A policeman sees a drunk man crawling around on his hands and knees at night and asks what the problem is. The drunk man says he’s trying to find his keys, so the officer gets down and starts searching with him. For a few minutes they crawl around hunting for the missing key ring by the light of the street lamp before the policeman stands up frustrated.
“Are you sure this is where you lost them?” he asks.
“This isn’t where I lost them,” replies the drunk.
“Then why are we searching here??”
“It’s where the light is.”
This old joke is the source of the name for the streetlight effect, one of the many, many glitches in human cognition which cause us to tend toward misperception of our world and the way it’s happening. This one describes our tendency to only look for things where it’s easy to look for them, and it distorts our understanding of subjects from science to big data analysis to history to spirituality.
It’s like the scene from the children’s animated movie The Land Before Time where one of the young dinosaurs knows the way to the Great Valley but the others vote to travel a different direction to search for it, not because they have any reason to believe it’s the right way, but because it is easier. One dinosaur says “I’m going the easy way!” while the other yells out in exasperation “But it’s the wrong way!”
It’s also like the way people keep trying to fight oppressive political systems by working within those systems, arguing that it will be much easier to defeat the oppression machine using the tools the machine gave them.
We’re seeing this highlighted today in the controversy over Biden and Company’s nomination of Center for American Progress president and virulent left-puncher Neera Tanden to direct the next administration’s Office of Management and Budget. Tanden has spent years doing nothing but advancing the most toxic elements of the Democratic establishment and attacking the party’s progressive base at every opportunity, and her nomination is probably the biggest middle finger BidenCorp could possibly have given to the Sanders supporters who elected him.
After months of lying to themselves that lifelong warmongering corporatist Joe Biden could be somehow “pushed to the left” by progressives in order to make voting for him seem more palatable, the incoming administration has been seemingly going out of its way to prove them wrong in as spectacular a fashion as you could possibly imagine with its nominees and transition team of war whores, corporate sociopaths, free speech opponents and austerity enthusiasts. Tanden is just the diarrhea icing on the giant steaming shit cake.
But this was always how it was going to be. Believing anyone could move Joe Biden to the left was as foolish as believing anyone could move a mountain or a skyscraper or any other immovable object. If Biden were the sort of person who could be pressured into ending wars, reversing US military expansionism, ending austerity policies and redistributing wealth, he never would have been permitted anywhere near the White House. He would have been replaced with a Kamala Harris or a Pete Butigieg or one of the other endless army of stalwart establishment loyalists.
The US political system is not designed to be moved to the left. It is not designed to facilitate a revolution. It is not designed to reflect the general will of the public in any way. The US political system is designed to keep the public placid and obedient while the imperialists run the empire. Nothing else is allowed. Nothing else will ever be allowed.
Self-described progressives who advocate supporting the Democratic Party while slowly taking it over from the inside and moving it to the left argue that doing this is much easier than trying to fight the system from the outside, because activism isn’t enough and the US Constitution is written in a way that makes third-party voting unworkable. So they pour massive amounts of energy into supporting a political party that is expressly designed to ensure they never attain any of their goals.
They are searching in the lamplight for keys that aren’t there. They are walking away from the Great Valley because that direction is an easier journey.
How To Defeat The Empire
"What I do advocate, in as many different ways as I can come up with, is a decentralized guerrilla psywar against the institutions which enable the powerful to manipulate the way ordinary people think, act and vote."https://t.co/4F5dWaURdq
— Caitlin Johnstone (@caitoz) September 10, 2019
Arguing that you should wage the revolution from within the system because it’s easier than fighting the system from the outside is like saying you should journey to the top of the mountain by going downhill because that’s easier than climbing. Sure you’ll meet up with a lot less resistance, but that’s not how you get there. It’s the wrong way.
Ruling power structures are all too happy to let us keep marching into the mirror maze of establishment politics which always spits us out right back where we started. They’ll let us do this until their blinkered agendas have turned our planet into a lifeless rock. This is true of US politics, and it’s true of the political systems in any government which plays a significant role in the globe-spanning US-centralized empire.
Yes, the way to the Great Valley is far less easy than casting a few votes and stanning AOC. The way to true revolution and drastic, meaningful change is not just challenging, it’s a way that has never been traveled before, by anyone. It’s going to mean trying things that are completely unprecedented, because we’re trying to create a society that is healthy in a way that it’s never been before.
Ultimately, we need to wake up. We need to awaken from the mental prisons that have been deliberately designed to keep us searching under the streetlight instead of where they actually are, and then we need to wake up the others. Only then will we ever stand a chance at using the power of our numbers to force real change. Until that happens people are going to keep entering the mirror maze and never getting anywhere while the noose on our species gets tighter and tighter.
Society Is Made Of Narrative. Realizing This Is Awakening From The Matrix.
This is the clearest I've been able to sum it all up so far.https://t.co/JqbZMKn7ov
— Caitlin Johnstone (@caitoz) August 22, 2018
The powerful are screwing us, and there are more of us than there are of them. That’s why we have a rigged political system. It’s why plutocrats and government agencies pour immense fortunes and manpower into manipulating the way we think, act and vote by mass media propaganda. It’s what keeps us crawling around searching for keys that aren’t there.
It’s not that you can’t beat the machine, it’s that you can’t beat the machine using the tools the machine has given you. But the first step is getting people to stop searching under the streetlight for solutions using those tools and realize they’re misperceiving the situation. We need to awaken people to the reality that the world is not happening the way they were taught in school.
Luckily, with trust in the mass media at an all-time low and our ability to network and share information at an all-time high, we have every opportunity to begin doing that. We just need to stop pouring our energy in inefficient directions and strike while that iron is hot.
________________________
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67 responses to “The Streetlight Effect: When People Look Within The System For Solutions To The System”
“Luckily, with trust in the mass media at an all-time low and our ability to network and share information at an all-time high, we have every opportunity to begin doing that. We just need to stop pouring our energy in inefficient directions and strike while that iron is hot.”
We are making a real digital network of networks of like minded entities, and are willing and wanting to collaborate with any and all doing anything similar. utopiacornucopia.org in collaboration with crowdpol.com. in a horizontal manner.
With your following Caitlin and your ideas, you could help us get this moving to the millions to billions that we are building for. I wish that you would consider this.
nice
Good article, thanks CJ. But if you like Hollywood so much why don’t you try “Wishmaster” ,and take note. Be careful what you wish for. I agree with you on many points ,and realizing Systemic Cult Indoctrination exists is disturbing indeed ,but. There are multitudes upon multitudes who depend on the current structure of things, to function. If the veil of mass delusion were suddenly lifted to reveal the truth. Already it has begun, and I don’t see Repentance ,but rather, further destruction. My Friend said ” Sell all you have and follow Me.” Then He humbly went to His death ,while resisting the Power. So I will follow after.
Ralph Nader explained all this many years ago. He ran third party and told people that taking votes away for Democrats didn’t matter since they were the same as the Republicans.
Remember Biden lost badly in Iowa and New Hampshire, than barely won in conservative South Carolina then on cue all the others dropped out and endorsed him. Sheep dog Sanders continued his game for a while longer then endorsed him.
Very good article about where we came from and where we are soon destined to go regardless of the system we findvourselves in at this moment. Nature still reigns supreme regardless of how man abuses it.
https://ourfiniteworld.com/2020/12/02/humans-left-sustainability-behind-as-hunter-gatherers/#more-45875
Ms Johnstone After reading your article and this article; this is very little chance for humanity ever averting WW III.
~
Perhaps the endless war will just change its name, until it ends the world.
Its cheering section will never let up.
~
This relevant article can be read here:
The Cheering Section for World War III by Eric Zuesse!
https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2020/12/02/the-cheering-section-for-world-war-iii/
Thank you Caitlyn. You are a light against the darkness. I want to thank everyone who comments on this web site. I learn a lot from all of you. Thank you.
I want to make a few short observations on some of the comments that are listed under this article.
I know that many people, including myself, want a different system than the present system that we are in. This is a no brainer since the present system is built on greed and hatred.
Most, it not all of us on this website, are not rookies when it comes to discussing issues of Peace and Justice. We all want a better and fairer way of living. Therefore, we want to change the present system. This is the way we should feel but it should not be our starting place.
Our starting place is to make sure that the present system “Does Not Change Us”. This is a different way to go forward. We will begin to speak with a more powerful sense of conviction and truth. There have been many people who have approached life this way. I am thinking of Dr. Martin Luther King and others. Some people will say this is too naive. This is the path of courage and love and it not weak. It is strong because it is centered in Truth.
It is belated but Happy Birthday, Ms Johnstone!!
Yes, Caitlin, we cannot fight the system using the systems tools and rules. But the system’s Achilles heal is their crooked unfair financial system. This is where revolutionary leaders should educate and inspire their followers to attack, through passive resistance and withdrawal of support. But most of us dissidents use and support their crooked unfair financial system to our detriment. “Love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”
Another thoughtful essay, Caitlin. Near its end you write “Ultimately, we need to wake up. We need to awaken from the mental prisons…” Could the most spiritually suffocating (and quite literally diabolical) such prison be the conceptual prison of a worldly identity? I think this is one of the points Roundball Shaman is making below, and I think he is right.
First, Webster’s dictionaries should include a definition of ‘party stalwart,’ explaining that it means being a sellout of one’s principles and humanity, in exchange for personal wealth.
Second the article is only too right, except that, for years I’ve expressed the opinion, in the U.S. at least, that an armed revolution may be the only way to overturn and destroy a system that has become so entrenched that it resembles Excalibur, except that no knight has come forward who can pull this sword from its stone casing.
Also, for years, it has been my position that our antiquated, obsolete, corrupt and corrupted (like software gone bad that cannot be repaired) electoral and social systems must be destroyed and replaced by a radical different new, combined system that has as its primary concern the needs of the people and which criminalizes the abuses of the current system.
My problem is that, at my age, participating in armed rebellion is out of the question and I cannot see how else we can enlist enough people such that we can get rid of such a disgustingly embarrassing disgrace as the current system.
The “System” has a solution for you if you want to go on with your life in their decadent world.
There is a vaccine coming. Wow! people cannot wait to go on with their lives in such a wonderful world made especially by the “System” elites for the “System” elites.
No doubt, our days are the return of the days of Noah just before the return of Jesus. Decadence is everwhere!
Keeping my Rosary on hand!
Praying won’t do it. Belief in the supernatural may well be what got us into this mess in the first place. And in this era of ultra-surveillance, patriots believing in the importance of mankind, may find no private place in which to hatch plans, effective or otherwise, in private.
What I want to say is that the vaccine will be a good thing for people that enjoy living in the “System”.
It is often the case for the wealthy elites, the mainstream media people, the golden youth, the immigrants etc…
But I suspect that those people which do not enjoy so much living in the “System”, those people considering the “System” we live in as decadent, those people do not necessarily see the vaccine as a blessing of some sort.
Keeping my Rosary on hand!
And by the way, praying did it because the Lord allowed me to do not have children.
I would have been so worried for them in this crazy and decadent world.
I consider this fact an immense grace!
Keeping my Rosary on hand!
“The powerful are screwing us, and there are more of us than there are of them…the first step is getting people to stop searching under the streetlight for solutions using those tools and realize they’re misperceiving the situation.”
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We teach people how to treat us. Demand respect, and you get it. Tolerate abuse, and you get that, too. The problem today is far too many people don’t want or demand to be respected (in the right way, not the sickly mis-“entitled” way). They have been abused by the System and the Institutional Abusers for so long that they know no other way to do things and will shame anyone who dares not to want to be abused as they seek to be.
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The Hidden Hand is eager to provide the abuse as that is their modality of thinking and living. They too know no other way to think and live. So today we have the abuse-ers and the abuse-ees and the majority of people seem quite at peace with this deranged and sick arrangement as we all slide further into the abyss.
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What first has to happen is that people need to INTRODUCED to who and what they really are. We have been gifted life not by The Abusers but by The Divine. We were not created to be “things” to be used and manipulated by The Abusers but to learn our true source and identity and live with pride and a greater vision. You can’t start a journey until you know who you are and where you’re going and why you’re going there and how to get there. Sadly, too many people today don’t have a damn clue about any one of those things.
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How do you reach someone to get them to see something they’ve never seen or felt in themselves? That is the first hurdle to solve. People are locked into such a small and sick mind set that until you crack that open… nothing else of a positive nature is possible. People need to be introduced to themselves FOR THE FIRST TIME. They don’t know who they are…yet. Once they do, then and only then can you address the institutional abuse that goes on every day in every corner of the world.
When one is frustrated by the system, it is easy to fantasize about working outside of the system.
Its the “Grass Is Always Greener Effect.”
However, working outside the system means a complete overthrow of an entrenched system.
That is not easy.
There are powerful people who like the system just like it is.
How difficult is it to overthrow the system.
We just saw a try at it, and it failed miserably.
A Billionaire
With the power of the US Presidency behind him.
With Legions of loyal brownshirts behind him willing to vow that black is white and war is peace and that every vote against the Great Leader was obviously illegal.
Still, his attempt to overthrow the system failed and sputtered.
So, a billionaire, who wanted to change the world.
Had a small bit of success and could have tried some gradual changes if he’d wanted to, if he’d had the temperament to do so, which of course means that he’d likely never become a billionaire in the first place.
That was a billionaire working within the system.
Then, the billionaire became greedy, became an even bigger meglomaniac, thought he could go outside the system, tried to mobilize his supporters to go outside the system.
….
……. and ….
…
… The System Crushed him like a bug!
Not a chance. Hopeless. Looks like a fool for even trying.
——————
I’m not saying not to try to change things.
But, if you want to change things, either inside the system or outside of the system, then you need to gather more power than Donald Trump. It doesn’t have to be the same power. It can be people power. But whereever you find the power from, go find more of it than Donald Trump has had in the last year, because we know that amount of power was not able to overthrow the system from without.
——-
Old Saying ….
Don’t Get Mad! Organize!
Organize!
And, its easy to organize legally within the system that it is to do so illegally outside the system. In fact, I’d say in this era of NSA-Collect Everything, going illegally outside of the system is impossible and quite foolish. If you are as idiotic as those Trumpers in Michigan and doing your revolutionary organizing on a livestream, expect the NSA to be recording it.
————–
To change anything, you need to build a mass popular movement. Or, perhaps you are richer than Donald Trump?
If you have to build a mass popular movement in order to change things, its a whole lot easier to do it within the system.
Don’t Get Mad!
Organize!
—————
Of course, that’s the message that scares the crap out of oligarchs. And thus you won’t see it on the oligarch communication and news channels, no matter how they are structured and no matter the message that the oligarchs are pushing this week.
ORGANIZE!
lame duck Donald Trump was the system’s controlled opposition.
tRump was never against the establishment- he is as a dam liar. Was used to appear so to keep the masses complacent- he was their “savior” while Qanon said “trust the plan” and was a CIA operative. I AM RESISTANCE. I am incorporating TRUTHFORCE INTERNATIONAL PEOPLES REVOLUTION MOVEMENT. which will be a nonprofit. I need a couple of fellow board members to join- NJ requires minimum three board members. I have no friends or family, nor acquaintances. I was in a church until 2015- lost all when I debunked the bible and was imprisoned in 2016 for writing my book EXPOSING THE MONEY MACHINE- I am certainly not under the radar- I have courage and smarts, and the planet needs some more like me-those who want to join and be part of the most important mission of all man’s history, look at the mission statement and code of ethics at http://truthforceinternational.org
contact me to join- I will want some information regarding you after you answer
truthforce57@gmail.com
Michael Kahn
my idea for a new civilization is found in the conclusion of ANGRY LOUD AND CLEAR TRUTH.
Caitlin and the commenters are among the smarter and most angry ones on the internet- I choose to use you people- keep up the good work
There are plenty of intelligent people commenting here. All are critical thinkers, and have much truth and intelligence on addressing the problems and evils confronting us. But few have viable solutions that are doable or productive. I do. And yet, while I am trying to take real and tangible action to do something about it, and have the necessary knowledge, intelligence, strategies, and courage, none have yet joined. me. I only have one thing to say. IF YOU ARE NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION, SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GO SIT DOWN, YOU ARE A GRIPER, AND JUST LIKE TO WHINE, INSTEAD OF GETTING OFF YOUR ASSES AND SAVING HUMANITY, OR AT LEAST ATTEMPTING TO. IF WE DON’T, WE WILL BE DEAD OR SLAVES WITHN FOUR YEARS.
We are organizing by creating a massive network of like minded indivs., orgs, and networks for the purpose of collaborating on all scales, amplifying everyone’s reach, and creating the possibility for world wide organizing, as well as reinventing cities.
We are promoting the idea of restructuring all gov’ts. from vertical to horizontal which is virtually incorruptibe and more effective for complex systems such as cities and states (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wywMhg604W8&feature&fbclid=IwAR2Z9iM5Of2KbxKrRHpoOQlR_Y1SJgoG9CqNGUUrlCdmRt3IPqLVJ66j-ek).
Just go to crowdpol or utopiacornucopia and sign up. It’s free.
Currently we are a collaboration: utopiacornucopia.org and crowdpol.com
We are organizing by creating a massive network of like minded indivs., orgs, and networks for the purpose of collaborating on all scales, amplifying everyone’s reach, and creating the possibility for world wide organizing, as well as reinventing cities.
We are promoting the idea of restructuring all gov’ts. from vertical to horizontal which is virtually incorruptibe and more effective for complex systems such as cities and states (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wywMhg604W8&feature&fbclid=IwAR2Z9iM5Of2KbxKrRHpoOQlR_Y1SJgoG9CqNGUUrlCdmRt3IPqLVJ66j-ek).
Just go to crowdpol or utopiacornucopia and sign up. It’s free.
Currently we are a collaboration: utopiacornucopia.org and crowdpol.com
The establishment is not aware of the genius that can be tapped and the possibilities that open up when one is in tune with the needs of society. We can play on both sides of the street as I have done for many years. BikeArts.Ca
I was definitely born on the wrong planet.
I hope I can get a refund.
This is not what the brochure advertised.
You obviously missed the news that Biden now has an ankle bracelet – oh, ya, that was done by his dog walk. He’s going to be forced to do the bidding of his masters.
It seems society has been in reaction against everything WWII since 1945.
The german ideal of the 1930’s, which is fought against since that time, that is to say the “germanic Aryan guy” characterized by those features: blond hair, blue eyes, slender, healthy, emaciated face, fair complexion, we do not see that guy very often on the street in 2020 anyway.
Even if this guy is very dangerous, there are not enough of them now.
I do think the guys with a lot of money are more dangerous to society.
But to point to the danger of the past is a way to divert attention for those who have a lot of money and a way for them to be forgotten while going on with their schemes.
We are truly living the return of the days of Noah just before the return of Jesus. Decadence is everywhere.
Keeping my Rosary on hand!
Thanx I was looking for a Kary Mullis vid explaining what PCR does and doesn’t do.
It’s not a pandemic and anyway they changed the definition YET again to label this propaganda exercise as one, when in actuality it’s a techno-fascist corporate takeover plus depopulation.
From one old hippy to another. xx
You thanks is obviously directed to Tom Charles Osher below – and Kari Mullis is also featured here from around 2:00
.
Spiro Skouras – COVID – We Are Being Lied To! Here Is How…
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljxah4NrYKU
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https://www.bitchute.com/video/d7eF5vDATxBq/
Governments need to be challenged for using this PCR test as the gold standard even though the inventor explains how it is useless to determine whether someone has the virus or not. Everyone has to pay and take this test to travel or enter a country. We need to find a way to challenge every government for imposing this bs. on all the citizens. it is clearly a way of catching them red-handed of misusing the “pandemic” to manipulate the public. It is a clear case of abuse of power, of tyranny, of treason, of lying to the public and causing the public much serious harm. This must be confronted.
Since Christmas is approaching, one suggestion I have is to be careful how you spend your money. Vote with your wallet and your lifestyle.
1. Do not use Amazon! Buy local from small businesses to keep your money in your community.
2. TURN OFF YOUR TV SET! Stop giving them your time and money. You are being HYPNOTIZED.
3. Grow a garden. Food is traveling an average of 1,500 miles to get to your grocery store. Buy it at the farmers’ market if you can’t grow it yourself. Learn how to can produce.
4. Walk or bike more, and drive less. Dump the SUV and the RV, and get a sub-compact and camp in a tent.
5. Seek health, not just an alleviation of symptoms. Those pills you have to take every day for the rest of your life are not the answer. Diet and exercise.
6. Seek peace, within and without.
These are just a few things that would have a huge impact if done on a large scale. Monopolization of corporate power equals monopolization of government.
Six wonderful ideas! Hope Caitlin agrees and will spread them in one of her many brilliant post.Thank you Scott
Excellent suggestions, Skip!
I have boycotted Amazon for years. I got rid of my TV in 2012. I don’t know how to drive. I rent and live in a city apartment. No place for a garden. I’m a senior citizen and camping is something I was only interested in for a few years as a young woman. I am partially disabled and so cannot exercise effectively any more. I don’t want to go “back to nature’. I support revolution against capitalism.
I’m a bit long in the tooth myself, but I am fortunate that I still have my health. I still camp, and do whitewater rafting as well. If you have a decent amount of light, you can still grow fresh herbs in a window. Also, depending on the city, you may have available a “from the farm to your door” option. Many cities are serviced by outlying small farms that will deliver what is fresh and in season for you to use or put up. It is not all that expensive, the quality is far superior, you are keeping your money local rather than supporting Industrial agriculture. Going “back to nature” is one way of revolting against Capitalism.
Excellent.
My thoughts are:
1) Don’t carry a cell phone. This allows you to disconnect from the matrix.
2) Don’t watch the news on TV – that is indoctrination/distraction from reality.
3) Don’t watch cat videos on social media – mind draining, will numbing, waste of time.
4) Read old books, no new books. You will find that the current situation is not realy new – they are working from experience.
5) Don’t fight it. Waste of energy. Look for ways to benefit from current stupidity in a way that does not support widespread killing. Look for opportunities to act on your displeasure, but don’t extend yourself too far in doing so – passive resistance.
6) Don’t support the bad guys – don’t use or buy their crap.
7) Do track the news too closely – enjoy life, prioritize. Don’t worry.
8) Smile when passing strangers – children in particular.
It’s a work in progress.
Excellent advice as well. I don’t have cell phone reception outside (where I usually am) unless I get on my roof. I have an amplifier to get signal into the house. I leave my phone on the desk, even when I go to town.
I live in an area rural enough that we all wave at any passing autos. If you brake down, someone will stop to help. Life is good in the country.
p.s. I have a wall full of old books. Currently reading William Kittredge’s “The Willow Field.”
That is nothing but complacency. What you don’t know can, and will kill you. The powers that be have planned a world population goal of 500 million for 2025- a world fascist totalitarian police state. Current population is 7.8 billion. 9-11 demolition job to enstate world surveillance (Homeland Security) and genocide of Arabs. Covid was created to allow for death of billions- vaccination( Covid created under supervision by GAtes, (who has great influence over CDC and WHO, has much stock in pharms, and owns a patent on covid and vaccination) and who has said ;publicly that he wants to reduce the population by 15% using vaccinations. 47,500 Indian children died from vaccinations he funded. Under Operation Warp Speed, the military will dispense vaccines. Vaccines will kill over time, have tracking and DNA changing technological abilities. You will probably be dead in two years, if not, then you and all future generations will be slaves. I suggest, for your sake, mine, and everybody else’s you do a LOT MORE.
This is to give evidence of the truth of my other comment
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/11/29/how-is-fear-appeal-used-in-public-health-messaging.aspx?ui=8e0dfbbdb1b6b7701fd2ffc10a772dbfe80dbfc71d3c66f6072751b70f06460a&cid_source=dnl&cid_medium=email&cid_content=art2ReadMore&cid=20201129&mid=DM732859&rid=1022863985
Here is Bill Gates telling us that vaccines will be used to reduce world population.
https://youtu.be/URPcqMuNaow
A little information on Bill Gates
https://jonsnewplace.wordpress.com/2020/03/25/bill-gates-father-ran-planned-parenthood-his-mother-created-microsoft-together-they-trained-their-son-to-spread-the-gospel-of-eugenics/
Religion is the opiate of the masses – Karl Marx
Oligarchic Imperialism is the new dominant World Religion – Caitlin Johnstone
Oligarchic imperialism is the new opiate of the masses. (Logical conclusion)
Egads! I hasten to post this new enlightenment on “my” Twitter, Facebook and “my” other Oligarchic imperialist totally owned and managed social media platforms. (It’s where the light is…)
It’s not that you can’t beat the machine, it’s that you can’t beat the machine using the tools the machine has given you. – Caitlin Johnstone
She talks to angels, Can I have some remedy? – The Black Crowes
It is difficult to climb the bank of the stream while being swept by the torrent into an AI ocean.
Huginn and Muninn convey Asgard’s regards. Life is good (still).
Today is Woden’s day! Bring us more mead!
Actually really liked your comment.
The system is government. All of which are based on the premise that the threat of violence to force compliance is legitimate. The more violence they are capable of, the more compliance they command, from the more people, and the less legitimate their edicts requiring compliance. Whether that capability issues from physical ability to inflict violence, or the psychopathic will to use it, or most likely a combination of both. No moral foundation required. In fact, moral foundation is anathema to government. No one with a moral foundation is capable of such psychotic behavior. Wherein lies the source of government’s will and ability to commit evil. The sane among us simply cannot comprehend the level of evil such psychopaths are capable of. The street light shines on our preference to believe they aren’t insanely evil.
The USSR used force quite well to ensure compliance for 70 years. The west is now moving in that direction and I expect they will get the same response. Exert enough force and you can get the desired results.
So the Soviet Union’s trajectory was ultimately mafia capitalism? I suppose that makes sense, but they certainly took the hard way to get there, and, yes, lots and lots of force. Still going on.
Curiously on the announced subject for a moment: if he couldn’t see at all except by means of the streetlight, the drunk’s search was quite rational. I don’t think that logic applies to the present political situation, however. Many people who voted for Biden did not expect Biden to be anything but a conservative — as he himself said, ‘Nothing fundamental will change.’ They mostly wanted to get rid of Trump for a variety of reasons which outweighed their dislike of Biden and company. Now that that has been accomplished, proggies, reformers, and others addicted to electoral politics should start focusing on either capturing the Democratic Party or splitting it.
An effort is being made for schism of the left/liberal coalition with the Democratic Party by organizers of “The Peoples Party.” If it is successful in drawing more significant electoral support than any of the other upstart ideological parties remains to be seen: https://peoplesparty.org/
I doubt anything can be done within government. The politicians are all run by the globalists, the CIA while being an information gatherer, obeys the globalist/Vatican/ freemason agenda, and is very willing to convince anybody to cooerate, as they have since Kennedy. They make foreign policy happen. Pompeo was CIA director, and as secretary of state, is behind most foreign policy actions.
How can policies of the Soviet Union be “still going on” when the USSR was dissolved in 1991? Russia today is a capitalist country. I support socialism and revolution against capitalism. Capitalism is the most evil, violent and predatory system ever invented.
All economies are capitalist. The differences lie in who controls the capital. Those create it, or those who steal it.
On the other hand, as Uncle Karl points out in his Manifesto, Capitalism was the most revolutionary of social movements in history, and destroyed most of tribalism, patriarchy, theocracy, and feudalism, thereby opening the way to progress toward socialism and communism. In the Soviet Union, a kind of compromise was set up between capitalists and the supposedly proletarian state; eventually, the state completely took over the role of managerial capital. That’s why we observe so much authoritarianism, hierarchy and violence in the Stalin and post-Stalin eras there. When Gorbachev attempted to transition the Soviet state towards mere social democracy, the apparatchiks, having grown used to their privileges, weren’t having it and deposed Gorbachev and fell back on the mafia-like quasi-capitalist relations which had already grown up under the guise of Soviet socialism. Anyway, that’s what I get from my reading. I wasn’t there myself.
There doesn’t seem to be any other reasonable way of explaining the swift conversion of the Soviet remnants to explicit capitalism, absent dubious conspiracy theories, such as that Yeltsin was a CIA agent.
Caitlin, what you write about, hippy-activists,, knew this since the sixties. But it needs to be said, since so many still don’t get it. It might be wonderful if besides noting the inconsistencies, hypocracies, and insanity that you presented some solutions. I want to help you: horizontal governing is virtually incorruptible, the politicians and lobbyists are no longer involved. It is decentralized and citizen run: Here is a 7 minute animation explaining it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wywMhg604W8&feature&fbclid=IwAR0A-JSinO67G1N0h_iMhEsaIJ4HOfCdYiZnIoK-VO-lMClUVDIzfq3b1ss that we made.
Also, we are engaged in creating a giant network of networks to unite all the disparate elements working to make a regenerative, sane and ethical world. You could help a lot Caitlin by spreading the word. We have teams in 7 countries working on this since March and before because now we are a collaboration of crowdpol.com and utopiacornucopia.org where anyone can go to join by just signing up. It is free.
It has a platform that we will be improving in the coming months to make it the state of the art for collaborating on any scale and for organizing on a massive level.
To have real impact the network needs to be in the millions to billions and we are doing everything to make that happen asap. Once we have our first 1000 orgs. or so, the snowball effect should kick in. Having thought leaders involved like yourself Caitlin, would help immensely.
It is being managed horizontally, so that any and all who might be doing the same thing can join as equal collaborators and maintain whatever networks they have achieved and watch it grow exponentially, once we start getting the numbers.
I hope you take this seriously and feel free to contact me for more specifics.
As for the whole idea of the essay, this can best be illustrated by the fact that the PCR test is the gold standard for testing for covid 19, yet the creator of it, who won a nobel prize for it has stated that it doesn’t prove anything as far as a diagnosis for covid 19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc0Kysti6Kc&fbclid=IwAR1YBchXaCU16GzlmheHE5Q3RsDCGz9b13wibB6KBAr8qdRteH1X1uwtem8. Yet we can’t enter a plane or a country without proof of this test. It is exactly what you are talking about, and it is total bullshit and should make everyone very suspicious about the purpose of this supposed “pandemic”.
Covid was created in a laboratory in North Carolina university by Dr Shi Zhwengli, under US and Chinese government funding. The vaccination will kill billions of people over a couple of years, and enable tracking and change our DNA-it will be forced on us. Read my comments above for why, how, and evidence.
Regarding your utoipia.. how does it address climate change? What is militaries going to look like? How about trade with foreign nations? I have a solution TO EVERY WORLD PROBLEM- pollution, global warming, insanity, crime, drugs, greed, selfishness, poverty, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, look in the conclusio of my book ANGRY LOUD AND CLEAR TRUTH. if you dont want to spend the $3 on AMazon, email me and I will attach it to a return email
truthforce57@gmail.com
a new form of civilization
To seriously address the climate crises, we must first restructure all gov’ts. from vertical to horizontal which is virtually incorruptible (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wywMhg604W8&feature&fbclid=IwAR3dpK9NM34z3FzoOcaS_NOPKRzUTn4qu6jyymoGTvX4YRbC21J-LR6VHfc). Gov’ts. are blocking everything we need to do to save humanity from extinction.
Then as citizens we can implement everything we can to stop the climate crises, stop all polluting industries, diminish consumerism, industrial agriculture, localize, plant hemp everywhere, deal with fukishima ( i have ideas), clean the waterways, the seas, put all funds into this, end militarism, use soldiers for restoring the earth, etc. etc.
I would like to know your solution to every world problem. I have my solutions and strategies and most won’t bother reading or listening. So, send me yours, I am curious.
Also, another solution of ours is to create a gigantic network of networks to bring the millions of disparate groups and projects for a regenerative world together for the purpose of collaborating and organizing. utopiacornucopia.org in collaboration with crowdpol.com.
tom, you will perceive that my idea prevents future destruction, has real solution to pollution-creation, is do-able easily, is perpetuating, removes drugs and lies, no crime, education is perfect, and KEEPS THE HUMAN RACE SANE, NO SEX!!!! Do you comprehend the value of my solution?? IT is outside all the boxes, but is the best option for humanity. I like to see that you are open to ideas, and do want to take action. Kudos.
Your idea has one major flaw. You assume the masses are sane and logical. If you create your system, the illogical, insane psychopaths will organize and take control of you for their benefit. You will then have to take up arms, organize and fight for your system. This will require leaders which will fracture your horizont society. A nice idea if the world will leave you alone which it will not.
I understand Khatika your reticence or caution about accepting this idea, but i would like to point out that your assumptions may be incorrect. If you watched the animation, it makes the point that an agreed upon social contract embodying our shared human needs is necessary for this to work, then assemblies or committees are set up to deal with the different sectors of society. These are collaborative and then there are more general assemblies that need to agree and collaborate with the ultimate proposals. So, if anyone proposes something that is outside of the social contract, it is very obvious and this person can be removed immediately from his position. In other words, it is virtually impossible for some insane person to have any traction in this kind of governing.
Another exquisite, brilliant essay. Thank you.
Once again, brilliant essay. Thank you.
I take it you have an example of a third party that is willing to do extensive voter contact?
I’m not talking about third party anything here. That would still be trying to use the tools the machine gave you to defeat the machine. Electoral politics simply are not the answer.
The problem is your ideal of a perfect society is a nightmare for others as their idea of utopia is a nightmare for you. We are a diverse people in the world with different goals and desires. Thus force is always used in the end to ensure one system or another remains in place until the same force is used to overthrow it and plant a new flawed system in its place.
Well, not necessarily. Besides brute force and its metaphors (like elections), there are other strategies, like subversion, seduction, corruption, misdirection, camouflage, etc. As capitalism is highly dynamic, it will do some the work for those who want to change or abolish it. One may be able to arrange a situation in which the forceful alphas lock horns, huffing and puffing on the hilltop, while down below everyone else enjoys a good and semi-rational life.
I’ll suggest mine. https://www.wsws.org/en/special/pages/sep/us/home.html
The problem I have found with socialism is that most people do not seem to want the burdens that come along with the ownership and control of the means of production. Except for a minority, they still want bosses. Otherwise, they would have long since migrated to cooperative, democratic modes of production, which are and have been available within liberal capitalism. Obviously, equality, cooperation, democracy, and other forms of freedom cannot be imposed by force from the top down, whether that force is revolutionary or electoral.
they are wearing masks, an indication of sheepleness, and/or stupidity, and/or fear. Not my kind of people
O’Biden will offer Americans a third Obama term
Joe Biden can deny it all he wants, but Barack Obama is back, big time.
No, Obama will not be taking the oath of office on Jan. 20 to become president again.
He does not have to. Been there, done that. He has Biden standing in for him. Biden, despite denials, is Obama’s third term.
Biden would not even be president had not Obama plucked him out of a Democrat Senate lineup to be his 2008 running mate. Prior to that, Biden, your average Joe, had run for president twice and been rejected.
READ MORE https://www.lowellsun.com/2020/12/01/biden-will-offer-americans-a-third-obama-term/
Although it is pretty clear that the Biden Administration will be essentially a third Obama term (given how Obama negotiated the Democratic Party nomination for him) the linked article is more of the empire’s propaganda effort, you know.
True, Jerry. For a deeper discussion of the Biden-Obama administration, check this out when you have time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8_csmDHMbU