This week I am delighted to talk with James Corbett of corbettreport.com, on who to trust and how to shift someone’s paradigm (hint: it might not be possible.)
In 2021 I published a collection of poetry titled "Diary of a Pandemic Year," inspired by Daniel Defoe's 1722 account of the London 1665 plague, "Journal of the Plague Year." In one poem, I write: "People hate the truth because its fire / demands that they feed the light / with their bones, not just their words..." I used to believe people wanted the truth. I no longer believe it.
If you look into neuroscience we learn that we may not have as much free will over our actions/thoughts as we think, our justifications for our actions quite often comes at the tail end of an unconscious process and is after the fact “justification”. This lends credence to James not being certain that people can change their inherent programming(dna? God given?)
The truth is that most Westerners don’t want to be told they have been lied to for generations. Anyone pointing this out can be easily dismissed as a crank, heretic or subversive. Truth is subversive to the luxury beliefs of Westerners. Christo-Liberalism is a luxury belief.
You put media in the mix (and I mean ALL forms of media, beginning with the written word) and things get extremely complicated. In all forms, it is a powerful tool, and it is weaponized by various interest groups. I suspect that it is the things that we take for granted that are the most problematic, as they are the ideas that are the most ingrained. I think we should examine all perspectives, particularly our own.
Our beliefs, laws and practices motivate our behaviour. Under the ancien regime, the First Estate told the monarch and his subjects what to believe and what to do. After the French Revolution, the Fourth Estate has become the First Estate but what qualifies those who control the media to tell us what to believe and do? Do they claim to moral superiority or just technological supremacy over us?
The political problem of bad government is moral, spiritual and social and pertains to beliefs we hold sacred. The expression "lived experience" is the modern form of Holy Writ: "How dare you question my Lived Experience?!"
But what is our lived experience that would not be dismissed as merely anecdotal evidence by those whose intention is to belittle and dismiss us?
My position as an agnostic is that certain things must be held sacred in order for there to be a Hypothetical Supreme Authority capable of deciding on the affairs of men after our Supreme Court and ruling classes have failed us.
The cult of youth and beauty makes it more likely for shallow and vain people to be news presenters and for the sheeple to believe whatever they say. A cult of youth and beauty produces atheists, nihilists and narcissists who are shallow, vain, neurotic and therefore cannot be reasoned with.
You can’t save people who don’t want saving. Stop wasting your time and energy. “Seek and ye shall find”. They have to SEEK and the people you’re worried about, Kate, don’t seek. In fact, I’d argue they WANT the nanny state. Accept that and move on.
I have to hope. I don't promote a specific narrative of what it all means - I just want people to be aware of the moving parts. To look at things and ask "Is this normal? Does this make sense?" And if it doesn't, to look further. I get your point, but I remain optimistic.
Maybe it’s just snobbery. Patrician Americans deep down think Trump voters are a plebeian basket of deplorables and lie to themselves so much they dismiss the idea that they are snobs. Trump must be what legacy media says or else they are stupid snobs.
Growing up on Long Island, NY in the 80's, Trump (if I thought about him) represented a certain kind of gross, New York, macho money/power without refinement. I do not think that is an unfair characterization of him. That type of oligarch is the same problem for the plebs as the patrician oligarch. Greydon Carter - who referred to Trump so poetically as a "short-fingered vulgarian" still published enough photos of him on the pages of Vanity Fair.
Most people just want to be a member of their gang no matter how stupid it is.
In 2021 I published a collection of poetry titled "Diary of a Pandemic Year," inspired by Daniel Defoe's 1722 account of the London 1665 plague, "Journal of the Plague Year." In one poem, I write: "People hate the truth because its fire / demands that they feed the light / with their bones, not just their words..." I used to believe people wanted the truth. I no longer believe it.
80% want consensus
If you look into neuroscience we learn that we may not have as much free will over our actions/thoughts as we think, our justifications for our actions quite often comes at the tail end of an unconscious process and is after the fact “justification”. This lends credence to James not being certain that people can change their inherent programming(dna? God given?)
It’s probably the case that deep down everyone prefers their own views and emotions and dismisses the truth and logic of others.
It takes a degree of humility to be open to that.
The truth is that most Westerners don’t want to be told they have been lied to for generations. Anyone pointing this out can be easily dismissed as a crank, heretic or subversive. Truth is subversive to the luxury beliefs of Westerners. Christo-Liberalism is a luxury belief.
You put media in the mix (and I mean ALL forms of media, beginning with the written word) and things get extremely complicated. In all forms, it is a powerful tool, and it is weaponized by various interest groups. I suspect that it is the things that we take for granted that are the most problematic, as they are the ideas that are the most ingrained. I think we should examine all perspectives, particularly our own.
Our beliefs, laws and practices motivate our behaviour. Under the ancien regime, the First Estate told the monarch and his subjects what to believe and what to do. After the French Revolution, the Fourth Estate has become the First Estate but what qualifies those who control the media to tell us what to believe and do? Do they claim to moral superiority or just technological supremacy over us?
The political problem of bad government is moral, spiritual and social and pertains to beliefs we hold sacred. The expression "lived experience" is the modern form of Holy Writ: "How dare you question my Lived Experience?!"
But what is our lived experience that would not be dismissed as merely anecdotal evidence by those whose intention is to belittle and dismiss us?
My position as an agnostic is that certain things must be held sacred in order for there to be a Hypothetical Supreme Authority capable of deciding on the affairs of men after our Supreme Court and ruling classes have failed us.
The cult of youth and beauty makes it more likely for shallow and vain people to be news presenters and for the sheeple to believe whatever they say. A cult of youth and beauty produces atheists, nihilists and narcissists who are shallow, vain, neurotic and therefore cannot be reasoned with.
If planedemic triggers you in 2024, congratulations go to the head of the class, top award on what to think
It hasn't gone 180 because it's fake, there is an illusion but in reality it's there for your amusement, are you not entertained
Follow the money - never failed me.
You can’t save people who don’t want saving. Stop wasting your time and energy. “Seek and ye shall find”. They have to SEEK and the people you’re worried about, Kate, don’t seek. In fact, I’d argue they WANT the nanny state. Accept that and move on.
I have to hope. I don't promote a specific narrative of what it all means - I just want people to be aware of the moving parts. To look at things and ask "Is this normal? Does this make sense?" And if it doesn't, to look further. I get your point, but I remain optimistic.
Corruption is ignoring truth ie refusing to engage with it.
Maybe it’s just snobbery. Patrician Americans deep down think Trump voters are a plebeian basket of deplorables and lie to themselves so much they dismiss the idea that they are snobs. Trump must be what legacy media says or else they are stupid snobs.
Growing up on Long Island, NY in the 80's, Trump (if I thought about him) represented a certain kind of gross, New York, macho money/power without refinement. I do not think that is an unfair characterization of him. That type of oligarch is the same problem for the plebs as the patrician oligarch. Greydon Carter - who referred to Trump so poetically as a "short-fingered vulgarian" still published enough photos of him on the pages of Vanity Fair.
He’s a brilliant communicator though. People don’t credit him with that. He only has to be clear and believed. Elegance is optional.
That’s why we need an official moral system. Americans don’t have an official moral system but have the law of Congress.