Humans vs. the state.

Buy Stock in a Canadian Rope Company

 

Real revolutions result in freedom.  Real revolutionaries resist tyranny.  

Klaus Schwab and his band of internationalist thugs and tyrants are no doubt about to find the meaning of poetic justice. When the time comes the decent allies of freedom will respond accordingly.

Always an excellent appraisal.

(Reposted from long ago with some minor editing. Definitely still relevant)

 Long Live The "Single Agent Fallacy"

The socialist worldview has a way of morphing itself to changing times. While it may appear to change, its underlying values and obsessions remain the same - imposing a "planned" society, "redistributing" wealth and power to the state, and honoring some collective abstractions above and beyond the actual individuals who occupy the real world.

Collectivism, and the very stance of viewing humans in context to group affinities, is one of those major concepts that define Leftism. It is equally true that Classical Liberals -- "the right" -- are polarized to this stance. A basic tenet of the Right-Wing worldview is individuality and autonomous freedom.

Of course, some will immediately drag dishonest, "conventional wisdom" into the argument; "weren't Hitler and Mussolini Right-Wing?" - Actually, no, they weren't (although common semantics has come to define them as such). Although it has been a successful ploy of The Left to paint some factions of collectivism (i.e. Nazism and Fascism) as "Right-Wing," as a means to distance their own philosophy from some of its more heinous expressions, Nazism and Fascism have absolutely nothing in common with free market classical liberal thought. Of course, everything from conventional wisdom to the common dictionary has bought into the lie. For those naïve in their knowledge of totalitarian institutions, Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy were not decentralized states which honored the rights of the individual in life and commerce. The socialist's supposed hatred for Fascism is little different than their hatred for other factions within the collectivist ideal. The Stalinists hate the Trotskyites, the Maoists hate the "capitalist roaders" (other socialists who will allow some degree of private commerce to later steal from). Because the very essence of socialist thought is imposition of a "plan" or scheme, they will always be violently opposed to anyone who supports an alternate "plan." The Classical Liberal will always be the main target of such vitriol because, by its very nature, it is opposed to externally imposed plans of any kind.

While a thousand initially just causes, from civil rights to environmental issues, can be used to rally the flock to the standard socialist game plan, their ultimate goal has always been collectivism and imposed government authority.

Some members of the intellectual "community" have also become quite skilled in adapting fads and philosophies to these ends. An entire chain of "thinkers" from Plato to Rousseau, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, Derrida et.al., have continued the mental gymnastic stunt of twisting radical skepticism and relativism to the usual socialist ends. Their "skepticism" is, however, highly suspect, as they are inevitably choosy regarding what it is they are skeptical about.

The Left's con-game for justifying an "ordered" society reached a high point in America's colleges in the last few decades under the broad headings of "Postmodernism" and "Deconstructionism," their main point being, that our system of existence, commerce, and very individuality, were all mere "constructs" erected by the powers that be (the capitalist bogeyman -- as usual).

The autonomous individual, so praised by Classical Liberals (The Right), was labeled in the postmodern mind labyrinths as, "The Single Agent Fallacy" (another masterstroke of Orwellian word play). In essence, these philosophers were trying to say that individuality is an illusion. We're supposed to see such intellectual guile as another great flourish of insight by the elites of Left-land.

While it is true that, "No man is an island," it's certainly reasonable that some of us may actually desire a high degree of autonomy. In heated discussion, libertarians often encounter people who are shocked that an individualist's perspective does not "view us all as part of a fast web of interconnectedness." The truth is, Classical Liberals, like most individuals, are aware of the claim's validity to a degree (cheesy descriptions aside). "The right" (again, I emphasize, Classical Liberals), knows that people function in any number of complex group affiliations. Where they differ from The Left is, they do not believe such group affinities deny one's essentially individual nature and capacity to choose, apart from group coercion.  

"… We are alienated…We are materialistic"…etc. One must remember that when a leftist says "we" he or she means you. The shallow attempt to include themselves in such deprecation is no more than mock humility and hardly represents the epitome of propaganda skill.

The Post-Mod philosopher's slight of hand is to acknowledge some people's love of individual liberty but then write it off as an illusion motivated by "selfishness" or delusion. It's no coincidence that, in the Soviet gulag, a person's belief in liberty and individuality were seen as symptoms of mental illness; "Since you have no genuine free will to begin with, you might as well do what we well-meaning socialist tell you to do[!]...if you don't, you're obviously insane." The conservativism as pathology "argument" continues to be used by leftists today.

Since the Post Modern school of philosophy (Which is ultimately just another neo-Marxism) feels justified in equating our sense of individuality with a mere fantasy, can we not question the Left's preoccupation with its dream world of collective abstractions? When an individual commits a crime against another, the Left (and all its permutations) will tell us that responsibility lies with "society," "the [free-market] system," or "Euro-centric linear patriarchal thinking." It seems to be literally beyond their comprehension that genuine individuals exist at all. (An exception is made, of course, when dealing with such persons as [ Donald Trump ] who is seen as individually evil of course). Perhaps it could be said that the Left generally favors larger social units. They will always support the interests of the "community" over the family, the centralized state over the local region, and finally, "humanity" or "the Earth" over an individual nation. It's no wonder that those on the left hateauthority and simultaneously love authority (if it is their philosophically kindred brethren imposing it). A Leftist is often rabidly anti -authoritarian on the surface. Ultimately, it's not so much that they're against individuality per se as they are against other's claims to individual freedom. Is it any wonder that such lines of thinking are opposed to anything incorporating the word, "private;" private enterprise, private ownership, private property, private sector, privatization… The very thought of having private lives is anathema to those who would collectivize every aspect of the human spirit.

On a true polarity to collectivist thought lies Classical Liberal conservatism; a belief in limited decentralized government and the primacy of the individual to act and trade according to his or her self-interests. The prime tenant of Leftism is the insistence that individual free expression be controlled and molded to what the Leftist sees as a higher cause -- "the people, the race, one's 'class,' society, the poor..."  

When we deal with these basic philosophical stances we are no longer in the realm of debate backed by "proof." We are all indeed enmeshed in a complex web of chosen and un-chosen group affinities and possess an awareness and ability to think and act as individuals. How much people choose to live in accordance with the dictates of their own conscience vs. how much they feel themselves to be mere cogs in group allegiance is, to a considerable degree, a subjectively chosen stance. While a slave can't "prove" that he or she should be left alone, the state and its supporters can't "prove" that you should sacrifice your own values to a conjured collective abstraction either. (i.e. "The People").

The "single agent" is neither a "fallacy" nor a "construct" fabricated by a "capitalist class of oppressors." It's the basic package that we humans come in. The fact that we may choose to be, or find ourselves, among others as families, communities, clubs, or "classes" hardly justifies that we be compelled to live out an intellectual's favorite plan for marching in their parade, ...to the beat of their discordant and oppressive drums.

Statist Thinking and Policy

 This blog is no longer an active interest of mine but I think I may occasionally repost some material from earlier times….like the following:

The Typical Chain Of Events In Statist Thinking And Policy

Identify a problem
↓
Attempt to impose a solution to the problem
↓
Recognize that the problem largely results from diverse natural attributes in human nature
↓
Lable the offending attributes, "greed, selfishness, and non-cooperation"
↓
Attempt to change human nature itself through laws, regulations and "reeducation"
↓
Punish people who continue to exhibit human nature

THIS really is important (I think).

Where We Stand and Who We Stand With (I know….a “generalization”)

                              On one side: 

Government and bureaucracy

State intelligence and law-enforcement agencies

Establishment/legacy news media

Powerful social media/tech monopolies

“Education” drones and propagandists / academia.

Entertainment personalities and entertainment corporations

Big unions

NGOs and globalist institutions (the World Economic Forum)

Collectivist authoritarian ideologies spanning the spectrum from Nazis to communists.

Laws manipulated to serve the partisan goals of the moment

Those who wish to upset societal traditions and stability.

Ragtag violent agitators and criminal elements

Those who prioritize the interests of far-away abstractions (“the world,” the “community,” the “people”)

Those who wish to impose unfamiliar standards of culture on others in the name of a concocted “diversity”

Those who wish to radically disrupt the family unit and what children are exposed to

Elitist milquetoast suburban busy bodies who want to rule others’ lives.

Those who are dishonest with themselves and others regarding who they are and what values they hold (fascists calling others “fascists!”) 

Those unable to acknowledge their own flaws and self-interests 

Rules for thee but not for me

Those who openly advocate for a powerful soulless apparatus of state to drain resources and stifle creativity and innovation

Those who believe that equity trumps freedom.

                                         *****************

                                  On the other side:  

Common citizens with little interest in political issues

Working class people in manufacturing and service industries

Farmers

Religious people and those who don’t care about religion (as opposed to those who are openly hostile to a nation’s dominant religion)

Those who believe in traditional standards of lifestyle and allegiance to family, friends, and close members of the immediate community (people they can actually see and converse with)

Laws long established, grounded in common sense, and applied equally and fairly

Those who admit to preferring cultural standards and customs they are familiar with while not wishing to meddle in the choices of others.

Citizens and leaders who appreciate and prefer the history and attributes of the country they were born and raised in (“patriotism”)

Those who are honest with themselves and others regarding their hopes, dreams, and values (having no problem admitting that they want the best for themselves and their families)

Those who simply wish to be left alone

Those who are skeptical of government authority and suspicious of those who promote more laws over the lives of others

Those who marvel at the achievements of others and take joy in utilizing innovations and technological development

Those who believe that freedom trumps equity.

                                *********************

Those allied with the first side noted can loosely be seen as adherents to a leftist worldview (authoritarian collectivism), a value system that always produces a society in disarray, ending in a drab, cruel, and lifeless condition for those who succumb to its dictates. The latter, which can be loosely called classical liberalism or “conservatism,” inevitably produces a dynamic and prosperous society that is diverse in spirit and condition, and honors the free will and actions of others.

One side offers a road to human progress and a template for the pursuit of happiness. The other, a road to hell.

What the Antichrist Can Teach Us

 (I can’t believe I’m doing this. I hate Google and swore I’d avoid their “products.”  But…it looks like people still come across this blog site so when I post an essay to Substack, I might as well put a copy here as well).

A deceptive title to be sure. I’m not really sure that there is such a thing as an “Antichrist” and if there is, he’s not likely to be much of a “teacher.” That aside, it should be noted that we can be taught plenty by symbolic charecters in mythology. Prometheus, Hermes, and maybe even the characters in the Wizard of Oz exemplify real-world behaviors and scenarios. They at least have as much validity as the dream you had last night — which, if understood, can teach one plenty regarding their hopes and motivations.

I’ve always been struck by the symbolism of “The Antichrist.” It’s not like history doesn’t occasionally present us with such a character or system.  (I’m assuming that “the Antichrist” can be a system or institution as well as an individual). With vaccine passports and all, the symbolism of having to verify one’s allegiance to a corrupt and coercive system and its edicts has certainly reached our contemporary doorstep.  I don’t know about the “ten horns” or “ten heads” or whatever the Book of Revelations tells us but in a less symbolic sense, we certainly have some potential “beasts” in our midst. 

There have been mystics and soothsayers who insist that “The Antichrist” is real.  A noteworthy speculation being a character born in the middle east on February 5th 1962 in the early morning. Astrologers would certainly recognize the horoscope of such an individual as being exceptional in some way.  ‘A very rare lineup of several planets in the sign Aquarius.  Adding intrigue to the mythic mix, such an individual would now be experiencing what astrologers call a “Saturn Return” — a pivotal life transition that most people experience between the ages if 28-30 and again between 58-60.  There has probably never been a time where so much in the way of foreboding potential has emerged on the world scene. Technological advancements and AI certainly add a convincing icing to the soothsayer’s cake.

In earlier times we had Caesar, Napoleon, and Hitler as potential expressions of the archetype of total worldly authority.  Do we really want to go there?….again?

There have been a few movies and low-budget documentaries that have depicted an Antichrist figure as the obvious personification of evil. Such films do little justice to what should be a concern for less obvious and more frightening expressions of evil. Looking evil probably isn’t a tip-off as to who is evil. If there’s a devil, he’s probably well-dressed.

The reason “the Antichrist” is such a convincing villain is that what he represents is — paradoxically — beyond real. A religion-inspired image of a charismatic ideologue seeking total authority over nations and peoples. Actually, not that far-fetched. 

So, what can we “learn” from the Antichrist?  First of all, we can be aware that, symbolically, such a thing exists. While he may not exist within the trappings of mysticism, religious teaching, or the battle between heaven and hell, he surely exists and has existed throughout history, in one form or another. The antichrist is about power, not the simple power one sees in a military coup, where a clique gains enough authority to fleece the public of wealth. An Antichrist would no doubt enjoy some of the plush gains achieved through plunder, but a real manifestation of worldly evil doesn’t really care that much about simple property and possessions. They truly do wish to have command over the hearts and souls of humanity.    

Man has become god before, in Egypt, in Rome, and to lessor degrees in other times and places around the world. Politics by itself is a practical matter — gain power, get valuable “gifts and prizes.”   Those who want absolute power and those who are willing to bow before it are dealing with something beyond politics. Cults by nature are religious. Wanting to be god is the ultimate act of narcissism and demanding that others abide by your delusion is certainly akin to evil.  

It really is amazing to think that after Hitler set massive catastrophe in motion, he instantly disappeared (killed himself). All of Europe could look at the ruin around them and say sarcastically, “what was that all about?”  It was as if a magician had transfixed the attention of everyone and then existed the stage unnoticed. 

What the Antichrist of lore and speculation can teach us is that, however he may manifest, his program should be resisted at all costs. Whether the mystical manifestation of a holy religious text or a mere megalomaniac with a world vision, his path will surly always lead to hell.

Proud to be conservative

We have every right to be proud of the fact that we respect order, responsibility, hard work, and adherence to standards of decency, and societal stability.  We strive to better our condition and admire others who do so as well.  We are skeptical of those who would demand our submission to the bureau-state and its accomplices. Our prime allegiance is with our family and friends and those in our community who we can actually see and converse with. 

We acknowledge the superiority of our system that has balanced and diffused political power so that the individual may live unmolested by busybodies, control freaks, and tyranny.  We respect those who choose belief systems that honor wonderment at creation and speculate a divine consciousness that sides with the good.

We have sought to preserve all that is great about our country and have sought to resist the smoldering rot of cultural decadence and destitution.

The only “hate” we hold is to those who would deprive us happiness and free volition.

We are right and our cause is just. We have every reason to be proud to be conservative and our time of surrender is over.