoliticsJOE, Rachel Bevins, Real Progressives, Robert Reich (be aware of liberal/Democratic party bias), Samo Burja, Science is Dope, Second Thought, Skeptic (Michael Shermer - be aware of liberal/capitalism bias), The Burning Archive, The People's Forum NYC, The Swoletariat, The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow, theAnalysis-news, uncivilized... again, too many to list.
I have to throw-in Daniel Davis' 'Deep Dive' on YouTube. Otherwise looks like a good list here. Many I've accessed for many years, some I've come to dismiss over time, others I'll have to check out. Thanks!
Yes, like I mentioned, my list is incomplete - I’d be here all night if I attempted to list EVERY source on EVERY subject/topic that I am interested in (and still not arrive at an exhaustive enough list).
Another person that I highly respect is David Harvey (economics and Marxism) and the husband-and-wife team of economists Prabhat Patnaik and Utsa Patnaik (if you like Michael Hudson and Richard Wolff).
Funny that your #1 resource is Democracy Now. Aaron Mate, who used to work for DN, has wondered out loud "Wha' happened". If you listen selectively to what Amy says, you can gain support for your goals from her reporting. But way too often, there's the "fingernails on the chalkboard" experience that is so dissonant with reality that one can't take her seriously. I confess I don't have an example because I stopped taking Amy seriously about a decade ago so I don't pay attention to her any longer.
I suppose such an experience happens with almost all news sources.
But what am I to do with this list? Put mine next to it and then what?
You don't like Aaron Good because you claim he has "Weak critical thinking".
Jeffrey Sachs likes him:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXvuOG33zLs&
It has been my experience that the people who criticize Good do so because of his Deep Dive into "The American Exception". They still hang on to this quaint idea that "America is a force for good", no matter how much you might criticize it, there's no recognition that it is rotten to the core.
That's where Norman Finkelstein comes in and explains the "Jewish Supremacists" who have infiltrated the US congress with the lone hero, Thomas Massie, explaining to us AIPAC control of our government, thus we can throw the "tail wags the dog" Israel conspiracy out the window.
It is the Deep State that makes these choices. Brian Berletic uses the "Deep State" products from Oligarchic financed "Think Tanks" to explain the "continuity of agenda" that overrides any elected political formulation of policy.
But this only makes sense because of Good's revelation of the nature of the "Deep State" which he says is a horrible label, but no other fits.
One has to endure Good's 24 hour YouTube series "Empire and the Deep State" to even begin to understand the breadth and depth of the true nature of the American economy and political system.
Lest one come away thinking this is just another "Anti-Semitic" screed, the "Deep State" arrived with the Puritans. The "Jewish Mafia" lead by Meyer Lansky was able to carve out representation in the Deep State and the "Boston Brahmins" are more than willing to let the Jews be the front that they hide behind.
It is quite unfortunate that many (probably most) reading this and coming across "Deep State" will immediately cover their ears and squeeze their eyes shut and scream "conspiracy theory".
What part of ["REMEMBER -> There is NO SUCH THING as 'unbiased news' or 'unbiased humans']" did you NOT understand?
What part of ["I PREFER to think for MYSELF (rather than to believe whatever someone ELSE thinks I should believe). And I don't have any heroes (but I do respect many people for many different reasons)"] did you NOT understand?
Are you suffering from 'reading comprehension' issues?
Part 2: Response to your UNHINGED comment
(1) Let me start by saying that you seem to suffer from an 'inferiority complex' as you have LIKED your comment above - that is already a bad sign.
(2) >>"Evangelical preachers have shown you the way haven't they. Are donations to your church falling off?"
You see what I mean by your lack of 'critical thinking' skills? I'm an atheist btw, so religions, christians, evangelicals, etc. are irrelevant here. But it is interesting how you jumped to such conclusions. On what evidence?
Just based on the above statement alone by you, you have indicated that you lack evidence-based reasoning (amongst many other thinking flaws). So WHY should I trust you or your opinions? You've given me NO REASON to. Hence, why should I trust your opinions of ANYBODY? (Aaron Good or otherwise)
(3) It seems like you enjoy letting OTHERS do your thinking for you, and you ascribe to 'hero worship' and such mentalities. I have no heroes. I prefer to do my thinking based on my skills (which I'm constantly working on forever).
There are SO MANY logical fallacies, conflations, etc. that you make (including bad analogies) that I don't know where to start (or even if I should)
I'll end with this. I PREFER to think for MYSELF (rather than to believe whatever someone ELSE thinks I should believe). And I don't have any heroes (but I do respect many people for many different reasons).
So you go right on ahead and treat everything your hero 'Aaron Good' says as Gospel if you wish. I prefer to think critically about him (and all other sources).
Damn Chang 😳😳
You brought the Bazooka and Airstrike to this fight while your "opponent" was wielding a blunt and end of the ropes knife that can only tickle 🤣🤣
So you're an atheist?
The scam of the evangelical preacher knows no religion.
That you ignore the "Deep State" and pretend it doesn't exist is the cause of your failure to accomplish anything.
JohnOnKaui, please work on your 'critical thinking skills' before you make a further FOOL of yourself (or is it too late for that?)
Also, know the DIFFERENCE between 'ignoring something' (I've never ignored the Deep State, I just don't buy into your hero 'Aaron Good's conceptions of it and his method for arriving at the conclusions he does) and 'thinking for yourself'.
How else are they supposed to convince people to justify their military actions? Through fear and something outlandish seems weird until you consider propaganda that creates irrational fear. This mental manipulation isn't just about our enemies, it is used to justify protecting Americans from these evil psychopaths, like the Patriot act. Sure Putin is going to take over Europe, he was very specific with the Ukraine he didn't attack a country in NATO...Sure China is going to take over the world...I mean they are just going to attack all their business partners? Oddly we constantly do business with China. Kim Jung Un of North Korea was turned to be a minor joke, still "crazy" but not worth noting "little rocket man" reference. The US empire does the same song and dance to justify military action and war, flag waving patriotism, intent protect, etc... I can't even say how ridiculous my country is with its hero trope, save the world from bad guys bullshit...Which country has bases in every part of the world? Who has the most military bases in other nations? Who pushes Australia around?
'Pushes Australia around.' Are there no brains in the Government of Australia as well as other Western Nations?
Get a load of this. As always the oligarchy corporations come together, their think tank is chosen to write the position paper, the lawyers draw up the legalities, the governments sign off on the plans, the public propaganda begins.
This is one of the most evil inhumane programs ever conceived by the US and Israel. And if it works there, it will work in anywhere.
https://open.substack.com/pub/ddgeopolitics/p/the-abraham-shield-israels-new-blueprint
WELL SAID! T S M
“Let’s hope someone finds a way to protect the world from the insanity of the western empire.”
Someone? I hope you’re being ironic, because that’s not the way it works. As we have seen in the last 3.5 years, the “someone” putting words into action are:
- Russia
- the Palestinian resistance
- Hezbollah
- Yemen / Ansar Allah
- China
- Iran
- a small number of actionists in empire-controlled countries
All of these parties have paid dearly for their efforts. None of them have given up. We all need to support them in whatever ways we can. The “someone” is us. Otherwise the oligarchs win.
Stephen well said!
👏👏👏
Caitlin as excellent as ever, but let me propose a simple theory
Perhaps the USA (aided by its friends) is not really an empire at all, but just a bunch of financiers wanting to extort wealth through selling war, chaos and "protection", while clinging to the US-dollar printing press? Then of course the stories make perfect sense.
Imagine running the biggest organized crime syndicate on the planet, backed by a nuclear arsenal that could end humanity, and also having the ability to print your own money.
It doesn't get any more gangster than that.
Those are basically one in the same.
"You are crazy if you don’t believe what the world’s craziest power structure says about its enemies being crazy."
I'd rather be called "crazy" than a "warmongering, nuclear bomb dropping, genocide-supporting capitalist-fascist dictatorship." Wouldn't you?
Caitlin's ability and wisdom to put things in perspective is on full display here in today's Newsletter.
The US empire has been speeding ahead to the climax engulfing us today. It piggybacked on the violence of the old colonial powers to make a world in its image - one more lethal, more delusional - than ever before. One that lets its proxy the Israeli regime commit a genocide in real time. Almost as a lesson to countries that won't roll over.... ?
China, Russia, Iran, and a few more countries daring to resist have to be brought into its orbit of serfdom, failing that create forever wars to keep those countries unstable. It is an unintellectual, wicked, nightmarish world - ".... it was the worst of times; it was an age of darkness".
The spectacle at the NATO summit with "daddy" being flattered and cajoled so that he won't threaten to abandon them, spoke volumes about the ruling class of Europe.
The only silver lining was ( the Democratic socialist ) Zohran Mamdani's victory in the primary for New York mayor.
Oh, very well then.
Lord Posonby's Ten Commandments of War Propaganda:
1. We don’t want war, we are only defending ourselves.
2. Our adversary is solely responsible for this war.
3. Our adversary’s leader is inherently evil and resembles the devil.
4. We are defending a noble cause, not our particular interests.
5. The enemy is purposefully committing atrocities; if we are making mistakes this happens without intention.
6. The enemy makes use of illegal weapons.
7. We suffer few losses, the enemy’s losses are considerable.
8. Recognized intellectuals and artists support our cause.
9. Our cause is sacred.
10. Whoever casts doubt on our propaganda helps the enemy and is a traitor.
The threat from nuclear weapons is exaggerated deliberately to get populations scared. The world has survived hundreds of atomic tests, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and nuclear power meltdowns. The threat of nuclear fallout has been exaggerated. It makes weaker countries afraid to use what they have against powerful countries. The powerful could be turned to meek in seconds. Dust spreading from jerusalem wouldn't affect much of the world, but would fix 99 percent of the world's problems.
Yes, it is now up to the non-Western world to contain the Western one. The West, its politicians, media and most of its citizens are completely brainwashed; though we have also ourselves benefited from and are dependent on the fruits of Empire; we're not going to do anything to bring it down.
A crazy lunatic like Trump can play tricks at will and still be believed. Pretend to want peace in Ukraine, though he's funding the war. Pretend to want peace in Gaza, though he's funding the genocide. Pretend to negotiate peace with Iran, though he's plotting regime change. Pretend to be splitting from NATO so that member states up their spending, like the good little children that they are.
It’s not only gross to watch the spectacle of Trump calling the dignified and restrained sovereign nation, Iran, a naughty child and to characterise himself, for allegedly destroying non-existent nukes, as the father figure (though Trump is actually working for nuclear proliferation not against it).
It’s skin crawling for Trump to be happy Rutte referred to him in a ‘Daddy, you’re my daddy’ way because this is sexual role play talk. Trump's actions are not about saving the world from nukes nor is it about being blackmailed by Israel over the Epstein tapes. Trump doesn’t give a shit. He knows he can do and say whatever he likes and his vassals will continue to bend over to be fucked up the arse by him.
A few of us voice our disgust and many protest for Palestine but it's up to BRICS now. We must do all we can to support multipolarity.
We are the monsters. I have been telling people this for years. They are too brainwashed to listen. But we have to keep trying, for the sake of the rest of the world! Know your facts, everyone. Make them look at them.
Check out MEANS TV, there is a lot of good content there.
Who knew that all along the world was protecting themselves from US !!!