Democratic Illusions
Today, Tuesday, July 19, 2016, the U.S. is a corporate state oligarchy fast-transitioning into a full-blown fascist state. I don't make that declarative statement with the purpose of being hyperbolic, or dramatic, or to make any other point other than to state (what I believe to be) a fact.
As we once again go through the quadrennial election-year carnival (or freak show?), it pains me to once again see (many of) my fellow social justice activists get drawn into the drama, into the meaningless news cycles the corporate media serves us day in and day out.
I argue that unless social justice activists come to a full (and accurate) understanding of the true nature of the system, there will be no significant progress when it comes to being able to turn things around (towards justice, democracy, peace, and sustainability).
During the last 40-plus years (a good reference point would be the publication date of the "Powell Memo") the ruling elite ("Deep State") has been putting into place the legal and technological framework that would eventually turn the country into an oligarchy -- a condition which has already been fully implemented -- protected by a surveillance police state and a fascist ideology.
That process accelerated after 9/11 (the PATRIOT Act being a good reference point), when the (corporate-controlled) national security apparatus (and government) gave itself the right to deploy warrant-less surveillance on the entire population, detain American citizens indefinitely (without charge), and assassinate American citizens (and others) extra-judicially. That period marked the transitions into full-blown fascism (from the proto-fascist stage we've been on). In the aftermath of the coming election, we will likely transition into becoming an actual fascistic police state.
As to the nature of the ruling elite, of the "Deep State," it is important to understand that this "class of people" are as ruthless and despotic as any in the history of civilization. They view average citizens (the "precariat" as Chomsky says) as nothing more than vermin, animals that can be easily be disposed of at any time, abused, enslaved, manipulated, tortured, and killed. In the last 15-plus years alone this class of people (the US ruling elite) has been responsible for the killing of millions of innocent people. That of course doesn't count several previous decades when "their class" were responsible for the suppression of social justice movements in multiple countries (most notably in Latin America).
Again, I can't emphasize enough the true (evil) nature of this class of people: as brutal, sadistic, depraved, and despotic as any ruling elite throughout the history of civilization.
The only reason some folks still can't get that notion straight (in their heads) is because there is still a semblance of normalcy in everyday life, and we still haven't reached the point when jack-booted thugs (or militarized police forces) are knocking down doors and grabbing people to secret prisons, yet. But they are getting ready for that next step.
The other reason (I believe) people are confused is because many activists haven't fully realized that exposing oneself to ALL corporate media programming is tantamount to voluntarily subjecting oneself to psyops brainwashing, manipulation. I wish I could find words strong enough to get that message across. When you sit in front of the TV and watch MSNBC, CNN, FoxNews, ABC, CBS, NBC, you are being subjected to a powerful, mind-numbing psyops (cognitive) weapon.
Which brings me to the RNC circus. I'll jump to one issue here: you've heard about the thousand bikers who purport to be "Trump's security" detail? And you've heard about assorted right wing groups walking around with weapons? Well, let's get back to the "Deep State." During the last several years "business" organizations like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the NRA, gun lobby, and others, have been pushing cookie-cutter legislation in state after state allowing gun-owner to open carry, to "stand their ground," conceal-carry, to "carry-anywhere" including public building, parks, schools, theaters, universities. What these organizations (which are tools of the ruling elite) were doing was to set the conditions for the rise of a kind of proto-fascist first line of defense. Those who have read about the rise of Nazism would recognize these dynamics.
They were anticipating, thinking ahead, planning, as they (the deep state) always does. As the ravaging effects of neoliberalism became more obvious, they anticipated that social unrest would follow. And as "they've" done around the world (the Middle East, Latin America), there is nothing more effective for ruling elites than to exploit religious and ethnic divisions (divide and conquer) and manipulate citizens into turning against each other. That's often achieved through demagoguery that fans the flames of xenophobia, racism, fear, jingoism, religious fundamentalism, and ignorance.
There are actually leaked documents where high-placed analysts working for companies that provide services to national security agencies discuss these strategies of balkanization, sometimes arming several groups, and manipulating them into going at each other. This has been happening recently throughout the Middle East. Well, these strategies are now being deployed right here in the "homeland."
Everything else, including plagiarized speeches is just noise, (macabre) entertainment, news cycle BS.
Why do I write all this? Those familiar with my writing would know that this is something I've been "talking" about for long time. The reason is because the longer we (as a movement) take to come to grips with the true nature of the system, the longer is going to take to change it.
And also, I don't want people to confuse these things I'm saying with the promotion of fear, defeatist attitude, or hopelessness. To the contrary, (believe it or not) I'm a very optimistic person and I'm totally convinced that if the people unite under a common understanding (of the true nature of the system), and purpose, this whole corporate state oligarchy police state apparatus the ruling elite has built for itself, would collapse overnight, relatively speaking.
In other words, if people are under the spell of the lies, the propaganda, the cognitive infiltration, and somehow still believe we live in a functional democracy, then that gives the depraved ruling elite all they need: acceptance of the system the way it is.
Also, these struggles are nothing new in history. All civilizations have had to deal with these dynamics. The bottom line is that the only reason this condition exists is because we allow it to exist (even if unwittingly). Once we decide (in enough numbers) that we're done with this system, then is over, and we can begin something new, better.
I do have a number of suggestions about how to move forward, since my mantra is that aside from pointing what's wrong, we as social justice activists have a responsibility to imagine and think about what a decent society would look like. I'll write about that in my next essay.
Comments
Good to see you OPOL
Thank you for checking in and letting us know that you are still stopping by. I am sorry to hear about your health problems. Take care of yourself. We need your vision.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Thank you, gg.
Nice to see you.
Wonderful to hear from you, OPOL!
You fought hard and well against the hordes of orcs over at TOP, but the Great Unblinking Eye over there proved too powerful to resist in his little fiefdom, especially after all the ringers were called in.
Rest and get well, my old friend. You're one of the very best of us, and you still have many many fans and friends.
Please help support caucus99percent!
lol - orcs. That's perfect.
Thanks for the kind words, brother.
Wow, OPOL, after your steadfast performance day after day
on TOP, I thought you were impervious to stress from treachery and buffoonery! You hide your stress well.
By all means, take care of your health first. We'll always be here eager to read you whenever you feel like posting.
Please check out Pet Vet Help, consider joining us to help pets, and follow me @ElenaCarlena on Twitter! Thank you.
Randy, Good to see you are taking care of yourself,
and not writing eloquent words for those who will not listen.
Ray, this is an outstanding piece, saved to favorites. Thank you
for your always perceptive, truthful, and real, journalism...SSK
Hey, glad you're pointing out that the truth
is not going to harm anyone.
The only item that I see a bit differently, is the idea that one cannot watch or listen to the MSM without being manipulated. I think that it's entirely possible to do so.
Of course, it probably helps to have decades in a huge bureaucratic federal system--which Mr M and I have. In time, one builds a certain degree of immunity to absorbing propaganda. Frankly, it literally becomes a survival function, to be able to do so.
We routinely and selectively listen to some MSM and C-Span, so that we can take away information, and research it--to use to our advantage.
The key is, as Reagan said--"Trust, but verify."
(Probably the only thing that I've ever agreed with, that came out of his mouth.)
Or, take nothing at face value.
But, on everything else, I totally agree. Hey, thanks for this excellent essay!
Mollie
“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit, and, therefore, to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR) - Dogs Available For Adoption
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Unabashed Liberal, you touch on an important point.
Not that you have to agree with my assessment, but after almost three decades looking at this issue of propaganda (as an amateur), I've come to the conclusion that just sitting in front of the TV for five minutes and watching corporate media news programming does a lot of damage to one psyche. You see, it has nothing to do with our ability to discern what is and what is not propaganda, or raise our "cognitive" defenses, etc. I've done a lot of reading about this, and I've made observations throughout the years... Just being exposed to words, repetition, narratives, images, over and over and over breaks through all our defenses, whether we know it or not. I continue to do research on this, and sometimes I may suffer 4 or 5 minutes of CNN, or MSNBC, or whatever, when I'm doing research, but overall, I don not watch TV news.
There are similar issues with corporate-owned so-called "social media" sites like Facebook (Bill Moyers wrote an article about that recently), and Twitter which I'l discuss another time.
www.RayPensador.com
When you boil it all down, the number one step you can take to get out from under the fascist boot of the oligarchy is to stop subjecting yourself to the the U.S. corporate news media. It is a powerful psyops weapon.
Ray, definitely, I look forward to your discussion of social
media.
We don't 'do' Facebook for privacy reasons. (which is sorta silly) But, we really enjoy Twitter. Since one has a fair amount of control over one's media exposure (using a Twitter account), I'm hoping that the news is not too bad!
Great to see you posting, here. Only found you at Dkos, on the tail end of your time there. You're a real asset to us at C99P!
Mollie
“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit, and, therefore, to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR) - Dogs Available For Adoption
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Tv
I lost my tv through a divorce 2 years ago. My connection to the world is my iPad mini. I used to watch a lot of tv and all the news, I see now how manipulated I was. The images and sounds of every tragedy are truly more powerful than reading about said events. The images were so powerful on 9-11 that I became a zombie in front of the tv for nearly 72 hrs when I wasn't sleeping.when I finally mustered the will to go outside and do something I found I was playing those images in my head to the point where I would look down and see I had a hammer in my hand forgetting that I was trying to shingle my house. I noticed my then wife did much better than me as she didn't get absorbed with the damn tv. So in the past 2 years I've mostly kept up with events and have often thought how some of them would lay me low if I had a tv. It's almost like emotional abuse. I believe one reason Bernie has done so well is that young people don't watch tv. I've also observed over the years that the smartest of my friends didn't watch tv.
“The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us”
― Voltaire
Please do write about the effect of corporate owned
"social media" the same way you did research exposure to msm TV media. I can't help but saying that I think it's very important to realize what happens to viewer and listeners of msm TV media and to participants of social media and blog conversations. I do believe that the destructive forces of online, anonymous blog conversation or facebook friends interactions online are the more dangerous form to influence one's mental health. I would appreciate a thorough and thoughtful research of it. Thank you.
https://www.euronews.com/
I'll be interested in your perspective on social media.
They seem like promising venues to spread our messages.
Please check out Pet Vet Help, consider joining us to help pets, and follow me @ElenaCarlena on Twitter! Thank you.
Haha, Facebook...
RAY! Welcome back
When you do that, I hope you'll take a minute to mention their "news feed" that the user can't hide. And for anecdotal info, you can use this if you want--on that feed, I know they're up to more than one thing there (ie. propagandizing, repetition, etc.), but I do like fucking with them, just to get their algorithm hiccuping, ha ha! I hide damn near everything in that feed at any given time, except for actual accurate listings that somehow managed to get through their outside filters. To do that, click on the X next to each story link entry, and under the reason for hiding, check: "It's offensive or inappropriate", even if it isn't, really (though to me, most of it actually is, but that's a whole other story...).
It used to be that you could get to the end of their feed, and run out of things to hide (for at least a time) but they must have kicked the speed and volume generators up again. Now, I just hide everything as offensive until my "news feed" looks like the kind of news stories I'm actually happy to see (there aren't usually that many, but I'm talking about things like, "City X signed off on a 15.00/hr minimum wage". Stuff WE want....) Just think if a bunch of people did that regularly, lol! It seems to have resulted in my getting blocks of certain kinds of stories in the "general" feed like all sports or all music--you can also click an icon and see "just" sports or "just" entertainment", but this is happening in the default feed. I don't know to what extent, but there are days when it looks kind of skewed--there's something they do with it to feed you certain things (probably based on the other stuff you post), but I'm not sure what/how yet.
lunachickie, great to see you here. Yes, I have some things
to say about "social media." I'll be writing about that soon.
www.RayPensador.com
When you boil it all down, the number one step you can take to get out from under the fascist boot of the oligarchy is to stop subjecting yourself to the the U.S. corporate news media. It is a powerful psyops weapon.
I Used to Think This... Until I Turned It Off.
You can't "un-see" that shit, UL.
It strokes Affect, meaning that it hits the emotional at the base level first, and once the bell is run, you can't unring that bell.
I disagree with your assertion that you are not being manipulated when watching the corporate news is not affecting you. I think it's an extremely common misconception about emotion and behavior.
Here's a couple of leading questions:
What do you get out of the corporate media news?
How does it make you feel?
I used to watch the news just to see what they were railing about. I thought I was above it as well. Until I turned it off. At which point in time I realized I was fooling myself thinking that it didn't affect me -- I mean, I'm a crazy leftist, corporate media ain't got me...
It wasn't until I turned it off that I realized that, despite my elevated, disinterested observer position was a rationalization, not a reality.
Peace~
“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu
agree with you much - you can't un-see and un-read all of it
I agree with you much. You can't undo and forget what you saw and the emotions about it stay in your memory. I remember even what the Nazi time propaganda of the Hitler regime through radio and the US propaganda of radio "Voice of America" did to ordinary Germans. None of my family's now all deceased mother and father and aunts and uncles generation could ever forget those manipulations. They couldn't listen or watch it long time after the war had ended. Many couldn't watch documentaries for that reason, because the original radio sounds and "Wochenschau" images of the wwII times. The post wwII early cold war times pulled out of nowhere all the emotions of hate, betrayal and depressions over and over again. My mother shut down sound immediately when years later she heard those voices on TV documentaries.
I do believe that people do not understand the "emotions"and their own behavior in response to being involved with the new online communication technologies. And if they start to realize it and not to deny its influence on themselves, it's very dangerous with regards to your mental health reactions of either getting into depression, anger or aggression. Copycat actions through incitement of online conversations and imagery may be "the sign of our times".
I can't watch US msm TV anymore. Since a quite some time already, I think since 2008. I am glad I didn't get into the "friends" stuff of facebook and I am worried about the effect it has, but facebook's connectivities that it offers to people, who otherwise would never have been able to establish connections, can lead to very negative developments. I am a conscientious objector to facebook since it beginnings. I dipped into twitter just out of "kindness" to twitter some diaries of writers on TOP, which I now think of being completely useless. I got caught up on TOP and I have to say it leaves me with very mixed emotions of what happened to me reading that site.
This site is my last stop of online conversations. And God willing, I hope, I find other ways of communications and news gathering. It's a tragedy, because it causes major depressions and in the end utter helplessness and inactivity, among people who are well-meaning, highly morally motivated participants to serve for the common, greater good of society. Yet it is questionable if their participation is having that effect. I feel always conflicted about it.
https://www.euronews.com/
... This site is my last stop
Have you checked out LieparDestin's The Progressive Wing? As soon as I run out of just-have-to-read-this-interesting-stuff here, I'm back there, (like here, my new home, after TOP sank under the outhouse sludge) although that seems to be taking days... (Edit: in other words, I alternate between the two, lol.)
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
I haven't watched cable news shows/networks
And it's been over a decade. When I do catch occasional bits and pieces (at airports, others' houses) I can see just how awful and loaded it is. It's like smoking tobacco. Once I quit for awhile, I remember what it actually tasked like before I got hooked.
Whoah! I said 'selective' listening or viewing. Cable TV
went to the wayside at one place of ours, years ago. We have Netflix and satellite radio, there. And, we've left the most 'basic' analog cable at one place--to watch the C-Span channels, so that we can see what legislation passes.
Honestly, I'm not sure how someone is informed about some aspects of politics, without listening to some news media, or more to the point, reading print media.
(Hedges is one of my favorite writers. But, when he discusses policy, he often links to print, or MSM as his source. The same could be said of writers at Slate, AlterNet, The Nation, etc.)
So, 'I'm all ears' if there's a way to gather information regarding proposed policies and legislation, without using print/MSM as a source.
Guess we'll just have to 'agree, to disagree,' on this.
Hey, as for Cable TV, in general--couldn't agree more! I miss the home decorating shows a little bit, which were fun distractions. But, that's about all.
Hey, thanks for the reply, k9disc. Hope to see some dog videos, soon!
Mollie
“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit, and, therefore, to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR) - Dogs Available For Adoption
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Hi Ray --- great to read your wisdom and truth!
You have been on my mind lately --- your writing was one of the first pieces I read when I came over to c99. I remember your comments were related to psycops and propaganda.
I honestly believe so many of us are addicted to politics --- we don't want to quit the big game!
I'm working on an idea for a co-operative venture/movement --- really rough notes on paper right now. I'm working up the courage to write a diary --- we'll see.
We desperately need your truth! Thank you for speaking out and for your courageous heart!
Ajaradom, I'm very interested in the cooperatives frame.
I'm also doing some work on that. I'd love to know more about what you have in mind. Feel free to message me.
www.RayPensador.com
When you boil it all down, the number one step you can take to get out from under the fascist boot of the oligarchy is to stop subjecting yourself to the the U.S. corporate news media. It is a powerful psyops weapon.
Not sure what system you're talking about.
The mainstream media? The representative political system? I think most "social activists" as you call them are well aware of the propaganda and brainwashing elements of the mainstream media. The problem, as seen by the fooled again approach to Sanders, is the inability to detach from the representative political system as seen now by the switch on this site to the Green party. Until enough people realize that this political system has got to go, we'll just go round and round circling down the drain.
what kind of political system is going to replace the one
which you say has to go? That's my Hamlet question, Al.
https://www.euronews.com/
There are plenty of options mimi.
The first step is deciding to trash this one. We could greatly expand the representative system. We could go to direct democracy. Referendum system. I researched a few times on political systems and there's plenty of information out there on the google. People have researched and designed systems up and down. It's not up to me to pick which system we could transition to, its up to the people, which is what democracy is all about.
How do we get back what we never had?
Is a democracy ever going to work effectively for the 99%?
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
I don't know. Many people don't think so.
Personally I've had it with rule by the rich. I've had it with these 537 people making decisions for me and this country that keep bringing it and most of us down. I don't think we could do any worse.
These politicians, they don't represent me. That is just a joke.
It's like with marijuana and gay marriage legalization. I've voted for those issues here in Washington State which has a referendum system. Why can't we the people vote on whether to go to war, whether to have a single payer health care system, whether to legalize marijuana nationally, whether to raise or lower our own taxes?
We can, it's those that don't want us to make our own decisions that are keeping it that way.
comments like this keep bringing to mind a couple of movies
the Hunger Games where it is a continual question of who to trust. a particular scene in the move is where Katness decides to kill President Coin instead of Snow. my own interpretation of that scene is that she decided that Coin was going to become just another dictator controlling the districts. the mob ended up killing Snow anyway because that's where their ire was directed. so, yes, who do you trust to put in the lead?
the other movie is Snowpiercer where the last survivors of the planet are on a train. the train passengers are divided into class. the better classes are fed propaganda to keep the lesser people in the back of the train to the point of killing them as they try to fight their way to take over control of the train. the oppressed class thinks they will win but the truth is the powerful ones are always in control and do everything to maintain that status. i'll not reveal too much more of the movie so i won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it. rather striking imagery as the scenes change from car to car and increasing affluence.
"Deep State"
Recently, I went into my local Barnes & Noble store to purchase "Listen Liberal" by Thomas Frank and walked out with Mike Lofgren's "The Deep State". It has been an eye-opener. I was pleased that the book was in plain view and written by a best-selling author. Many people are catching on to the b.s. due to the irregularities and oddities of this primary season. There are still people "asleep", but many have awakened from their stupor. So many people I talk to tell me they are very unhappy with both presidential nominees and are embarrassed because the world is watching this circus. Also, the mainstream media are unpopular and they know fewer people are watching their toxic products. As bad as things seem, I have hope.
I might have to check that Lofgren book out.
How the hell we ended up with Clinton and Trump as our two major party candidates ...
Both of those books are awesome
as well as Lofgren's first one, "The Party is Over: How Republicans Went Crazy, Democrats Became Useless, and the Middle Class Got Shafted." I have tried recommending the Lofgren to friends of the Repugnant persuasion as the guy IS one, former staffer to John Kasich if I'm not mistaken. I hope "The Deep State" sells well and I like how he puts that we can't think of it as some active conspiracy but as more of an evolution. That point makes a lot of sense and while it sure does seem to be active conspiracy, that's a lot harder to get people to swallow and probably a lot harder to actually pull off. But it has evolved and is evolving into just what this diary points out so well.
Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur
Movement Politics
(Historical analysis demonstrating that Carter started the Reagan revolution)
Drama! Celebrity endorsements! The horserace!
So what now?
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/02/democratic-party-realignment-civil-ri...
"They'll say we're disturbing the peace, but there is no peace. What really bothers them is that we are disturbing the war." Howard Zinn
Friendly Fascism
We have certainly achieved a fascist system, and it is brutal, but lacks the overt trappings of a chest-beating, nationalist state like Mussolini's Italy, Hitler's Germany or Hirohito's Japan. Rather this new improved version has several twists:1. It allows a few people of color, different sexual orientations, and races all to have a shot at participating in the oligarchic elite. 2. Rather than the nation/government being the senior partner, this Fascism 2.0, or inverted totalitarianism, sets up the corporation/ownership class to be the senior partner with government being the "hired help", 3. an electronic media and propaganda apparatus far more subtle and sophisticated than the marches and crude radio speeches of 20th century Fascism, and 4, it maintains the illusion of democracy through "contrapuntal party harmony", which explains the popularity of HRC, a Democrat, among the Bushite PNAC neocon war mongering crowd. All of these threads are explained and tied together in Bertram Gross's book Friendly Fascism, which was written during the early Reagan years and when the US took a hard right turn courtesy of the Powell Memo. I highly recommend that book, as it does an excellent job explaining what our deep state is devolving into, minus the dated references to Communism spreading around the world - Gross did not realize the advanced rot that the Soviets had already had at that time.
Anyway its going to be extremely tough, long slog to dislodge a system that has been building for over 50 years or more. We have to walk and chew gum at the same time, to use a cliche. We have to use both the electoral system and our social and educational networks outside of it to forge alliances and alternative, sustainable locally based and community based organizations and institutions that cut the oligarchs and their multinational corporations out of the loop as much as possible, depriving them of money and legitimacy. Its the only way to win. And its a lot of work. More work than the quadrennial election circus for President. Time to get busy.
IdealistCynic, excellent. You hit the nail on the head.
Another great source on this is an article written by Chris Hedges: "Sheldon Wolin and Inverted Totalitarianism"
www.RayPensador.com
When you boil it all down, the number one step you can take to get out from under the fascist boot of the oligarchy is to stop subjecting yourself to the the U.S. corporate news media. It is a powerful psyops weapon.
I have one major long-time beef with Hedges.
He brilliantly describes the problem, but not the solution. Studied psycho-linguistics when I got my M.A. All propaganda is skillful manipulation of psycho-linguistics. Plus, dumbing down the populace by ruining public education. That formula has worked through recorded history. Lewis Powell described it in his cursed Memorandum.
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
orlbucfan, the non-psycho-linguists are better, because they
have found all the solutions?
I like me my lacking solution finding people, who are "problem describers" over my lacking solution finding people, who are even not capable of describing and analyze a problem or engage in obfuscating a problem.
https://www.euronews.com/
orlbucfan, to the contrary, Hedges has written extensively
about (suggested) ways to move forward, to build parallel social structures, to defund an delegitimize what he calls "the corporate state."
In this (video) below, he lays out some suggestions very clearly; suggestions with which I totally agree. BTW, check out the video at 1:09 minutes!
Here are some important quotes:
HEDGES: "We have to begin to build organizations to protect ourselves from corporate forces that are determined to exploit the ecosystem until it collapses. We have to recognize that the implantation of global capitalism is one that will reconfigure the world into a kind of neo-feudal society where workers here will be told that they have to be competitive with the sweatshop workers in Bangladesh who make $0.22 an hour prison labor in China. That's already happening. We have to recognize that--the vast corporate systems that we have set up."
HEDGES: "Well, the more we create self-sustainable systems that are local, the more we sever ourselves from these corporate forces, the less we need them. And the less we need them--I mean, let's remember that 70 percent of the U.S. economy is driven through consumption--the less we need them, the more we impoverish them. I mean, the goal has to be to break these corporate power, this entity that has seized control of our government, our systems of communication, our judiciary.
I mean, now we're watching them eviscerate our systems of education. Anytime hedge fund managers walk into a city like Baltimore and propose charter schools, it's not because they want to teach people to read and write. It's because they know the federal government spends about $600 billion a year on education, and they want it, and they're getting it.
So I think that building local centers that are self-sustaining and that can create forms of community that are not dependent on these corporate forces is a political act, because these corporate forces need us to continue to consume their products and rely on their services. And the less we consume and the less we are hostage, the less we need these forces, the more independent we become.
Now, that has to come with a kind of political consciousness, but I think they come hand-in-hand, that both things--I think that as people take control, once again, of their own lives, that will bring a kind of consciousness, because these corporate forces, especially if they begin to feel threatened, are going to see these acts as political acts and are going to move--as we have seen corporate farming move against organic farming, they are going to move to try and destroy these forces."
www.RayPensador.com
When you boil it all down, the number one step you can take to get out from under the fascist boot of the oligarchy is to stop subjecting yourself to the the U.S. corporate news media. It is a powerful psyops weapon.
Not only does cutting
Not only does cutting dependency on corporate forces let us be more independent, but it reduces their profits and therefore their power - and this should be organized now, before it becomes off-shored 'binding' corporate 'law' that we and our countries exist only to maximize corporate/billionaire profits even at the direct costs of our lives and the Earth's life-support system. And it'll be harder trying to organize once corporate interests have been handed the ability to simply cut us off internet we've paid for with no explanation because we've said something they don't like/it's been declared illegal to conspire to reduce the profits of companies involved in corporate coup 'trade deals'.
Unless a legitimate US election is demanded and occurs, with President Bernie or President Jill Stein dumping such unconstitutional hostile corporate take-overs as the traitorous conspiracies that they are, since all things are technically possible.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
If someone has no democratic illusions it's Chris Hedges
Chris Hedges as his latest video shows quite well, imo.
The Importance of Protesting Inequality at the Democratic National Convention (Videos)
[video:https://youtu.be/mxmDVWM5SBE]
https://www.euronews.com/
Was just going to shut down
Was just going to shut down here but saw Ray's name up and had to come to read another regrettably accurate analysis - although I'd say that America has been fascist for some time now... but very good to be reading your viewpoint again!
As you probably know, people have been having jack-booted police thugs burst down their doors for some time, no apologies for having the wrong place/people, either, and America discovered a while back that it has 'Black sites' where people are held incognito in some cities and dunno how many others as yet undiscovered. However, it seems to be predominately poor People of Colour targeted so doesn't get the publicity and outrage this deserves. Although I haven't been reading about such matters for some time, so no idea what's going on there and perhaps police abuses aren't counted in your definition of fascism which is doubtless more accurate than mine.
And was so very glad to hear from OPOL upthread - sending best wishes for improved health. Apart from all else, we need you forever! And worry when you don't call home!
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
Ellen, thanks for that. Here's another great source on this:
Chris Hedges: Legalized Murder and the Politics of Terror
www.RayPensador.com
When you boil it all down, the number one step you can take to get out from under the fascist boot of the oligarchy is to stop subjecting yourself to the the U.S. corporate news media. It is a powerful psyops weapon.
Thanks both for the link and
Thanks both for the link and for keeping on doing what you so admirably do!
Americans deserve an actual democracy but sometimes it's hard to visualize the actual achievement... I Bern to see it happen in time (edit: to have anything left to save.)
Re-edit: Hedges has nailed it - and I'd like to add that empathy is one of the defining human essentials, something which allows not only civilization but survival in herd animals like ourselves.
The pathological corporate culture being imposed on society has always been a hazard, one now set to mindlessly destroy life on the planet within decades so that a few of the few can die with the most toys and power. I cannot understand how so many can fail to see, could blindly accept or even facilitate this destructive insanity...
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
Hi Ray, glad to see you
Hi Ray, glad to see you active again!
Have less time for reading these days so I hope to get back to read the whole thread.
Once again, you are spot on.
Excellent essay, Ray!
I am so glad to see you are back here again. You were always a visionary who inspired me with your diaries over at LOF (the other place). The problem you had is one that truth tellers often face. You were telling the truth and they could not have that. It is so refreshing when someone does and we absolutely need more of that. l I hope you will continue to write for us. I look forward to your next essay here.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Thanks gulfgal98.
The more people tell the truth about the true nature of the system without fear, the faster we'll be able to turn things around.
www.RayPensador.com
When you boil it all down, the number one step you can take to get out from under the fascist boot of the oligarchy is to stop subjecting yourself to the the U.S. corporate news media. It is a powerful psyops weapon.
You were ahead of your time.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Great to see you, Ray!
Your diaries at TOP were always an inspiration and here we all are, gathered in a new unpolluted pond.
OPOL, also glad you popped in....i don't do facebook but i can log in under a friend's name to read your page.
Thank you and love you both for your unwavering truth telling.
Great to see you Ray!
The fight goes on and as it does more people become aware and join in the revolution. Eventually, it will burst it's bounds. Thanks for posting and good to see you here.
There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties.. This...is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.--John Adams
Great to see your name, Ray! Even better to be able to read you
again.
Please consider subscribing monthly, to help keep c99 going.
Love your writing!
I'm so glad to see you. You'll fit in well here.
Twain Disciple
I'm very impressed with the level of discourse here.
One thing to remember and pay attention to is that whenever you see an overly aggressive post that attacks a writer directly, in a very personal way, that may be a sign that something is not quite right when it comes to honest debate. I think that because many users here have had lots of experience with the manipulation at TOP, they are much more wiser about identifying these patterns.
www.RayPensador.com
When you boil it all down, the number one step you can take to get out from under the fascist boot of the oligarchy is to stop subjecting yourself to the the U.S. corporate news media. It is a powerful psyops weapon.
Not only a thoughtful essay
but also great comments and an appearance by brother OPOL!
I've found c99 to be both thoughtful and mostly courteous. It is ok to say what you think and disagree, but normally it is a civil discussion.
I appreciate your idea of building communities. I see climate change as the emergency. It will take the people to create the change - corporations and government are not going to address the problem.
I look forward to more of your writing.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
A heartfelt welcome to our new home Ray.
Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.
Good break down of how things
Good break down of how things have been unfolding over the past few decades! I agree with it, and am reminded of the slogan "Kill your TV" as it is a nullifier, and studies that showed your brain goes to the same wave levels as when you are asleep and dreaming. Basically they made the electronic pacifier.
Now folks are unable to think of newer, fresher ideas for society as long as they are sitting in front of the "Boob-tube" as it seems to make folks less thoughtful when they have sat for hours at a time before the aforementioned MSM Psy-ops brainwasher channels.
Thank you for coming over here Ray.
So long, and thanks for all the fish
Thanks for sharing that. Check out this US Patent:
Nervous system manipulation by electromagnetic fields from monitors
US 6506148 B2
www.RayPensador.com
When you boil it all down, the number one step you can take to get out from under the fascist boot of the oligarchy is to stop subjecting yourself to the the U.S. corporate news media. It is a powerful psyops weapon.
I know the old cathode rays
I know the old cathode rays were the originals, does that piece include the flat screen LCD/LED displays as well? I only let myself have 1-2hrs of TV time on Netflix, no commercials(Hate them), and strict limitations to mainly reading sites. Books still make me comfortable with the pages at my fingers.
Most pulsing comes when playing some games, again limited, I cannot marathon like a younger player. But it does help me remove stress from living with the thoughts I have regarding our so called leaders and their corporate string pullers.
So long, and thanks for all the fish
EM fields from CRT monitors maybe.
Solidstate monitors produce electromagnetic fields that are very small compared to those produced by the older circuitry that supported the electron accelerator known as a CRT monitor.
I doubt pulsing signals to a modern device would produce enough of an EM field to effect us.
If I may add to your comment?
If I may add to your comment?
https://www.google.com/patents/US5159703
Please note the contrast in one company statement as opposed to that of someone at a university, in the New Scientist article following after those regarding mysterious large-scale bird and other noticeable (we wouldn't see the bodies in the wild or in the oceans if not washed up on shore) animal deaths from some unexplained trauma causing internal hemorrhaging. Bolding mine.
Also wondering about the sudden mass deaths of whole flocks of birds some time back which stories made numerous publications, at least online.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/page/dead-fish-mysterious-mass-anima...
(Have to read these for the absurd official excuses, including a physicist implying it was a mass bird suicide.)
http://abcnews.go.com/US/bird-deaths-louisiana-911-calls-released-arkans...
Bird Death Mystery: More Dying Birds Fall From Louisiana Sky
By Matt Gutman
JESSICA HOPPER
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Jan. 5, 2011
The mystery of the dying birds deepened for baffled experts after another 500 birds were found littering a Louisiana highway days after 5,000 redwinged blackbirds plunged to their death on New Year's eve. ...
... "They are like bleeding out of the mouth and some of them are not dead. I think they have been poisoned," one Arkansas caller said.
Another caller asked, "I was wondering why all the birds, are just like, dying?"
Officials say they may never know for sure what caused such a large number of birds to die at once. It is very unusual for redwing blackbirds to fly after dark, because they have poor night vision.
"This is probably the biggest amount that died in all one small area, one square mile, that there's ever been in Arkansas," George Badley, Arkansas state veterinarian, said.
What officials know for sure is that the birds died from trauma. According to preliminary testing, the trauma was primarily in breast tissue, with blood clots in the body cavity and internal bleeding. All major organs were normal and the birds appeared to be healthy, the tests found.
"Almost every one of them ... had multiple internal hemorrhages which would mean that it was trauma, not a disease process. Their stomachs were empty, which would rule out toxicity from eating some kind of poison grain," Badley said. ...
... "It's conceivable that this mass suicide was sparked by an atmospheric disturbance... it's also a possibility of a microburst," said Dr. Michio Kaku, author of "Physics of the Future."
Scientists said that mass bird deaths are not uncommon.
The U.S. Geological Service's website listed about 90 mass deaths of birds and other wildlife from June through Dec. 12. There were five incidents of at least 1,000 birds. Between Sept. 6 and Nov. 26 of last year, 4,000 water birds died near Houston, Minn. ...
http://www.naturalnews.com/030985_mysterious_deaths_birds.html
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14250-microwave-ray-gun-controls-...
The above link's one of the live survivors from this next link, below, discussing something I'd previously wondered about, even if it does look like a 'conspiracy site'. Too many things I'd once snickered at have turned out to be possible, probable or true and what I'd previously read on the subject some years back and know about the greed and ruthlessness of TPTB and their lackeys did not and does not obviate this as a possibility.
I've noticed that people who do watch much TV seem different than they used to be, more callous and conservative, for whatever reason. Personally, I haven't watched much in many years, almost never in recent years, but prefer internet and books anyway.
https://ppjg.me/2009/01/31/silent-sound-spread-spectrum-ssss-the-all-dig...
This sort of thing used to make me giggle... but the tech exists and I'd put nothing past the psychopaths in too many high offices or the psychopaths who own them.
http://www.portervillepost.com/pdf/MindControlwithSilentSounds.pdf
At any rate, there it is, if anyone wants to look into this sort of thing.
Edit: the above articles quote literature by the manufacturer of Silent Sounds claiming that human emotions can be recorded and played back to replicate those same emotions in other people, without their being alerted to this.
I had posted this fast to shut down due to a massive electrical storm most unlike anything we get on the prairies (more like something tropical, with multiple lightening in bursts, very high winds and sluicing rain flooding the ornamental pond out back) on which I've lived my life and, as it ended, have just seen the first lopsided rainbow I've ever encountered.
Inside the straight-edged but uneven (much longer slope following a relatively short rise, then lost sight of in the trees as it sloped off) half-circle looping back on itself in the same quarter of the sky, all smooth grey sky, otherwise the sky was solid with much darker cloud, with this rainbow all along its perfectly smooth-looking edge as far as I could see for trees and houses (am in suburbia, no taller buildings than the 2-story houses visible on that side) and a second fainter rainbow fairly close beside the more normally curved part of the big one, but visible only part-way up, at least from where I was looking on and in front of the covered front porch of the house. Totally weird and am hoping that someone will have pics of this... Has anyone else ever seen a rainbow like that?
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
Wow, what a great piece, Ray!
Have to read it again, cause I know I missed a lot, but I agree 100% on television. I turned it off a few years ago. Could not stand the endless drug ads (but that's a bit of a different topic).
Anyway, thank dog for the internet and writers like you -- it's so great to read intelligent, critical thinking. Too rare these days except for places like this.
Hell is empty and all the devils are here. William Shakespeare
So good to read
you again Ray. I'm also happy to be able to read your excellent writing with out having top wade through threads of derails and the poo flinging that was aimed at you by the flying monkeys at dkos. This essay is excellent. We got rid of our tv about 5 years ago and it really helps. Even if you know your being manipulated and propagandized it affects your spirit and mind and gives you a tainted perspective of the world and people. It pumps fear at you even though you don't buy their bs. People just get uglier and you lose all sense of time.
Online is dangerous too because you can easily get embroiled in their false reality. Especially politically. Why play their partisan, culture war game? At least on line you can pick your poison as far as what you imbibe. Even online the story line of the establishment 'news' sites are psych-ops. I recently took all the corporate news outlets off my toolbar. Why get worked up about the false tales they construct to keep you in fear and loathing. I do still go the The Guardian just to see what the neoliberal war mongers, the dark side, are up too.
Thanks again for posting here. Hope we see more of you. What a treat OPOL and Ray on cc99% is a dream come true.
Good to see your work again
Keep ' em coming
Rivers are horses - and kayaks are their saddles
Hey, rr!
Good to encounter you again!
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Amazing piece.
The clarity hurts, though. Stuff once-known and forgotten again. And now, remembered. Thanks!
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