Apocalyptimist over here, at the ready, lemme just shake off all my goosybumps! This resonates so hard, Mary!
I had this flash of us sitting at that Italian restaurant in Boston, talking about covid, not even in hushed voices, and I wondered if people within ear shot thought, look at those two middle aged ladies conapirasizing, not even realising how recently divorced we are from Uncle Sam. I’ve made it a point now to bring up my status even in passing to strangers if the subject comes up. In case anyone was on the fence and needed the extra courage.
That is a terrific strategy, Tonika. I feel like my own governor is finally OFF, and I'm fully willing to "out myself" than I've ever been before. Something about doing that video with you...😉
That restaurant in Boston feels like a dream now. Just yesterday I came across a photo of the two of us together and I could hardly believe we made that happen. Well, Grace made that happen -- we just said yes! So glad we did!!
It was a captured lightning in a bottle. When the universe spurs you into an action and you don’t quite know why but you follow your instinct and here we are, a couple of years later, making good on answering that call. And some call that magic. :) ok, it’s me. I call that magic. ✨
Little seeds of truth in casual conversations have ways of germinating into insights and realities for others we will never know. But knowing you planted a seed is enough satisfaction. Nature will take her course.
And yes, it's like an abusive partner that keeps on gaslighting us when we have questions and doubts.
"And then there is the psychological effect of the Big Lie which is axiomatic in gaslighting. The paradox here is that the bigger the lie, the harder it is for the mind to bridge the gulf between perceived reality and the lie that authority figures are painting as truth. I believe that the prospect of being deceived evinces a primitive emotional response on a par with staring death in the face. We are hard-wired to fear deception because we have evolved to interpret it as an existential threat. That’s why deception can elicit the same emotional response as the miscalculation of a serious physical threat. Lies told to us don’t always bear the same cost as a misjudged red light, but the primitive part of the brain can’t make this distinction and we rely on cerebral mediation for a more appropriate but delayed response. And in the long run, the lie is often just as dangerous as the physical threat. Many government whoppers – ‘safe and effective’ – do cost lives.
To avoid the death-like experience of being deceived, a mental defence is erected to deny that the lie is happening."
Yes, Rob. Thanks for the astute comment, AND for the linked post. Terrifying and important to understand. (Pavlov was one sick individual, btw. Wow. I'm so done with sadism masquerading as "research" or "science.")
Aug 11·edited Aug 11Liked by Mary Poindexter McLaughlin
I forgot to mention that I too felt like places like Costa Rica would be nice to go to. But then, I found out a lot of those places were even worse with lockdowns and restrictions. Also, how could those places be free if the biopharmaceutical industry succeeded in most of the world?
Yes, there was so much sadism involved with smallpox inoculation and polio too. These are the 2 main stories used to give credibility to the vaccine narrative for decades.
Add to that how chemo, a toxic drug, became the number one treatment for cancer and is widely accepted by us in the West despite the ridiculously high costs and single digit % efficacy (and it's probably negative as many of the deaths caused by the treatments were blamed on cancer).
These are the times where they become so brash that the people who always believed in their mission start to question things.
DNA research was supposed to cure cancer, help stop birth defects, make people healthier.
All I've seen is more poisoning via sketchy drugs that go through a lax approval process that's greased by $$$. Goldman Sachs even said in a call that a cure is not profitable.
So as long as we have a for profit system, they'll just keep selling us the same crap in different forms that keeps us from dying but doesn't actually address the causes of diseases.
If DNA held the key to this, the human genome project being completed would have gave us all the answers!
But it didn't. We got stories of cloned sheep...woohoo.
And they keep doing the loop of the cycle.... Promise gains with new tech to treat diseases that they cause with the previous new "tech".
With COVID they switched from mostly aluminum based adjuvants to lipids... New tech, new diseases to profit off of!
But this time I think people are burned out and have no energy to feed the illusion.
That's why they're so nuts these days with the stories.... Distractions from the central scams.
As long as humanity starts to see the predator of society, psychopathy/sociopathy (corporations qualify as essential psychopaths according to game theory), we can start to say that the emperor has no clothes!
I completely agree. Re: the for-profit "healthcare" system... I'm reminded of a concept in ancient Chinese medicine (possibly apocryphal, but it's just so good): physicians were paid ONLY when their patients were well. As soon as a patient fell ill, the money train stopped. Can you imagine what our world would look like if THAT were the prevailing norm??
Aug 11·edited Aug 11Liked by Mary Poindexter McLaughlin
Wow, could I relate to this, thank you for expressing it all so perfectly!
Like you, I had a healthy suspicion / distrust of government but I didn’t know it was malevolent, esp against its citizenry.
And then 4 years ago…. I did know right away that what was happening was very bad because the “government” kept changing the goalposts in whipsaw fashion: no masks to masks work & you should wear 2; anything physically or mentally healthy like being outdoors in fresh air & sunshine, gyms, houses of worship were strictly closed but big box stores, liquor stores, etc were no problem; cheap therapeutics literally banned & panned; insisting, with ZERO data that the clot shot was “safe & effective”, would prevent getting or spreading (how could they know, given that warp speed development?!) to it’ll just mitigate symptoms & keep you out of the hospital, on & on.
In addition to the evil of injecting babies, children & pregnant women, the other most egregious thing was locking away the elderly & hospital patient w/ no one to love/care/advocate for them & many died alone.
I think the very hardest part for me was seeing how quickly & completely SO MANY acquiesced to such totalitarian measures & mandates. I’m traumatized to this day.
I have always thought that the “true believers” to this day (& I know several) are too weak-minded to admit they have been wrong about all of it AND they also can’t face what their government has done to them & that the government in its current form is a force for evil, like we realists can, painful as it is.
Thanks, Cindi. I'm so glad this resonated with you. And thank you for candor in sharing your own path. It WAS traumatizing to watch the mute acceptance of our freedoms' collapse, especially by people I NEVER thought would do so.
I've asked myself over and over: what is the defining characteristic of those who saw through it all, and those who didn't? Is there just one? Toby Rogers asked that question to his readers a while back, and the comments just went on and on and on...
My answer was that I think there are many factors, including (and this is the one that I don't think many people consider, for obvious reasons): experience in past lives. I have unique perspective on that, given a hypnotist husband who works in that realm with clients. Many people who suffered the consequences of a past-life inability to see impending tyranny are the ones who have a heightened awareness in this life. Crazy-sounding, I know.
This put me in mind of a potent song by Mindy Gledhill - Rabbit Hole - about her experience as a Mormon, discovering the murk at the basis of Joseph Smith's cult. Falling down the rabbit hole is "terrifying - and wonderful."
It's one hell of a rabbit hole we've all fallen down. Or Rubicon we've crossed. But the found community and crystal clear liberated thinking are compensation aplenty.
Yes, well said -- "found community and crystal clear liberated thinking." That's exactly it. May have been the point all along, from a higher perspective...
We are in heated agreement on this one Mary. From my recent piece America Needs A Truth and Reconciliation Commission: "Since 9/11, we have been lied to consistently and slowly boiled like frogs. Now, believing, or at least giving the benefit of doubt to, bullshit is the new normal. There is only one cure for this condition, and it is the cathartic application of the truth. If Americans want democracy, we must have the courage to hold a national reckoning. Let’s not focus our ire on each other for a change. Instead, let’s shine some light on those directly responsible for America’s rapid decline. Given the piss poor performance of our corrupt leaders (democrat and republican), foreign policy mandarins, alphabet soup intelligence agencies and fifth column press, America needs a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This should not be yet another partisan criminal investigation, but an exercise in “restorative justice.” Truthful testimony should be traded for amnesty. The time has come to clean out our national closet...."
YES, YES, a thousand times, Peter. I have always believed that a Truth and Reconciliation Commission is THE only way to healing. (And probably some community trauma-reversal ritual as a part of that.)
Bravo on your list from that piece. What a stupendous collection of villiany: "the JFK and RFK assassinations, Henry Kissinger’s entire career, the creation of the Mujahadeen, Contras and Cocaine trafficking, Whitewater, Vince Foster’s death, the 9/11 attacks, Iraq’s WMD, the American “black site” torture archipelago, the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame, the “too big to fail” bailout of 2008, Benghazi, the origins of ISIS, Syria, Hillary’s private email server, Trump and Russia, Russiagate, the “unmasking” requests, the Big Tech/Big Pharma/Big Insurance monopolies, the origins of COVID, the lives and deaths of Michael Brown/Breonna Taylor/George Floyd, the entire Jeffrey Epstein saga, the Mueller and Comey investigations, Burisma, Hunter’s laptop, the 2020 election, the millions of military-aged males who have entered America illegally since 2020, the Corporate Cultural Revolution of 2020, the January 6 riot, the origins of the war in Ukraine, war crimes in Gaza, the opiate epidemic and more."
Talk about breathtaking.
How can a commission like that happen? What would we, the populace, have to do?
First, the body politic would have to break the grip of fear that holds us hostage and mental exhaustion that hold us hostage. Speaking as a former war crimes investigator, TRC's are imperfect at best. However they are often the only option in an on going conflict like one we will face in November because nobody will have a monopoly on political power. As the Buddhists in Cambodia taught me in the 90s when I was investigating Khmer Rouge atrocities, "Vengeance breeds vengeance." Whoever wins, @ 50% of the country will be pissed off and alienated. I believe both the Neoliberal paradigm and the Neoconservative have both collapsed. Rather than face this fact, people are clinging to bits of wreckage like shipwreck survivors just trying to keep their heads above water. Most of my friends are like the abused wife you so eloquently described--"He only hits me with an open hand." As Thomas Kuhn pointed out in his book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, the greatest resistance to change comes moments before the collapse of the reigning paradigm, when its defenders “devise numerous articulations and ad hoc modifications of their theory in order to eliminate any apparent conflict.” Kuhn’s interpretive model has helped me make sense of some of the things that no longer make sense. To answer your question, the populace must first break the grip of fear and the petty partisanship that divides us. If we could do that, we might be able to consider real leaders--bold lions who can slay societal wolves rather than the clever, but craven foxes who have dominated our political landscape for far too long. As I also wrote in my article, "Hope dies last."
Peter, there is so much wisdom in this comment I hardly know where to begin. Thank you for pointing me in the direction of Thomas Kuhn -- I take great heart in the idea that "the greatest resistance to change comes moments before the collapse of the reigning paradigm." It does feel like we must be dangling over that edge.
Breaking the grip of fear... yes, that must come first. A simple idea, so difficult to enact for so many. But courage is as contagious as fear, no? Therefore finding it must start within ourselves, as lonely as that feels sometimes.
Thank you for your presence here, and for continuing to shine the light on your own Stack...🙏🏼
Excellent and nuanced, Mary. You have such a wonderful gift for making the political personal, and showing the clarity that comes after facing the cognitive dissonance. I personally feel that cognitive dissonance is the key to all of our disagreements, where we're starting with different facts.
That Truth and Reconciliation, I think, could only happen with small scale communities doing it in tandem. Then, each one keeps the others honest. If one ignores the evidence, it will be shamed by the committee elsewhere that reveals it. No centralized committee is going to go against a centralized power. IMO.
YES. I'm finding with my youngest son that we just can't get a purchase on any topic because we get our information from such different sources. Our realities just don't intersect, so we can't find common ground. It's infuriating and depressing, and I just keep hoping that somehow our paths are going to suddenly veer into each other and collide in a moment of shared truth. 🤞
That is brilliant, Tereza -- of course! Start local! I wonder what that might look like. Hang on... have you already written about how to do it?? It wouldn't surprise me! 😂
Aug 12·edited Aug 12Liked by Mary Poindexter McLaughlin
So part of the maddening multiple realities thing. I don't have this with my sons remarkably, but they are all older (out of 20's) and escaped the indoctrination crunch- time push so many young people are subject to.
Though I do have it with friend's kids. (And a nephew I don't see too much.)
That devastating combination of confidence (I know I'm right) and program (worse than propaganda) that doesn't leave any room for an opposing position. The 'program' already anticipated challenge and dealt with it. It's like coming across a 'shut-off' switch that is triggered when certain topics are broached. I see people leave the room, shout, shut-down, walk away, all kinds of disconnect.
What I don't see is anyone hanging in and being open and uncomfortable. Never do I get a request for info. (I always say, we probably get our information from very different sources) to take the personal out of it.
A woman at work (early 50's) still likes to don occasional masks (she has one for every outfit I'm pretty sure). Early on I told her based on the many studies that had been done pre-Covid, it was clear masks were spittle-guards and worthless in a 'pandemic'. (I didn't tell her I don't think there was a pandemic or that I don't believe in contagion of disease via a virus.)
She had to walk out of the office with her hands warding me off like I'd turned into a vampire. "We can't talk about this!"
"That's fine," I said. But if you like I can send you a link to the Brownstone Institute where they have a bunch of good info - you know they are scientists and academics, doctors..."
She was already making her way down the hall.
It's a helluva program. All that said - we live in a field that communicates beyond what our mental selves 'believe'. The field changes and changes us. So much communication is happening in that field.
I don't think 'they' can hold the signals they need in place for much longer. (That's why they had to get inside the body with the graphene; to anchor in receivers for frequencies where they exert more control.)
And always, (sorry I'm going on so long) I'm having to remind myself that I can trust life and individual lives - because we are infinite beings - in the midst of a crazy-ass story - yet so much bigger than a single body and single lifetime. Everyone is deeply well.
Ugh... the combination of confidence and programming IS devastating. Your description of a shut-off switch is perfect, Kathleen. And to be fair, I see it on both sides, too. There are those with whom I'm in general agreement who absolutely will not engage or listen to anyone who disagrees with them. It makes me sad... The gulf grows wider and the powerful stay powerful.
Thank you for reminding me that there is communication happening outside of our puny five senses; I forget that sometimes. We ARE infinite creatures in an infinite universe, and yes, everyone IS deeply well. The more we trust that this is all happening for our highest and best, the sooner we dispel fear and regain our own power. Which is probably why it's all happening...
"Everyone is deeply well." I just love that, Kathleen.
Somewhere, I'm certain, there's a PR evil genius--the Edward Bernays of our time--who's crafting these responses on the left and right, young and woke. I realized this doing my Michael Tsarion episode. He used certain tropes against women that I'd thought were unique when John Carter used them or Guy's BiL Jasun Horsley. They're clever turns of phrase that make you think they're true because it's hard to challenge something that's funny without being a bore.
My oldest and I have come close to her not speaking to me because I don't agree that transgenderism should be normalized to the extent that we all clarify our pronouns and mix our public bathrooms. I think that's increasing the hostility and violence against it. When she got me to watch Sex Education, I realized how much her responses are being modeled in the media. And I'm sure it's not just that topic.
There was so much 'parenting of parents' going on during the CovidCon. They were the mature, realistic ones, I was foolishly afraid of the vaxx and irresponsibly unconcerned with contagion. Our plan had been that my oldest and her husband would move into my house when they had kids and I'd live in the garaj mahal. Now I think I need another decade to feel sure I wouldn't feel isolated in my own home. Fortunately or not, I think they feel the same way.
I'm sorry to hear about the divide over transgenderism. It's painful when issues like that wreak havoc with our relationships -- and our plans for the future. What a sweet idea you had, to shift over to the garaj. 😔
Our kids are being manipulated so hard. I later found that Veronica had a client who asked how the bereavement group would be accommodating her as a lesbian. Apparently the answer wasn't satisfactory because she decided not to join the (free) group. So V enrolled in some DEI training to learn how to be a better 'ally.' This seems to consist of 'What have you done for us lately?' It's not enough to support people's choices and not discriminate, you need to show specific actions you've taken to further the cause.
After our fight, she came back and thought we should watch some videos together. These turned out to be flamboyantly sexual gay TikTok. I didn't say anything but I've never found exhibitionistic sex to be funny, straight or gay, it's just not my thing. This was before that dream I had where I thought, "Next time I think I'd prefer to die."
Sex Education is a Netflix series that V got me into by saying the mom, played by Gillian Anderson, reminded her of me. I did get hooked and watch the whole thing. Of the high schoolers, not a one is merely straight. There are some touching scenes (and many many scenes of touching) but ended with the girl who was contemplating suicide because she couldn't afford 'top' surgery. So manipulative.
Aghhh... I can feel my Midwestern practically-raised-by-a-nun insides doing flip-flops at the thought of watching vids like that with any of my kids. You're amazing, Tereza.
When I hear what's going on in the younger generations, I realize I'm a) over some sort of hill; and b) leading a very sheltered life. I wonder: did my parents have the same thoughts about my generation? I don't think so. At least, not to the same degree.
Screens and social media provide the ultimate vehicle for all that manipulation you mention. One bright-ish spot: I heard that some states are now requiring that kids check their phones at the door of their schools -- it's a small step in the right direction.
"They're clever turns of phrase that make you think they're true because it's hard to challenge something that's funny without being a bore." Very insightful, thank you for saying this - I had a ambiguous recognition of that, so clarifying.
Oh, I know! I remember watching a program - can't remember the name - where a teenager was schooling her parents on the 'them' and 'theirs' thing, and of course, the parent was put in his place. It was helpful when I was talking to my partner's son (21) and he said something about the correct use of pronouns and how 'older' people were not getting it. I think I was a wise-ass in my reply and quipped, "fine, as long as they are okay with my pronouns being 'thee' and 'thou'. (Not helpful.) He also told me if I couldn't adapt to changes in the world, I wouldn't progress. I responded on why no one should adapt to tyranny or be cowed into abandoning reason. Didn't go over well, but I'm still glad I said it.
Nice idea with moving into the garage, and I get why you'd pull back on that. Hopefully things will shake out and over the next few years, we'll find ourselves occupying the same planet again.
I want "my pronouns are thee/ thou" on a tee-shirt!
I identified the "kid smarter than parents" TV/movie formula when my girls were small. Either adults are nonexistent or they're clueless, doing stupid things like their jobs rather than paying attention to the kid. Sassy put downs are the coin of the realm, to which the parents either laugh if they're cool or yell if they haven't yet realized their spawn is smarter than them.
Oh, that 'if you can't adapt to changes' line is another one, now that you mention it. Santa Cruz is being forced by Newsom to build 4000 new units, with the only choice being downtown 12-story monoliths or 5-story miniliths in every neighborhood--with no parking. I suspect these are for rich students from China. But I've heard that line from developers, city officials, and young people who are resigned to never coming back.
I think that this may all be happening to save me from a decision I would have regretted. Giving up my house would be a BIG sacrifice, especially to be outnumbered and needing to tiptoe so I don't offend anyone. I'm glad they aren't ready for that either. Thanks for listening.
I know that feeling well, Mary. In desperation for something in common with my youngest, I immersed myself in K*pop culture and tried, on one occasion, taking edibles which was a BIG mistake. You need the male version of The Bachelor. Set your expectations low ;-)
Sometimes the most mundane and ridiculous things can be a meeting place for those values you all share. Vampire romance fantasies are my latest with my middle daughter, soon to turn 30. No, not Twilight, although she did sleep with it under her pillow in HS and is re-reading it for nostalgia. And my oldest and I binge-read the anime Lore Olympics on our recent trip to Canada. We took a third suitcase just for books she'd borrowed from the library. They all lead into questions of ethics, strategy, personality. But I have it easy with girls, we'll analyze the heck out of anything. I know nothing about common ground with boys.
The closest I got to a local T&R was trying to convince the Mock Trial HS teacher to charge Bush with the crime of 911. That didn't go over well but imagine how cool that could have been with students on both sides doing the investigation.
More generally, though, I think you're still at the point of saying, "I think we need to go to marriage counseling." You still think the Union can be saved with some date nights and chore charts, more say in the bank accounts. I'm no longer working on the marriage but on the divorce. How can we allocate resources fairly with the least impact on the kids? What keeps the most of what we want the same while letting us each build something new?
Fortunately, I still have a great relationship with my youngest, despite the political disconnect. No edibles required 😂!
I would have loved to see you leaning on the mock trial teacher! Hmm... I think that would make a GREAT one-act play...
I can see how you would interpret my stance as "just needing marriage counseling," but that's not what I was intending. It's tricky. In a REAL abusive relationship, you wouldn't want to walk away and still remain connected. You'd file for divorce and get the hell outta dodge. (And your points about allocating resources and the terms of the marriage contract are EXCELLENT.)
In this case, however, since the US is MORE than just its government, I think it's possible to step out of relationship with the government -- so much so that you can watch it collapse without shedding a tear -- and still be a US citizen. Does that make sense?
"If I were to ask you, “Who is standing behind you?” what would you say?"
I awoke at 1:30 this am filled with fear...not "what ifs," but knowing I need big bucks that I don't have now & no way to obtain to repair what currently doesn't work & what appliances are due to break soon. Even my phone is held together with packing tape. Nowhere to turn, the vultures are circling, our glorious government (& multiple real estate companies) lied & cheated me into my current predicament.
And then after an hour or 2 of fretting, I remembered how, as a small child, when my mother was in a rage over one thing or another, I would try to console her, saying "It will be all right." And it always did turn out all right.
The memory awakened that sweet little girl, who whispered in my ear "It will be all right. You are a child of God. Always remember you are a child of God."
I awakened to a glorious Maine in August day, with dry cool nights & hot days. I already know what I can do if & when one shoe too many drops...
As to what we were taught, I've seen home movies of the 4th of July parade in Reading, PA with with toddler me dressed in red, white & blue, marching along proudly waving my flag.
Compare what we were taught as kids with Iraq, sitting at the crossroads between Asia, southern Europe & the Sahel. 2 days ago, Pepe Escobar posted pictures that say it all:
🇮🇶 🖤 The most wholesome and heartwarming thing you will see today: Iraqi children in Karbala hand out food and supplies to pilgrims making their way to the holy city for Arba'een. Some even run their own mawakib! The people of Iraq have consistently ranked as the world's most generous to strangers. It rings true all the way down to our youngins. And it rings truer STILL during the days when we all mobilize in tragedy and triumph for Imam Hussein (A.S.) 🇮🇶 🖤
Oh, those beautiful children! They, like the sweet little girl who whispered in your ear, know the truth of this world -- all is already well. May you sleep more soundly tonight, SBW. Thank you for your comment, and your honest presence here. xox
But I’m particularly referring to the clarity I’m hearing in your perspective with your video and this piece. Thank you, I appreciate this early in the morning 👏🌞
The working title for the epic musical I envision is—Persephone’s Daughters…of which you are surely one.
Thank you so much, elle! Now you've sparked my curiosity... can you tell me more about your concept of Persephone's Daughters? Weren't the Furies her daughters?? 🤔
My summary, the skeletons in the family closet are a fractal of politics at any scale.
Something else connected with this that I read recently turned Lord Acton's maxim on its head. Rather than "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely", it was closer to "Concentrations of power attract the corruptible".
So flooded with substack mail (maybe about 300 hundred a day) and juggling part-time work, I can't remember what I've opened and read much less forwarded. So I hope you forgive me for all I have not yet read. Will have to withdraw from life just to catch up with what I haven't opened.
Aug 12·edited Aug 12Liked by Mary Poindexter McLaughlin
Hi again Mary. Just hitting the sack.
The book was a bit of a turgid slog, but the footnotes were as enlightening as the text. I think a follow-up book expanding on some examples in other cultures, eras, and scales beyond the former Soviet Union would be timely ... but on the other hand, I disagree with his fundamental assumption that there can be a "science of evil". Different domains, different heuristics. Might as well "dance about architecture". Oh dear. Did I just provide some algorithm-driven website scraper an A.I. "answer" for the next Olympic opening ceremonies? 😂
YOWZA!!! Mary, what could possibly come next after these last two recent posts.???? You must be getting an inspiration transfusion, or transmission, from the great beyond. What channel is that? I'd like to tune in to it. LOL Keep 'em coming. XOX
You're a riot. 😂 I love the "YOWZA!!!" -- what greater compliment could possibly come next??Thanks for the boisterous enthusiasm; you always fuel me up... xox
This lands so well. Authentic and clear sighted, while taking in the positives of possibility once we see the deception for what it is. I do hope more 'friends' will catch on, push past that uncomfortable dissonance, and find themselves back on solid ground. Now, would be good.
Yes, wouldn't "now" be grand? I keep hoping that my gentle efforts to nudge in that direction will take root somehow, somewhere. All I can do. Well, that... and pray. That I can do, too.
It isn't easy to wake up one morning and realize that everything considered fact has suddenly morphed into mythology.
I came across this quote this morning, and it seems appropriate, “It is difficult to wake up one morning and realize that everything considered fact has suddenly morphed into mythology.” The quote comes from the wonderful book Living as a River.
That quote is eminently appropriate for these times. It’s perfect, actually. The internet has opened up such a flood of information it’s hard to stay afloat. Speaking of water, I’m going to look up Living as a River! Thanks, Jack. xox
Apocalyptimist over here, at the ready, lemme just shake off all my goosybumps! This resonates so hard, Mary!
I had this flash of us sitting at that Italian restaurant in Boston, talking about covid, not even in hushed voices, and I wondered if people within ear shot thought, look at those two middle aged ladies conapirasizing, not even realising how recently divorced we are from Uncle Sam. I’ve made it a point now to bring up my status even in passing to strangers if the subject comes up. In case anyone was on the fence and needed the extra courage.
Great piece, friend!
Thanks! Yay!
That is a terrific strategy, Tonika. I feel like my own governor is finally OFF, and I'm fully willing to "out myself" than I've ever been before. Something about doing that video with you...😉
That restaurant in Boston feels like a dream now. Just yesterday I came across a photo of the two of us together and I could hardly believe we made that happen. Well, Grace made that happen -- we just said yes! So glad we did!!
It was a captured lightning in a bottle. When the universe spurs you into an action and you don’t quite know why but you follow your instinct and here we are, a couple of years later, making good on answering that call. And some call that magic. :) ok, it’s me. I call that magic. ✨
Me, too 🪄
Little seeds of truth in casual conversations have ways of germinating into insights and realities for others we will never know. But knowing you planted a seed is enough satisfaction. Nature will take her course.
Love hearing that. Thanks!
Me too. Thanks, Mike!
They keep us compliant by making us numb to shocks... Pavlov figured this out. https://robc137.substack.com/p/transmarginal-inhibition-the-way
And yes, it's like an abusive partner that keeps on gaslighting us when we have questions and doubts.
"And then there is the psychological effect of the Big Lie which is axiomatic in gaslighting. The paradox here is that the bigger the lie, the harder it is for the mind to bridge the gulf between perceived reality and the lie that authority figures are painting as truth. I believe that the prospect of being deceived evinces a primitive emotional response on a par with staring death in the face. We are hard-wired to fear deception because we have evolved to interpret it as an existential threat. That’s why deception can elicit the same emotional response as the miscalculation of a serious physical threat. Lies told to us don’t always bear the same cost as a misjudged red light, but the primitive part of the brain can’t make this distinction and we rely on cerebral mediation for a more appropriate but delayed response. And in the long run, the lie is often just as dangerous as the physical threat. Many government whoppers – ‘safe and effective’ – do cost lives.
To avoid the death-like experience of being deceived, a mental defence is erected to deny that the lie is happening."
(From https://leftlockdownsceptics.com/alleged-cia-involvement-in-jfk-assassination-goes-mainstream-so-now-what/ )
Yes, Rob. Thanks for the astute comment, AND for the linked post. Terrifying and important to understand. (Pavlov was one sick individual, btw. Wow. I'm so done with sadism masquerading as "research" or "science.")
I forgot to mention that I too felt like places like Costa Rica would be nice to go to. But then, I found out a lot of those places were even worse with lockdowns and restrictions. Also, how could those places be free if the biopharmaceutical industry succeeded in most of the world?
Yes, there was so much sadism involved with smallpox inoculation and polio too. These are the 2 main stories used to give credibility to the vaccine narrative for decades.
Add to that how chemo, a toxic drug, became the number one treatment for cancer and is widely accepted by us in the West despite the ridiculously high costs and single digit % efficacy (and it's probably negative as many of the deaths caused by the treatments were blamed on cancer).
These are the times where they become so brash that the people who always believed in their mission start to question things.
DNA research was supposed to cure cancer, help stop birth defects, make people healthier.
All I've seen is more poisoning via sketchy drugs that go through a lax approval process that's greased by $$$. Goldman Sachs even said in a call that a cure is not profitable.
So as long as we have a for profit system, they'll just keep selling us the same crap in different forms that keeps us from dying but doesn't actually address the causes of diseases.
If DNA held the key to this, the human genome project being completed would have gave us all the answers!
But it didn't. We got stories of cloned sheep...woohoo.
And with the latest "mRNA" technology, you too can stake you claim to a mysterious disease (never mind that Moderna had issues with the foundation-the lipids https://robc137.substack.com/p/years-before-mrna-and-spike-protein )
And they keep doing the loop of the cycle.... Promise gains with new tech to treat diseases that they cause with the previous new "tech".
With COVID they switched from mostly aluminum based adjuvants to lipids... New tech, new diseases to profit off of!
But this time I think people are burned out and have no energy to feed the illusion.
That's why they're so nuts these days with the stories.... Distractions from the central scams.
As long as humanity starts to see the predator of society, psychopathy/sociopathy (corporations qualify as essential psychopaths according to game theory), we can start to say that the emperor has no clothes!
I completely agree. Re: the for-profit "healthcare" system... I'm reminded of a concept in ancient Chinese medicine (possibly apocryphal, but it's just so good): physicians were paid ONLY when their patients were well. As soon as a patient fell ill, the money train stopped. Can you imagine what our world would look like if THAT were the prevailing norm??
Wow, could I relate to this, thank you for expressing it all so perfectly!
Like you, I had a healthy suspicion / distrust of government but I didn’t know it was malevolent, esp against its citizenry.
And then 4 years ago…. I did know right away that what was happening was very bad because the “government” kept changing the goalposts in whipsaw fashion: no masks to masks work & you should wear 2; anything physically or mentally healthy like being outdoors in fresh air & sunshine, gyms, houses of worship were strictly closed but big box stores, liquor stores, etc were no problem; cheap therapeutics literally banned & panned; insisting, with ZERO data that the clot shot was “safe & effective”, would prevent getting or spreading (how could they know, given that warp speed development?!) to it’ll just mitigate symptoms & keep you out of the hospital, on & on.
In addition to the evil of injecting babies, children & pregnant women, the other most egregious thing was locking away the elderly & hospital patient w/ no one to love/care/advocate for them & many died alone.
I think the very hardest part for me was seeing how quickly & completely SO MANY acquiesced to such totalitarian measures & mandates. I’m traumatized to this day.
I have always thought that the “true believers” to this day (& I know several) are too weak-minded to admit they have been wrong about all of it AND they also can’t face what their government has done to them & that the government in its current form is a force for evil, like we realists can, painful as it is.
Thanks, Cindi. I'm so glad this resonated with you. And thank you for candor in sharing your own path. It WAS traumatizing to watch the mute acceptance of our freedoms' collapse, especially by people I NEVER thought would do so.
I've asked myself over and over: what is the defining characteristic of those who saw through it all, and those who didn't? Is there just one? Toby Rogers asked that question to his readers a while back, and the comments just went on and on and on...
My answer was that I think there are many factors, including (and this is the one that I don't think many people consider, for obvious reasons): experience in past lives. I have unique perspective on that, given a hypnotist husband who works in that realm with clients. Many people who suffered the consequences of a past-life inability to see impending tyranny are the ones who have a heightened awareness in this life. Crazy-sounding, I know.
Not crazy-sounding to me.
Not a bit crazy; I’d love to hear more about that angle, Mary!
I knew it was effed up & evil when they locked down the elderly and hospital patients, unable to see their own families.
This put me in mind of a potent song by Mindy Gledhill - Rabbit Hole - about her experience as a Mormon, discovering the murk at the basis of Joseph Smith's cult. Falling down the rabbit hole is "terrifying - and wonderful."
It's one hell of a rabbit hole we've all fallen down. Or Rubicon we've crossed. But the found community and crystal clear liberated thinking are compensation aplenty.
Cool song! Thanks for mentioning it, Yvette.
Yes, well said -- "found community and crystal clear liberated thinking." That's exactly it. May have been the point all along, from a higher perspective...
We are in heated agreement on this one Mary. From my recent piece America Needs A Truth and Reconciliation Commission: "Since 9/11, we have been lied to consistently and slowly boiled like frogs. Now, believing, or at least giving the benefit of doubt to, bullshit is the new normal. There is only one cure for this condition, and it is the cathartic application of the truth. If Americans want democracy, we must have the courage to hold a national reckoning. Let’s not focus our ire on each other for a change. Instead, let’s shine some light on those directly responsible for America’s rapid decline. Given the piss poor performance of our corrupt leaders (democrat and republican), foreign policy mandarins, alphabet soup intelligence agencies and fifth column press, America needs a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This should not be yet another partisan criminal investigation, but an exercise in “restorative justice.” Truthful testimony should be traded for amnesty. The time has come to clean out our national closet...."
YES, YES, a thousand times, Peter. I have always believed that a Truth and Reconciliation Commission is THE only way to healing. (And probably some community trauma-reversal ritual as a part of that.)
Bravo on your list from that piece. What a stupendous collection of villiany: "the JFK and RFK assassinations, Henry Kissinger’s entire career, the creation of the Mujahadeen, Contras and Cocaine trafficking, Whitewater, Vince Foster’s death, the 9/11 attacks, Iraq’s WMD, the American “black site” torture archipelago, the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame, the “too big to fail” bailout of 2008, Benghazi, the origins of ISIS, Syria, Hillary’s private email server, Trump and Russia, Russiagate, the “unmasking” requests, the Big Tech/Big Pharma/Big Insurance monopolies, the origins of COVID, the lives and deaths of Michael Brown/Breonna Taylor/George Floyd, the entire Jeffrey Epstein saga, the Mueller and Comey investigations, Burisma, Hunter’s laptop, the 2020 election, the millions of military-aged males who have entered America illegally since 2020, the Corporate Cultural Revolution of 2020, the January 6 riot, the origins of the war in Ukraine, war crimes in Gaza, the opiate epidemic and more."
Talk about breathtaking.
How can a commission like that happen? What would we, the populace, have to do?
First, the body politic would have to break the grip of fear that holds us hostage and mental exhaustion that hold us hostage. Speaking as a former war crimes investigator, TRC's are imperfect at best. However they are often the only option in an on going conflict like one we will face in November because nobody will have a monopoly on political power. As the Buddhists in Cambodia taught me in the 90s when I was investigating Khmer Rouge atrocities, "Vengeance breeds vengeance." Whoever wins, @ 50% of the country will be pissed off and alienated. I believe both the Neoliberal paradigm and the Neoconservative have both collapsed. Rather than face this fact, people are clinging to bits of wreckage like shipwreck survivors just trying to keep their heads above water. Most of my friends are like the abused wife you so eloquently described--"He only hits me with an open hand." As Thomas Kuhn pointed out in his book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, the greatest resistance to change comes moments before the collapse of the reigning paradigm, when its defenders “devise numerous articulations and ad hoc modifications of their theory in order to eliminate any apparent conflict.” Kuhn’s interpretive model has helped me make sense of some of the things that no longer make sense. To answer your question, the populace must first break the grip of fear and the petty partisanship that divides us. If we could do that, we might be able to consider real leaders--bold lions who can slay societal wolves rather than the clever, but craven foxes who have dominated our political landscape for far too long. As I also wrote in my article, "Hope dies last."
Peter, there is so much wisdom in this comment I hardly know where to begin. Thank you for pointing me in the direction of Thomas Kuhn -- I take great heart in the idea that "the greatest resistance to change comes moments before the collapse of the reigning paradigm." It does feel like we must be dangling over that edge.
Breaking the grip of fear... yes, that must come first. A simple idea, so difficult to enact for so many. But courage is as contagious as fear, no? Therefore finding it must start within ourselves, as lonely as that feels sometimes.
Thank you for your presence here, and for continuing to shine the light on your own Stack...🙏🏼
Along those lines, See Tucker’s recent interview w/ Mike Benz.
Excellent and nuanced, Mary. You have such a wonderful gift for making the political personal, and showing the clarity that comes after facing the cognitive dissonance. I personally feel that cognitive dissonance is the key to all of our disagreements, where we're starting with different facts.
That Truth and Reconciliation, I think, could only happen with small scale communities doing it in tandem. Then, each one keeps the others honest. If one ignores the evidence, it will be shamed by the committee elsewhere that reveals it. No centralized committee is going to go against a centralized power. IMO.
Thanks for this.
YES. I'm finding with my youngest son that we just can't get a purchase on any topic because we get our information from such different sources. Our realities just don't intersect, so we can't find common ground. It's infuriating and depressing, and I just keep hoping that somehow our paths are going to suddenly veer into each other and collide in a moment of shared truth. 🤞
That is brilliant, Tereza -- of course! Start local! I wonder what that might look like. Hang on... have you already written about how to do it?? It wouldn't surprise me! 😂
So part of the maddening multiple realities thing. I don't have this with my sons remarkably, but they are all older (out of 20's) and escaped the indoctrination crunch- time push so many young people are subject to.
Though I do have it with friend's kids. (And a nephew I don't see too much.)
That devastating combination of confidence (I know I'm right) and program (worse than propaganda) that doesn't leave any room for an opposing position. The 'program' already anticipated challenge and dealt with it. It's like coming across a 'shut-off' switch that is triggered when certain topics are broached. I see people leave the room, shout, shut-down, walk away, all kinds of disconnect.
What I don't see is anyone hanging in and being open and uncomfortable. Never do I get a request for info. (I always say, we probably get our information from very different sources) to take the personal out of it.
A woman at work (early 50's) still likes to don occasional masks (she has one for every outfit I'm pretty sure). Early on I told her based on the many studies that had been done pre-Covid, it was clear masks were spittle-guards and worthless in a 'pandemic'. (I didn't tell her I don't think there was a pandemic or that I don't believe in contagion of disease via a virus.)
She had to walk out of the office with her hands warding me off like I'd turned into a vampire. "We can't talk about this!"
"That's fine," I said. But if you like I can send you a link to the Brownstone Institute where they have a bunch of good info - you know they are scientists and academics, doctors..."
She was already making her way down the hall.
It's a helluva program. All that said - we live in a field that communicates beyond what our mental selves 'believe'. The field changes and changes us. So much communication is happening in that field.
I don't think 'they' can hold the signals they need in place for much longer. (That's why they had to get inside the body with the graphene; to anchor in receivers for frequencies where they exert more control.)
And always, (sorry I'm going on so long) I'm having to remind myself that I can trust life and individual lives - because we are infinite beings - in the midst of a crazy-ass story - yet so much bigger than a single body and single lifetime. Everyone is deeply well.
Ugh... the combination of confidence and programming IS devastating. Your description of a shut-off switch is perfect, Kathleen. And to be fair, I see it on both sides, too. There are those with whom I'm in general agreement who absolutely will not engage or listen to anyone who disagrees with them. It makes me sad... The gulf grows wider and the powerful stay powerful.
Thank you for reminding me that there is communication happening outside of our puny five senses; I forget that sometimes. We ARE infinite creatures in an infinite universe, and yes, everyone IS deeply well. The more we trust that this is all happening for our highest and best, the sooner we dispel fear and regain our own power. Which is probably why it's all happening...
Love your heart and mind. xox
Yes, I see it on both sides too. Sad.
I forget too - so easy to get pulled in. Glad we've got our apocalyptomists - it really helps. xo
"Everyone is deeply well." I just love that, Kathleen.
Somewhere, I'm certain, there's a PR evil genius--the Edward Bernays of our time--who's crafting these responses on the left and right, young and woke. I realized this doing my Michael Tsarion episode. He used certain tropes against women that I'd thought were unique when John Carter used them or Guy's BiL Jasun Horsley. They're clever turns of phrase that make you think they're true because it's hard to challenge something that's funny without being a bore.
My oldest and I have come close to her not speaking to me because I don't agree that transgenderism should be normalized to the extent that we all clarify our pronouns and mix our public bathrooms. I think that's increasing the hostility and violence against it. When she got me to watch Sex Education, I realized how much her responses are being modeled in the media. And I'm sure it's not just that topic.
There was so much 'parenting of parents' going on during the CovidCon. They were the mature, realistic ones, I was foolishly afraid of the vaxx and irresponsibly unconcerned with contagion. Our plan had been that my oldest and her husband would move into my house when they had kids and I'd live in the garaj mahal. Now I think I need another decade to feel sure I wouldn't feel isolated in my own home. Fortunately or not, I think they feel the same way.
I'm sorry to hear about the divide over transgenderism. It's painful when issues like that wreak havoc with our relationships -- and our plans for the future. What a sweet idea you had, to shift over to the garaj. 😔
What's "Sex Education"? A documentary?
Our kids are being manipulated so hard. I later found that Veronica had a client who asked how the bereavement group would be accommodating her as a lesbian. Apparently the answer wasn't satisfactory because she decided not to join the (free) group. So V enrolled in some DEI training to learn how to be a better 'ally.' This seems to consist of 'What have you done for us lately?' It's not enough to support people's choices and not discriminate, you need to show specific actions you've taken to further the cause.
After our fight, she came back and thought we should watch some videos together. These turned out to be flamboyantly sexual gay TikTok. I didn't say anything but I've never found exhibitionistic sex to be funny, straight or gay, it's just not my thing. This was before that dream I had where I thought, "Next time I think I'd prefer to die."
Sex Education is a Netflix series that V got me into by saying the mom, played by Gillian Anderson, reminded her of me. I did get hooked and watch the whole thing. Of the high schoolers, not a one is merely straight. There are some touching scenes (and many many scenes of touching) but ended with the girl who was contemplating suicide because she couldn't afford 'top' surgery. So manipulative.
Aghhh... I can feel my Midwestern practically-raised-by-a-nun insides doing flip-flops at the thought of watching vids like that with any of my kids. You're amazing, Tereza.
When I hear what's going on in the younger generations, I realize I'm a) over some sort of hill; and b) leading a very sheltered life. I wonder: did my parents have the same thoughts about my generation? I don't think so. At least, not to the same degree.
Screens and social media provide the ultimate vehicle for all that manipulation you mention. One bright-ish spot: I heard that some states are now requiring that kids check their phones at the door of their schools -- it's a small step in the right direction.
"They're clever turns of phrase that make you think they're true because it's hard to challenge something that's funny without being a bore." Very insightful, thank you for saying this - I had a ambiguous recognition of that, so clarifying.
Oh, I know! I remember watching a program - can't remember the name - where a teenager was schooling her parents on the 'them' and 'theirs' thing, and of course, the parent was put in his place. It was helpful when I was talking to my partner's son (21) and he said something about the correct use of pronouns and how 'older' people were not getting it. I think I was a wise-ass in my reply and quipped, "fine, as long as they are okay with my pronouns being 'thee' and 'thou'. (Not helpful.) He also told me if I couldn't adapt to changes in the world, I wouldn't progress. I responded on why no one should adapt to tyranny or be cowed into abandoning reason. Didn't go over well, but I'm still glad I said it.
Nice idea with moving into the garage, and I get why you'd pull back on that. Hopefully things will shake out and over the next few years, we'll find ourselves occupying the same planet again.
"...no one should adapt to tyranny or be cowed into abandoning reason." I see t-shirts with that!
😊
I want "my pronouns are thee/ thou" on a tee-shirt!
I identified the "kid smarter than parents" TV/movie formula when my girls were small. Either adults are nonexistent or they're clueless, doing stupid things like their jobs rather than paying attention to the kid. Sassy put downs are the coin of the realm, to which the parents either laugh if they're cool or yell if they haven't yet realized their spawn is smarter than them.
Oh, that 'if you can't adapt to changes' line is another one, now that you mention it. Santa Cruz is being forced by Newsom to build 4000 new units, with the only choice being downtown 12-story monoliths or 5-story miniliths in every neighborhood--with no parking. I suspect these are for rich students from China. But I've heard that line from developers, city officials, and young people who are resigned to never coming back.
I think that this may all be happening to save me from a decision I would have regretted. Giving up my house would be a BIG sacrifice, especially to be outnumbered and needing to tiptoe so I don't offend anyone. I'm glad they aren't ready for that either. Thanks for listening.
Happy to listen, any time.
Don't get ME started on the sassy-kid-with-ignoramus-parents trope. Big reason why we ditched our tv early on. I wasn't going to compete with that.
No parking? WTH? Is that a precursor to Santa Cruz being a 15-min city?
I know that feeling well, Mary. In desperation for something in common with my youngest, I immersed myself in K*pop culture and tried, on one occasion, taking edibles which was a BIG mistake. You need the male version of The Bachelor. Set your expectations low ;-)
Sometimes the most mundane and ridiculous things can be a meeting place for those values you all share. Vampire romance fantasies are my latest with my middle daughter, soon to turn 30. No, not Twilight, although she did sleep with it under her pillow in HS and is re-reading it for nostalgia. And my oldest and I binge-read the anime Lore Olympics on our recent trip to Canada. We took a third suitcase just for books she'd borrowed from the library. They all lead into questions of ethics, strategy, personality. But I have it easy with girls, we'll analyze the heck out of anything. I know nothing about common ground with boys.
The closest I got to a local T&R was trying to convince the Mock Trial HS teacher to charge Bush with the crime of 911. That didn't go over well but imagine how cool that could have been with students on both sides doing the investigation.
More generally, though, I think you're still at the point of saying, "I think we need to go to marriage counseling." You still think the Union can be saved with some date nights and chore charts, more say in the bank accounts. I'm no longer working on the marriage but on the divorce. How can we allocate resources fairly with the least impact on the kids? What keeps the most of what we want the same while letting us each build something new?
It's made me think I should repost this one as State of DisUnion 1786: https://thirdparadigm.substack.com/p/the-constitutional-convention-coup. We need to know what the terms of our marriage contract were, and whether they were valid in the first place, to negotiate a fair divorce.
Fortunately, I still have a great relationship with my youngest, despite the political disconnect. No edibles required 😂!
I would have loved to see you leaning on the mock trial teacher! Hmm... I think that would make a GREAT one-act play...
I can see how you would interpret my stance as "just needing marriage counseling," but that's not what I was intending. It's tricky. In a REAL abusive relationship, you wouldn't want to walk away and still remain connected. You'd file for divorce and get the hell outta dodge. (And your points about allocating resources and the terms of the marriage contract are EXCELLENT.)
In this case, however, since the US is MORE than just its government, I think it's possible to step out of relationship with the government -- so much so that you can watch it collapse without shedding a tear -- and still be a US citizen. Does that make sense?
Excellent point. Agree - small scale communities is the way forward.
After a terrific post like this, any comment is extraneous - truth, perception and wisdom, on so many levels. Thank you.
Humble thanks, G&F. So kind.
"If I were to ask you, “Who is standing behind you?” what would you say?"
I awoke at 1:30 this am filled with fear...not "what ifs," but knowing I need big bucks that I don't have now & no way to obtain to repair what currently doesn't work & what appliances are due to break soon. Even my phone is held together with packing tape. Nowhere to turn, the vultures are circling, our glorious government (& multiple real estate companies) lied & cheated me into my current predicament.
And then after an hour or 2 of fretting, I remembered how, as a small child, when my mother was in a rage over one thing or another, I would try to console her, saying "It will be all right." And it always did turn out all right.
The memory awakened that sweet little girl, who whispered in my ear "It will be all right. You are a child of God. Always remember you are a child of God."
I awakened to a glorious Maine in August day, with dry cool nights & hot days. I already know what I can do if & when one shoe too many drops...
As to what we were taught, I've seen home movies of the 4th of July parade in Reading, PA with with toddler me dressed in red, white & blue, marching along proudly waving my flag.
Compare what we were taught as kids with Iraq, sitting at the crossroads between Asia, southern Europe & the Sahel. 2 days ago, Pepe Escobar posted pictures that say it all:
https://t.me/s/rocknrollgeopolitics?before=12325
https://t.me/rocknrollgeopolitics/12319?single
Pepe Escobar
Forwarded from
Global Resistance News
(
Jonathan Azaziah
)
🇮🇶 🖤 The most wholesome and heartwarming thing you will see today: Iraqi children in Karbala hand out food and supplies to pilgrims making their way to the holy city for Arba'een. Some even run their own mawakib! The people of Iraq have consistently ranked as the world's most generous to strangers. It rings true all the way down to our youngins. And it rings truer STILL during the days when we all mobilize in tragedy and triumph for Imam Hussein (A.S.) 🇮🇶 🖤
(More adorable kiddos at his post)
Oh, those beautiful children! They, like the sweet little girl who whispered in your ear, know the truth of this world -- all is already well. May you sleep more soundly tonight, SBW. Thank you for your comment, and your honest presence here. xox
One can never chew carefully enough, when the poison is in the food. Actually and metaphorically.
So true!
Mary, Bravo!
You are killing it lately (always:))!!!
But I’m particularly referring to the clarity I’m hearing in your perspective with your video and this piece. Thank you, I appreciate this early in the morning 👏🌞
The working title for the epic musical I envision is—Persephone’s Daughters…of which you are surely one.
Thank you so much, elle! Now you've sparked my curiosity... can you tell me more about your concept of Persephone's Daughters? Weren't the Furies her daughters?? 🤔
Hi Mary.
Great read!
Reminded me of the better parts of Andrej Lobaczewski's "Political Ponerology", but easier.
https://www.amazon.com/Political-Ponerology-Science-Adjusted-Purposes/dp/1897244258
My summary, the skeletons in the family closet are a fractal of politics at any scale.
Something else connected with this that I read recently turned Lord Acton's maxim on its head. Rather than "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely", it was closer to "Concentrations of power attract the corruptible".
My favorite metaphor for it all ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b005iHf8Z3g ... what goes around comes around.
Cheers!
Thanks, Steve! Ah, those damn fractals...😂. They explain everything, don't they?
I've been meaning to read Political Ponerology for a while now. Maybe now's the time.
Cheers back! xox
P.S. Thanks for the re-stack!
So flooded with substack mail (maybe about 300 hundred a day) and juggling part-time work, I can't remember what I've opened and read much less forwarded. So I hope you forgive me for all I have not yet read. Will have to withdraw from life just to catch up with what I haven't opened.
xox
Hi again Mary. Just hitting the sack.
The book was a bit of a turgid slog, but the footnotes were as enlightening as the text. I think a follow-up book expanding on some examples in other cultures, eras, and scales beyond the former Soviet Union would be timely ... but on the other hand, I disagree with his fundamental assumption that there can be a "science of evil". Different domains, different heuristics. Might as well "dance about architecture". Oh dear. Did I just provide some algorithm-driven website scraper an A.I. "answer" for the next Olympic opening ceremonies? 😂
xox. Never enough of those thingies.
😱🤣
YOWZA!!! Mary, what could possibly come next after these last two recent posts.???? You must be getting an inspiration transfusion, or transmission, from the great beyond. What channel is that? I'd like to tune in to it. LOL Keep 'em coming. XOX
You're a riot. 😂 I love the "YOWZA!!!" -- what greater compliment could possibly come next??Thanks for the boisterous enthusiasm; you always fuel me up... xox
Spot on.
This lands so well. Authentic and clear sighted, while taking in the positives of possibility once we see the deception for what it is. I do hope more 'friends' will catch on, push past that uncomfortable dissonance, and find themselves back on solid ground. Now, would be good.
Thanks for this - wonderful read - as always.
Yes, wouldn't "now" be grand? I keep hoping that my gentle efforts to nudge in that direction will take root somehow, somewhere. All I can do. Well, that... and pray. That I can do, too.
So appreciate your presence, Kathleen. xox
I believe it. All of doing our bit must be the way forward. And coming from a place of relating rather than judging is an automatic connect.
The feeling is mutual, Mary.❤️
Typically wonderful, Mary.
It isn't easy to wake up one morning and realize that everything considered fact has suddenly morphed into mythology.
I came across this quote this morning, and it seems appropriate, “It is difficult to wake up one morning and realize that everything considered fact has suddenly morphed into mythology.” The quote comes from the wonderful book Living as a River.
That quote is eminently appropriate for these times. It’s perfect, actually. The internet has opened up such a flood of information it’s hard to stay afloat. Speaking of water, I’m going to look up Living as a River! Thanks, Jack. xox