There is Literally no Problem with Liberty

Political polarization: we hear about it all the time, we all see it, we all agree it exists, and we all agree that we are becoming more and more polarized as a society. Split into two (and only two - that's how polarity works) sides or teams, we find ourselves not only lacking common ground with "the other side," but increasingly unable to tolerate co-existing with it. I don't think I'm only speaking for myself when I say that this state of affairs has gone from "intriguing phenomenon" to "very irritating but intriguing phenomenon" to "This is really fucking scary, please make it stop" in record time. Much has been said about the mammoth role social media has played in leading us down this path. The customized algorithms bringing us tailored "facts," the curated bubbles of our social groups, the echo-chambers, yada yada. All true, without a doubt. I only forbear to elaborate on it here because I think by now we have a...

I could also title this entry, "What It's Like to Go from Being on the So-Called 'Far Left' to Being on the So-Called 'Far Right' Without Actually Changing Anything at All About Your Value System, Because Society is Crazy." But that would have been a tad wordy. I know there are a lot of other people out there who can relate. But for those of you who consider yourselves to be firmly in one camp or the other, contemplating a "switch" of such magnitude may seem unfathomable. It's much easier to understand if I break it down through a little personal narrative, after which I hope it will be clear that there really never was a "switch." I'm just me! Same person. Same values. Consistent. Throughout my whole life. Let's start with how I was born in a predominantly Blue state, into a family in which everyone (on both the mother's and father's side) was a Democrat and had been for countless generations. Let me cop to ...

You are under attack. This is not a drill. It's a most strange war. It pays no mind to political boundaries and it has nothing to do with cultural clashes or territorial disputes. As in any war, the domination of resources is a primary driver. You could even say that clashing belief systems play a role. After all, the global elites believe that they have the right to control you - mind, body, and soul - and you believe, or rather, you know they're wrong. This war is bizarre and unprecedented in many respects. First, the target is no one particular strategic resource, but rather all of them at once. In a very real way, the target is simply the people - our minds, our wills, our labors, and our resources. Second, the enemy is not another country or even an alliance of countries. The enemy consists of the human predators of the earth, many of whom are cooperating with one another, for now. We are the prey: ordinary people, the vast majority of earth's population. This war ...

What do these three terms have in common? All of their meanings have been altered rather drastically, but this has been done recently enough that the words still carry the emotional impact of the older definitions. Have the definitions been changed with conscious intent by someone, or did it happen organically? In the case of "anti-vaxxer," we know that at some point during the current pandemic, Merriam-Webster literally changed its dictionary definition to denote anyone who is against any sort of vaccine mandate . Until the COVID-19 pandemic, the term "anti-vaxxer" had been understood much more broadly to refer to someone who opposes vaccination to some degree. The "anti-vaxxer" label was applied with a mildly pejorative connotation from the start, intended to paint members of this movement with a broad brush as stubborn, ignorant absolutists and to downplay any nuance in their actual views. However, the term has picked up an even nastier connotation ove...

I don't know who deserves the credit for the saying They tried to bury us; they forgot we were seeds , but I think it has enormous significance and resonance right now. I think if we don't adopt this as our credo, we've already lost, and if we do internalize it, we've already won. I'm not a New Year's Resolution person, because frankly I got sick of feeling ashamed after breaking resolutions. But I do set intentions, and today, New Year's Day 2022, I'm starting this new blog. Like many people, I've been shocked, appalled, and intensely obsessed with how thoroughly the pandemic has revealed the staggering depth and breadth of institutional and corporate corruption, as well as the extent of its global coordination. Yet as much as this rocked me back on my heels, devastated me, plunged me into depression, and all the rest, I'd been aware *enough*, pre-pandemic, to even have the capability to perceive, absorb, and at least sort of mentally assimilate...