Just another friendly reminder that establishment propaganda is the single most overlooked and under-emphasized aspect of our society and the left will never accomplish any of its goals until it prioritizes countering mass-scale manipulation above all else.

Western imperialism is capitalism’s life support system. Without the US-centralized empire constantly sabotaging socialist governments, propping up global financial institutions and controlling commerce and currency at gunpoint, capitalism would’ve died long ago.

Pull the plug.

Capitalism is collectivism in denial. Money only works the way it works and exists the way it exists because we all collectively agree to pretend that those made-up, imaginary conceptual constructs are real. The collective is free to change that collective agreement at any time.

Capitalism is collectivism. If the collective wants to switch to another form of collectivism that doesn’t let people starve and die for not having enough imaginary numbers in their bank accounts, the collective is free to change the rules of its collective improvisation.

Becoming more conservative as you age isn’t maturity, it’s an admission that your values are based entirely on securing your own net worth.

Representation is important so that everyone can buy into the fiction that anyone can make it to the top in this system.

Silicon Valley coordinates its censorship of speech with the United States government, which is really just government censorship with a middle man. Government censorship outsourced to corporations is still government censorship, in the same way that a military occupation outsourced to mercenaries is still a military occupation.

We’re always just talking about different iterations of the same single event: the wealthy and powerful want more wealth and power, and stories are spun to advance this agenda. This same one event plays out in different forms day after day after day. That’s all we’re ever seeing.

The way Democrats constantly blame Republican obstructionism for their own obstruction of progress reminds me of the time I was drugged and raped in a hotel bathroom. I remember fumbling at the door latch trying to get it open and my attacker saying “Uh-oh, we’re locked in!” Then I looked down and saw his foot against the door.

Stop protecting sexual predators. All of them, not just the ones in the rival political faction. This sick dynamic where each side only criticizes the predation of the other side rests on the unspoken, bat shit insane premise that only the other faction has men who are predators.

The way sexual predation by powerful men is only ever attacked by their political rivals proves that rape still in 2021 is not taken seriously by our society. Still in 2021 it’s “Yes rape culture is bad, half of us will deal with it when it is politically convenient for us to do so.” Still to this day it is first and foremost a weapon of political convenience, not an urgent problem which must be solved.

If you want to protect the interests of your political faction, turn your political faction into a space where women are nurtured into strong people instead of destroyed by sexual predation. You’re protecting poison that is poisoning your own fucking party.

Being “on the left” can become a very treasured and aggressively protected part of someone’s identity. That’s why criticizing such a person’s perspective from the left can land you on their shit list for life: for them it feels like you’re attacking their core identity, as much as if you’d physically attacked them.

Too many seekers of enlightenment experience a significant shift in consciousness and then immediately ruin it by asking “Now how can I make this serve me?” instead of “How can I serve this?”

Anger is like strength: it can be used productively or destructively. It can be used in a very violent, irresponsible and unconscious way, or it can be used to push someone out of your sovereign area where they have overextended. The trouble for us as a collective is that at this point in time our anger is deliberately redirected everywhere except where it belongs.

___________________________________

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75 responses to “Imperialism Is Capitalism’s Life Support System: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix”

  1. After leaving my previous job 11 months ago, I’ve had some good luck to learn about this website which was a life-saver for me… They offer jobs for which people can work online from their house. My latest paycheck after working for them for 4 months was for $11600… Amazing thing about is that the only thing required is simple typing skills and access to internet.

    Read all about it here……. Jobs App

  2. Paul Douglas Rackemann Avatar
    Paul Douglas Rackemann

    Government consists of soldiers and priests. The soldiers live by force, and the priests live by deception.
    Socialism is a wild theory at best. Ludwig von Mises, among others, showed that socialism cannot work even in theory. It was held together in the Soviet Union, with great difficulty, for a number of years by men who, whatever their faults, sincerely believed in it. It is really based on the Christian moral code, which is also extremely mixed up.
    What we have now is not honest capitalism but corruption or crony capitalism. It is based on a dishonest money system. People who understand these things call it fiat money.
    I give credit to Caitlin for being sincere. But sincerity is not enough. You have to be ruthlessly intellectually honest, and if you are, you won’t stay a leftist. The left is not about intellectual honesty: it is about power. Honest men (and women if you like) have no option except to live by honest exchange and agreement. Government is about the use of force and fraud to take away from honest people. Whatever pseudo-intellectual excuses it uses are the official religion.

    1. I’ve seen socialism working just fine.

      1. Indeed such is quite possible, among a group of people who unanimously agree to it. The instant the use of force enters, it turns into just another gang of psychopaths forcing their will upon the rest, at gunpoint. There being no significant difference between one that calls itself socialist and one that calls itself capitalist except minor variations of whatever the psychopath’s will is.

        1. Everybody didn’t agree on everything and the gun pointing was done by people who hated the idea of socialism.

      2. Paul Douglas Rackemann Avatar
        Paul Douglas Rackemann

        So tell us about it.

        1. Not much to tell. They lived pretty much like we did, except they weren’t afraid of the idea of socialism.

          1. Paul Douglas Rackemann Avatar
            Paul Douglas Rackemann

            Come on friend. It is a bit too typically leftist to make a sweeping statement, and then duck a discussion of it. I get the impression that socialism did work to some degree in old-fashioned monasteries, but one aspect of them that I think is vital is that they didn’t have any kids. It may be possible to suppress self-interest when it comes to your own worldly pleasures, but I doubt that many people could suppress a desire to do the best for their kids and try to advance them in whatever society they belonged to.

            1. Duck a discussion? What am I supposed to say? Clearly you’ve obviously never lived in a socialist country- do you need me to tell you how much the beer cost?

  3. It’s gonna be rough on those among us who are romantics about socialism when we realize (finally) that socialism and capitalism are kissing cousins. It’s a bit like good cop bad cop. They were both concieved by the same manipulators as polar opposites to control humanity in a closed environment based on tension and opposition. It’s kinda messed up when you break the pattern down and realize how microcosmically it was unfolded in each of our nations’ societies (dem v rep) and globally (democracy v socialism) (capitalism v communism), and that by the same puppeteers (central bank cartel asshats).
    The first thing that happened in Russia when communism came to be dominant was that the ‘elite’ confiscated all of the money and told everyone else to eat it. The first thing that happened in America when the capitalists consolidated power, via the federal reserve, was that the ‘elites’ confiscated all of the money and told everyone else to eat it. It seems to me that everyone has a common enemy, whether they wish it or no.

  4. Our system is “inverted totalitarianism”; the oligarchy and corporations on top; the government as their political arm. Us lumpenproletariat on the bottom.
    Fascism.. the oligarchy and corporations and the government are one entity on top; us, the lumpenproletariat on the bottom.
    Authoritarianism, China, Russia etc.; the government on top; the Oligarchy and the corporations under the government and the lumpenproletariat on the bottom.
    Democracy; a fraud, that like communism and socialism, never was and never will be.
    China and Russia to a lesser extent are proving that authoritarianism plus big data outperforms so called market economies as market economies descend into extractive financial horror shows where the best and brightest go to Wall Street and the City of London and equivalent rackets in other countries.

  5. Notes from the middle of the Narrative: Sociologists describe three factors which imperialist governments need to control their citizens and territories, namely, money, weapons and religion. They use these means of power indirectly by directing their central bankers, military generals and religious leaders to do whatever is necessary to convince their citizens to cooperate in building and maintaining government control and defending their nation against threats from other possibly hostile nations. Some sociologists describe money, weapons and religion as a trinity of gods, but trinity implies equality, whereas money or wealth is in fact, somewhat more powerful as a means of coercion than weapons or religion. Money is needed to make or buy weapons. One can use weapons to rob or threaten people, but those who use weapons generally do so in the service of those who pay for their service. Central bankers and religious leaders do not use weapons. They rely on military generals to direct their military ranks and files to use the weapons which governments buy.

    Governments pay the wages of military personnel with money lent by the banks and religious leaders provide the justification which governments need to wage wars and motivate soldiers to sacrifice their lives in battle. Religious organizations and institutions cannot flourish and expand their influence without donations from their members or patrons who often have hidden agendas, which means their donations are in fact bribes.

    The conclusion is that money or wealth is in fact the dominant god of the government’s source of power. This is why Yeshua said that His followers must aim their revolutionary tactics at the monetary system and as soon as they start doing that they become threats to the government which calls them traitors. That is what happened to Yeshua and His followers who were secretly arrested, tortured and executed one by one, starting with the supreme leader.

  6. While we respectfully disagree regarding the relative merit and potential of capitalism, imperialism and expansionism versus any actual possibility for an idealized and elusive form of altruistic socialism, I nevertheless fully encourage and even support all such expressed idealism in hope it might serve as a “sea anchor” for whatever degree of humanity might remain within the calcified brains of those pirate bastards who’ve taken charge. God Bless America.

    1. Caitlin,

      It is still difficult for me to understand why you insist on demeaning the Left. Again you write “….the establishment propaganda is the single most overlooked and under-emphasized aspect of our society and the left will never accomplish any of its goals until it prioritizes countering mass-scale manipulation above all else. ” You seem utterly oblivious to the fact that the ESTABLISHMENT includes also the Left. That is the Left uses the same PROPAGANDA methods than Right. There is no difference. This is why people are so confused. But you have to understand, it is not an accident, this is all by design, by agreement. This is why the United Nations Security Council PERMANENT members are Russia, USA, China, France and UK. Over 70 years ago they agreed to keep the world divided and sub-divided. Whilst the world accepts Militarism, Armed Forces, military industry, Arms Trade, NOTHING will change. You’ll spend your like criticizing the Right and will achieve NOTHING.

      I live in the UK, with military industries in areas run by Left wing authorities. There OBLIGATION is to ensure workers manufacturing.grenades, landmines, bombs, rockets, torpedoes, rocket launchers and interceptors, spying and torture instruments, drones, tanks, Apache helicopters, warships, air fighters, war submarines, DON’T LOSE THEIR JOBS. This can ONLY be achieved by promoting inequality , starvation, homelessness, injustice, illiteracy in as many countries as possible, for which they use diplomatic staff working in Embassies and secret agencies.

      Many left wing politicians – including rabid Marxists – do exactly the same as their Imperialists counterparts.

      Alberto, President HUFUD .

  7. Ain’t nobody got nothing to say, so I’ll say something.
    ~
    I respect Russian geniuses, and math will tell you, there must be a bunch more there now as I type this. I respect the genius of the Chinese culture and I respect Persia and I respect Iran. I respect one religion and I respect another.
    ~
    I don’t respect Saudi Arabia and I don’t respect the current country of Israel, but I respect that they are both countries and they each have their own sovereignty. I’m gonna go out on a limb and suggest to both of them that they keep their sovereignty to themselves because the are amongst a group of 3 whom pretty much the whole effing world has HAD IT!. The third is so obvious, so let me call it out – the effing US of a that is practically less united than the United Kingdom. Speaking of which that is the first Kingdom that needs to be broken up and can’t we for old times sake and history and such agree on this. What do you think India – and China what is your sentiment on this?
    ~
    So, if we can let go of the bitchy “cancel culture” ridiculousness that has only played into the hands of the most nefarious then we can start making things better and ain’t that what you want? Now, I’m going to listen to some more Pink Floyd and I wont trouble not a one of you all for a little while cause I need some time to think.
    ~
    Peace is easy and I’m taking that to my grave.
    BK

    1. BK, you wouldn’t need to write any of what you wrote, if militarism didn’t exist.

    2. A chsnge is coming for this world in the next few years. Unfortunately I dont think its going to go the way most of us hope.

  8. Carolyn L Zaremba Avatar
    Carolyn L Zaremba

    Those of us who are Marxists and support the Socialist Equality Party have always known this. Lenin wrote an entire book about it. Lenin wrote an entire book about it, entitled “Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism”. It was one of the first works by Lenin that I ever read, along with “What Is To Be Done?” Anyone who calls themselves “left” is lying unless they are a Marxist, or else they are deceiving themselves.

    1. Sounds presumptuous but maybe yes. I think Lenin merits serious study.
      ~
      But if you really want to get to the bottom of it, and you only have so much time I’d choose Kropotkin over Lenin any day of the week. This is an informed opinion cause my Grandma when she was only 3 fled the country of Russia and that shit lived with her for a lifetime and the lifetimes of her ancestors. Whatever, I have concluded that Russia is a country off geniuses.
      ~
      But, some of the rest of us might have something to offer. That’s what I think if you give a flip Carolyn.
      ~
      BK

    2. Who knows even communism could be in vogue considering the way the country is going. Perhaps one of the states will break away to form a new cuba.

  9. “Being ‘on the left’ [the real left] can become a very treasured and aggressively protected part of someone’s identity. That’s why criticizing such a person’s perspective from the left can land you on their shit list for life: for them it feels like you’re attacking their core identity….”

    I know this from personal experience. I have lost friends, and there is no denying the fact that it has been painful. The price of maintaining integrity can be high.

    1. Correction: [on the fake left]

    2. Larry – you need to get better friends.
      ~
      Ken

  10. Comirbidity 2024 Avatar
    Comirbidity 2024

    We must stand together with the LGBTQCIA, Rogue journalists and Pharma to protect women from men, and children from puberty.

    https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/rachel-levine-assistant-health-secretary-biden.jpg?quality=85&crop=0px%2C121px%2C2877px%2C1506px&resize=1200%2C628&strip

  11. Great explanation of the “great reset” by Tessa Lena at “Tessa Fights Robots’”
    “The Great Reset For Dummies.” Unfortunate title; definitely not for dummies. Important reading as far as I’m concerned. Sorry about all the quotes.
    `
    https://tessa.substack.com/p/great-reset-dummies
    `
    ‘The mathematical reason for the Great Reset is that thanks to technology, the planet has gotten small, and the infinite expansion economic model is bust—but obviously, the super wealthy want to continue staying super wealthy, and so they need a miracle, another bubble, plus a surgically precise system for managing what they perceive as “their limited resources.” Thus, they desperately want a bubble providing new growth out of thin air—literally—while simultaneously they seek to tighten the peasants’ belts, an effort that starts with “behavioral modification,” a.k.a. resetting the western peasants’ sense of entitlement to high life standards and liberties (see awful “privilege”).”
    `
    “The psychological reason for the Great Reset is the fear of losing control of property, the planet. I suppose, if you own billions and move trillions, your perception of reality gets funky, and everything down below looks like an ant hill that exists for you. Just ants and numbers, your assets.”
    `
    “So, who are the people leading this, and how coordinated is this effort?
    `
    “From the looks of it, it seems to be the usual suspects: top capitalists of the world, historically wealthy dynasties from different parts of Earth, members of secular and religious royalty, billionaires, etc.—in other words, it’s the people who have enough money to feel like this world is theirs, the 0.0001%—and maybe also the people immediately under them who are seeking upward mobility. Some familiar faces, some faces we’ve never seen.”

    1. Some of us have been saying this for about 50 years. Good description from Tessa Lena but what solution to you propose?

      1. Holy Moly. Tired and No Longer Active Revolutionary I am so happy to see you post again because I was worried about you and I know you have a lot of wisdom, so your post gives me some serious hope.
        ~
        Did you know Abbie Hoffman?
        ~
        BK
        ~
        p.s. I have not forgotten what you said to me about your friend in Iran and I fully intend on holding you to that, so please stay alive cause God knows I want to see those tiles there and all their geometric beauty. That is why Persia and Iran hold such a high place in my mind and so do you even if sometimes I seemed like I was giving you a hard time. I’m just so happy to see you post again and I mean it……but you know, what I’ve said elsewhere, so I reckon I ought not say anymore to you, but really I’m happy to see your post and hope to see more of them. Your friend, Ken.

    2. @Tired and No Longer an Active Revolutionary

      “Some of us have been saying this for about 50 years. Good description from Tessa Lena but what solution to you propose?
      `
      I don’t know. Sounds like you’ve done a lot to contribute to solutions. Who knows how much worse things would be know if you hadn’t?
      `
      I guess the struggle never ends, TANLAR.
      `
      I think of a quote I like by a 19th century painter, Eugene Delacroix. Not completely sure, but I think he said it at a time when he was being haunted by how to finish painting a cathedral.
      `
      “How is it, then, that instead of casting me down, this eternal struggle lifts me up, not discouraging, but consoling me.
      `
      I think we all need to dig deep and find the courage to put our egos aside and our desires to look good and be right all the time aside, find ways to, trust and treat each other with dignity and respect, come together and, with one loud and strong voice, stand up, speak out, and dissent against this with everything we have. With patience, perseverance and strength.
      `
      We need to take the time to learn as much we can about this great reset issue so we have the tools to fight it. It’s confusing and scary, trust me, I know.
      `
      I have found three websites that are doing good work to shine light on it (all owned by women.) I’m sure there are others, I’m just not aware of them.
      `
      Alison McDowell at Wrench in the gears. She has a couple new posts up.
      `
      https://wrenchinthegears.com/
      `
      Tessa Lena at Tessa Fights Robots.
      `
      https://tessa.substack.com/
      `
      Cory Morningstar at Wrong Kind of Green. Hasn’t had a post since January.
      `
      Beyond that, I would say watch the Netflix documentary “The Social Dilemma” if you can.
      `
      The struggle doesn’t end. Let’s own it.
      Peace.

      1. “Your silence will not save you.”
        `
        ~Eleanor Roosevelt (co-author of the U.N. Human Rights Declaration)

  12. SERVICE SATSANG (associating with spiritual people) MEDITATION are the traditional pillars of spiritual life.
    I lived 4 years without money and am thankful for the experience.
    You do a lot of recycling.
    ‘Keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel.’ Keep your eyes shut if you want to crash. You generally have about half a second to react appropriately.

  13. Here is a cute article on why climate change anti petroleum activists are living a fantasy.

    https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/world-news/climate/gretas-nightmare/

  14. A good math consideration, in honor of my dearly departed father, who was born today in 1930. He was a Navy man. The best part is the consideration is ON topic because it refers to the article’s picture, and even better, I’ll keep it SUPER simple.
    ~
    Observe the picture at the top of the article.
    ~
    1. It is of a structure and the structure is a well-known building (at least from the outside).
    2. The structure has ten evident sections each of which has four sides.
    3. Five of the sections (the 1st set) have four ~90 degree corners. (I hope you know what a corner is)
    4. The other sections (the 2nd set) appear to have two ~90 degree corners and two that are not.
    5. Some of the sides are shared with adjacent sections – they share a common side.
    :
    Note: If we add up the angles in each section on a two-dimensional plane, the summed value is the same for all them – 360 degrees.
    ~
    Now, here is my simple question on this picture:
    Question: Are the five sections (of which there are two sets) the same within each set? In other words, are they identical?
    ~
    Here is a long worded bonus question:
    ~
    Bonus Question: How many total individual sides are there, and are there other structures that have the same attributes mentioned above, but taken together result in a different overall shape? Explain your answer in detail if you want extra credit.
    ~
    I know the answer of the first “basic” question and unless you tend to be “literal”, the answer is obvious. The answer is NO! When you get down into the nitty gritty, then each shape is unique and I don’t see how this could be any different for any other similar appearing set of shapes when they are actually in the REAL world. Still, if you make simplifying agreed upon assumptions for the sake of discussion and learning, then logically you can deduce much. Not “Occum’s” razor simplification, no, just logic and geometry. It is amazing how much can be deduced if especially is one is careful and studious and most importantly humble.
    ~
    I miss you Dad – you were a great man! I also just want to be able to visit Mom even if I don’t have some effing certificate.
    ~
    BK – I’m looking for a good fight, and no more checking for typos on this post cause it is time for it to go!
    ~
    p.s. – let me know if I made any errors of description or if there is confusion in how this was posed.

    1. As for the bonus question, the number of sides I think there are is 10. Literally.
      ~
      The internal sides don’t matter.
      ~
      10 sides – 5 on the inside and 5 on the outside – assuming you are judging from the perspective of looking down at the shape on a 2-dimensional plane.
      ~
      Now, if you want to get into the nitty gritty that is fine, but what the eff does that accomplish when we can’t even agree on the most basic things? That is why quantum mechanics is a scourge on humanity just now – because the imagination of a few has gotten ahead of them, and guess what the spells? I’ll tell.
      ~
      It spells a “snake” wrapping around so tight on those few who have gotten ahead of themselves and thought they were running the show. You know, when a tough snake wraps around something, then it squeezes so tight it just takes the air out of you. Sort of like what a rope does when it is around your neck – if you can visualize that.
      ~
      That is why, I think we all would be better off if more effort was invested in studying our own “human” homo-sapien (eff the s) bodies versus trying to understand celestial bodies and entities so far out of our own ability to experience besides in our mathematical imagination which mother effing effed up full of effing poo-poo is FLAWED at the edges. Why not invest effort in understanding that which we can literally sense.
      ~
      Cause we got a nuclear bomb when we reached too far towards that which we don’t really understand and it will be the undoing of us all if collectively humanity doesn’t get some humility – most especially and particularly and primarily those FEW who think they are pulling the strings. Got some news for ya you few…..you are very misguided. I hope you learn, but if not, I think I just saw a snake crawling in your yard.
      ~
      Lets learn together and lets remove the imaginary shackles the few have put around our minds cause you ain’t a puppet are you?
      ~
      I hope not.
      ~
      BK

  15. Your articld touched on so many good points.

    1. Imperialism is indeed wealth gathering. That is its purpose throughout history. If the US evaporated tomorrow a new exploiter of world resources would soon step forward. Even a little country Great Britian was able to do it.
    2. Becoming conservative as you age is nothing more than clinging to your past as societal values change around you. Everyone hates change.
    3. All leaders male and female are predators. It is the trait of power seeking psychopaths. When necessary they will give lip service to stppong it in society but in private like Cuomo and Clinton, their true nature appears. Epstein catered to that, got rich and then died when it was brought to light.

    1. OK, Khatika – I haven’t gone outside yet, so I’m going to “grade” your post – all in good humor – (in fact, lets pretend we are on an island on Lake Eyre just now).
      This is a poem.
      ~
      OK, in the best catholic way I know here goes:
      1. Minus one point for the typo right of the bat – in fact minus two points cause it was the second word.
      2. I disagree with your premise in Item #1 – so, since I’m grading this, minus 3 points for that.
      3. I liked your premise #2 until the final sentence, and I will prove you wrong. I like change, so you are wrong. Minus 2 points.
      4. The first sentence #3 is based on your distorted sense of history presumably based on some bad experiences you have had, so sorry about that, but minus 4 points. The last two sentences despite the “stppong” typo seems on target to me, so plus 10 points.
      ~
      Sons of bitches Khatika!
      You got a perfect score!

      ~
      Now, lets get our shit together and start changing things for the better. Is it a deal?
      ~
      Your friend,
      BK

      1. By the way Khatika – if you read close my math doesn’t add up, so lets say you scored a 99 out of 100.
        ~
        Ain’t nobody or nothing that is perfect.
        ~
        If we can agree on that, then we can move mountains. You and me baby on our little island just now.
        ~
        Khatika – may I pour you some wine of love?
        ~
        Your friend,
        Ken

        1. Thanks teacher. I take it.

          1. Me too. I’d take a 99 9 day out of 10, and on the 10th, if I had a problem with a 99, I would look back at myself and say – don’t be a fool. An A is an A.
            ~
            Khatika – you got an A in my book and I just got me a ton of immunity as well as some great exercise. I feel good.
            ~
            Peace – and here’s to all of us teaching the rest of us some good learning. I don’t about you all, but I like to learn.
            ~
            BK

    2. Carolyn L Zaremba Avatar
      Carolyn L Zaremba

      I moved farther to the left the older I got. I started out in the civil rights movement and the antiwar movement in the 1960s when I was in high school. At the age of 50 I became a Marxist. I am firmer in my beliefs than ever before.

  16. “…propping up global financial institutions and controlling commerce and currency at gunpoint…”
    That is the only job of the US government. That and pretending its a democracy.

  17. Julius Skoolafish Avatar
    Julius Skoolafish

    Similar to what IDIG said earlier, having leaned towards ‘the left’ for most of my life out of a sense of (blissfully ignorant) identification with certain ideals regarding fairness, decency and general consideration for other people and the environment, it is quite clear that those calling themselves ‘left’ these days are anything but, and therefore one tends to identify more as a ‘conservative’ (certainly not ’right’) rather than align or associate with that group that has seemingly betrayed its ideals (and adherents).
    .
    Have you noticed how these ‘leftists’ don’t seem to call out the [‘Wall Street’] oligarchs (including the Federal Reserve/Central Banks, the IMF, World Bank, WEF etc], the (mainstream) media or the incredibly bigoted and depraved Hollywood brain-numbing machine, for example? In fact today’s left seem to be actually representing these groups and pushing their Agenda – they are intimately intertwined and bent on the Sabbatean destruction of all things decent and ’normal’, especially the destruction of the hard working ’kulaks’ that make up the so-called lower middle class.
    .
    So the next question is to try and figure out who is actually behind the new ‘left’. The quote “The best way to control the opposition is to lead it ourselves” comes to mind and may provide a hint.
    .
    So it seems that these are social terrorists and extremists that the (mainstream) media can never find any evidence against.
    .
    I would just like to offer President Putin’s definition of conservatism …
    .

    “Conservatism is that which does not get in the way of moving forward and upward, but does prevent from sliding backwards and downwards.”

    .
    • Putin: “With the absence of values, society begins to decay”
    .
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5pSe2zRaQI
    .
    So I can understand why you have taken a bit of flak on this occasion, Caitlin.

    1. A point well demonstrated during the “Occupy Wall Street” movement. They indeed had quite credible cause, but instead of attacking both Wall Street and the Psychopaths In charge, they demanded that the psychopaths do something about Wall Street. Which invalidated their cause, since the two are in bed together.
      The assumption of the authority to kill you if you don’t comply is the very basic foundation of all government, whatever form they claim to be, right, left, socialist or capitalist. Sane people do not participate in such. I would never dream of holding a gun to someone’s head to force them to “believe” I’m right. Which is why I always label them as the Psychopaths In Charge, since they go far beyond dreaming of it.

      1. Caitlin,

        The Left and the Right are the two sides of the same coin.

        1. Carolyn L Zaremba Avatar
          Carolyn L Zaremba

          No, they are not. Not unless you regard the pseudo leftists of the Democratic Party as the “left”. They are not. Only Marxists are left in the true meaning of the word.

          1. Caitlin, you don’t see that Marxists wouldn’t exist without imperialism. Just as a coin, a piece of paper, a door, cannot have ‘one’ side

    2. I have always thought Putin is one of the smartest world leaders. A very intelligent, well read leader who pays attention to history. The left you are thinking of is long gone. They got old and tired and have been replaced with what you see today.

      1. Carolyn L Zaremba Avatar
        Carolyn L Zaremba

        Check out the Socialist Equality Party and the World Socialist Web Site. We are the true inheritors of revolutionary Marxism.

        1. As I said. You have been replaced by BLM and their cohorts.

  18. Caitlin, it looks as you never read the manipulative Left Media. They are as dangerous as the Right.

  19. Blair Schirmer Avatar
    Blair Schirmer

    You disgust me, Caitlin.
    .
    You have had every means to know that women are no less predatious or violent than men, and only do less damage due to their smaller size—-though it’s not for lack of trying, according to every DHHS Child Maltreatment report, or every NCVS, just to name a couple of resources available to you. Hell, even Slate XX’s founder, Hanna Rosin, acknowledges this in her 2014 article, ” When Men Are Raped: A new study reveals that men are often the victims of sexual assault, and women are often the perpetrators” at
    .
    https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/04/male-rape-in-america-a-new-study-reveals-that-men-are-sexually-assaulted-almost-as-often-as-women.html
    .
    Yet you keep pitching the fiction that its men who are overwhelmingly society’s predators.
    .
    You’re as bad as any fake media outlet or propagandist in this, and no less repulsive in your devotion to mere propaganda because it suits your emotional limitations, or however you justify this blatant, destructive fraud.
    .
    Your indifference to the tens of millions of victims of women’s violence and sexual violence is as evil as those who excuse and ignore the violence empire perpetrates in Yemen.
    .

    1. Ya-Man, you are concerned about Yemen and that is great, but your misogyny is over the top

      The sexes are more alike than different IMHO but I have a challenge for you. I once heard a Russian say plenty of women followed men to exile in Siberia. But when women went to Siberia husbands always stayed behind.

    2. Nobody who has lived an intellectually honest incarnation as a human being actually believes that. Stop being ridiculous.

      1. Power is the greatest of all corrupting forces. It takes a truly great man or woman to resist becoming a predator. Women have been exploited throughout time by more physical men. Women with power become predators as well. I have wondered why we see women teacher predators in school now. I dont remember my female teachers like that. Womens rights, sexual predators, sex trafficking all just get lip service in my opinion.

        1. I was taught by nuns in the 60s and 70s and believe me, some of them were downright sadistic.

          1. Ha, ha, ha, ha……ha, ha, ha.
            ~
            Understood.
            ~
            I remember though one of the nun’s that was a teacher of mine in grammar school. She was young and sweet and pretty. She had though this tendency to blow (any maybe pick) her nose regularly. Holy crap, the mean little kids around me gave her hell and tried to steal her dignity. I didn’t get in a fight with any of these mean kids, but I observed their actions nonetheless and I knew they were behaving incorrectly.
            ~
            Nonetheless, if you want to teach little kids you better have some thick skin and that is why I believe the matriarch of the nun order running this school let what was happening continue.
            ~
            I sure hope things went well for that young, sweet, and pretty nun and I know this – I will never forget her.
            ~
            The BEST teacher bar none at that school was my 7th grade match teacher – she suffered no fools. Amazingly, I had an even BETTER teacher in 9th grade after my family moved away, and that lady was absolutely incredible and she is another one of my heroes. She taught geometry. Her and Kropotkin are my two main heroes today in memory of my dearly departed father.
            ~
            Peace,
            BK
            3321

            1. My eighth grade english teacher taught us grammer for an entire miserable semester. I am forever grateful to him for it.

        2. The most predatory chicks I’ve ever seen were lawyers.
          ~
          I saw one this time in Wichita, KS prance into the room like she was some sort of brown pony of nobility and she had an air about her that took me less than half a second to break down in my mind.
          ~
          I never saw her again. Thank goodness for that.
          ~
          BK

          1. Oh please let me add. I also know several female lawyers and I’m very fond of them. You can’t lump everyone into a group, but still if you combine the worst of female predatory thinking along with the law, it is a recipe for harm.
            ~
            I suppose the same holds true for male lawyers, and frankly (one of my new favorite words lately, but it will diminish), there are just WAY too many lawyers these days.
            ~
            The lawyers like the rules because the rules make them money, but “Mi-Re” knows that too many rules just RUIN everything – for everybody.
            ~
            So freaking obvious my fingertips feel like making a mistake on purpose….cause you can’t learn most things by reading what others type.
            ~
            It is sunny today and I’m going outside to get me a bit of immunity.
            ~
            Hey Khatika – How you doing baby?
            ~
            BK

  20. Fair call dude. I can see how such a statement is precarious at best. Terms like left and right are ambiguous. How you understand it is likely different from how others do. But I agree with you. That statement requires clarification. Defending an identity without any appeal to nuance or context helps no one.

  21. Once again Ms Caitlin Johnstone brings the ” unsugar-coated ” truth to her readers. Another home run Ms Johnstone, another home run!

  22. “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”

    Some acknowledge that things are broken but just carry on because of fear and the inconvenience of change but most won’t even go there. My housemate was telling me how his teenage daughter just got a job at Coles. I guess he was expecting me to see that as some sort of good thing. When I quipped that Coles could use another low paid employee to continue their profiteering (I didn’t even mention what a fucking evil and environmentally destructive company they are), he went on the attack. “She is a teenage girl with A JOB” , he said. “And that’s a bloody marvellous thing.” Yeah let’s break out the champagne. Another disposable drone to pack shelves. What a victory. And look, I get it. He’s proud that his daughter achieved something. I get it. Maybe I should have been more tactful? But this is my point. At what point do you stop and open your eyes. At what point do you say “I’m not playing anymore? I’m not going to be a slave to this system whatever the cost and whatever the social stigma.” Some people, like my housemate, are heavily blinkered. The narrative has subsumed him completely. Job = good and if you disagree you must be out of your fucking mind.

    1. So welfare = good if
      Job not = good
      You either suck off societies tit or you feed it so others can.

  23. I think maybe you have it backward. The system is Feudal/Imperial and Capitalism is the patina over it.

  24. beautifully done. You are quite bright. A voice in that wilderness. Money, i.e. power is systemic in the soil of the earth. We speak of the world left for the children, and the children’s children, and so on. I despair that what will change, but not for the good, are the rising tides. The unstoppable rising tides. Not all at once, but piece by piece, and then
    “…with a whimper… it is over.

  25. Caitlin Wrote: Being “on the left” can become a very treasured and aggressively protected part of someone’s identity. That’s why criticizing such a person’s perspective from the left can land you on their shit list for life: for them it feels like you’re attacking their core identity, as much as if you’d physically attacked them.

    I’ve been a paying subscriber for years but I have to say, this statement is absolute nonsense. I certainly hope you’re not defending these type of people or counting yourself as one. It’s exactly the type of “thee not me” thinking that gives the left a bad name. The left can attack the right for any number of things including racism, misogyny and greed (as you said about conservatives) but if you attack the left for being unrealistic or driven by envy your committing violence!? Give me a break!

    This is pure hypocrisy especially in the very same post you say:

    “Becoming more conservative as you age isn’t maturity, it’s an admission that your values are based entirely on securing your own net worth.” – What is that except an attack on the right?! Wholly double standard Batman!

    This statement is also nonsense by the way. Being conservative isn’t about protecting wealth, it’s about the precautionary principle and respecting what’s worked and hasn’t in the past. It’s about respecting tradition and traditional values. Not all conservatives support the status quo and the status quo is anything but conservative anyway. You are rail at the US government which is becoming more left by the decade and is now as far left as it has ever been.

    I could say exactly the same thing as you about someone on the right or a Trump supporter and how would someone on the left react to that statement? It’s clearly not considered violence when the left attacks the right.

    A person like you describe, is by definition, an ideologue and part of the problem. Anybody who’s identity is that wrapped up in their political stance is likely an empty vessel and a useful idiot and also has a personality disorder.

    You go on to criticize silicon valley for censorship without mentioning that they are the epitome of the left on the political spectrum and that censorship is a weapon of the left. You failed to mention any of that!

    I’m officially done with your double standards and will be withdrawing my support for your blog.

    1. In addition, someone making over $6500 per month writing a blog who says this:

      Becoming more conservative as you age isn’t maturity, it’s an admission that your values are based entirely on securing your own net worth.

      ……should check their privilege and their hypocrisy.

    2. @Dan. Have you considered the possibility that you have not yet distinguished the word “left” in it’s many ambiguous uses? Caitlin has made this distinction very clear in many posts in the past. US Democrats today that have been historically labelled as “left” have no legitimate claim to that classification. In fact, US “left” are ignored by the media. I think she is referring to the older classification.

      I invite you to don’t be too hasty to withdraw your support. I also invite you to not be too precious about criticism of the “conservatives” even if you may identify as one. I have found myself moving in that direction as I get older, and I didn’t find anything offensive in what Caitlin wrote. It’s refreshing to see a critique of something I thought was important. It opens up an opportunity to re-examine what I think.

    3. The US government as far left as it has ever been???? Jeez, it’s back to the far-right McCarthy era I grew up with!

    4. You went on so long I had to respond.

      ‘Being conservative isn’t about protecting wealth, it’s about the precautionary principle and respecting what’s worked and hasn’t in the past’

      Wrong. Being conservative is about lording your social position over inferiors. Precautionary principal my ass. It is time to call your oft repeated nonsense for what it is. In an ideal world the precautionary principle pie in the sky bullshit makes sense but we do not live in such a world and never have. Further there has never been anything that even remotely resembles a utopia or even comes close worth perserving.

      I think you would call the divine right of kings a precautionary principle if it put five bucks in your pocket. If you are concerned about hypocrisy. Tend your own garden.

      Silicon Valley is the government with plausible deniability blended in.
      As someone who has been harassed for having a left perspective by the government, I could not be as flip with Silicon Valley criticism as you.

      Censorship is real and has been around for a long time. It has only recently made the news. Usually talk of censorship is censored, surprise, surprise. But Trump’s confusion and was going over the top with his use of deep state tools in the last few months. Otherwise things would still be on the down-low.

      Considering the state of the world I call your statement about respecting tradition and traditional values bullshit. What traditional values do you wish to preserve? Does America have values worth preserving? I think not. Those days are gone. I suspect most of your values fall under the definition of white privilege. If not a simple ‘yes’ won’t do. I want to see a list. Values? I don’t see no stinking values. America does not need them and considers itself to be exceptional. Like you do.

      1. Without rule of law based on core values society collapses as we see happening today. Make up your core values for society but live by them. That is what society is about.

  26. “Becoming more conservative as you age isn’t maturity, it’s an admission that your values are based entirely on securing your own net worth.” – sounds clever, but you’ve been out-flanked by your own troops with racist math, banning Dr. Seuss and other ideological surrealism!

    There’s time …

    1. Addendum – remember Voltaire: ‘Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.’

      perfectly a propos.

  27. I wish there were more people in this world like you.

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