Religion Is All Too Human

Oh my, I read another Professor Giles's post this morning, and it got me started. Many folks are still frantically discussing “The Real Jesus of Nazareth.” Well, it’s Christmas time, after all.

To borrow a phrase from Friedrich Nietzsche’s famous work, the whole story is human, all too human. To be free and spiritual, we must dodge dogma and go straight to the human heart and mind.

Joshua wasn’t a Christian, Buddha wasn’t a Buddhist, and Marx wasn’t a Marxist. Moses wasn’t WOKE, and ancient Romans weren’t LGBTQ. And Josh’s DNA probably didn’t have traces from sub-Saharan African groups at the time.

If we want to be historically accurate, how would we describe “Left” and “Right” in ancient Judea? We constantly project our definitions into the past—some might think this is a mistake.

The concepts of “Left” and “Right” as we understand them today didn’t exist in ancient Judea. Those terms arose from the French Revolution, with those who supported the monarchy seated on the right side of the assembly and those who supported the revolution sitting on the left.

So, what was ancient Judea’s political and social landscape, and are there some rough parallels to modern concerns?

Many prophets (like Amos, Isaiah, and Micah) railed against exploiting the poor and vulnerable by the wealthy and powerful. They demanded fairness, echoing concerns about economic inequality often associated with the modern Left. Some Jewish groups, like the Essenes, emphasized communal living and welcomed those marginalized by mainstream society, which is analogous to the Left’s focus on social inclusion. The Sadducees, a priestly class, held significant power and often aligned themselves with the ruling elite, which resembles the modern Right’s association with established institutions and hierarchies. Groups like the Pharisees emphasized strict observance of Jewish law and ritual. This focus on tradition and order parallels some aspects of modern conservatism. The Zealots were a revolutionary faction that advocated an armed rebellion against Roman occupation. Their fervent nationalism and willingness to use violence could be compared to specific right-wing nationalist movements today.

These are loose comparisons. Ancient Judean society was complex and cannot be neatly categorized using modern political terminology.

The primary concerns in ancient Judea revolved around religious law, social justice within their community, and relations with occupying powers. Modern political divides, such as individual liberties vs. collective good or the state’s role in the economy, were not central in the same way. Analyzing their motivations and actions within their historical context provides a much richer and more accurate understanding.

All that having been said, Right-Wing-Jesus memes are hilarious.

Professor Giles neglected to mention Christian Zionism. There are many good books (no pun intended) on the subject. A Short History of Christian Zionism: Reformation to the Twenty-First Century is one I’d recommend.

It’s also important not to gloss over the Orthodox tradition. The Coptic Christians in Ethiopia still adhere to Miaphysitism. It’s a key doctrine in Oriental Orthodox Christianity, which includes the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria (to which the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church belongs). Miaphysitism (from Greek “μία” (mia), “one” + “φύσις” (physis), “nature”) holds that Jesus Christ has one unified nature that is both fully divine and fully human. This single nature results from the divine and human natures being inseparably united in the Incarnation.

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If there is a divine nature, then nature is it. So say I.

Jah, within its core, “I and I,” represents the belief that Jah (God) resides within each individual. It emphasizes the divine spark present in every human being. It signifies the interconnectedness of all people through their shared divine essence, which contrasts with the perceived separation and individuality emphasized in Western culture. Rastafarians often use “I and I” in place of “we” or “us.” This linguistic shift focuses on collective identity and shared responsibility and emphasizes the importance of community and unity within the Rastafarian movement. By replacing “me” with “I,” Rastafarians aim to overcome feelings of objectification and inferiority often associated with colonial oppression. It’s a way of asserting their inherent dignity and value as individuals and people.

“I and I” is part of a broader linguistic practice called “Iyaric,” which adapts Jamaican patois to express Rastafarian beliefs and challenge the dominance of standard English. It’s a form of cultural and linguistic resistance against colonial legacies. “I and I” reflects a holistic worldview that sees everything as interconnected and divine, including not just people but also nature and the universe.

Rastafarians are heretics; they made some profound choices.

I appreciated Professor Giles bringing up the etymology of heresy—it’s an important point.

Middle English heretik, borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French heretic, heretik, borrowed from Late Latin haereticus, hereticus, borrowed from Late Greek hairetikós, from hairetikós, adjective, "departing from dogma, heretical," going back to Greek, "able to choose, due to choice," from hairetós "that may be taken, eligible, chosen," verbal adjective of haireîn "to take, grasp, (middle voice) obtain, choose, prefer" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at heresy

“Good God, man, you digress!”

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Monophysitism (from Greek “μόνος” (monos), “alone, only” + “φύσις” (physis), “nature”) suggests that Christ has only one nature, which is divine. Human nature was somehow absorbed or overwhelmed by the divine nature. I wish. This is considered a heresy by both Miaphysites and Chalcedonian Christians (like Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox). Miaphysitism emphasizes the complete and inseparable union of Christ’s divinity and humanity and rejects any notion that Christ’s two natures are separate or divided. Miaphysites strongly reject Monophysitism, insisting that Christ’s human nature is fully preserved in the Incarnation.

The “Tewahedo” in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church reflects this belief in the “one unity” of Christ’s nature. This theological distinction led to a schism between Oriental Orthodox churches and the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches in the 5th century, following the Council of Chalcedon. However, there has been increased dialogue and understanding between these branches of Christianity in recent decades.

The filioque (Latin for “and from the Son”) is a term that refers to the addition of the phrase “and the Son” to the Nicene Creed in Western Christianity. This addition asserts that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, while the original Nicene Creed stated that the Holy Spirit proceeds “from the Father” alone.

The filioque does my head in. Hundreds of years of debate on this stuff will never sort it out for me. The filioque has significant implications for understanding the Trinity (God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). It emphasizes the unity of the Father and the Son in their relationship to the Holy Spirit. The addition of the filioque was a gradual process, beginning in Spain in the 6th century and eventually becoming standard in the Western Church. However, it was never accepted by the Eastern Church. The filioque became a major point of contention between Eastern and Western Christianity, contributing to the Great Schism of 1054 that formally divided the two branches of the Church. The filioque remains a disagreement between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. However, there have been efforts in recent decades to foster dialogue and understanding on this issue.

The Eastern Church argues that adding the filioque was an unauthorized alteration of the Creed, made without the consent of an ecumenical council. Oh, dear me, and The Council should know! The Eastern Church believes the filioque compromises the Father’s unique role as the sole source of the Godhead and disrupts the balance within the Trinity.

Both sides claim scriptural support for their position, with the Western Church citing verses like John 15:26 (“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.")

To some, ongoing dialogue offers hope for greater understanding and eventual reconciliation; to others, it’s a mortal sin. And don’t get me started on Ecumenism.

For me, the mental gymnastics Christian Apologists hurl are annoying and mundane as hell. Who invented “hell,” yep, hell is all too human.

Christians, by and large, don’t get Joshua.

Like Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights, my sweet baby Jesus is lovely and cute as a bug’s ear.

Here’s a book by a Christian who gets Josh.

A God Named Josh: Uncovering the Human Life of Jesus Christ (A Documentarian’s Historical & Illuminating Biography—Get to Know the Human Side of Our Lord & Glimpse the Miracle of the Incarnation)

Did the Roman Empire kill Jesus?

The Romans, specifically Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, ultimately held the authority to carry out Jesus’ execution. Crucifixion was a Roman method of punishment, and Roman soldiers carried out the sentence. Jared Brock has a blood-curdling description of the crucifixion in A God Named Josh.

The Gospels depict some Jewish religious leaders of the time as instrumental in Jesus’ arrest and trial. They accused him of blasphemy and sedition, and they pressured Pilate to condemn him. Christian theology often views Jesus’ death as a sacrifice for the sins of all humanity. From this perspective, all people bear some responsibility for his death. (Dear me! Fear God! How sad is that?) Many Christians believe that Jesus’ death was part of God’s plan for salvation. In this view, God allowed Jesus to be crucified, even though he was innocent, to redeem humanity.

And some folks in the United States of New Miracles think that the violence in the Middle East is part of God’s plan. I call that pathological.

Blaming “the Jews” for Jesus’ death is historically inaccurate and has fueled anti-Semitism for centuries. The Gospels portray a specific group of Jewish religious leaders as playing a role, not the entire Jewish population. The motivations of those involved were likely complex and varied. Pilate may have been concerned about maintaining order, while the Jewish leaders may have felt threatened by Jesus’ teachings. I enjoyed Jared Brock’s interpretation of this.

Ultimately, Christian theology focuses on the redemptive power of Jesus’ death and resurrection rather than assigning blame for his crucifixion.

While the Romans were directly responsible for carrying out Jesus’ crucifixion, the question of who killed him is more complex. Different perspectives highlight the roles of various individuals and groups and the theological significance of his death. It’s crucial to approach this topic sensitively and avoid generalizations that could fuel prejudice.

God became a man and allowed himself to be killed so he could prove he was God by transcending death. He was tortured to death and then was seen walking around again with his people. I’ve been wrestling with this since I was a child Catholic in New Market, and it still does my head in. When I was around ten, I told our village priest that God created us because he was lonely and had no creator, so we were God’s creator. The memorable thing about that encounter was that my priest said something like, “That’s a lovely idea, Steven.” He didn’t drag me by my arm into the Confessional like my aunt did whenever she thought I had committed a mortal sin. He just smiled that smile that seemed to say aren’t children brilliant?

Referring to Mercion is fascinating and illustrates how diverse the early followers of Jesus were.

Marcion of Sinope, a 2nd-century theologian, proposed a radical reinterpretation of Christianity that diverged significantly from what would become mainstream Christian thought. He believed in a stark dualism between the Old Testament God, whom he saw as a harsh, wrathful deity, and the New Testament God revealed through Jesus Christ, a loving and merciful God of compassion.

Marcion rejected the entire Old Testament, claiming it had no connection to the true God of Jesus. He argued that the God of the Old Testament was a demiurge, an inferior creator god responsible for the material world and its inherent evils. This demiurge, according to Marcion, was legalistic, vengeful, and incompatible with the loving God revealed by Jesus.

In Marcion's view, Jesus was not the Jewish Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament but rather an emissary sent by the true, higher God to deliver humanity from the clutches of the demiurge. He believed Jesus was a divine being who only appeared to be human, a concept known as docetism. This belief stemmed from Marcion's conviction that the material world was inherently evil and, therefore, a truly good God could not have taken on human flesh.

People have been nasty to each other since Josh rose from the dead. The problem of evil is a problem.

Marcion's interpretation of Jesus had profound implications for his understanding of salvation. He taught that salvation came solely through faith in Jesus Christ and his revelation of the true God, not through adherence to the Jewish law or the Old Testament. This led him to create his own canon of scripture, which included only a heavily edited version of Luke's Gospel and ten of Paul's letters, purged of any perceived Jewish influence.

While Marcion's views were ultimately deemed heretical by the early Church, they significantly impacted the development of Christian theology. His challenge forced the early Church to grapple with the relationship between the Old and New Testaments and to more clearly define its understanding of the nature of God and the person of Jesus Christ.

I appreciate Professor Giles's mention of  Hans Küng; he’s brilliant, and his work is a must for anyone interested in Christology.

Dear God, aren’t stories fun!

The War On Drugs Is Only A Symptom

The War On Drugs is a symptom of a broader, more pernicious social disease.

I like wine, sake, beer, and an occasional whiskey. I don’t drink alcohol every day. I sometimes binge at a party. I rarely party these days. I go months without drinking any alcohol. I’m probably an alcoholic who doesn’t drink much.

Tokyo and Hong Kong, where I’ve lived for ten years or more, have drinking cultures. I could elaborate, but I won’t. I drank a lot more in Japan and Hong Kong. I also love the food culture. I blame cycling and the gym for my not being obese.

I have known affluent people throughout my life who enjoy their recreational hard drugs. You name it, they’ve tried it. The drug of choice, of course, is cocaine. We are all familiar with famous entertainers who have died of drug and alcohol abuse.

Drug addiction and alcoholism are pernicious health problems that have a myriad of deep causes that can be hard to parse. Anyone suffering from drug addiction knows how hard it is to get clean and sober and continue to abstain from using.

Legalize it; don’t criticize it!

I recently read a piece on Medium about the cost of “The War on Drugs.” It is exceedingly costly and a “war” we can never win. Why is that?

Legalization didn’t increase drug use, or imply the acceptance of mind stupifying drugs by society. It takes drug dependency out of the closet, encouraging the afflicted population to seek medical help.

I’m under no illusion that one post on this subject will make everyone see reason, but maybe some of us will consider this as a solution that has escaped us for 70 years.

Indeed, a post on Medium will not solve the problem; at most, it may raise awareness among a few readers who are utterly unfamiliar with the issue.

What are the deeper structural, systemic, economic, and psychosocial causes of drug use, and who benefits from the “War On Drugs?”

For decades, I have read books, papers, and articles about Middle East conflicts and wars; I have read about the War on Drugs, the Russo-Ukraine war, and so on, which continue unabated. When one conflict zone cools, another ignites. When I vote, I always examine the candidate’s record on these conflicts, public health, and who the candidate is beholden to.

My simplistic, intuitive reaction to the continuation of these problems decade after decade is that these wars are lucrative for important Players in The Great Game, a game of wealth and power acquisition. Justice, democracy, freedom, and health matter little to the Players, primarily concerned with winning the game. Another way I could put it is that careers matter more than solving the problem—no problem, no career.

Incentives & Who Benefits

The US has a high incarceration rate, and private prisons have a financial incentive to keep cells and beds full. Drug-related offenses contribute significantly to this population. The drug war allows for increased budgets for police departments, drug enforcement agencies, and the military, including funding for equipment, surveillance technology, and personnel.

While some pharmaceutical companies develop addiction treatment medications, others may indirectly benefit from the focus on illegal drugs, as it deflects attention from the potential harm and addictive nature of certain prescription drugs. The “tough on crime” stance and the war on drugs have been popular political platforms, allowing politicians to gain votes and support. The drug business doesn’t end with producers, dealers, and traffickers; it’s part of the fabric of The Great Game’s business interests.

Structural & Systemic Factors

Drug use and trafficking are often concentrated in marginalized and economically disadvantaged communities. Lack of opportunities, systemic racism, and social instability contribute to this. People have a problem with the idea that systemic racism exists, but there can be no doubt that certain classes of people suffer more under our current scheme.

Making drugs illegal creates a black market where prices are inflated, and violence is used to control territory and supply, benefiting criminal organizations. Efforts have focused mainly on stopping drug production and trafficking, but this doesn’t work. Demand for drugs remains, leading to new suppliers and routes. I am always pointing out that if Americans and Europeans from all classes didn’t want drugs, the war on drugs would stop. Compared to enforcement, funding for addiction treatment, harm reduction, and prevention programs is inadequate and perpetuates the cycle of drug use and crime.

Are we living in a sick society? What are the psychosocial causes of Drug Use?

There is so much information about the causes of drug abuse going back hundreds of years, and yet the problem, like so many other cultural pathologies, continues to cause harm.

We like our mind and behavior-modifying substances. There are no reasons to believe we will ever stop wanting to get “high.”

Adverse childhood experiences, trauma, and untreated mental health conditions increase vulnerability to drug use and addiction. Peer pressure, social isolation, and exposure to drug use can contribute to experimentation and addiction. Drugs can provide temporary relief from emotional pain, stress, and difficult life circumstances.

Some drugs are socially accepted. People still smoke and drink.

The alcohol and tobacco industries are vast, with many publicly and privately held companies. I can’t imagine Portugal, France, or Italy without wine.

The global market value for alcoholic beverages is estimated at around $1.5 trillion in 2022 and is projected to reach $1.7 trillion by 2025 (Source: Statista). Major companies like AB InBev, Diageo, Heineken, and Pernod Ricard generate tens of billions in revenue annually. The market is influenced by changing consumer preferences, economic conditions, and marketing strategies.

The Global Tobacco market value is estimated at approximately $850 billion in 2022. (Source: Statista) The dominant players are Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, and China National Tobacco Corporation. The industry faces declining smoking rates in many countries, increased regulation, and public health concerns. However, it remains highly profitable due to addictive products and effective marketing.

The black market for both alcohol and tobacco is significant, making it harder to track the full extent of the industries' financial activity.

It's crucial to remember that these profits come at a high cost to society. Alcohol and tobacco use contribute to numerous health problems, including cancer, heart disease, and addiction, resulting in substantial healthcare expenses and lost productivity.

If we all had to subsist on what nature provides, we wouldn’t have time for recreational drugs. One might wonder how often the Vikings binged. I should look that up sometime. This trade is a modern, technological, and industrial period problem.

The illicit drug trade is big business.

In older reports (late 1990s), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimated the illicit drug trade to be worth around $400 billion annually, representing about 8% of total international trade at that time. However, more recent, precise figures from this source are hard to come by. Some sources suggest the market could be considerably larger, with figures ranging from $426 billion to $652 billion annually. These estimates take into account the growing demand for synthetic drugs and the constantly evolving dynamics of the drug trade.

Transactions occur in the shadows, making it difficult to track the flow of money and drugs. Drug prices vary significantly depending on the substance, location, and purity. The illicit drug trade involves producers, traffickers, distributors, and retailers, making it hard to trace the full value chain. Traffickers constantly adapt to law enforcement efforts, finding new ways to move drugs across borders.

The illicit drug trade is a massive global market, generating hundreds of billions of dollars annually.

"With estimates of $100 billion to $110 billion for heroin, $110 billion to $130 billion for cocaine, $75 billion for cannabis and $60 billion for synthetic drugs, the probable global figure for the total illicit drug industry would be approximately $360 billion. Given the conservative bias in some of the estimates for individual substances, a turnover of around $400 billion per annum is considered realistic."

Illicit wealth fuels criminal organizations, corruption, and violence, destabilizing communities and undermining governments.

Transnational organized crime doesn't just steal money; it steals futures, corrupts communities, and destroys lives. The billions lost to illicit financial flows represent missed opportunities, lost livelihoods, and deepened poverty. In Africa alone, equivalent to nearly $90 billion or about 3.7 per cent of the continent’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is lost yearly to illicit financial flows.

There will never be a dearth of information about the illicit drug trade.

We know a lot about the illicit drug trade and the cost of drug addiction to society. It’s time to admit that The Players are not incentivized to implement any solutions that are not directly profitable to them.

The “Great Game”

Powerful players benefit from the war on drugs. Despite its questionable effectiveness, the continued focus on prohibition suggests that certain entities have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. The war on drugs is a tool for social control, wealth extraction from marginalized communities, and maintaining power structures.

Globally, drug control has had massive costs for the dignity, humanity, and freedom of people of African descent, with reports showing that people of African descent face disproportionate and unjust law enforcement interventions, arrests, and incarceration for drug-related offenses. In various countries, the ‘war on drugs’ has been more effective as a system of racial control than as a tool to reduce drug markets. Policing interventions based on racial profiling remain widespread, whilst access to evidence-based treatment and harm reduction for people of African descent remains critically low.

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Books

In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction by Gabor Maté

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

American Fix: Inside the Opioid Addiction Crisis—and How to End It by Ryan Hampton

Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs by Johann Hari

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

Drug War Capitalism by Dawn Paley

Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

Movies & TV Series

“Sicario” (gritty, realistic portrayals of the drug war)

Traffic (2000) Explores the drug trade from multiple perspectives, including a drug czar, a DEA agent, and a judge.

City of God (2002) is A Brazilian film depicting the growth of organized crime and drug violence in a Rio de Janeiro favela.

No Country for Old Men (2007) is A neo-western thriller set against the backdrop of the drug trade along the US-Mexico border.

Hell or High Water (2016) Examines the desperation and moral ambiguity that can arise from economic hardship and the drug trade.

“The Wire” (complex narratives, systemic analysis)

Narcos (Netflix) Chronicles the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar and the Colombian drug cartels.

Narcos: Mexico (Netflix) This series focuses on the origins of the Mexican drug war and the Guadalajara Cartel.

Breaking Bad (AMC) Follows a high school chemistry teacher who turns to cooking meth to secure his family’s financial future.

ZeroZeroZero (Amazon Prime) presents a global perspective on the cocaine trade, following the journey of a shipment from Mexico to Europe.

The Shield (FX) is a controversial police drama exploring corruption and moral compromises within a Los Angeles police unit.

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The “War on Drugs” has created a multi-billion dollar industry that benefits a wide range of powerful Players of The Great Game. Private prison corporations reap enormous profits from incarcerating non-violent drug offenders; their bottom line is directly tied to harsh sentencing policies. Law enforcement agencies receive increased funding and expanded powers in the name of drug enforcement, often with little oversight, creating a system where the focus is on arrests and seizures rather than addressing the root causes of drug use and addiction.

Mass incarceration is particularly devastating for poor communities, immigrants, people of color, and their families. For-profit firms have flooded money into prison and immigration jail infrastructure and services, and have used industry associations to lobby for harsher policing and longer sentencing, even for non-violent offenders. People who are incarcerated work for pennies per hour while their families pay exorbitant fees to keep them supplied with bare necessities. Powerful, private equity interests and corporations reap enormous profits from the militarization of the U.S.-Mexico border and the policing of immigration.

Furthermore, there’s a long and troubling history of intelligence agencies like the CIA being involved in the drug trade. The most notorious example is Air America, a CIA-operated airline during the Vietnam War that was implicated in transporting heroin from Southeast Asia’s Golden Triangle. While the official narrative denies any complicity, evidence suggests that the CIA turned a blind eye to, or even actively facilitated, drug trafficking to fund covert operations, not only undermining the stated goals of the drug war but also eroding public trust in government institutions.

The immense profits generated by the drug trade inevitably lead to corruption, ensnaring politicians and law enforcement officials. Bribes, campaign contributions, and other illicit financial incentives can influence policy decisions and weaken enforcement efforts. A revolving door exists where those tasked with upholding the law become complicit in its violation. Moreover, the demand for drugs like cocaine often comes from affluent circles. Wealthy businesspeople and celebrities use cocaine as a status symbol and party drug, creating a lucrative market for traffickers. The war on drugs is marked by grotesque hypocrisy, where the wealthy can often afford to indulge in their vices while marginalized communities bear the brunt of enforcement.

A new culture

Creating a culture prioritizing health over profits is a monumental task that challenges the foundation of our current economic and social systems. It requires a fundamental shift in values, moving away from the relentless pursuit of economic growth and material wealth and toward a focus on well-being, sustainability, and social justice. Creating a new way of life is not simply about individual choices but transforming deeply ingrained societal structures and power dynamics.

One of the biggest hurdles is overcoming the dominance of the profit motive. Our current economic system rewards businesses for maximizing profits, often at the expense of worker health, environmental integrity and sustainability, and ethical considerations. To prioritize health, we need to redefine success, measuring it not just in terms of financial gain but also by indicators of well-being, social progress that puts life first, and ecological balance. A new world requires rethinking our economic models, promoting alternative business structures like cooperatives and social enterprises, and implementing policies prioritizing human and environmental health over corporate interests.

Changing cultural norms is a generational process. Consumerism, pursuing material possessions, and glorifying wealth are deeply ingrained in many societies. Shifting towards a culture that values health and well-being requires challenging these norms and promoting alternative narratives prioritizing community, connection, and a more balanced approach to life. Education, public awareness campaigns, and grassroots movements are crucial for driving this cultural transformation.

Creating a culture prioritizing health over profits is a complex and multifaceted challenge. It requires a collective effort involving individuals, communities, businesses, and governments working together to create a more just and sustainable future. While the path may be long and arduous, the potential rewards—a healthier, happier, and more equitable society—are well worth striving for.

I have more radical ideas about what’s needed. None would be considered popular, and all of them require sacrifice, recognition of our limits, degrowth, and population considerations—all third-rail issues.

What are the odds that a critical mass of people worldwide and across cultures will sacrifice their time, energy, money, and possibly even their lives to change how people live?

Our current way of life is self-terminating. Even if we had “too cheap to meter” energy and technology to pull CO2 out of the atmosphere and store it on Mars, it would still destroy civilization and possibly bring our species to the brink of extinction.

The War On Drugs is just another symptom of a deeper problem with our way of doing things and thinking about things. I can’t help but want to see us do better.

Thoughts Inspired By Giles, PhD regarding COVID-19 Students Entering College

Global catastrophes must be understood in a cross cultural context.

Douglas Giles, PhD, published a piece on student performance and outcomes in his classes, observing that their work is slipping and that one of the leading causes may be their formative educational experiences during the pandemic.

I am not an educator or a PhD, but the topic raised some questions for me, particularly related to how various populations across cultures responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professor Giles’ story is sad. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for some cohorts of students in various communities across the USA who might have been traumatized by pandemic restrictions to achieve good results in their studies. It must be tough on teachers, whose work requires keeping students focused and engaged with their studies, to inspire young people who have been traumatized and adversely affected by various governmental responses to a deadly pandemic.

I was born in Denver and have lived in seven countries, and I can imagine how different cultures may have responded differently under similar stresses.

I spent the pandemic in Portugal. The general public’s response was calm compared to what I heard from bloggers and the media in the USA. The culture wars in the United States amplify everything, often to an absurd or even dangerous degree.

The COVID-19 pandemic response is an important topic. Due to many complex factors, the world will likely experience another pandemic sooner rather than later, and the world must continue to improve its response to pandemics. Children are particularly vulnerable, and education is essential to successfully navigating the challenges we face over the coming decades.

Anyone interested in this topic should look for research across cultures to better understand the nuanced and complex reasons for academic performance outcomes during and after the pandemic.

Definitive national statistics on class performance for 2024 specifically need to be comprehensively compiled and released. Data collection and analysis on this scale often lag, especially for comprehensive national studies.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is a US government entity that is a primary source for educational statistics. Their website might have preliminary data or relevant reports, though completing 2024 statistics will take time.

Individual states often collect and release their data on student performance, sometimes faster than national figures. Check the websites of your state’s Department of Education.

Organizations like the College Board (SAT) or ACT might release reports on score trends, which can indirectly reflect classroom performance.

Educational research databases (like JSTOR, ERIC, or Google Scholar) can help us find academic studies and articles analyzing 2024 trends or related factors. Search for keywords like “student performance,” “COVID-19 impact,” “learning loss,” and “academic achievement.”

Studies from 2023 and early 2024 generally indicate some degree of learning loss due to pandemic disruptions. This is often seen in standardized test scores and teacher assessments. Professor Giles’ article is one example.

Q: How did COVID-19 impact edu­ca­tion in Amer­i­ca?
A: The COVID-19 pan­dem­ic dis­rupt­ed stu­dent learn­ing and devel­op­ment, result­ing in sig­nif­i­cant learn­ing loss and an increase in men­tal health chal­lenges. Fur­ther, the pan­dem­ic exac­er­bat­ed exist­ing racial inequities and wors­ened achieve­ment gaps.

The pandemic’s effects appear to be unevenly distributed. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds, those with limited access to technology, and those with learning disabilities seem to have been more significantly affected. I am not surprised by this.

Abstract & Introduction

Disadvantaged populations were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, both in the medical and educational settings. Lower-income families often do not have a laptop/desktop computer, adequate internet connection, or a dedicated study space. This unfortunately contributed to poorer academic performance during distance learning. To combat this, the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine (KKSOM) did not close down campus during the pandemic. This study analyzes the utilization of campus and live Zoom lectures by KKSOM students and its impact on educational outcomes.

Many researchers are actively studying the pandemic’s long-term academic and social-emotional impact on students. New findings and analyses are regularly published.

Cross-Cultural Research

Some international studies compare the impact of the pandemic and school closures on students across different countries and cultures. These can provide valuable context. UNESCO and the OECD are good sources for such reports.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on many aspects of life, perhaps most notably education. Efforts to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic, particularly lockdowns, led to major disruptions in schools and resulted in both learning loss and increased mental health challenges for students. These deleterious impacts appear to have been felt most keenly by students from marginalized communities, including first and second generation students.

Materials and methods: This study sought to investigate the mechanisms underlying these negative effects of pandemic mitigation efforts, particularly in terms of school efforts to support teachers and parents of students not speaking the language of instruction for three nations (Denmark, Russia, and Slovenia) included in the Responses to Educational Disruption Survey (REDS) survey.

Results: Results of the study revelated that in Denmark greater school-level support to teachers of non-native language students moderated the relationship between home language status and student perceptions of their relative academic performance before and during the pandemic, but that such was not the case in Russia or Slovenia. Likewise, school-level support to teachers moderated the relationship between home language status and perceived teacher support in Denmark but not in Russia or Slovenia. Implications of these results are discussed.

Even when 2024 data becomes fully available, various factors can influence statistics, including changes in assessment methods or student populations. Beyond statistics, look for qualitative research (interviews, observations) that can provide richer insights into student experiences and challenges.

Many schools and districts are implementing interventions to address learning loss and support student well-being. Research on the effectiveness of these efforts is also crucial.

It will take time to understand the impact of the pandemic on educational outcomes in particular parts of the world. My intuition tells me that culture, a complex subject if there ever was one, is much involved in how young people respond to stressful social situations.

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Wuhan China

Wuhan faced unique and intense challenges as the initial epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. Students in Wuhan were among the first globally to experience prolonged school closures, strict lockdowns, and significant disruptions to their education and daily lives.

Wuhanese students faced a sudden and extended lockdown starting in January 2020, much earlier than most other places in the world.

Movements of residents

More than 9 million residents were isolated in Wuhan city after the epidemic control measures started on 23 January 2020. According to data from Baidu Migration, only 1.2 million people entered or left Wuhan during the period 24 January to 15 February 2020. The number of people travelling fell by 91.6% (13.0 million of 14.1 million people) compared with the same period in 2019 and by 91.6% (13.0 of 14.2 million people) in 1–23 January 2020 (Fig. 3; Supplementary Data 3 in the data repository).

This meant an abrupt shift to online learning with little preparation.

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 occurred in China at a time when colleges and universities would begin the Spring semester, and the complete lockdown of the entire country made it impossible for campuses to open after the one-month long winter vacation. Under the guidance of the Central Government’s Ministry of Education, which is the highest authority of Chinese educational systems and is the supreme policy maker, all schools, including colleges and universities, moved classes online. Since the move was at such a short-notice and in a less prepared manner, the effectiveness of it remained a concern for administrators, teachers and students as a whole. This paper, using the quantitative and qualitative data provided by a Chinese university survey, aims to analyze the factors commonly used in academic researches to measure the effectiveness of its online classes under such an emergency circumstance, with perceptions of both students and teachers. The paper discusses the issues through its findings, by comparison of teaching vs. learning effectiveness, online vs. face-to-face classrooms. It further explores the solutions to improve online teaching and learning environment, and suggests that after the pandemic is over the online classes shall not be a new normal in Chinese higher education.

The lockdown was particularly stringent in Wuhan. Restrictions on movement and social interaction affected daily life and well-being.

Not all Wuhanese students had equal access to technology or stable internet connections, creating disparities in learning opportunities. The online format limited interaction with teachers and peers, potentially affecting engagement and motivation.

In late January 2020, mainland China postponed all educational activities and the Chinese Ministry of Education (MoE) urged schools and higher education institutions to use online delivery as an alternative to face-to-face teaching. Of significance, this marks the first time online delivery has been permitted, at great scale, as part of formal education delivery in China.

Isolation, anxiety about the pandemic, and concerns about academic progress took a toll on students’ mental health.

The Interaction Hypothesis emphasizes the significance of face-to-face interactions in language proficiency development. However, the global transition to online education prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to education, including the teaching of Chinese as a second/foreign language (CSL/CFL). Anecdotal evidence indicates a decline in both the quality and opportunities for interactions in online classes compared to traditional face-to-face (F2F) classrooms. However, research on the differences in the perspectives of students and teachers regarding this issue is relatively limited. To fill this gap, this study compared the perceptions of students and teachers regarding teacher-student and peer-to-peer interactions in online versus F2F CFL classrooms. Participants were CFL learners and their teachers at a university in Australia. Thematic analysis of the data collected from online surveys and interviews revealed a consensus among students and teachers on the importance of promoting interactions regardless of the delivery mode. However, students expressed a preference for F2F interactions, citing reduced motivation and fewer opportunities for interaction in online classes. Notably, students indicated a preference for interacting with teachers rather than peers during synchronous online sessions. The differences were attributed to multiple factors including a sense of community, interaction opportunities, engagement strategies, individual differences, and technological constraints. The results underscore the pivotal role of building social connections in language learning. The findings provide valuable insights into technology-enhanced language education from the perspectives of both students and teachers. This study contributes to the field of interaction studies in second language education and offers practical implications for addressing the challenges posed by the transition to online learning.

Despite challenges, students gradually adapted to online learning platforms and tools. Schools and families provided support, with teachers trying to maintain connections and provide guidance remotely. A sense of shared experience and community spirit helped many students cope with the difficulties.

Long-Term Effects and Research

Studies suggest potential learning loss in some subjects, particularly among younger students.

Baseline Specification.

Fig. 3 shows our baseline estimate of learning loss in 2020 compared to the 3 previous years, using a composite score of students’ performance in math, spelling, and reading. Students lost on average 3.16 percentile points in the national distribution, equivalent to 0.08 standard deviations (SD) (SI Appendix, section 4.3). Losses are not distributed equally but concentrated among students from less-educated homes. Those in the two lowest categories of parental education — together accounting for 8% of the population (SI Appendix, section 5.1) — suffered losses 40% larger than the average student (estimates by parental education: high, −3.07; low, −4.34; lowest, −4.25). In contrast, we find little evidence that the effect differs by sex, school grade, subject, or prior performance. In SI Appendix, section 7.9, we document considerable variation by school, with some schools seeing a learning slide of 10 percentile points or more and others recording no losses or even small gains.

The pandemic’s psychological impact on Wuhanese students is an ongoing area of research.

The psychological trauma caused by COVID-19 in Wuhan increased the incidence of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in residents (Liu et al., 2020). However, compared with adults, adolescents were reported to be less likely to develop mental disorders and more likely to recover after exposure to negative events (Jacobs & Harville, 2015). Adolescents exhibited a strong potential to grow even around psychologically traumatic events (Berger, 2008) because their resilience reflected a dynamic growing process and more positive adaptation to trauma (Berger, 2008, Cryder et al., 2006). Resilience, as a protective mechanism, reasonably explained the mechanism mediating the psychological effects of risk on health (Fleming & Ledogar, 2008) and played a protective role in neutralizing the effects of risk on health outcome (Fleming & Ledogar, 2008). At the same time, this protective mechanism can grow because of its evolving characteristics (Berger, 2008, Fleming and Ledogar, 2008).

Researchers are also exploring how the experience fostered resilience, adaptability, and appreciation for social connections.

Consider exploring Chinese-language sources (with translation tools if needed) for more detailed local perspectives. Look for blogs, interviews, or documentaries featuring students from Wuhan sharing their experiences.

Understanding the experiences of students in Wuhan provides valuable insights into the impact of the pandemic on education and well-being in a context of early and intense disruption. It highlights students’ challenges, resilience, and long-term effects, offering lessons for other regions and future preparedness.

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Culture Wars

We all know how different States and Cities in the United States reacted differently to the impacts and challenges of the pandemic. The United States is not a monolith; cultures vary in different regions. The “culture wars” in the USA hindered our ability to better respond to the deadly event.

Politicization of Public Health Measures

Mask-wearing, social distancing, and vaccination became highly politicized. Resistance was often driven by misinformation and distrust of government or scientific institutions. This led to inconsistent adherence to public health guidelines and hindered efforts to slow the spread of the virus.

One might wonder how J.F.K. Jr helped fan the flames.

The spread of false or misleading information about the virus, its origins, and effective prevention measures fueled confusion and distrust, making it difficult for people to make informed decisions about their health and contributing to resistance against public health measures.

I won’t name names here, but think of all the podcasters and YouTubers who passionately and emphatically expressed their uninformed or misinformed opinions.

I got caught up in it, and I am silly enough to think I am a skeptic with a modicum of critical thinking skills.

The politicization of the pandemic and the spread of misinformation eroded public trust in scientific and governmental institutions, making it harder to implement effective public health policies and communicate accurate information.

The emphasis on individual freedom and limited government intervention often overshadowed the importance of collective action and responsibility in controlling a pandemic, leading to resistance against measures like lockdowns or vaccine mandates, even when they were deemed necessary by public health experts.

The pandemic exacerbated existing social and political divisions. Disagreements over public health measures led to conflict and mistrust within communities, making it harder to achieve consensus and cooperation on necessary actions to address the crisis.

The hindered response contributed to a higher number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the USA compared to many other developed countries. It also led to increased social and economic disruption and long-term consequences for public health and trust in institutions.

What, one might wonder, will the healthcare system in the United States look like in the coming years?

The “culture wars” created a challenging environment for evidence-based decision-making and collective action, ultimately undermining the country’s ability to respond to the pandemic and protect its citizens effectively.

None of the above was good for young students, some of whom lost parents and loved ones to the virus.

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An Aside

Most Americans don’t care to understand global events, much less other cultures in depth.

48% of Americans hold a valid passport. Great!

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, roughly 30–40 million Americans traveled abroad annually, translating to 10–13 percent of the population.

International travel significantly dipped in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. However, it rebounded strongly in 2022, reaching 81% of pre-pandemic levels. This suggests an intense desire among Americans to resume international travel. This is a good thing. Cross-cultural experiences are essential for a more peaceful and cooperative global culture. Recent surveys suggest that roughly 76% of Americans have visited at least one other country. I’m happy to know this.

We must understand and communicate with people from other cultures to better cope with and respond to the many potential disasters that may come our way. World events will be increasingly more challenging to battle, and our immediate future will be more demanding than our recent past.

I keep thinking about the trauma and adverse effects on education in all the countries where the United States conducts its “police actions,” proxy wars, regime change machinations, wars on terror and drugs, etc. Could it be that some refugees and immigrants who desire to enter the United States and Europe might have been moved by such events? Do the actions of some countries in the fabled West produce the dangerous criminals and lunatics President-Elect Donald J. Trump alleges are dumped on our doorstep by various sovereign States in the global south? Do we bear any responsibility at all for the so-called refugee crisis?

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Portugal’s Experience

Let’s return to experiences students have faced in countries other than the United States.

In my anecdotal opinion, young people in Portugal have gotten through the experience reasonably well based on talking with parents, teachers, and young people. For example, people in Portugal didn’t get up in arms over mask-wearing. They also didn’t seem to mind “lockdowns” as much as some groups in some regions of the USA. (According to my observations.)

However, I found some information about the impact on Portuguese students.

Similar to global trends, studies suggest that Portuguese students experienced learning loss due to school closures and disruptions caused by the pandemic. This is particularly evident in mathematics. This makes sense to me; students lose class time when schools close. Mathematics would be a subject one would want to stay caught up on.

Research indicates that the pandemic may have hindered the development of preschool children in Portugal, especially those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Parental engagement in learning activities during lockdowns played a significant role. Across the world, people with low incomes do worse. “Inequality” remains a problem.

The pandemic increased stress and anxiety among Portuguese students, impacting their mental health and well-being. Stress impacts seem universal.

The shift to online learning highlighted inequalities in access to technology and digital literacy, potentially exacerbating existing disparities. (As in Wuhan.)

As one might expect, university students face challenges related to online learning, social isolation, and disruptions to internships and career plans.

PubMed Central (PMC) includes a study titled “COVID-19: Threat or Opportunity for the Portuguese Higher Education’s Attractiveness for International Students?” which examines the pandemic’s effect on higher education enrollment.

The paper analyses the influence of COVID-19 on Portuguese institutions’ intake of international students and their responses to the pandemic. Two dimensions are considered: quantitative impact on international enrolments and higher education institutions’ strategies for the recruitment and support of international students. The first dimension is analysed through national statistics and comparison of enrolments over the past five years. Then, the institutional strategies implemented to encourage recruitment of new international students and to support existing ones during the lockdown are explored. Statistics show that COVID-19 had a negative impact on international enrolments, although less severe than expected. Growth has continued, but at a much slower pace than in the past few years. The slowdown in growth was much more pronounced in polytechnics than in universities. Additionally, the measures implemented by Portuguese higher education institutions suggest that these have coped with COVID-19 as an opportunity to rethink and redefine strategies.

An article titled “Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown Harm Pre-Schoolers Learning in Portugal? Yes, but with Variations Depending on Socio-Economic Status” investigates the impact on early childhood education.

The literature has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has indelibly affected student performance. However, this deterioration is not the same for all students, with students of a lower socio-economic status (SES) being the most affected. The present study aims to understand if the pandemic lockdown in the last year of pre-school impacted the learning skills considered crucial for the transition to primary school, and whether this impact was moderated by SES or a quiet place to study (QPS). A total of 11,158 students belonging to 318 Portuguese schools underwent an assessment protocol composed of writing skills, maths, and motor-control tasks. A pandemic effect was observed for writing skills, especially during the first lockdown. Said effects were found to be potentiated by SES. Regarding maths, the fall in skills was only observed to be significant for less economically advantaged children. Motor tasks suffered; however, this was without any significant effect for SES or QPS. Thus, a detrimental effect of the pandemic lockdown was found on pre-school skills, particularly pre-literary abilities, and especially during the first lockdown. SES appeared to potentiate some inequalities. In other words, skills differences between individuals with higher and lower SES increased during the pandemic, particularly in the first lockdown, due to novelty, unpredictability, and the need for quick adaptation.

Educ@ features an article titled “Mobility in times of immobility: international students in Portugal during the COVID-19 pandemic,” which focuses on the experiences of international students.

Abstract: The aim of this article is to understand the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis on teaching and learning by international students in Portuguese higher education. It also focuses on how new student mobility projects have been re-designed and re-negotiated during the pandemic. The methodology includes analyzing the results of an online survey and individual online interviews. The former was answered by 703 international students enrolled at higher education institutions in Portugal…

DigitUMa published a study titled “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Portuguese university students,” exploring the effects on higher education students.

Worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disruptive effect on daily routines, especially for university students. This study aimed to compare pre-pandemic domains of students’ mental health during the pandemic lockdown. One cross-sectional study was conducted in two waves with academic students from 20 Portuguese universities, in March 2020 before the COVID19 pandemic (n = 3579) and 2 months after the first lockdown in May 2020 (n = 1228). The Positive Mental Health Questionnaire (PMHQ), the Mental Health Knowledge Questionnaire, the Mental Health-promoting knowledge, and the Psychological Vulnerability Scale were used. Statistical analyzes were performed by bivariate associations and multiple linear regression models. Students were mostly women (79%), with an average age of 23.2 years (SD = 6.6), displaced from their family environment (43%), out-of-home (43%), and scholarship holders (37%). Higher scores found in the PVS were associated with decreased PMHQ in both moments (P < 0.01). These cross-sectional studies showed a slight variation in the mental health variables studied in the period before and during the COVID-19 outbreak. Being a woman, younger, out-of-home, and having a scholarship (P < 0.01) seem to increase susceptibility to mental health variation before and during the pandemic. Universities should develop strategies that promote students’ mental health.

The Organisation for Cooperation and Development (OECD) publishes reports on education that often include comparative data on Portugal and other countries. Their website can provide insights into broader trends and policy responses.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also provides reports and data on the impact of COVID-19 on education globally.

We must do better.

How we respond to stress varies across cultures. America has some unique and exotic social pathologies, but global pandemics require a coordinated response. Tragically, we could do much better in cooperating compassionately and carefully across nation-states on issues like climate change, extinction, environmental degradation, war, refugees, famine, and pandemics.

“Superpowers” (all with nuclear weapons arsenals) continue to commit resources to prepare for and fight wars. Think of the impact on education and the trauma experienced in the Middle East over the past fifteen years alone. Imagine the educational setbacks in Ukraine and Russia. Look at countries ravaged by war in Africa right now. Historically, there are many examples, studies, and books about the traumatic impacts of these kinds of anthropogenic disasters. These social traumas are not good for anyone, whether you live in Sweden or Argentina. These catastrophes affect all of us. We must inform our leaders that we expect action to make peace and mitigate the suffering and destruction caused by our lack of international cooperation regarding global disasters.

Capitalism As An Accelerant Of Extinction

Don’t blame Capitalism, ain’t no money in it. Worst yet, talk bad about the big “C,” and you’ll only get attention from a tiny population of far lefties and anti-Gandhi (clearing my throat) revolutionaries — there is no money in that either, only pain before the die-off. Not cool.

[Did the Soviets kill the Wehrmacht, or was it Saving Private Ryan? Sorry, this is off-topic. Brain fart.]

I suspect Mr. Michaels and I are American boomers.

Steven Pinker is a Canadian American, so he’s unbiased. Steven knows a bit about progress (the teleological justification for Capitalism). Pinker sees Capitalism as a powerful engine for progress requiring careful management and regulation to ensure its benefits are widely shared and its negative impacts are mitigated. Sweet. Steven needs another book in his series of modernity apologetics, “Capitalism Now — The Better Angels of Civilization.”

“It’s easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism” —Mark Fisher

Don’t blame the Players or The Game; we are headed in the “right” direction. Die-off is just another externality, a necessary cost of progress and techno-modernity.

Fa-get-a-bout-iiiiittt!

As Tony Montana said, “First you get the money, then you get the power, then you get the women.”

When did technology take off? During the energy transition in the 19th century. Can you say metastatic?

The term “capitalism,” as we understand it today, emerged in the mid-19th century, but discussions about economic systems that share characteristics with Capitalism have been happening for centuries.

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels popularized the term “capitalism” in the mid-1800s to critique the socio-economic system they observed emerging during the Industrial Revolution. The period was a tad bit different from Steven Pinker’s Era of Enlightenment, or the Age of Discovery, or the Age of Wonder, when science, engineering, and technology really took off.

“capitalism” etymology:

The word “capitalism” ultimately derives from the word “capital.”

“Capital” refers to the Latin caput, meaning “head.” It seems odd, but this evolved into capitale in late Latin, which referred to property, possessions, and wealth. (Think of it as “head of cattle” representing wealth.)

Capitalism, a term used to describe an economic system, didn’t appear until the mid-19th century. While there’s some debate about the first use, the Oxford English Dictionary points to William Makepeace Thackeray’s 1854 novel The Newcomes as an early example. (I can’t find the exact quote, but it’s often referenced.)

Capitalism gained wider usage through the writings of socialist thinkers like Marx and Engels.

Ancient Rome: Caput meaning “head.”

Medieval Latin: Capitale evolves to mean “property” and “wealth.”

Mid-17th century: “Capitalist” (an owner of capital) appears…William Makepeace Thackeray

Mid-19th century: “Capitalism” emerges as a term for an economic system…

Much has been written! Much has been written! Fungible, fungible, fungible!

But, you know, even before the term “capitalism” existed, scholars and philosophers debated economic systems with elements of “capitalism” by any other name, like, say, Mercantilism. In his 1776 work “The Wealth of Nations,” Adam Smith explored the concept of a free market economy driven by individual self-interest and competition, laying some of the groundwork for modern capitalist theory. Even earlier figures like Ibn Khaldun, an Arab scholar from the 14th century, made observations about trade, labor, and wealth accumulation that resonate with capitalist ideas.

There are libraries full of capitalist theory. So very much, indeed, has been written! Why, oh, why must we defend and critique it so?

Without our fossil fuel energy transition, there would be no industrial revolution, Capitalism, or global neoliberal financialized omnicidal heat engine, a.k.a. the metastatic Great Game on sugar and copious quantities of alcohol (also sugar) and drugs. We wouldn’t be rearranging deck chairs, drinking champagne, and dancing to the band as it plays on and on and on… There would be no internet, electronic circuses, no strawberries at Christmas dinner in Ohio, no tech bro green energy transition talk, no techno/cloud feudalism, no Google, Amazon, Facebook (all with government contracts supporting the forever war machine) no platforms for us to peck away on, no “having the conversation” on “the Tubes,” and no places where experts on books written decades ago about overshoot can write about extinction and Capitalism.

Capitalism puts the metastatic into civilization/technology. Language, fire, and stone tools are not Bitcoin mining machines powered by gas flares and expensive wind turbines in Texas. (See speeches in the series Landman.)

Who Pumps and Dumps, If Not “The Real Capitalist,” The Players Of The Great Game 2.0. [reality tv show streaming on your favorite platform soon.]

Human behavior (civilization) was the main trigger for contracting cancer (Capitalism).

It’s my fault. I am a civilized, modern, techno-industrial addict of all the wonderful things produced by The Great Game and Capitalism. I don’t need treatment; I must be swept up and taken off the streets to keep things pretty for the country club set. Better yet, I need to die off so The Players of The Great Game can rewild the Earth so they can reboot Capitalism 3.0 and do it right this time with lots of miraculous next, next-generation technology, a “resource-balanced economy” with lots of sensors, bigger data centers on the dark side of the moon estimating just how much copper is left in the Earth and where we can get more on a passing asteroid, and spaceships to new worlds there for the taking as we expand across the universe competing for status and power among worthy Players.

The Capitalists have all the answers; we don’t need to apologize for their fantastic way of life — let them do their thing.

Hell yeah! The oligarchs are in the White House running the show live on MSNBC!

The Great Game must continue; there are no alternatives. We’ve already broken the mold.

Talk about “the predicament.” Do not develop a cure for cancer. Die off, and let the survivors hunt and gather in the garbage dump until the New, New World can be engineered by The Players.

Our “predicament” is just an engineering problem.

Consume (consumption) the conversation; there is no cure for this type of cancer. Consumption will deaden the pain. We need more sugar and more pills to accelerate the thing.

Capitalism is what it is; look in the mirror and take your pills.

Hate the Players and The Great Game.

Someone, please point me to those who are creating an alternative and are willing to sacrifice and fight for it.

I apologize; I’ve been paying attention for a long time and am frustrated. I appreciate your work, Mr. Michaels. I’d love to have a friendly conversation with you (not recorded.) Best!

What Will We Sacrifice For Truth

There is a lot of talk about truth out there these days.

The value of truth is a significant and vital subject. Libraries are full of musings and philosophizing on the subject of truth.

Our beliefs are full of “truths.”

The Truth is a hard problem.

Truth is an existential domain of utmost concern.

If one wants a culture based on truth, one has to imagine what that is, its structures and systems, and what we base our truth claims on, etc., and fight. 

What are we willing to sacrifice to build a truth-based order?

The trickster is in the detail.

Generally Speaking

If one wants the truth, one must sacrifice some hours away from diversions reading about dark psychology, propaganda, public relations, marketing, and advertising, and one must constantly upgrade one’s critical thinking skills in a disciplined way.

Although it is a difficult process and taxing on one’s habits, one must be committed to seeing complex issues and cultures from various perspectives.

One must kill the parrots on one’s shoulders, shouting in one’s ears. Find a peaceful place to assess one's own thoughts, ideas, and feelings critically and honestly.

Will we sacrifice two hours of screen time a week to organize a community meeting to discuss what a truth-based culture is, why it’s desirable, and how we might make it happen? How receptive are our family, friends, and community to such pursuits?

We struggle to gain control over one addiction, to change one bad habit, to have one uncomfortable face-to-face conversation about a complex topic.

We are so confident in our point of view that we dismiss anything unfamiliar.

Are we not curious?

Are we willing to sacrifice our popularity to speak the truth to social influencers, upset the superfans, guard against audience capture, and build a truth-focused culture?

Would we sacrifice our lives to take power away from the oligarchs or for posterity?

We are more than willing to sacrifice freedom and democracy, serving the Players of The Great Game for money, status, and attention.

We are more than willing to sacrifice life on the altar of belief.

Self-sacrifice is essential to winning a revolution and replacing the old order with something more just and sustainable.

In perpetuity, we’d have to sacrifice daily to maintain and improve a truth-based culture.

It’s painful to face the truth. (cognitive dissonance)

We talk about “the hard problem of consciousness;” creating a new, truth-based culture is even more challenging than defining consciousness.

It will require sacrifice.

Unfortunately, too many people can’t make the connection between defeating global, neoliberal, rules-based, financialized, late-stage capitalism, which is an omnicidal, war-mongering heat engine enabled by fossil fuels, technology, and constantly manufactured consent with sacrifice.

We won’t sacrifice a minute away from the computer game because we are well entertained, feed on junk, and equate this with righteousness.

The firehose of information we parrot and the toys the bosses sell us will not save us from lies; sacrifice will.

The Global Socioeconomic System Has To Go!

Our economic religion is an omnicidal heat engine that foments war. Maybe we all need a hobby.

We know we are a war-making species; it’s uncontroversial. But why are we so engaged in organized violence? It’s a fascinating subject. Check out this conversation with Jim Rutt and Richard Overy.

I’ll say it upfront: the kind of global market economy we run fuels today’s hyper-disaster unfolding worldwide. So, what do we need to do to stop the hyper-disaster? Please read on.

Again, I must provide some context. The post gets more fun after the context bit.

Extinction

“Sixth Extinction” refers to the ongoing, human-caused mass extinction event rapidly depleting Earth’s biodiversity. Scientists estimate that current extinction rates are about 1,000 times higher than the natural background rate, a pace that rivals the five previous mass extinctions in Earth’s history, the last of which wiped out the dinosaurs. (Golly, gee, we’ve all heard about that.)

Human activity is the primary cause of this crisis. Habitat destruction, through deforestation, urbanization, and agriculture, is a leading driver, eliminating living spaces and disrupting ecosystems. Global heating exacerbates the problem, altering ecosystems and weather patterns faster than many species can adapt. Overexploitation, such as overfishing and poaching, further decimate populations. Pollution from chemicals and plastics contaminates environments and harms wildlife. Global trade and travel introduce invasive species that disrupt the ecological balance and can outcompete native organisms.

The consequences of the Sixth Extinction are dire. The loss of biodiversity weakens ecosystems, making them less resilient to change and unable to provide essential services like clean air, water, and food. This can lead to increased natural disasters, reduced food security, and economic instability. Moreover, species extinction represents an irreversible loss of genetic information and evolutionary potential, potentially hindering future adaptations and innovations in the natural world. The Sixth Extinction ultimately threatens the stability of the planet’s life-support systems and the well-being of human societies.

The “polycrisis” (have you not heard of it? ad nausium)is a term used to describe the interconnected nature of today’s global challenges, where multiple crises converge and amplify each other: It’s like a tangled web of problems, making it challenging to address any single issue in isolation.

People need help understanding complex, systemic problems. It’s natural to avoid learning about issues with many layers of complexity, and it’s uncomfortable to think about complex systems, their formation, and what emerges from them. Nature is full of complex emergent systems, and people also create complex systems. Gosh darn you, K.I.S.S. The complex systems running our world are inaccessible simply because things are too complex for us to comprehend.

I am so tired, I just can’t get my head around this, and quite frankly, I don’t give damn.

Thousands of people are working on describing the Polycrisis across dozens of domains. Thousand of people are talking about the challenges we are facing today. Thousands of people are having the conversation to educate us about complex things we find difficult to understand and don’t want to think about. People have warned us for hundreds, no, let’s include the wise folk, for thousands of years.

We have known about various existential risks to civilization and life for many decades. Solving these problems has never been politically desirable or expedient because there are no incentives to do so. We are incentivized to tell a story.

Get up on the table, Senator. Tell me a story, and make me believe it.

• Climate change: Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and biodiversity loss.

• Resource depletion: Overexploitation of natural resources like water, minerals, and forests.

• Pollution: Air, water, and soil contamination from industrial activities, plastic waste, and chemical runoff.

• Inequality: The growing wealth gap, social unrest, and political polarization.

• Conflict & War: Geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts, and refugee crises.

• Misinformation & Disinformation: Erosion of trust in institutions, the spread of conspiracy theories, and difficulty discerning truth.

• Social Disintegration: Declining social cohesion, increased loneliness, and mental health challenges.

• Financial instability: Debt crises, economic shocks, and volatile markets.

• Supply chain disruptions: Global trade imbalances, shortages, and inflation.

• Technological unemployment: Automation and AI replacing human jobs.

• Cybersecurity threats: Data breaches, ransomware attacks, and disruption of critical infrastructure.

• AI risks: Unintended consequences of artificial intelligence, algorithmic bias, and job displacement.

• Biotechnology risks: Potential for misuse of genetic engineering and synthetic biology.

• Pandemics: Global health crises like COVID-19 highlight vulnerabilities in healthcare systems and global interconnectedness.

• Food insecurity: Climate change and conflict exacerbates food production and distribution challenges.

Interconnectedness makes the polycrisis particularly challenging, requiring integrated and collaborative solutions. Are we working and investing enough across nation-states to solve these problems? No, not nearly enough. Instead, we are doubling down on doing everything that has caused this dire predicament. And, you know, this “thing of ours” is ancient. It is nothing new.

Hedge Funds, private institutions, corporations, and their shareholders own everything and want more. You work a lifetime to pay off debt. If you don’t own many financial assets, you are not a Player; you are not even enjoying “the good life.” Plebs and proles are becoming more insignificant by the day.

1. What hedge funds generally own:

• BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street are primarily known for their index-tracking ETFs and mutual funds. This means they hold a broad range of stocks and bonds that mirror major market indices like the S&P 500, Russell 2000, and Bloomberg Barclays Aggregate Bond Index.

  • For example, BlackRock’s iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) and Vanguard’s Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF (VTI) are incredibly popular, holding stocks of large US companies.

• Blackstone is a major player in alternative investments, including:

  • Private equity: They buy and restructure entire companies.

  • Real estate: They own massive amounts of commercial and residential property.

  • Infrastructure: Investments in things like roads, bridges, and utilities.

  • Credit: They provide loans and other forms of financing.

• Hedge funds like Bridgewater Associates, Millennium Management, and Citadel tend to have more complex and varied portfolios, using a range of strategies:

  • Stocks: Both long and short positions in public companies.

  • Bonds: Government, corporate, and high-yield bonds.

  • Derivatives: Options, futures, and swaps to manage risk or speculate.

  • Commodities: Gold, oil, agricultural products.

  • Currencies: Trading on fluctuations in exchange rates.

  • Private investments: Venture capital, private equity, and real estate.

2. Where to find some clues about what these corporate institutions own:

• ETF Holdings: For ETFs, you can often find their top holdings listed on the fund provider’s website or on financial data platforms like Bloomberg or Yahoo Finance.

• 13F Filings: Institutional investment managers with over $100 million in assets under management must file Form 13F with the SEC quarterly. These filings disclose their holdings in US equities, but with a delay of about 45 days. You can find 13F filings on the SEC’s website or through various financial websites.

• Financial News: Keep an eye on financial news sources. They often report on major investments and acquisitions made by these firms.

The specific assets these firms own constantly change; having an utterly up-to-date list at any given time is impossible. These corporations own the media platforms. Google “BlackRock owns everything” and look into the results.

These corporate institutions manipulate markets.

We worry about the price of gas and eggs.

Nothing is equal.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be Jennifer Gates? Ms Gates is a Nepo baby, short for nepotism baby, a medical student, and an accomplished equestrian.

Nayel and Jennifer look like friendly people with lovely smiles.

Olympic equestrian Nayel Nassar and Jennifer Gates — the eldest daughter of billionaire Bill Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates — welcomed their second child, daughter Mia, in October 2024. The couple's first child, daughter Leila, was born in 2023.

Their abode is big, expensive, and probably a gift from Jennifer’s dad. It’s a triplex penthouse at 433 Greenwich Street, Tribeca, N.Y., N.Y. The triplex is 8,900 square feet with 316 square meters of outdoor space. That’s huge for an apartment, even by NYC standards! It has six bedrooms, six full bathrooms, two half bathrooms, and a plunge pool. The previous owner was Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton. He earned that pad. Bill reportedly purchased the triplex for around $51 million in 2021, with some estimates putting the current value at $76 million. Talk about making money while you sleep in your Tribeca apartment.

Of course, Jennifer and her siblings grew up at Xanadu 2.0, a 66,000-square-foot mansion in Medina, Washington, estimated to be worth $131 million.

Bill doesn’t have a mortgage. We paid for it. He’s a Player.

Jennifer Gates is pursuing her own career path and interests beyond her family’s wealth. Even wealthy children need something to do.

People need help understanding complex, systemic problems. Turn on the news, and you’ll see a clip of Assad’s heavy underground door leading to an escape route from the Presidential Palace. From that information, we learn that Assad was extremely wealthy; we saw images of prisons, i.e., he’s a dictator, and so on. There is no context in the report. Context is complicated. Assad is a bad guy, while Western billionaires are innovative geniuses. I always disliked Windows.

Captured labor. For-profit cells. Immigrants. Migrants. In the olden days, indentured servants and sl_ves. Today, free folks pay their debts until they go to heaven.

I had a dream this morning.

Dreams are hard to describe, but the story was something like this:

I was organizing people to do something, and it was working. People were enthusiastic and actively involved, and we were getting things done—initially. Later, people showed up to continue the “project,” but this time, everyone was competing to lead the venture (many cooks in the kitchen) and treating me like a jerk for being there. (What a nightmare. hehe)

I was okay with that, took a step back, and eventually decided to move on when someone in the dream said, “We don’t want you to go; we just want to do things differently.” I felt like what they were doing wasn’t what I wanted, so I moved into another phase of my dream where I was in some Roman Empire World simulation with Arnold Schwarzenegger. I am sad I didn’t wake up and write down the details of that part of the dream. It was vivid and profound. Darn it!

Go ahead, make my day, and analyze my dream. LOL

We know what the problems are.

Good people worldwide are working on profitable solutions to our problems, and even more people are discussing “the polycrisis.” Many people know a lot about global heating, peak oil, geopolitics, inequality, pollution, etc. Hundreds of platforms are disseminating information about all the nasty things plaguing our world. Reporting on problems employs a lot of people—not as many as the defense industry. We are all information addicts at this point, so there is a large market for information on everything that bothers or interests us. It’s been like this for ages. Day after day, more books and papers will be published, and “Tube” channels will discuss our “predicament,” and so on. The few of us who care will continue to consume this information voraciously. We think it’s an intellectually healthy habit. I know I did.

I have spent since 2008 delving into our “predicament.” Before that, I consumed the canned news we are all used to and read popular books and magazines, stuff that I thought was entertaining or would help me get ahead.

Now, I feel like all the educators and opinion-makers are having a fascinating time at the center of something big. While many smart folks “have the conversation,” we all sit around listening and reading information about problems and “solutions,” which have nothing to do with the true causes of the hyper-accelerating catastrophe we are experiencing.

So let me repeat it: This socioeconomic system has to go. We need a global rebellion, revolt, insurrection, mutiny, or uprising. We must overthrow the current economic archetype/model. Culture is the technology we need to accomplish this kind of dramatic change.

People who understand the polycrisis, predicament, or hyper-catastrophy call it what you will need to teach people how to seize power.

A brief detour.

I’m working with actors now, rehearsing scenes for a film I am making that’s intended to be a pilot of sorts for a streaming series I want to make. I’m looking to secure creator and producer credits and have been writing episodes for quite a while. The other day, I talked about books with an actor I was working with. I have a list of materials for actors to help them prepare for their roles. The actress mentioned that her mom often scolded her about watching too many shows and not reading enough. She said she learned a lot from these shows. Young people today learn things differently than in the 1950s, for example. People have many more resources today, and audio, visual, and video materials have increased since the Internet and the World Wide Web became accessible to more and more people. Streaming video was a game changer. Do you remember video rental stores?

Landman

Landman is one of the best streaming series I’ve seen in a while. I have watched the first five episodes. The speeches concerning energy and the oil business are gripping and profound.

“Landman” is the latest creation from Taylor Sheridan, the prolific mind behind hit shows like “Yellowstone” and “Tulsa King.” This gritty drama, currently airing on Paramount+, plunges viewers into the high-stakes world of oil exploration and land acquisition in the Permian Basin of West Texas.

The series centers around Tommy Norris, played with gruff charisma by Billy Bob Thornton. Tommy is a “landman,” a fixer for an oil company that negotiates leases and secures mineral rights from landowners. It’s a cutthroat business where fortunes are made and lost overnight, and Tommy navigates this treacherous landscape with a mix of cunning, intimidation, and old-fashioned Texas charm.

“Landman” doesn’t shy away from the complexities of the oil industry. It explores the boom-and-bust cycles, the environmental impact, and the clash between old-school wildcatters and modern corporations. The show also delves into the characters’ personal lives, showcasing the toll this demanding and often dangerous work takes on their families and relationships.

With its strong performances, tense plotlines, and authentic portrayal of a little-known corner of the American economy, “Landman” is shaping up to be another compelling entry in Taylor Sheridan’s growing television empire. It’s a show that grapples with timely issues like energy dependence, economic inequality, and the changing face of the American West.

If you’re a fan of Sheridan’s previous work or enjoy a good drama with a strong sense of place, “Landman” is worth checking out. Just be prepared for a wild ride through Texas oil’s rough and tumble world.

This is Tommy explaining the land deal to the cartel thugs:

“First they’ll hire Halliburton to build files on you fucking assholes the FBI dreams about having, then they’ll send thirty tier one operators from Triple Canopy to bust you like fucking pinatas. And if any of you dipshits make it back to Mexico they will blow up your house with a drone. While your family is in it. … It costs about six million to put in a new well, they’re putting 800 of them right fucking here … That’s 4.8 Billion in pump jacks. They’ll spend another billion on water, housing, and trucking. At an average of 78 dollars a barrel they will make 6.4 Million dollars a day. For the next fifty fucking years. The oil company is coming. No matter what.”

Spoiler Alert!

“They use clean energy to power the oil wells?” Rebecca asks.

“They use alternative energy,” Tommy snarks. “There’s nothing clean about this.”

“Please, Mr. Oil Man,” Rebecca quips. “Tell me how the wind is bad for the environment.”

“You have any idea how much diesel we had to burn to mix that much concrete? Or make that steel? Or haul this shit out here and put it together with a 450-foot crane? You want to guess how much oil it takes to lubricate that fucking [windmill]? Or winterize it? In its 20-year lifespan, it won’t offset the carbon footprint of making it. And don’t even get me started on solar panels and the lithium in your Tesla batteries.

And never mind the fact that if the whole world decided to go electric tomorrow, we don’t have the transmission lines to get the electric to the cities. It’d take 30 years if we started tomorrow. And unfortunately for your grandkids, we have a 120-year petroleum-based infrastructure. Our whole lives depend on it. And hell, it’s in everything. That road we came in on. The wheels in every car ever made, including yours. Tennis rackets, lipsticks, refrigerators, and antihistamines. Pretty much anything plastic. Your cell-phone case, artificial heart valves, any kind of clothing that’s not made with animal or plant fibers. Soap. Fucking hand lotion. Garbage bags. Fishing boats—you name it. In every fucking thing.

And you know what the kicker is? We’re gonna run out of it before we find its replacement … the thing that’s going to kill us all [is not the carbon emissions], it’s running out before we find an alternative. And believe me, if Exxon thought them fucking things [windmills] were the future, they’d be putting them all over the goddamn place. Getting oil is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. We don’t do it because we like it. We do it because we’ve run out of options.”

At the company’s board of directors, shareholders’ meeting:

Bob: Our concern isn’t combustion engine regulations so much as it is the--

Shareholder or Director: It’s not a concern, Bob?

Bob: It’s not the concern. I mean, 60% of American electricity still comes from fossil fuels, 39.8 from natural gas alone, and that number is climbing. Now, nuclear, that’s maxed out, unless they build more reactors, and that’s not gonna happen. Nuclear’s not an option for climate change advocates, even though it’s our cleanest and most reliable form of energy. Wind is twice as expensive as natural gas, and solar, four times as expensive. Plus, on its best day of the year, a solar power plant generates electricity for about eight hours. All our electric vehicles are doing is exporting their emissions to the power plant. Our greatest potential for growth is in exports. China only consumes 14% of the world’s petroleum reserves. India is at 4.9%. Russia, a little over 3%. We feel that our lobbyists’ focus should be on easing the regulations on exports. Our LNG exports to Europe last year climbed to 64% of total exports--

(clears throat)

Bob: Excuse me, if I may. What you’re not seeing in the States is this rabid opposition to fossil fuels of any kind. To their use, to their extraction-- 38% of the UK’s electricity came from natural gas piped in from Norway...

Steve: Gentlemen... But-but one quarter’s from wind, which I agree is unreliable and expensive, but-- and this is an important “but”

Bob: Energy consumption is not a social issue, Steve...

Steve: The hell it’s not. It’s deeply social. And we must endeavor ourselves to educate the world about our commitment to cleaner ener--

Monty: Steve, will you shut the fսck up? My God. This is why I don’t come to these things. Y’all have been in so many shareholder meetings, you forgot what it is we actually do for a living. We are well diggers. We don’t, nor can we ever, control how our product is used or what it is used for. There’s nothing I can do to make an engine run cleaner ’cause I don’t build fucking engines. I don’t care what the governor of California says about electric vehicles. I don’t care how many career college students block London traffic or spray-paint a fucking sculpture. I care that the price of oil stays between $76 and $88 a barrel. That is what we should be discussing. The world has already convinced itself that you are evil and I am evil for providing them the one fucking thing they interact with every day, and they will not be convinced otherwise. Stop wasting your time, and stop fucking wasting mine.

Director two: Gee, Monty, tell us how you really feel.

(laughter)

Bob: You better start caring, Monty. I mean, your children are going to inherit an oil fortune, but your grandchildren won’t. What they inherit, you’re gonna have to start building now. I know the party’s not ending tomorrow, but... it is ending.

We need leadership.

The Players of The Great Game don’t care about people; they don’t care about life. Of course, the healthier Players care about their people and children to various degrees, but within the myopic vision of The Great Game. Winning is always more important. You can’t have a family, friends, or allays unless you win. They care about profit and power over other people’s interests and the health and integrity of living systems.

People are mystical markets that propel the Player’s activities. Players create a profitable need or fill a need to win the Game, to have more control, power, influence, prestige, and money (an instrument of keeping score) than their competitors. You, my dear reader, are price setters, programmed desire machines driving markets with the market Masters, the grand manipulators of markets.

This is not to say there are no benefits to being servants of The Great Game. There are many, and we thrive on the rewards we can achieve as workers and service providers. I’m not suggesting this “thing of ours” is all bad. I’m a worker, and I enjoy life. I’m only pointing out that the way the Game is played now, with its petrochemical energy and our modern machines and technology, is destroying our habitat and the playground of the Players of The Great Game. The Game must change, or it will end, and that’s bad news for ten-year-olds.

The Players of The Great Game, whether they can see it or not, are war-mongering criminals incapable of making peace. Criminals? WTF? Who creates the legal code? The Players. So, Players can never be criminals. Brutal competition, not survival, but conquest, motivates them. Players are born and bred for their ambition and wet work. The culture of The Great Game is a criminal enterprise. I know it doesn’t look that way because we have laws, rules, and law enforcement. A legal structure/system makes creating and playing The Great Game easier and more secure. It also makes it a bit less violent and provides careers for service personnel of The Great Game.

People are part of the energy cycle of life and have radically impacted and reshaped the world since the beginning of civilization thousands of years ago. Much has been written.

The Players of The Great Game have always been master manipulators and adept at capturing energy, particularly people’s energy. Belief has always played a significant role in this. Players need religious ideologies and culture to capture the attention and belief of the people they exploit, and because we are apes, it’s not hard to develop and use these mind-control tools.

If you can’t fight to seize power, prepare yourself. You are living through a catastrophe you can’t avoid because you don’t have the power or resources to insulate yourself and your loved ones from it. Knowing this shouldn’t frighten you; it will only make you stronger and inspire you to understand what you are up against.

The only way to have power if you are not a Player is to organize mass action against the complex system we believe in. And how do you give up your beliefs? It’s hard. When one’s beliefs are gone, the space created must be filled with knowledge.

OUCH!

Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort a person feels when their behavior does not align with their values or beliefs. Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a person holds two contradictory beliefs at the same time.

If you want to live a heroic life, what might you do?

First, deprogram yourself through education. Next, imagine a better way of doing things and fight to make it happen. We will likely fail at bringing the Great Game down in favor of something better, but it will be a noble and epic undertaking that will produce legendary heroes and strong, resilient, loving people.

OK, let me be honest; it may also produce some horrifically cruel leaders of nasty gangs.

Change can be messy, but we can’t avoid it. The poly-whatnot is a transformation over which we are not in control.

But as all the gurus, educators, and hosts say on all the platforms, things are FUBAR, and something needs to be done. Smart folks also know that The Great Game is self-terminating. It will fall.

What will you be doing during the fall? Will you play golf for the next ten years and enjoy the show? I won’t criticize you for that. Life is short, and you worked hard to get that club membership.

My suggestion to all of us who enjoy learning about our socioeconomic operating system and the negative externalities that plague our world is that it is time to shift gears and become, oh gosh, leaders of the revolution. And don’t worry, we’ll all get the attention we crave because the revolution will be live on screens, everywhere, all the time—until our world goes dark.

But come on, let’s be a Stoic and get “real” about this. We don’t have the power, i.e., agency, or the “will,” i.e., the desire to make those kinds of sacrifices. Making life-threatening sacrifices if you are “living large” is irrational and self-destructive.

Billions of us will die. Who cares about “long-termism?”

Maybe it’s time to find a nice hobby. My dad played golf. Perhaps it’s time for me to buy some clubs.

Perhaps it’s not time to be so concerned about the transition we are living through. Things might not get bad for Americans and “The West” for several more decades, and by then, we might have technical and engineering fixes for the threats to The Great Game.

But I can’t help it; I’m not convinced that preserving The Great Game for another fifty years is good.

What makes me fret is the thought that The Great Game might indeed be the pinnacle of civilization, as good as it gets, and I am crazy not to embrace it.

As I said earlier, I enjoy learning about and understanding how The Great Game works, so there’s that.

Another Dictator Falls

The Great Game is rough!

“America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests.” —Henry Kissinger

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan plays for power. Energy and Power go hand in hand, and you know what form of energy runs our modern techno-industrial world. Bibi wants to stay, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wants to stay. If you play ball with Uncle Sam, you have a “friend” with benefits and can stay. 

“Word should be gotten to Nixon that if Thieu meets the same fate as Diem, the word will go out to the nations of the world that it may be dangerous to be America’s enemy, but to be America’s friend is fatal.” —Henry Kissinger

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a Turkish politician who has been president since 2014. He previously served as the 25th prime minister from 2003 to 2014 as part of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which he co-founded in 2001. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has a similar resume. Why didn’t Vladimir allow Western oligarchs to control Russian business interests or at least bump payments to the boss? The hubris of thinking you have a sovereign State! 

Shall we google Turkish war crimes now? 

When the West “liberated” Libya from brutal pan arabist, anti-imperialist dictator Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, who had an on-again, off-again friendship with Uncle Sam, people celebrated, some folks celebrated in Iraq when Uncle Sam’s on-again, off-again buddy Saddam Hussein’s regime fell thanks to shock and awe and all that; now folks celebrate in Syria because Bashar al-Assad’s regime has fallen thanks in no small part to good old Sam, but for how long? 

Uncle Sam doesn’t like leaders who stay in power too long if they don’t know how to service the big boss. Deep State or Uncle Sam, whatever you want to call the folks behind the most powerful country the Universe has ever known knows best. Sam’s way of maintaining control of the resources needed to keep the money flowing to the top is to create regime change wars in States sympathetic to Russia, a perennial enemy of the West since the dawn of time. The Western “Players” can’t play without Russia, as the Game requires constant warfare with a big, sinister, powerful State/alliance. Thank you for playing your role, China. 

There must be an Empire, or The Great Game grinds to a halt. The Empire must constantly defend itself and the whole wide world from its designated enemies (BRICS is also probably on Sam’s shyte list). Will BRICS fold? 

Sam’s minions and ideologues (service personnel to the Players) believe they are geniuses because Americans don’t die in these wars; the people in the region where the wars take place die in these wars, and then States fail, and after States fail, the geniuses in Congress have no idea what’s next. Nationa building? China does that — those sly celestials! No, the elected officials in The United States of New Miracles are better at thoughts and prayers. The Syrian army was starving and gave up. Frozen conflicts thaw out, and fighting on an empty stomach is hard. Remember that Peter Theil when you are putting together your private security force. Remember to have a good PX where your soldiers can spend their cryptocurrency. 

It will be fun listening to folks try to explain what’s next in Syria. How many years do you think we’ll have access to the Tubes? Until the Tubes go offline, folks in the West will enjoy “the having the conversation shows” and WWE, UFC, NFL sports, and Netflix documentaries about greenwashing and consumerism. It makes us feel good. We are safe in the States with our guns and opioids unless you are the CEO of a medical insurance company. 

Ain’t no more revolutionaries, only fat, well-entertained folks waiting for circumstances to dictate how the future and Great Nature wrap things up.

Tafas: [talking of Britain] “Is that a desert country?” “No: a fat country. Fat people.” — T.E. Lawrence. 

Ain’t no peacemakers. Ain’t no adventurers no more. There will only be tech libertarians left at the end of the day to spruce up the depopulated country club with engineered offspring. No, the tech billionaires won’t be partying like it’s 2099 in an underground cavern on Mars; we won’t be that lucky. When the country club has been rewilded and landscaped, all the heroes will have been martyred. 

I’m glad I’m old. 

USA! USA! USA! 

“If we’ve been telling lies, you’ve been telling half-lies. A man who tells lies, like me, merely hides the truth. But a man who tells half-lies has forgotten where he put it.” — Mr. Dryden (Lawrence of Arabia)

Tools For Health, Peace and Liberation

What happened to ancient wisdom?

"Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going." —Rita Mae Brown

Why?

Because.

A good salesperson will keep their pitches as brief as possible. Expounding upon the many reasons one might want something or to do something requires effort and thought. If a salesperson makes you think too much, she’ll lose the sale.

Manipulation is easy.

Who am I? What do I want? Why do I want it? How will I get it? What influences me? These are challenging questions.

There are many ways to categorize questions!

We can ask questions based on the answer we seek:

• Factual Questions: Seek straightforward information or facts.

  • Example: "What is the capital of France?"

• Conceptual Questions: Explore deeper meanings, theories, or ideas.

  • Example: "What are the main causes of poverty?"

• Open-ended Questions: Allow for a wide range of answers and encourage detailed responses.

  • Example: "How has technology impacted your life?"

• Closed-ended Questions: Limit the answer options to "yes" or "no" or a specific choice.

  • Example: "Do you prefer coffee or tea?"

Based on their purpose:

• Leading Questions: Suggest a particular answer or point of view.

  • Example: "Wouldn't you agree that this is the best solution?"

• Probing Questions: Follow up on a previous answer to gain further insights.

  • Example: "Can you tell me more about that?"

• Rhetorical Questions: Asked for effect, not expecting a direct answer.

  • Example: "Is the sky blue?"

• Hypothetical Questions: Pose a scenario or situation to explore possibilities.

  • Example: "What would you do if you won the lottery?"

Based on their structure:

• Direct Questions: Straightforward inquiries using a typical question format.

  • Example: "Where did you go to school?"

• Indirect Questions: A more polite or subtle way of asking for information.

  • Example: "I was wondering where you went to school."

• Multiple Choice Questions: Offer a set of answers to choose from.

  • Example: "Which of these is a primary color: a) green, b) red, c) purple?"

This is not an exhaustive list; many questions can fall into multiple categories. The type of question used depends on the context, the desired information, and the relationship between the asker and the respondent.

The fact that we ask questions makes us unique. We may be the only species in the Universe that asks questions.

Our ingenuity, adaptability, and toolmaking are aspects of our species that have made us unique and successful in all environments, including outer space.

Language: The First Tool

Before the advent of physical tools, early humans wielded a far more powerful and transformative tool: language. Language, a complex communication system, is a miracle of evolution that allowed our ancestors to share ideas, coordinate actions, and pass on knowledge across generations. Language facilitated strategizing for hunts, fostered social bonds, accelerated the development of ingenious, tangible tools, and allowed us to pass on our knowledge and techniques for making tools from generation to generation. Language is the bedrock upon which the edifice of human ingenuity was built.

Our brains, particularly in regions like Broca's and Wernicke's, specialize in language processing. This complex neural circuitry allows us to understand and produce speech, a capability not found in other primates to the same degree.

The descent of the larynx and the intricate structure of our vocal tract enable us to produce a wide range of sounds necessary for complex speech. These anatomical adaptations distinguish us from our primate relatives and are crucial for developing spoken language. The complex myriad of causes for selecting these anatomical adaptations is fascinating and worth investigating. Evolution is an exciting and illuminating domain of science that everyone should understand and be able to explain to a ten-year-old child.

Some theories propose that language evolved from gestures. The intricate hand movements and facial expressions used by primates for communication laid the groundwork for developing more complex language systems.

When our ancestors transitioned to bipedalism, the skull underwent changes to balance atop the spine. This led to a downward shift of the larynx (voice box), creating a longer, more spacious vocal tract. Our expanded cavity of the vocal tract allowed for greater resonance and a wider range of sound production.

Walking upright freed our hands, increasing dexterity and fine motor control. Fine motor control is linked to the intricate neural networks that control both hand movements and the muscles involved in speech production. The enhanced dexterity may have facilitated the development of complex vocalizations.

Bipedalism also altered our breathing patterns, allowing for greater control over respiration. This finer airflow control is crucial for producing the sustained and nuanced sounds necessary for speech.

The open savanna environment favored long-distance communication. Visual signals were less effective in tall grasses, putting a premium on vocal communication. This environmental pressure favored individuals with anatomical adaptations, allowing for more precise and complex vocalizations.

Think of it this way: as our ancestors ventured into the savanna, walking upright, their hands-free, they needed to communicate across greater distances. The anatomical changes brought about by bipedalism, particularly the repositioning of the larynx, provided the physical foundation for more complex vocalizations. Complex vocalizations, coupled with the environmental pressures of the savanna and the increasing complexity of social interactions, created some of the conditions for the evolution of language.

The evolution of language in humans is a complex process with multiple contributing factors. While walking upright was a crucial step, other factors, such as brain development, social interaction, and cultural evolution, played significant roles.

Our understanding will grow if scientists remain interested in how human language evolved.

Whenever I contemplate language, I think of C++, mathematics, music, dance, math, seduction, food, and more. I love language and communication.

"He who knows no foreign languages knows nothing of his own." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Cultural Perspective

As inherently social creatures, humans have always relied on language to facilitate cooperation, knowledge sharing, and the formation of complex social structures. Language's enhanced communication has been a significant survival advantage, allowing for better hunting, gathering, and defense coordination. Its contribution to human survival and advancement is something we should all appreciate.

As humans developed increasingly complex tools, precise instruction, and knowledge transfer became crucial. Language provided the means to communicate intricate techniques and pass down accumulated knowledge across generations, accelerating technological advancement.

Language allows humans to do more than communicate. It enables us to express abstract ideas, share stories, and create symbolic representations of the things and experiences in our world. Language empowers this capacity for symbolic thought, which has been instrumental in inspiring creativity, cultural development, and the transmission of complex information. It's astounding to think about the role of language in these aspects of human life.

The Interplay

These anatomical and cultural factors likely co-evolved, with each influencing the other. As our brains and vocal tracts adapted for language, the benefits of enhanced communication drove further cultural development. Cultural, artistic, and practical crafts created positive feedback loops, accelerating language evolution and human societies' complexity.

Language, as a powerful tool, has not only shaped our culture but has also been shaped by it. This unique evolutionary trajectory of language allows us to communicate, cooperate, and create in ways no other species can. It is a testament to the profound influence of language on human societies, enlightening us about its role in shaping our culture.

Why the meaning of sin changed radically during the first centuries of Christianity

Language and The Problem of Evil

Language constructs a human-centric reality. Language is a way of seeing things that can never represent the totality of reality. Without complex languages, our emotional reactions and ways of understanding things could not have become so robust, creative, and full of emotion and abstraction.

We are social creatures who depend on each other to survive and thrive. Our language differentiates, explains, and justifies.

The concepts of evil and "sin" are deeply intertwined with language and culture. Evil and sin are human constructs that vary significantly across cultures, traditions, and belief systems.

Abrahamic Religions

In Judaism, sin is often seen as a transgression against God's commandments, a violation of the covenant. It implies a separation from God and requires repentance and atonement to restore the relationship.

In Christianity, sin is understood as falling short of God's ideal, a rebellion against divine will. It's often associated with the concept of original sin inherited from Adam and Eve. An emphasis is placed on forgiveness and redemption through faith in Jesus Christ.

In Islam, sin is defined as disobedience to Allah's commands. It's an act of rebellion against the divine will and carries consequences in the afterlife. Repentance, seeking forgiveness, and good deeds are essential for atonement.

"Say, ˹O Prophet, that Allah says,˺ “O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran 39:53)

The above is far from a comprehensive discussion of the meaning of sin in Abrahamic religions. Scholars, theologians, and mystics across millennia have explored its depths from multiple perspectives and in many contexts.

A groundbreaking account of how religion made society possible

Buddhism takes a unique approach to "sin," diverging significantly from the Western notion of transgression against divine authority, the Abrahamic "Big Gods."

Focus on Actions and Consequences (Karma)

Instead of "sin," Buddhism focuses on karma. Karma refers to the law of cause and effect, where every action—mental, verbal, or physical—has consequences. Actions motivated by greed, hatred, and delusion are considered "unskillful" (akusala) and lead to suffering for oneself and others. Conversely, actions motivated by generosity, lovingkindness, and wisdom are "skillful" (kusala) and lead to positive outcomes.

No Inherent Sinfulness

Buddhism doesn't believe in the concept of original sin or that humans are inherently sinful. Every individual has the potential for Enlightenment, regardless of their past actions. The focus is on recognizing and understanding the causes of unskillful actions and cultivating skillful ones.

Money, as our prime motivator, has made us unskillful in the most harmful ways. Malicious incentives blind us to the crucial importance of Great Nature, energy, and stocks and flows of various kinds.

Emphasis on Intention

Intention plays a crucial role in determining an action's karmic impact. An action performed maliciously carries a heavier karmic weight than one done out of ignorance or misunderstanding.

Think of manslaughter vs. premeditated murder in our legal system.

No Divine Judgment

There's no concept of a God judging and punishing individuals for their sins. Suffering arises naturally from unskillful actions, and liberation comes from purifying the mind and cultivating wisdom.

We are responsible for our thoughts and actions. I won't touch the third rail of free will vs. determinism here.

Path to Liberation

The path to liberation involves understanding the nature of karma, cultivating ethical conduct, and practicing mindfulness and meditation. Through these practices, individuals can purify their minds, overcome negative tendencies, and ultimately achieve Enlightenment.

In Buddhism, Enlightenment, often called Bodhi or Awakening, is the ultimate goal of those who practice its precepts and way of life. It represents a profound and transformative shift in consciousness, freeing an individual from suffering and the cycle of rebirth.

Sometimes, I think of rebirth as making the same mistakes repeatedly without learning from my mistakes.

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

There's no evidence Albert Einstein said this. Its true origin remains uncertain, with various sources suggesting it may have emerged from Narcotics Anonymous or other 12-step programs. That makes perfect sense to me, having had my share of hangovers.

Nature of Enlightenment

Enlightenment is the cessation of Dukkha, the Buddhist term encompassing all forms of suffering, dissatisfaction, and unease. These disorders of the mind include physical and mental pain, as well as the existential angst associated with impermanence and attachment.

"Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." —Old proverb

Insight into reality involves a direct and experiential understanding of its true nature. It involves seeing through the illusions of the self and the permanence of phenomena, leading to the realization of Anatta (no self) and Anicca (impermanence).

Liberation from the Cycle of Rebirth breaks the cycle of Samsara, the continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth driven by karma.

"There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path."

Samsara is a fundamental concept in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and other Indian religions. It's a Sanskrit word that means "wandering" or "world," but in a spiritual context, it refers to the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned."

Samsara is often depicted as a wheel, symbolizing the continuous cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. This cycle is driven by karma, where actions in one life have consequences that influence future rebirths.

We can easily see that our actions affect posterity. That is, if we value future generations like we value our own.

Realms of Existence

A mixture of pleasure and suffering characterizes the human realm. The Animal realm is driven by instinct and experiences limited awareness. The Godly realms (Devas) are Characterized by pleasure and long life but are still subject to impermanence and eventual rebirth. Hell realms (Narakas) involve intense suffering and torment.

Causes of Samsara

Ignorance (Avidya) or a lack of understanding of the true nature of reality, or what I call Great Nature. Attachment (Trishna) is clinging to desires, possessions, and the illusion of a permanent self (egocentrism). Karma is the accumulation of actions and consequences that shape future rebirths.

Goal: Liberation (Moksha or Nirvana)

In many Indian religions, the ultimate goal is liberation from Samsara. We must break free from the rebirth cycle and attain lasting peace and freedom from suffering.

Stop making insane choices and mistakes and live well and healthily within Great Nature. Our social norms may be pathological.

Would modern psychology be needed if we sincerely and diligently practiced Buddhism or any profound wisdom tradition?

How to Escape Samsara

Following ethical principles of living a virtuous life, avoiding harmful actions, and cultivating positive karma. Engage in spiritual practices, including meditation, yoga, and other activities to purify the mind and gain insight into reality. Practice devotion, surrendering to a higher power while seeking divine grace. Recognize the true nature of the self and reality (Great Nature), transcending the illusion of separateness.

The goal is to break free from malicious cycles and attain liberation, lasting peace, and freedom.

Characteristics of an Enlightened Being

Wisdom (Prajna) is the deep understanding of reality free from delusion and ignorance. Compassion (Karuna) is the boundless empathy and love for all beings arising from the realization of interconnectedness. Ethical Conduct (Sila) involves living by moral principles, naturally arising from wisdom and compassion. Peace and Equanimity are the states of inner peace and tranquility undisturbed by external circumstances.

The Path to Enlightenment

The Noble Eightfold Path provides a practical framework for cultivating the qualities necessary for Enlightenment. It includes proper understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Meditation is central to Buddhist practice; meditation cultivates mindfulness, concentration, and insight into the nature of the mind and reality (Great Nature). Moral conduct involves living ethically, creating a foundation for spiritual growth, and reducing negative karma.

There are levels of Enlightenment: stream-enterer (Soptapanna), once-returner (Sakadagami), non-returner (Anagami), and Arahant, a fully Enlightened person having eradicated all attachments and attained complete liberation from suffering.

As you can see, Buddhism is an ancient, highly developed, and profound system of practices and concepts worth exploring.

The answers to our daily worries and anxieties – big or small – lie at the heart of Stoic philosophy.

Beyond Concepts and Language

Ultimately, Enlightenment is beyond intellectual understanding and cannot be fully grasped through language. It's an experiential realization that transcends words and concepts.

Enlightenment in Buddhism is a profound state of liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth. It's achieved through cultivating wisdom, compassion, and ethical conduct, culminating in a direct realization of the true nature of reality. While the path may be challenging, the rewards are immeasurable, offering lasting peace, freedom, and fulfillment.

I also recommend looking into Stoicism as a powerful and profound path toward understanding Great Nature, oneself, and society and as a method of attaining peace, equanimity, and wisdom. As with Buddhism, we have many great sources and teachers of Stoic wisdom, both contemporary and ancient.

I'm a big fan of Massimo Pigliucci's work.

The Rule of St. Benedict

Consider contrasting the above precepts and practices with The Rule of St. Benedict, written around 530 CE, emphasizing a balanced and ordered existence centered on prayer and work.

I. Prologue:

• Call to seek God and submit to the Rule.

• Emphasis on obedience, humility, and stability.

II. The Instruments of Good Works (Chapters 3-7):

• Obedience: Prompt and joyful obedience to God and superiors.

• Silence: Cultivating inner and outer silence for contemplation.

• Humility: Recognizing one's dependence on God and practicing selflessness.

• Discipline: Accepting correction and penance for growth.

III. The Abbot (Chapters 2 & 64):

• Role of the Abbot: The spiritual father and leader of the monastery, responsible for guiding and caring for the community.

• Qualities of an Abbot: Wise, compassionate, and just.

IV. The Daily Life of the Monk (Chapters 8-20):

• The Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours): Regular communal prayer throughout the day and night.

• Work: Manual labor and other tasks to support the community and cultivate humility.

• Reading and Study: Spiritual reading and study for intellectual and spiritual growth.

• Meals: Simple and moderate meals taken in silence.

• Sleep: Sufficient rest for physical and spiritual renewal.

V. Reception of New Members (Chapter 58):

• Discernment: A careful process for admitting new members to ensure their commitment.

• Novitiate: Period of training and formation before full membership.

VI. Discipline and Penance (Chapters 23-30):

• Correction: Fraternal correction for minor faults.

• Penance: More severe penalties for serious offenses, focused on restoration and reconciliation.

VII. Community Life (Chapters 31-57):

• Rank and Order: Respect for seniority and authority within the community.

• Common Goods: Sharing of possessions and resources.

• Hospitality: Welcoming guests and strangers with kindness.

VIII. Organization and Administration (Chapters 65-73):

• Officials: Appointment of monks to specific roles and responsibilities.

• Property: Management of the monastery's resources and finances.

Key Principles:

• Ora et Labora ("Pray and Work"): The central motto of Benedictine life, emphasizing the balance between prayer and manual labor.

• Stability: Commitment to remaining in the same community for life.

• Community: Living in a supportive and harmonious community.

• Moderation: Avoiding extremes in all things.

• Conversion of Life: Continual striving for spiritual growth and transformation.

The Rule of St. Benedict has provided a framework for monastic life for over 15 centuries.

Understanding Christianity provides a powerful context for understanding the development of Modernity.

Stages of Modernity

The Middle Ages (c. 5th - 15th centuries)

Dominant Features:

• Feudalism: A hierarchical social system with land ownership and loyalty as central tenets.

  1. The Church: Powerful religious institution influencing all aspects of life.

  2. Limited Social Mobility: Rigid social structure with little opportunity for advancement.

  3. Agrarian Economy: A primarily agricultural society with limited trade and technology.

Seeds of Change:

• Rise of Towns and Trade: Gradual emergence of urban centers and merchant class.

  1. Universities: Centers of learning and scholarship begin to challenge traditional authority.

  2. The Black Death: Demographic upheaval that disrupts the feudal system.

The Age of Discovery (c. 15th - 17th centuries)

Key Developments:

• Exploration and Expansion: European voyages lead to the discovery of new lands and trade routes.

  1. Rise of Mercantilism: The economic system focused on accumulating wealth through trade and colonization.

  2. Scientific Revolution: New discoveries and methods challenge traditional views of the Universe.

  3. Humanism: Emphasis on human reason and potential, inspired by classical learning.

Impact:

• Global interconnectedness: Increased contact between different cultures and continents.

  1. Challenges to Authority: Questioning of traditional knowledge and religious dogma.

  2. Growing Individualism: Emphasis on human agency and potential.

The Enlightenment (c. 18th century)

Core Ideas:

• Reason and Rationality: Emphasis on logic, critical thinking, and scientific inquiry.

  1. Individual Rights and Liberties: Belief in natural rights and the social contract.

  2. Progress and Reform: Optimism about human potential and the possibility of social improvement.

Key Figures:

• John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, Voltaire

Impact:

• Political Revolutions: American and French revolutions inspired by Enlightenment ideals.

  1. Rise of Democracy: Challenges to absolute monarchy and the growth of representative government.

  2. Scientific Advancements: Further progress in science and technology.

The Age of Wonder (c. late 18th - early 19th centuries)

Characteristics:

• Romanticism: Emphasis on emotion, imagination, and the sublime in nature and art.

  1. Industrialization: The early stages of the Industrial Revolution saw new sources of energy give rise to new technologies, industries, and factories (a new kind of labor).

  2. Social Change: Urbanization, growth of the working class, and new social problems.

Impact:

• Technological Innovation: Development of new machines and manufacturing processes.

  1. Social Disruption: Challenges to traditional ways of life and the rise of social inequality.

  2. Artistic Expression: Romantic movement in literature, art, and music.

The Industrial Revolution (c. 18th - 19th centuries)

Key Features:

• Mass Production: Factories and machines produce goods on a large scale.

  1. Technological Advancements: Steam engines, railroads, and other innovations transform transportation and communication.

  2. Urbanization: Mass migration from rural areas to cities for factory jobs.

Impact:

• Economic Growth: Increased production and wealth, but also economic inequality.

  1. Social Transformation: Rise of capitalism, new class structures, and social movements.

  2. Environmental Impact: Pollution and resource depletion become growing concerns.

Age of Wonder

Scientists and Inventors:

• James Watt (1736-1819): Scottish inventor whose improvements to the steam engine powered the Industrial Revolution.

  1. Alessandro Volta (1745-1827): Italian physicist who invented the first electric battery.

  2. Joseph Priestley (1733-1804): English chemist who discovered oxygen.

  3. Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794): French chemist considered the "father of modern chemistry."

  4. Edward Jenner (1749-1823): English physician who pioneered the smallpox vaccine.

Writers and Artists:

• William Blake (1757-1827): English poet and artist whose visionary works explored mystical themes.

  1. Mary Shelley (1797-1851): Author of Frankenstein, a Gothic novel that explored the dangers of unchecked scientific ambition.

  2. Lord Byron (1788-1824): Romantic poet known for his passionate and rebellious spirit.

  3. J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851): English Romantic painter known for his dramatic landscapes and seascapes.

Industrial Revolution

Inventors and Engineers:

• Richard Arkwright (1732-1792): English inventor of the water frame, a key development in the textile industry.

  1. Eli Whitney (1765-1825): American inventor of the cotton gin, which revolutionized cotton production.

  2. George Stephenson (1781-1848): English engineer who built the first public inter-city railway line using steam locomotives.

  3. Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859): English engineer who designed bridges, tunnels, and ships, including the Great Western Railway and the SS Great Britain.

  4. Henry Bessemer (1813-1898): English inventor of the Bessemer process for mass-producing steel.

Social Reformers and Thinkers:

• Robert Owen (1771-1858): Welsh social reformer who advocated for utopian socialism and improved working conditions.

  1. Karl Marx (1818-1883): German philosopher and economist who developed the theory of Marxism, critiquing capitalism and advocating for communism.

  2. Charles Dickens (1812-1870): English novelist whose works depicted the social injustices of the Industrial Revolution.

From Pulitzer Prize-winning author Greg Grandin comes the stunning, never before told story of the quixotic attempt to recreate small-town America in the heart of the Amazon

The list of impactful individuals during this time is long, and much has been written about them. Their innovations, ideas, and creative works shaped history and continue influencing today’s world.

These stages represent a broad overview of the transition from the medieval to the modern era. Each period builds upon the previous one, with new ideas and developments shaping our world. These stages are not always clearly defined and often overlap. However, they provide a valuable framework for understanding Modernity’s complex and fascinating journey.

Understanding abstract concepts like evil and sin is crucial if “the polycrisis” can be metaphorically linked to sinfulness.

Differences from the Western Concept of Sin

Buddhism has no Absolute Moral Code, fixed commandments, or rules defining sin. The emphasis is on understanding the consequences of one’s actions and cultivating wisdom and compassion. The focus is on Self-Responsibility. Individuals are responsible for their actions and the resulting karma. There’s no reliance on divine forgiveness or intervention. There is a strong emphasis on transformation. The goal is not to avoid punishment but to transform the mind and achieve liberation from suffering.

The same could be said of Stoicism.

"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” —Marcus Aurelius

In essence, Buddhism offers a nuanced perspective on actions and their consequences. It encourages individuals to cultivate skillful actions, purify their minds, and ultimately transcend the cycle of suffering.

Homo sapiens find great utility in creating myths and religious doctrines.

"There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which any created thing cannot fill, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus." —Blaise Pascal

More Perspectives

In Baháʼí Faith, sin is seen as “missing the mark,” a failure to live up to one’s potential. It’s a deviation from the path of spiritual growth and development. Emphasis is placed on striving for moral excellence and contributing to the betterment of humanity.

Many indigenous traditions view “sin” as actions that disrupt the harmony and balance of the natural world and the community. Respect for nature, ancestors, and the interconnectedness of all beings is essential.

"Should anyone be afflicted by a sin, it behooveth him to repent thereof and return unto his Lord. He, verily, granteth forgiveness unto whomsoever He willeth, and no one may question that which it pleaseth Him to ordain. He is, in truth, the Ever-Forgiving." —Baháʼu'lláh, 2 The Kitáb-i-Aqdas

Ten Years In Japan

I spent ten years in Japan and truly felt and loved Wabi-sabi (侘び寂び). Wabi-sabi sounds like a Japanese delicacy. I also loved Nabe, Sake, Okonomiyaki, Soba and Wasabi. My veterinarian in Portugal mistook the name of one of our cats, Wawaji, for Wasabi. I love Wasabi, too. I miss Asian food. Once, long ago in my youth, I was at a picnic with Japanese friends in Ueno Park in Tokyo. After several beers, one of the guys there asked me to try something, gave me a big wad of Wasabi, and said, “Just eat it; it’s like candy. Do you like spicey”? I knew what it was and wanted to impress him, so I feigned ignorance and gobbled the whole wad down. I pretended to chew and swallowed a wad of Wasabi—my stomach exploded. I kept a straight face, said it was delicious, and asked for more. While everyone at the party expressed their surprise, I slipped off behind a tree and suffered for a while before returning to the group, drinking a few cups of sake with some Mochi 餅 (sticky rice cake) and Osembe せんべい (rice crackers).

Wabi-sabi (侘び寂び) is a deeply ingrained aesthetic philosophy in Japanese culture that finds beauty and serenity in imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. It’s a worldview that embraces the natural cycle of growth and decay, finding profound meaning in the authentic and the unpretentious.

Core Principles of Wabi-sabi (侘び寂び)

Wabi-sabi values the flawed, the asymmetrical, and the irregular. It sees beauty in cracks, blemishes, and age’s natural wear and tear. It acknowledges the transient nature of all things. Nothing lasts forever, and this impermanence is seen as a source of beauty rather than something to be feared. Wabi-sabi appreciates simplicity and the understated. It finds elegance in the unfinished and the unadorned. It values natural materials and processes, embracing the inherent qualities of things rather than striving for artificial perfection. Wabi-sabi finds beauty in the humble and the essential, stripping away excess and focusing on the essence of things.

Kintsugi (Japanese: 金継ぎ, lit. 'golden joinery')

Wabi-sabi is deeply influenced by Zen Buddhist principles, particularly the acceptance of impermanence and the appreciation of simplicity. The Japanese tea ceremony (Chado) was crucial in developing wabi-sabi aesthetics, emphasizing rustic simplicity and natural materials.

Kintsugi is the art of repairing broken pottery with gold lacquer, highlighting the cracks and imperfections rather than hiding them. Japanese Gardens are often designed to evoke a sense of tranquility and natural beauty, with asymmetrical arrangements, weathered stones, and moss-covered paths. Traditional Japanese architecture frequently features natural materials like wood and paper, emphasizing simplicity and functionality. Wabi-sabi pottery embraces imperfections with irregular shapes, uneven glazes, and visible marks of the maker's hand.

Wabi-sabi encourages us to appreciate the beauty in everyday moments and objects, finding meaning in the simple and the imperfect. It's a philosophy that can bring peace and acceptance to our lives, reminding us to embrace the natural flow of life and find joy in the present moment.

You are probably familiar with some of the above examples of wisdom traditions. Do you practice any of them?

Let's return to sin, this time as a cultural construction.

Cultural values, beliefs, and social norms shape the concept of sin. What constitutes sin in one culture may not be considered sinful in another.

In many traditions, sin is framed as an offense against a higher power or a violation of divine law. Sin often serves as a moral compass, guiding individuals towards ethical behavior and discouraging actions that harm themselves or others. Most traditions offer pathways to overcome sin through repentance, atonement, or spiritual practices.

Ultimately, sin reflects the human quest for meaning, morality, and connection with something greater than ourselves. It's a complex and evolving concept that shapes our understanding of right and wrong.

Has anything leading up to this moment been sinful? We created sin, so we own it. We used the tool of language and then storytelling to give it power and meaning.

The Ascent of Humanity: Tools and Transformation

Atlatl

With the spark of language ignited and evolving rapidly, the Paleolithic period witnessed an explosion of toolmaking. Crude stone implements gave way to refined hand axes, spearheads, and scrapers. These tools, coupled with the mastery of fire, revolutionized hunting, food processing, and protection from the elements. Tools weren't merely extensions of human hands but extensions of the human mind, enabling our ancestors to reshape their environment and destiny.

The transition to the Neolithic era brought forth agriculture and animal and human domestication through the evolution of toolmaking and storytelling. Tools for farming, pottery, and weaving emerged, further transforming human societies. The rise of more extensive, settled communities led to new social structures, trade networks, and the beginnings of civilization. Tools were no longer just for survival; they shaped culture, fostered innovation, and drove expansion and the scale and impact of human endeavors. Most of all, it drove competition for control of resources and conquest of territory and other species and groups of people.

The Paradox of Progress: From Smart Phones to Extinction

Fast-forward millennia and the pace of tool development has accelerated exponentially. From the Industrial Revolution to the Digital Age, humans became masters of their domain, wielding tools of incredible power and complexity. Thanks to the work done by fossil-fueled machines developed across the Industrial Revolution, our species proliferated and went to the moon. Nuclear energy, space travel, and the internet are all testaments to human ingenuity. Yet, this technological prowess came at a cost.

Earthrise is a photograph of Earth and part of the Moon's surface that was taken from lunar orbit by astronaut William Anders on December 24, 1968, during the Apollo 8 mission. Nature photographer Galen Rowell described it as "the most influential environmental photograph ever taken."

Brainless slime named ‘the Blob’ flying to space to study weightlessness.

Aliens Visit

Our Alien explorers, sifting through the remnants of our civilization, uncover a stark truth. Beneath dirt and dust accumulated over hundreds of thousands of years lies a ubiquitous layer of e-waste telling the story of a species that mastered its environment but failed to master itself. The tools that propelled humanity to its "greatest" achievements ultimately contributed to its downfall. Overexploitation of resources, environmental degradation, and the specter of conflict—all consequences of unchecked technological advancement—led to another advanced civilization's demise.

Alien machines with advanced intelligence, set in motion by something out there in the Universe, with sophisticated technology that homo sapiens at their peak of progress would have been incapable of comprehending, instantly recognized the familiar and tragic paradox of our existence.

The creatures responsible for their civilization failed to grasp the importance of stewardship, sustainability, and peace. Whoever they were, they misunderstood the power and grace of Great Nature, and their tools became instruments of their destruction, leaving behind a silent testament to the fragility of even the most intelligent organic beings.

The shift to agriculture, with its hoards of commodities and rapidly evolving technologies, marked a turning point in human history in terms of sustenance and also in the dynamics of power. As humans settled into larger communities and cultivated the land, the ability to produce surplus food emerged. However, this surplus, including a surplus of the materials required to produce it, was not evenly distributed. Organized groups, often with a penchant for violence, seized control of these valuable resources, hoarding grain and other commodities. This control over essential resources translated into power—the power to command labor, to wage war, and to further expand their dominion.

This accumulation of power was reinforced and legitimized through cultural tools. Stories, myths, and religions were crafted, justifying the social hierarchy and the right of the powerful to rule. War, glorified in tales of heroism and conquest, became a tool for expanding and acquiring more resources and enslaved people. These narratives, woven into the fabric of society, masked the underlying exploitation and perpetuated the cycle of domination.

The rise of leaders with dark tetrad traits—narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism—further exacerbated this destructive trajectory. These individuals, skilled in manipulation and ruthlessness, were adept at exploiting the systems of power for their selfish gain. They excelled at waging war, consolidating control, and justifying their actions through carefully constructed narratives.

The insatiable hunger for resources and power drives relentless expansion and exploitation. Robust social systems ravage ecosystems, poison people and animals, drive megafauna to extinction, and enslave entire populations. The tools that had initially allowed humans to thrive—agriculture, language, and social organization—became and continue to be instruments of destruction in the hands of the powerful.

The tragic irony is that these individuals, driven by their dark tetrad traits, often believed themselves to be visionaries, builders, and even saviors. They were blinded by their ambition, unable to recognize the devastating consequences of their actions. Their relentless pursuit of power and control ultimately led their civilization down a path of self-destruction, leaving behind a desolate planet as a testament to their hubris.

If you think the above paragraphs are alarmist or overstated, wait for circumstances to reveal their judgment of our sins.

During the long, painful, and violent process of human evolution, we continued to experience a wonderous ability to express beauty, love, compassion, empathy, and a profound, ineffable spiritual, transcendent connection to Great Nature.

Today, love and connection could yet blossom and overwhelm sin and ignorance. Feeling this potential encapsulates the beauty of being human, living in this place and time, and our profound, inexpressible miracle of consciousness, creativity, and bliss.

Communication In Service To Life

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." —George Bernard Shaw

I have read and spoken with popular attention-seeking communicators. They are charming, confident, and adept at developing a following, but their messages often harm honest dialogue and understanding.

"WTF are these blowhards talking about, and WTF do they want?"

Effective communication aims to convey information clearly and foster understanding; some communication tactics prioritize manipulation and obfuscation over genuine dialogue. While valuable in constructing persuasive arguments, rhetorical skills can be weaponized to sway opinions through emotional appeals, subtle distortions, and carefully crafted narratives, often at the expense of truth and transparency. Gish galloping, with its overwhelming torrent of half-truths and irrelevant claims, aims to drown out opposing voices and create an illusion of authority, leaving the listener bewildered and unable to formulate a coherent response.

Fuyuko-Matsui-Japan-Keeping-up-the-Pureness-2024

While metaphors can be powerful tools for illustrating complex ideas and evoking emotional responses, their overuse in persuasive speech can harm clear communication. An overabundance of metaphors can obscure meaning, burying it beneath layers of figurative language. This can lead to confusion, especially when metaphors are mixed or extended beyond their intended purpose. Furthermore, excessive reliance on metaphors can create an impression of manipulation, as if the speaker is trying to bypass logical reasoning and appeal directly to emotions. In such cases, the audience may feel patronized or distrustful. A delicate balance is key: metaphors, when used judiciously, can illuminate and engage, but their overuse can cloud judgment and undermine the speaker's credibility.

Ideologically coded language further complicates the communication landscape. By embedding hidden meanings and dog whistles within seemingly innocuous phrases, this tactic allows individuals to signal allegiance to specific groups, reinforce in-group biases, and subtly demonize those who hold opposing views.

Pseudo-academic speech, with its complex jargon and convoluted sentence structures, creates a veneer of intellectual authority. It is often used to intimidate or impress rather than genuinely inform. This tactic can mask weak arguments, create artificial barriers to entry, and exclude those who lack specialized knowledge.

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." —Albert Einstein

Manipulation in communication goes beyond the words themselves. Skilled manipulators can use a wide range of subtle tactics to influence their audience.

"Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something." —Plato

Establishing False Authority: This tactic creates an illusion of expertise or credibility, even when unwarranted. Manipulators might use impressive titles, name-drop prestigious institutions, or flaunt superficial symbols of knowledge to gain the audience's trust. This can be especially effective when dealing with complex or unfamiliar topics where the audience may feel less confident in their judgment.

Manufacturing Scarcity: This technique creates a sense of urgency or fear of missing out. Manipulators might claim that an opportunity is limited, a product is in short supply, or a piece of information is exclusive. This pressure tactic can bypass rational decision-making, leading people to act impulsively without fully considering the consequences.

Employing Social Proof: This tactic leverages our innate desire to conform and belong. Manipulators might highlight how many people already agree with them, showcase testimonials from satisfied customers, or create a sense of bandwagon effect. This can be particularly powerful in social settings where individuals are likelier to follow the crowd.

Using Anchoring Bias: This technique involves setting an initial expectation or reference point that influences subsequent judgments. For example, a manipulator might start with an outrageously high price before offering a "discount," making the final price seem more reasonable even if it's still inflated.

Appealing to Ego: This tactic involves flattering the audience, making them feel special, or stroking their self-importance. Manipulators might offer exclusive access, personalized attention, or praise the audience's intelligence or discernment. This can make people more receptive to the manipulator's message and less likely to question their motives.

Exploiting Emotional Vulnerability: Skilled manipulators are adept at reading and exploiting their audience's emotions. They might use fear, anger, guilt, or empathy to sway opinions and influence behavior. This can be particularly effective when people are already feeling vulnerable or stressed.

A charismatic personality, confident demeanor, and carefully crafted image can all contribute to a con person's persuasive power. These factors can create an aura of trustworthiness and likability, making it easier for the manipulator to gain the audience's confidence and lower their guard.

Recognizing these manipulative tactics is crucial for protecting ourselves from undue influence. By being aware of the psychological techniques employed by skilled manipulators, we can become more critical consumers of information and make more informed decisions.

Not using the above techniques is boring. People want excitement and stimulation; they feel good if their biases and beliefs are emphasized and supported. We want to be outraged, entertained, and unique, so we gravitate to people who make us feel these things.

In contrast, good-faith communication prioritizes clarity, honesty, and mutual understanding. It values straightforward language, logical reasoning, and evidence-based arguments. It seeks to inform and enlighten rather than manipulate or deceive. This approach fosters trust, encourages open dialogue, and allows for the productive exchange of ideas. While it may lack the flashy appeal of rhetorical flourishes or the deceptive tactics of obfuscation, good-faith communication builds bridges of understanding. It paves the way for genuine connection and collaboration.

Do people respond to good communication? What is communication for?

"Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy, and mutual valuing." —Rollo May

Communication in the Broad Sense

Communication is the transfer of information from one entity to another. This information can be in the form of signals, messages, or meanings. In a broad sense, communication can occur between any two entities, whether living or nonliving.

Chemicals and Energy Transfers

At the most basic level, chemicals "communicate" with each other through energy transfers. For example, when a molecule of ATP is broken down, it releases energy that different molecules can use to perform work. This energy transfer is a form of communication between the ATP molecule and the other molecules.

Bacteria and Viruses

Bacteria and viruses also communicate. For example, bacteria can release signaling molecules to coordinate their activities. Viruses can also communicate with their host cells, hijacking the cell's machinery to produce more viruses.

Pathogens and the Immune System

Pathogens like bacteria and viruses communicate with the immune system. When a pathogen enters the body, it is recognized by the immune system as foreign. This recognition triggers a series of events that lead to the destruction of the pathogen. The communication between the pathogen and the immune system is essential for the body to fight infection.

Animals

Animals communicate with each other in various ways, including vocalizations, body language, and scent. Great apes use a variety of vocalizations to communicate with each other. Dolphins and whales use clicks and whistles to communicate underwater. Dogs and cats communicate with their owners through body language and vocalizations.

Crows and Other Birds

Crows and other birds are known for their intelligence and communication ability. Crows can use tools, solve problems, and remember faces. They can also communicate with each other using a variety of vocalizations and gestures.

Insects Are Everywhere And Vital To Living Systems

I fear the demise of insects.

Despite their size, insects have mastered the art of communication, employing a diverse repertoire of methods to thrive in their complex world. Their most prevalent form of communication is chemical. These tiny creatures convey information to their fellow species members by releasing pheromones. These chemical messages act as invisible signals, from amorous intentions and urgent alarms to detailed directions toward food sources and intricate recognition codes for nestmates. It's like a hidden language of scents, allowing them to navigate their environment and maintain social order.

But insects are not just masters of scent but also skilled musicians. Crickets, grasshoppers, and cicadas fill the air with their characteristic chirps and buzzes, creating a symphony of sound. These sounds, produced by the rhythmic rubbing of wings or legs, serve various purposes. They can be romantic serenades aimed at attracting mates, fierce battle cries defending territory, or urgent warnings broadcast to others about impending danger.

Visual communication also plays a crucial role in the insect world. From the vibrant colors of butterflies that signal toxicity to predators to the mesmerizing light displays of fireflies seeking romance at night, insects utilize visual cues to attract attention, convey warnings, and communicate intentions. Some even engage in elaborate dances or physical displays, showcasing their agility and prowess.

Touch, too, serves as a means of communication for some insects. Ants, for example, use their antennae to tap or stroke each other, conveying intricate messages about food sources or potential threats. Bees, renowned for their intricate social structures, use a "waggle dance" to share information about the location of flowers with their hive mates, physically demonstrating the direction and distance through a series of movements.

Communication is a testament to nature's ingenuity, reminding us that even the smallest creatures possess a wealth of communication strategies essential for survival and success.

Life is communication.

Hung-Liu-China-Sisters-2000

The Theory of Mind

The theory of mind is understanding that other people have thoughts and beliefs. This ability is essential for effective communication. Humans develop the theory of mind at a young age. Some animals, such as great apes and dolphins, also have some theory of mind abilities.

Research increasingly supports the existence of culture in dolphins and whales. These cetaceans demonstrate learned behaviors that are passed down through generations, not solely determined by genetics. For example, different orca pods have unique hunting techniques, vocalizations, and social structures, suggesting cultural transmission of knowledge. Humpback whales exhibit cultural learning through their songs, which evolve and are shared across populations. Bottlenose dolphins display tool use, like using sponges to protect their snouts while foraging, a behavior learned from mothers. These examples highlight the capacity for social learning and cultural transmission within dolphin and whale communities, challenging the notion that culture is exclusive to humans.

Culture is more than shared traits; it's a learned way of life. We aren't born with culture; we acquire it by interacting with others and observing the world around us. This learning happens through formal channels, like education, and informal ones, like everyday experiences. Essentially, culture is absorbed as we grow within a particular society.

Furthermore, culture is a collective experience, a shared understanding that connects individuals within a group. This shared knowledge, beliefs, and practices facilitate communication and cooperation, allowing people to function effectively within their society. It's this shared foundation that enables a sense of community and belonging.

Culture relies heavily on symbols to convey meaning and transmit information. Language, art, rituals, and customs all serve as symbolic representations of a culture's values and beliefs. These symbols act as a powerful shorthand, conveying complex ideas and emotions and reinforcing a sense of identity and shared history.

Culture is not a static set of rules but rather an integrated and dynamic system. Different aspects of culture, such as religion, social norms, and art, are interconnected and influence each other. Moreover, culture constantly evolves, adapting to new circumstances as different cultures interact. This dynamic nature ensures that culture remains relevant and responsive to society's changing needs.

In its myriad forms, communication acts as both a sculptor and a solvent of culture. Information can foster understanding, empathy, and progress when accurate and freely flowing. It empowers individuals to make informed decisions, participate in democratic processes, and contribute to their communities. However, spreading misinformation and conspiracy stories (a conspiracy theory may have valid truth-claims and attempt to establish lines of evidence), often fueled by malicious intent or profit-driven algorithms, can erode trust, sow division, and hinder rational discourse. These fabricated narratives prey on fears and biases, creating echo chambers where critical thinking is stifled, and harmful ideologies can flourish.

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." —Rudyard Kipling

At the heart of the polycrisis is a failure in communication and an erosion of culture.

Public relations, marketing, and advertising, while essential for informing consumers and promoting economic activity, can also manipulate perceptions and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. These persuasive techniques, when employed ethically, can educate and empower. However, corporations can also use the above forms of communication to create artificial needs, promote consumerism, and reinforce existing power structures. Propaganda, a more insidious form of persuasion often employed by political actors in support of wealthy donors, utilizes emotional appeals and distorted information to manipulate public opinion and advance specific agendas. Political speech itself, while crucial for democratic debate, can be weaponized to spread misinformation, sow discord, and undermine trust in institutions.

The anglosphere is plagued with communication pathologies motivated mainly by the desire for profits.

Toxic rationalizations and justifications are insidious mechanisms that allow individuals and groups to support harmful actions while maintaining a sense of self-justification. These mental gymnastics distort reality, suppress empathy, and ultimately erode the foundations of healthy communities and ecosystems.

"It's just business": This justification reduces complex ethical considerations to a simple profit-loss calculation. Political and business leaders can rationalize away environmental destruction, labor exploitation, and even human rights abuses if they contribute to the bottom line. This mindset prioritizes short-term gains over long-term sustainability and disregards the well-being of communities and ecosystems.

"It's for the greater good": This argument often masks harmful actions behind a facade of altruism. Displacing communities for infrastructure projects, suppressing dissent in the name of national security, or sacrificing individual rights for collective safety can all be justified under this banner. The "greater good" rationalization allows individuals to ignore the immediate harm inflicted on some for a supposed benefit to a larger group, often without proper evidence or consideration of alternative solutions.

"They're not like us": This dehumanizing tactic creates an artificial "other," justifying discriminatory policies and even violence. Racial profiling, religious persecution, chauvinism, and xenophobia all stem from this toxic belief. By denying certain groups' inherent worth and dignity, this rationalization enables individuals to inflict harm without experiencing empathy or remorse.

"Tradition/This is how it's always been done": This appeal to tradition resists change and perpetuates harmful practices. Influential players can defend gender inequality, caste systems, and environmental exploitation under the guise of preserving cultural heritage. This rationalization stifles progress, ignores evolving ethical standards, and prevents societies from addressing systemic injustices.

"Individual responsibility/They should just work harder": This justification shifts blame onto victims of systemic inequalities. Poverty, lack of access to healthcare, and educational disparities are attributed to personal failings rather than societal structures. This rationalization ignores the complex interplay of social, economic, and political factors that contribute to disadvantage, perpetuating cycles of poverty and injustice.

"Whataboutism/But they do it too": This deflection tactic avoids accountability by pointing fingers at others. Environmental damage, human rights violations, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and unethical business practices are justified by highlighting similar actions by others. This rationalization creates a false equivalency, distracting from the issue and preventing meaningful action.

These toxic rationalizations and justifications poison public discourse, erode trust, and hinder progress toward a more just and sustainable world culture. By recognizing these harmful thought patterns, we can challenge them, foster critical thinking, and promote a more empathetic and responsible approach to decision-making.

We need to think clearly and act. Cynical Players of The Great Game and True Believers destroy trust in public institutions to pursue profits, power, and control or to fit in.

The rise of corporate "persons" and the concept of "money as speech" have further complicated the communication landscape. These legal and political constructs grant corporations disproportionate influence over public discourse, allowing them to shape narratives, lobby for favorable policies, and drown out dissenting voices. Religion and other faith-based belief systems, while offering solace and community to many, can also be sources of division and conflict. Dogmatic adherence to beliefs, often resistant to evidence-based reasoning, can hinder progress on critical issues and fuel intolerance.

Too many people seem stubbornly willing to ignore facts and evidence in a spiteful attempt to destroy groups that contradict their emotional beliefs.

In contrast to faith-based and emotionally driven communication, evidence-based communication relies on verifiable facts, scientific inquiry, and logical reasoning. This approach seeks to represent reality in the strictest sense, grounding discussions in empirical data and testable hypotheses. While not infallible, evidence-based communication provides a framework for understanding complex issues, evaluating claims, and making informed decisions.

Systems and complexity theories offer valuable perspectives on the interconnectedness of global challenges and the limitations of simplistic solutions. These frameworks emphasize the dynamic interplay of various factors, highlighting the need for holistic approaches that account for feedback loops, stocks and flows, unintended consequences, and emergent behavior. Faith-based belief systems, relying on fixed doctrines and supernatural explanations, often struggle to grapple with the complexities of climate change, habitat destruction, pandemics, the true causes of war and violent conflict, and economic inequality.

Antonio-Ole-Angola-The-Maculusso-Mural-2014

To transcend emotional reactions and cultivate a more reasoned perspective, we must foster critical thinking skills, promote media literacy, and encourage open dialogue. Good communication involves questioning assumptions, seeking diverse perspectives, and evaluating information sources. Recognizing the profit motive behind much of the disinformation and misinformation circulating today is crucial. We can become more discerning information consumers by understanding how algorithms prioritize engagement over accuracy and how sensationalism drives attention.

Ultimately, fostering a healthier communication ecosystem requires a collective effort. We must support independent journalism, invest in education, and hold platforms accountable for the content they amplify. We can create a more informed, resilient, and just society by prioritizing truth, reason, and empathy.

Fostering better communication and a healthier culture is not a passive endeavor; it's an active struggle that demands the participation of every one of us. Our collective responsibility requires us to challenge our biases, engage in open dialogue, and actively contribute to a more inclusive and informed society.

This journey towards better communication and a healthier culture begins within each of us. It demands that we bravely confront our ingrained biases and prejudices, those hidden assumptions that color our perceptions and shape our interactions. We must actively seek to understand the cultural baggage we carry, acknowledging how it might distort our understanding and hinder our ability to connect with others authentically. Through the courageous practice of self-reflection, we can dismantle the barriers that prevent genuine empathy and understanding.

"One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say." —Bryant H. McGill

But self-awareness is only the first step. We must also become active listeners, truly present in our conversations, striving to understand the words spoken and the emotions and intentions behind them. Active listening means quieting our internal monologue and resisting the urge to formulate our response while the other person is still speaking. Instead, we must lean in, listen deeply, and strive to see the world through their eyes. When we care about what others think and help them express themselves clearly through respectful questioning, we build bridges of understanding and create space for meaningful dialogue.

Our journey cannot end within the confines of our familiar circles. We must actively seek diverse perspectives, venturing beyond the comforting echo chambers where our beliefs are constantly reinforced. We must engage with people with different viewpoints, even those we might find challenging or uncomfortable. In these encounters, where our assumptions are tested and our perspectives broadened, we truly grow and learn.

In this age of information overload, we must also become discerning consumers of information, developing the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate the digital landscape. We must question the motives behind messages, consider potential bias, and seek reliable, evidence-based sources. Earnest, careful inquiries are our weapons against the insidious spread of misinformation and disinformation, threatening to erode the foundations of truth and trust.

And when we engage in conversation, even amidst disagreement, let us do so with respect and a commitment to understanding. Let us focus on shared goals and common ground, seeking to build bridges rather than walls. Let us choose our words carefully, avoiding inflammatory language and personal attacks that only serve to deepen divides.

Let us also support platforms and spaces that prioritize constructive dialogue, factual accuracy, and the inclusion of diverse voices. We should choose our news sources carefully, support independent journalism, or actively contribute to online communities that foster healthy debate and respectful exchange.

Finally, let us hold ourselves and others accountable for the language we use and the behaviors we exhibit. This requires courage, as it may mean speaking up when we witness harmful words or actions, even when it's uncomfortable. We create a culture of respect and responsibility through this collective commitment to accountability.

"Communication is the solvent of all problems and is the foundation for personal development." —Peter Shepherd

Developing a culture based on truth and good communication is a challenging path. It's an ongoing struggle, a continuous process of learning, adapting, and striving to improve people's lives. It's a valuable struggle, for it promises a more inclusive, informed, and resilient society.

Avoiding the struggle for good communication will lead to disaster. We know this; we witness the horrible effects of our inability to communicate sincerely and well every day.

The Privilege of Collapse

Our species may become extinct, but we will never again be cavemen.

“Tolerance and apathy are the last virtues of a dying society.” —Aristotle

Some ideas are off-limits to most ideological cliques. For democrats, conservatives, neoconservatives, neoliberals, well-informed social democrats, Marxists, young, hip communists, religious fanatics, business people, millionaires and billionaires, etc., overpopulation, degrowth, overshoot, the polycrisis, ecological destruction, climate change, global heating, peak oil, pollution, and “the sixth extinction” are boring, taboo subjects, only a minority of doomers concern themselves with. “Fuck doomers” sums up their attitude towards people who are concerned with existential risks. 

“Idiot! Tree hugger! You have benefited from modern techno-industrial fossil-fueled liberal economics and political philosophy your whole life! Now that you’ve had fun and enjoyed consumer culture, you want to deny what you’ve had to others.” —True Believer

For the true believer, salvation comes from the progress of God. Progress is, of course, the ability to produce and enjoy more stuff.

The world is an illusion, a simulation, a place we enjoy before purgatory, heaven, or hell. If we behave well, we’ll do well enough. It’s best not to ask too many questions. Our Masters will take good care of us.

People who have worked hard to succeed in our modern techno-industrial, competitive, and expansive world will fight to maintain that world. They aren’t about to give it up. They have learned what it takes to succeed and will fight for recognition.

For true believers, the answer is always more growth. India, China, Africa, and South America should be allowed to rise to the standard of living experienced by upper-middle-class and wealthy Americans. (But not if they are too competitive. The American Empire knows best. If we are not competitive with our rivals, we kill them.) The competition for what nation or alliances control resources and economic growth is a serious business. At the very least, the world should remain exploitable so that the affluent West can maintain its standard of living and allow its wealthy elite to become even richer. The West sets the standard and knows what’s best for the world. Get with the program, and the West will take care of you. You’ll be able to shop like a millionaire. You owe all the good things in life to Corporate leaders and shareholders. Be thankful; life is short and full of bread and circuses for those who play along, for the superfans who understand the values the Players advocate.

We are motivated by the belief that if we participate in The Great Game on some level, work hard, and fight, we might become one of the few members of society that controls most of the wealth and resources in the world—thinking this gives us a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Success automatically presupposes that we know what’s best for everyone; it validates us. Buy a lottery ticket, borrow money for an Ivy League education, and fight to get to the top; you can be a winner and an elite Player at the top of The Great Game.

There is ample evidence to support the benefits of our particular ways of achieving economic growth. People have more things. Even people in less affluent countries have smartphones and more consumer goods.

“Read Steven Pinker, and shut the fuck up, Doomer Killjoy!” —True Believer

I get it. I am a white man born in the United States in the 1950s. Although I am not a wealthy Player of The Great Game, I used to provide services to Players and their enterprises and did well enough to live an interesting and exciting life. If a young person says they want to be a Wall Street Banker, I won’t tell them they are evil or crazy. I might suggest some reading. I’m not here to preach, although it can sound that way because I’m convinced that if we managed things differently, people would be much better off. But, you know, we might find ways to avail ourselves of the energy and materials to be a multi-planet consumer culture where keeping score matters most. We can all aspire to be the next Elon Musk. Best of luck, I mean, be a self-made man, a made man—whoops, mixing metaphors.

Like most people, I’m optimistic about some things and pessimistic about others. My optimism depends on the preconditions needed for a desired outcome. If not available, those conditions must be imagined, created, and implemented to initiate a cascade of events and a milieu of thought that can produce something extraordinary. When something radically new emerges, it may not be recognized at first; once it is, it may inspire adverse reactions from people used to the status quo, the customary way of doing things. Familiarity feels safe. Predictability provides us with a sense of security. In the material world, successfully navigating the day’s challenges requires knowing one’s surroundings and how things work. Practicality requires an environment where things fit and function as expected.

The core components of critical thinking, especially those related to evaluating one’s own ideas, thoughts, and feelings, are incredibly challenging to acquire and practice, especially when challenging the status quo. I will discuss this further later on in this post.

Sam is sick and doesn’t know it. His sickness doesn’t let him know he’s got a terminal disease and the world is keeping this knowledge from him. It’s an open secret best ignored.

Americans are proud and privileged people. From the moment Europeans set foot on what we now refer to as Central, North, and South America, it was a race to conquer territory and exploit vast resources. Competition and conquest define The Great Game in the Americas and Eurasia, and it’s been a brutal, rough, and, for some, extremely profitable enterprise. It still is.

America is a privileged nation.

Its Vast and Contiguous Landmass is large and unified, spanning various climates and ecosystems, facilitating internal trade, transportation, and a diverse agricultural base.

The U.S. enjoys a temperate climate suitable for agriculture that supports a dense population. Its abundant, fertile, arable land contributes to food self-sufficiency and export capacity.

Extensive, navigable waterways (e.g., the Mississippi River) have historically facilitated trade, transportation through the Midwest, and economic development. Transcontinental railroads, made possible by fossil fuels, the Industrial Revolution, and global markets, wove the United States into a vast trading network.

America’s geographic isolation from major global conflict zones has shielded the U.S. from the devastation caused by wars that many other nations have experienced. Eurasia gets hammered repeatedly while the U.S. remains protected by oceans and allies, relatively robust and wealthy trading partners with abundant energy resources.

The United States is blessed with vital natural resources and abundant coal, oil, and natural gas reserves that have fueled industrial growth and reduced its reliance on energy imports since it became a republic. Significant deposits of essential minerals like iron ore, copper, and timber underpin manufacturing and infrastructure development.

The U.S. dollar’s dominance in international trade and finance makes it the global reserve currency, granting the U.S. significant economic and political leverage. The global demand for dollar-denominated assets allows the U.S. government to borrow at lower interest rates. The dollar’s centrality in the international financial system enables the U.S. to impose impactful economic sanctions. Countries park their dollars in U.S. markets and treasuries, which help finance U.S. enterprises and defense. It has a central bank. It’s been the wealthiest country in the world for many decades.

The U.S. possesses highly developed, deep, and liquid capital/financial markets that attract global investment and facilitate capital formation. Strong institutions with robust legal frameworks and regulatory bodies foster investor confidence and economic stability. America provides the international legal code of capital that most nations are bound by in one way or another—this is known as “the rules-based order.

Gangs of New York—First Come, First Rule

The U.S. is an innovation hub that promotes a culture of entrepreneurship, which attracts talent and investment and drives technological advancement. It is a nation of immigrants, granting it a constant flow of subservient labor that can be demonized for political purposes despite almost everyone being of immigrant stock.

The concentration of financial institutions and legal expertise creates powerful network effects supporting industries in a self-reinforcing ecosystem.

Despite its flaws, the U.S. boasts a longstanding democratic system with peaceful transitions of power that contribute to stability and investor confidence. A robust legal framework protects property rights, enforces contracts, and promotes a predictable business environment. This gives the U.S. sway and influence over international institutions and alliances, allowing it to shape global norms and policies—“the rules-based order.”

The U.S. hosts many leading universities, attracting global talent and driving research and development. American culture, including music, film, and television, enjoys widespread global popularity, enhancing its soft power.

The U.S. has the world’s most powerful military, which provides security and the ability to project power globally. A network of military bases and alliances worldwide extends U.S. influence and allows for rapid response to crises. Arguably, the U.S. nuclear weapons deterrent is one primary reason we have not experienced another World War until recently, with an ongoing Fifth Generation Warfare simmering and conflicts breaking out in Europe and the Middle East. Many experts in geopolitics and the history of war believe we are already fighting World War III, a war between the Wealthy North and the BRICS.

The above accounting method, which has many advantages for America, is cursory and shallow in assessing its many strengths and privileges. Despite all of its advantages, the U.S. has always been plagued by severe challenges such as income inequality, political polarization, and social issues like racial injustice, healthcare access, and gun violence, to name but a few.

“Economic growth is not a panacea for social problems. In fact, it can often exacerbate them by creating greater inequality and social division.” —Joseph Stiglitz

The U.S. enjoys many privileges contributing to its global standing, but these advantages don’t automatically translate into a problem-free society. I would argue that its “success” has created an ideological and material machine, what Nate Hagens calls The Superorganism, that is omnicidal and threatens the survival of homo sapiens. America is the epitome of a modern, technological, industrial society, a resource and energy-driven beast that grows for the sake of growth like a cancer upon the Earth.

If the United States can’t reform itself, the world is doomed. Much has been written on these subjects, and many organizations and individuals are trying to envision what this transformation might look like.

You must read this classic.

Our way of life, worldview, and thought processes are habits—we take them for granted. Our culture makes sense; our way of doing things has a history and is justified through stories, social structures, institutions, law, religion, and custom. We absorb all of this naturally through our relationships, interactions, and education through the practice of living our lives.

“Tradition is a guide and not a jailer” —W. Somerset Maughamailer

Constraints and limitations allow us to discover and invent new ways of thinking and doing things; they challenge and inspire us to solve puzzles and achieve breakthroughs, transform hopes and dreams into mundane reality, and liberate new potential.

Is it possible to describe limits to imagination? Some are more imaginative than others, but collectively, through the networked interplay of ideas, our imagination may be limitless. And yet, the nature of our consciousness is contained within the limits of our species, and whatever we discover or invent must be but a fraction of what is possible in the grand order of the Universe. Our inherent capacity to think and feel limits whatever powers we imagine God has and our ideas about what the Universe is and how it arose. It is reasonable to believe that our understanding of ourselves, the nature of life on Earth, and our place in the Universe is explainable through science or stories or merely an ephemeral expression of the configuration of constantly evolving and emerging properties of the interplay of energy and matter. Choose a metaphor or turn of phrase. Consolidate your evidence and expound a theory, try to falsify it, and achieve a consensus. Make sense of it all somehow, and rest assured. But still, we don’t know the half of it. We live in a world of limits that will surely end and be transformed into something else.

“To develop a complete mind, study the science of art, study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.” —Leonardo da Vinci

I am not a physicist, theoretical mathematician, or mystic. When I contemplate “the void,” time, or infinity, I feel like I’m floating in images and ideas I can’t grasp, buffeted by fleeting feelings of euphoria and terror. I cannot construct models, understand what they would be based on, or comprehend their inherent fragility. Grand ideas are rather vague for me. I feel small and insignificant when I overthink things I can not know, but I am compelled to search for answers anyway.

When an expert physicist describes the work in layperson’s terms, I understand the subject, but my knowledge is still uncomfortably shallow because I still can’t do the math. I could acquire the skills needed if I spent time and energy immersing myself in the culture of science, physics, and maths and perhaps have some confidence in experiencing an original thought. One can say something similar about any domain of expertise that requires time and hard work to comprehend and use. Passionate interests requiring sacrifice and hard work are rewarding in and of themselves—no achievement is necessary.

“The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.” —Jonas Salk

Wouldn’t it be fantastic to have one hundred active years to explore various domains of interest and to live in a culture focused on learning? Why focus on education and lifelong learning? It’s crucial to our continued survival and flourishing, and valuing the understanding of Great Nature above all leads to a healthier life for all, including plants and animals. I want to live in a world of loving people devoted to life where everything is sacred.

“A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.” —Mahatma Gandhi

Imagine a world with a population of a billion people where your basic needs were easily provided for, and your culture was devoted to learning about nature and personal growth.

In our new culture, children are treasured; everything is done to make them feel secure and well-loved and to develop their talents.

Children grow up so fast. In our new world, we cherish spending quality time with our children and revere our relationships with them. Caring for children in our community is a joy, a paramount privilege, and a sacred duty.

Imagine we had a “resource-balanced” economy, and our way of life used far fewer resources than it does now. Could we maintain some form of modern industry like Simon Michaux suggests, with sensible, enlightened environmental and material stewardship without ultimately destroying our habitat?

"The economy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the environment, not the other way around." —Gaylord Nelson

Limits of the Circular Economy

The Circular Economy (CE) is a proposed model for a sustainable industrial ecosystem. It aims to address the flaws of the current Linear Economy, which relies on the continuous consumption of natural resources and the disposal of waste products. However, the CE in its current form is structurally flawed and faces several limitations.

This is one of many such proposals we’d do well to contemplate.

These limitations include:

• Energy Requirements: The CE fails to fully account for industrialization’s energy requirements. While it advocates for renewable energy sources, it does not adequately consider the energy needed to construct and maintain a renewable energy infrastructure, which relies heavily on fossil fuels.

• Energy Returned on Energy Invested (ERoEI): The ERoEI for renewable energy systems is generally lower than that of fossil fuels, implying that more energy is needed to produce the same amount of usable energy. The CE does not factor in this crucial aspect of energy efficiency, which will affect the overall feasibility of the transition.

• Non-Recyclable Materials: Many materials, such as clay minerals and certain specialty metals, cannot be recycled effectively and are often lost to the environment. The CE does not provide a comprehensive plan for managing these finite resources.

• Limits of Recycling: While some metals can be recycled repeatedly, the quality of recycled materials degrades with each cycle, eventually becoming unusable. The CE does not account for these practical limitations of recycling.

• Role of Mining: The CE downplays the role of mining in supplying the raw materials needed for the transition to renewable energy and other sustainable technologies. The large-scale deployment of renewable energy systems will necessitate an unprecedented increase in mineral extraction, which the CE does not address.

• International Competition: The CE focuses on securing resources for Europe while operating within a globalized raw materials market dominated by China. This approach ignores the geopolitical realities of resource control and international competition, which could undermine the CE’s goals.

• Population Growth: The CE’s closed-loop model, based on recycling waste streams, does not allow for human population growth, which requires a continuous influx of new resources.

• Economic Growth: The CE is incompatible with the current economic paradigm of continuous growth, which inherently requires the consumption of ever-increasing amounts of resources.

• Zero Waste: While desirable, zero waste is impractical in any industrial society. Zero waste is untenable and an impossibility in our material world. The CE’s emphasis on zero waste could lead to unrealistic expectations and hinder the development of pragmatic solutions.

• Logistics of Material Transport: The CE does not adequately consider the logistical challenges of transporting materials between disposal and reuse points, especially as the global energy landscape shifts.

These limitations suggest that the CE, while a good starting point, is not a viable solution in its current form. To achieve sustainability, a more realistic and comprehensive approach is needed. A Resource-Balanced Economy (RBE) is a potential evolution of the CE. There are other models for sustainable technological and industrial societies, and all should be considered. Circumstances may dictate that future generations live hunter-gatherer lifestyles, but for now, we must explore every possible outcome we can. This is not to say that an RBE economy or something like it would be the best of all possible worlds, but a future where humans can explore the limits of the possible seems inherent to our species. We can’t help but learn and explore. Maybe our curiosity will be the death of our species, but we don’t know that yet; there may still be hope that our continued exploration of the Universe is tenable.

“We are facing a global crisis of unsustainable consumption and production patterns that are destroying the environment and exacerbating social inequalities.” —UN Secretary-General António Guterres

Imagine that people didn’t care much about fleeting fashions, status, or competition for power and control. We still enjoyed dynamic recreational activities, competitions, games, and pastimes but earned most of our accolades through our love of learning and ability to live harmoniously together.

In this culture, we mostly play for the first twenty-eight of our lives. We are free to explore under the supervision of loving adults in our community. Every adult is a teacher. We experience childhood in safety and security. Through various activities, we acquire vital skills: discipline, focus, concentration, attention, physical fitness, music, dance, reading, writing, and arithmetic. We also internalize our culture’s core values. We do these things playfully. Play in our culture is serious work.

During this period, we are ostensibly exposed to all critical domains of interest and encouraged to attend to various subjects as much or as little as we like. We also do our chores and help adults with essential work part-time.

Our culture has all the resources needed for lifelong learning. Every child can pursue their interests. Our communities are small enough to be intimate and large enough to exert a powerful network effect. All communities are networked regionally and worldwide, engaging in annual festivals and events. Energy and materials are managed carefully for maximum economy. All populations live within sustainable, natural limits. Consumerism is a relic of the past. We manufacture what we need to live well and grow spiritually, intellectually, and creatively. How this is achieved is not discussed here; let’s give ourselves the freedom to imagine a radically different world inhabited by a new kind of homo sapiens, one worthy of its name.

Our Early Encounter With “The Humanities”

While we play, we learn about the human condition, history, and how to listen and express ourselves.

We are exposed to deep time, ancient history, medieval history, modern history, world history, social history, cultural history, art history, and economic history. We learn from factual data and multiple lines of evidence and are free to view the past from many different perspectives: critically, objectively, and creatively.

We study written and spoken language, including literature, linguistics, and rhetoric. The world has regional languages and one common language everyone understands and speaks. We are exposed to world literature, including classic and contemporary literature. We study literature across time, cultures, and languages. We learn the craft of writing fiction, poetry, and drama. We learn practical writing for nonfiction subjects. We study the science of language, its structure, and meaning. We preserve and rediscover languages of the past.

At the center of every large town is a university with a library in the center of the campus. The library is always the largest and most beautiful municipal building, with many facilities within its walls. It allows for easy access to the world’s knowledge, information packets, and information delivery and storage systems that have been lovely and painstakingly developed over generations, providing the foundation and structure of culture.

Biological and cultural evolution can favor traits that benefit individuals, groups, and healthy, vibrant ecosystems. Intellectual curiosity drives individuals to explore and learn, leading to better problem-solving and adaptation. Cooperative individuals are more likely to survive and thrive in group settings, as collaboration allows for better resource management and maintenance. Empathy fosters strong social bonds and reduces conflict, promoting cohesion and stability. Stewardship, or responsible use of resources, ensures long-term sustainability and benefits future generations. Over time, these traits can become more prevalent within a population through natural selection (in the case of biological evolution) or cultural transmission and learning (in the case of cultural evolution).

What do communities look like in our new world?

Let’s avail ourselves of the work done by Robin Ian MacDonald Dunbar, a British biological anthropologist, evolutionary psychologist, and specialist in primate behavior. Robin Dunbar is professor emeritus of evolutionary psychology of the Social and Evolutionary Neuroscience Research Group in the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford. He is best known for formulating Dunbar’s number, a measurement of the “cognitive limit to the number of individuals with whom anyone can maintain stable relationships.” Later, we’ll focus more on limits to growth and ideal population levels of humans when living according to the ethics of our culture and how our population would be maintained.

Dunbar’s Number and its Layers:

• Core: 5 closest relationships (loved ones)

• Close Friends: 15

• Friends: 50

• Meaningful Contacts: 150

Dunbar’s number suggests that 150 is the cognitive limit for maintaining stable social relationships. However, in my somewhat utopian scenario, this doesn’t necessarily equate to an optimal community size for sustainability, harmony, and creativity.

Beyond Dunbar: Optimal Community Size

• 100-150: Sustainability advocate Ben O’Callaghan, based on intentional community experiences, suggests this range. Larger communities risk anonymity and decreased social cohesion, while smaller ones might lack diversity and resilience.

• 45-65 adults: Some research indicates this range fosters effective collaboration and decision-making within a community or enterprise.

• 25-30 families: Historically, successful communities like the Anabaptists thrived with this size, allowing for close bonds and shared responsibilities.

Factors Influencing Optimal Size:

• Purpose and Values: A community focused on shared work or specific goals might function well with a smaller size, while a more diverse community might benefit from a larger population.

• Resource Availability: Access to land, water, and other resources can influence the number of people a community can sustainably support.

• Technology and Infrastructure: Modern communication and transportation can facilitate connections in larger communities, potentially increasing the optimal size.

• Social Organization: Effective governance structures and decision-making processes become increasingly crucial as community size grows.

Considerations for Sustainable Communities:

• Social Cohesion: Maintaining strong social bonds, trust, and a sense of belonging is crucial for community well-being and resilience. This does not necessarily require a “new religion.” People are storytellers and dreamers. Social cohesion in our new world will involve more than myths and beliefs and be intertwined with our understanding of Great Nature.

• Economic Viability: The community should have a diverse and resilient economic base to meet its members’ needs. This requires us to devote a library of books discussing the meaning of economy and economics. In our new world, economics has nothing to do with financial markets, just time manufacturing or shopping malls. If we are not to become cave-dwelling hunter-gatherers in the future, should we survive our weapons of mass destruction, anthropogenic global heating, and the many other existential challenges of the polycrisis, we must reconcile the domain of economics. What we have taken for granted must be left behind and radically transformed. There is little the current school of economics has to offer that will benefit us in the future.

• Environmental Sustainability: Practices should minimize environmental impact and ensure the long-term health of the ecosystem.

• Governance and Decision-Making: Inclusive and effective governance systems are essential for managing resources and resolving conflicts. Great Nature will lead the dance, and something akin to true democracy will emerge.

If we (a critical mass of people) could envision and implement a radical path to a new way of living together, we’d have the opportunity to ultimately discover the “optimum” size for intimate and sustainable communities, balancing social connection, resource management, and effective organization to create thriving, enduring communities. A deep future presupposes continued cultural and species-wide evolution. Great Nature has its way, and it’s our responsibility to be guided by it.

We currently know no strict limit to the optimal size of a larger town or small city. Experts suggest towns ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 could effectively utilize our imagined model. The key lies in maintaining strong links between Dunbar nodes, facilitating communication, collaboration, and a sense of shared identity and purpose across the larger communities and networks of communities worldwide.

Groups that do not conform to strict growth limits and moral and ethical practices would be broken up and absorbed by other communities or destroyed, just as our body’s immune system destroys a pathogen.

The Venus Project and many other organizations have envisioned how communities might be designed and constructed using local, renewable resources and materials that can be easily maintained without layers of extreme complexity. We can redesign and reengineer over coming generations, considering our current predicament's imposed limitations, or give up and accelerate towards collapse. Young people need something beautiful to work towards.

Examples of such communities include ecovillages, co-housing emphasizing common spaces and shared resources, and neighborhood-based planning prioritizing walking, bicycling, and mixed-use developments with shared workshops, gardens, and recreation spaces.

Effective democratic-style governance, shared resources, including coops, enabling a resilient local “economy” that reduces the reliance on external resources, and technological integration are vital to strengthening cohesive connections between Dunbar nodes across larger community structures.

Much has been written about why alternative communities fail. Inexperienced founders, lack of resources (usually financial), and complicated interpersonal relationships can contribute to such failures. Still, by far, the thing holding back alternative communities is the permeant, ubiquitous economic religion that global civilization is based on and adheres to. This is a considerably comprehensive subject worth looking into in depth. Currency, trade, ownership, property rights, the commons, investment, value, and markets must be reimagined and redeveloped into a system of stocks and flows that are not so riddled with adverse externalities and stress.

“Nature does nothing uselessly.” —Aristotle

In our new world culture, a holistic approach, taking into account systems and complexity theory, is central to its development over generations to keep our community’s ecological footprint at the forefront of our concerns, one that minimizes resource consumption, waste production, and environmental impact. Humans should identify with and blend into Great Nature, trying not to interfere with its evolutionary continuance; social equity ensures access to the things one needs to live a high-quality, healthy, secure life with ample opportunities for personal growth. And we must always strive to economize.

"The endless pursuit of economic growth is not only unsustainable but also deeply unsatisfying. It leads to a society that is always striving for more, but never truly content." —Dalai Lama

Let’s get back to our early education.

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” —Socrates

First and foremost, young people are exposed to critical thinking skills throughout their education.

Core Skills for Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information objectively and make reasoned judgments. It involves questioning assumptions, considering different perspectives, and forming well-supported conclusions.

During one’s teenage years, we gradually delve more deeply into the following practices:

• Analysis: Breaking down information into its components, identifying patterns and relationships.

• Interpretation: Understanding the meaning and significance of information, including its context.

• Inference: Drawing conclusions based on evidence and reasoning.

• Evaluation: Assessing the credibility of sources, the strength of evidence, and the validity of arguments.

• Explanation: Clearly and effectively communicating one’s reasoning and conclusions.

• Self-Regulation: Reflecting on your thinking process, identifying biases, and correcting errors.

Bayesian Probability and Reasoning

Bayesian reasoning is a powerful tool for critical thinking. It's a method of updating your beliefs based on new evidence. Here's the basic idea:

1. Prior Probability: You start with an initial belief about something (your prior probability).

2. New Evidence: You encounter new information or data.

3. Updating Beliefs: You use Bayes' theorem (a mathematical formula) to update your belief based on the strength and relevance of the new evidence. This results in your posterior probability.

Example:

Imagine you think there's a 30% chance it will rain tomorrow (your prior probability). Then you see a weather forecast predicting a 70% chance of rain. You use this new evidence to update your belief, and now you think there's a higher probability of rain. Bayesian reasoning provides a framework for incorporating new information and refining your judgments.

Cognitive biases and heuristics are explored and understood, as well as common logical fallacies.

Motivated Reasoning, Groupthink, and Other Biases

• Motivated Reasoning: This is the tendency to interpret information in a way that confirms pre-existing beliefs. We're more likely to accept evidence supporting our thoughts and dismiss evidence challenging them, which can be a major obstacle to critical thinking.

• Groupthink occurs when a group's desire for harmony or conformity results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. Group members try to minimize conflict and reach a consensus without critically evaluating alternative viewpoints.

• Confirmation Bias: A tendency to search for or interpret information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions.

• Availability Heuristic: Overestimating the importance of available or easily recalled information, often leading to biased judgments.

• Bandwagon Effect: The tendency to do (or believe) things because many others do (or believe) the same.

Here are some more biases and heuristics that profoundly influence our ability to see things as they are and imagine how things might be different.

Authority Bias: The tendency to attribute greater accuracy to the opinion of an authority figure (unrelated to its content) and be more influenced by that opinion.

• Example: Blindly following the advice of a doctor even when it contradicts your research or the scientific and evidence-based consensus.

Availability Cascade: A self-reinforcing process in which a collective belief gains more and more plausibility through its increasing repetition in public discourse (or "repeat something long enough and it will become true").

• Example: A minor news story about a shark attack gets repeated and amplified, leading to widespread fear of sharks even though statistically, such attacks are sporadic and rare.

Declinism: The predisposition to view the past favorably and the future negatively.

• Example: "Things were so much better in the old days" — often without concrete evidence to support this claim.

Framing Effect: Drawing different conclusions from the same information, depending on how that information is presented.

• Example: People are more likely to buy meat labeled "80% lean" than meat labeled "20% fat," even though they are the same.

False Consensus: The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors.

• Example: Believing that most people agree with your political views, even though this might not be true.

Halo Effect: The tendency of an impression created in one area to influence opinion in another.

• Example: Assuming that a physically attractive person is also intelligent and kind.

Dunning-Kruger Effect: A cognitive bias whereby people with low ability at a task overestimate their ability.

• Example: Someone who is a poor public speaker but believes they are very good at it.

Appeal to Emotions: Manipulating an emotional response in place of a valid or compelling argument.

• Example: Using fear or anger to persuade people instead of presenting logical reasons.

Filter Bubbles:  Intellectual isolation that can result from personalized searches when a website algorithm selectively guesses what information a user would like to see based on information about the user, such as location, past click behavior, and search history.

• Example: Social media feeds only show you news and opinions that align with your views.

Ingroup Bias: The tendency to favor members of one's group over outgroup members.

• Example: Showing preferential treatment to people who are fans of the same sports team as you.

Gambler's Fallacy: The belief that past events influence future random events.

• Example: Believing that the next flip is more likely to be tails after a series of coin flips landing on heads.

Post-Purchase Rationalization: Persuading oneself through rational argument that a purchase was good value.

• Example: Convincing yourself that an expensive gadget was worth the money after buying it.

Observational Selection Bias: Noticing something more often after you begin to pay attention to it, leading to the belief that it has increased in frequency.

• Example: Seeing more red cars on the road after buying a red car yourself.

Negativity Bias: The tendency to pay more attention to negative experiences than positive ones.

• Example: Dwelling on a single criticism in a performance review, even if it was overwhelmingly positive.

Projection Bias: Assuming that others share the same feelings, values, and beliefs as you do.

• Example: Believing that your friend will love the same movie that you did.

Anchoring Effect: The tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information offered (the "anchor") when making decisions.

• Example: Being influenced by the initial price of an item, even if it's later discounted.

Current Moment Bias: Preferring a smaller immediate reward to a larger later reward.

• Example: Watching TV now instead of studying for an exam a week away. Humans have a tough time imagining ourselves in the future and altering our behaviors and expectations accordingly. Most of us would rather experience pleasure in the current moment while leaving the pain for later. This bias is of particular concern to economists (i.e., our unwillingness not to overspend and save money) and health practitioners. Indeed, a 1998 study showed that, when making food choices for the coming week, 74% of participants chose fruit. However, when the food choice was for the current day, 70% chose chocolate.

It’s impossible to consistently and continually police one’s thoughts to avoid these cognitive traps. Still, the sooner one is aware of how cognitive biases can impair one’s judgment, the sooner one can slow down and think more carefully when making important decisions or choosing critical courses of action. Read Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.

In our new world, we raise children who can think as clearly as possible.

Why People Conform

Humans are social creatures, and belonging to a group is essential to our well-being. Here's why we try so hard to fit in:

• Survival and Security: Historically, being part of a group increased our chances of survival and protection.

• Social Acceptance: We crave acceptance and belonging. Being excluded can be emotionally painful.

• Validation: Groups reinforce our beliefs and values, making us feel confident in our worldview.

• Status and Resources: Group membership can provide access to resources, opportunities, and social status.

The Challenge of Changing Culture

People invest a lot in their careers, and challenging the status quo is risky. We may fear losing our position, social standing, or sense of identity within that culture.

The Role of Education

Traditional education often emphasizes memorization and compliance rather than critical thinking and questioning. This can perpetuate the status quo by producing individuals who are well-equipped to function within existing systems but less prepared to challenge or change them.

Lippmann and Public Opinion

Walter Lippmann's "Public Opinion" is a classic work exploring how stereotypes, biases, and limited information shape our world perceptions. He argued that people often rely on simplified mental models, or "stereotypes," to make sense of the world, and these stereotypes can lead to flawed judgments and decisions.

Overcoming these Challenges

Developing strong critical thinking skills is essential for navigating these complexities. Here are some strategies:

• Be Aware of Your Biases: Recognize that everyone has biases. Reflect on your thinking, and actively seek out diverse perspectives.

• Question Assumptions: Don't take things for granted. Ask "why?" and challenge the underlying assumptions behind beliefs and practices.

• Seek Evidence: Base your judgments on solid evidence rather than opinions or emotions. Be open to changing your mind when presented with new information.

• Consider Alternatives: Explore different viewpoints and consider alternative explanations. Don't be afraid to challenge the status quo.

• Encourage Open Dialogue: Create spaces where people can safely express different opinions and engage in constructive debate.

By cultivating critical thinking skills and actively challenging biases, we can make more informed decisions, foster more inclusive cultures, and create positive change.

"The modern world's obsession with economic growth is a form of collective insanity. We are sacrificing our planet, our communities, and our very souls on the altar of GDP." —Vandana Shiva

In our new culture, we comprehensively explore world philosophy, which consists of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. We delve into metaphysics, which investigates the nature of reality from a subjective perspective. We study epistemology, ethics, logic, political philosophy, and aesthetics.

There is an academy of religion, theology, comparative religion, history of religion, philosophy of religion, contemplative arts (prayer and meditation), paganism, animism, and other spiritual and contemplative ways of living. The best way to avoid the pitfalls of the True Believer is to examine beliefs

We have performing arts facilities for learning, practicing, and presenting music, dance, and drama.

Visual arts academies exist throughout all communities, where people study the craft of various visual arts. These academies have facilities for displaying drawings, paintings, sculptures, photography, motion pictures, computer graphics, animation, special effects design, multimedia, and other arts.

Municipal facilities are shared among several larger communities of Dunbar nodes connected by sustainable transportation systems, including cycling and walking paths. Automobiles are shared, roads and highways are significantly reduced, and only emergency and utilitarian vehicles are permitted in larger communities.

Our culture’s approach to the humanities is integral. The humanities draw on each other to provide a more complete understanding of human experiences. They are constantly evolving, with new areas and inquiry approaches continually emerging.

People gravitate towards sports, games, and activities they like. In addition to the many sports available to engage in and practice, young people are exposed to the interconnected disciplines in sports-related fields.

Sports science, sports medicine, sports psychology, sports coaching, and management are taught, researched, and developed to enhance one’s sporting activities in a pro-social, safe, and healthy way.

We train, study, play, and perform various things or bounce around exploring different activities and groups of people. We have romances, triumphs, failures, and heartbreaks. We rise and fall and learn how to build relationships. We are resilient people who know how to bounce back.

Some are better than others at mastering the skills necessary to understand and excel in a given domain, but all have access and time to establish a high degree of knowledge in each area. Those with more ability would mentor and tutor those with less and develop profound relationships of trust and interdependence. Masters of arts and domains are sought after and given respect and responsibility.

We are not hunter-gatherers or cave dwellers anymore; the genies have been out of the bottle for ages—what makes us different is our ability to tame them and make them humane in the best sense.

Education is the process of developing and enhancing the better angels of our nature.

One Hundred Years of Inquiry Is Primarily Devoted To The Natural Sciences

We can discuss how practical work is done later; we’re interested in experience, inquiry, and education. In our new world culture, it’s not hard to get things done; although some things are more complex and involved, the regular business of life is simple and relatively pleasant, and “dirty jobs” are part of getting on with it. I am giving myself the freedom to imagine what might produce a different focus that could jolt us out of our profit-based, sinful, conquering dualistic delusions that have brought our global civilization to the brink of collapse and possibly extinction. I may be embarrassed by my imaginings in some months or years, but that’s ok; I don’t mind being foolish when I imagine different worlds.

In my world, understanding the nature of things as far as we can in any generation, how nature works, and how we can thrive long-term in harmony with our ecosystems, habitats, and environments is paramount. It is unwise not to know how profoundly connected we are to everything else, to every sacred thing and system, great and small, no matter how complex or incomprehensible.

In our new culture world, people live much longer. Nice, right? Pick a number. 130 years? 150? Or maybe it’s just that the continuity of life from generation to generation is treasured; we feel connected to posterity. Our endeavors are seen as things our communities will never finish or achieve, so we pass on long-term projects to posterity, knowing the work will continue. Why do we need to live longer? I can’t explain the details, but the main reason is that I am a slow learner. Even if everything in our life were optimized for maximum flourishing and personal growth, we’d still have too many things on our bucket list when we passed. All good people need more time to create what’s passed on to future generations. More people in our culture will be able to become wise apes and know what to do with their wisdom.

We still have diseases and accidents, but there are no wars, and the health of people and ecosystems is of paramount concern. We keep learning how to extend human life and remain mindful of what that means to living systems. We become caretakers, not exploiters of life. Things are not commodified; they are cherished.

Remember, all animate and inanimate things are sacred. We deeply love our world and are devoted to living things. We understand the balance of nature and how creatures live and die. Our lives are long, so we carefully plan our population’s growth and care for children personally and collectively. We practice an ethic of quality over quantity. Our possessions are few, and we all feel ownership for our regard and responsibility as stewards of our communities and environment. We have a powerful sense of belonging. Forests, lakes, oceans, mountain ranges, deserts, grasslands, and all interconnected living systems are cherished and cared for like family members. We treat living systems and places with reverence and respect. Our connection with life, things, and places is blissful, sustaining, and energizing.

We all share our living spaces with friends and family and consider the world our home. We have healthy, fresh food and clean water to drink. We have renewable energy systems that can power machines without which we can’t live and learn. Again, we manage our material and energy resources carefully and with posterity in mind.

We hold regular festivals with the seasons and enjoy dancing, making music, singing together, and telling stories. We aren’t best friends with everyone but are friendly, respectful, and thankful for what each individual brings to the group.

The following is a partial outline of our focus of inquiry during the first half of our long lives. The amount of time we spend on each element depends on several factors: our interests, time allocation, practical constraints, aptitudes, and eventually, our decision to become experts in various domains of activity, inquiry, development, industry, and invention. We are all autodidacts supported by communities of teachers with ample resources to share their knowledge.

A primary focus is on the physical sciences. (We can’t help ourselves; we have become genie tamers.)

The study of non-living matter and energy.

• Physics: the study of matter, motion, energy, and their interactions.

  • Classical Mechanics

  • Electromagnetism

  • Thermodynamics

  • Quantum Mechanics

  • Optics

  • Acoustics

  • Astrophysics

  • Nuclear Physics

  • Particle Physics

  • Condensed Matter Physics

• Chemistry: The study of the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter.

  • Organic Chemistry: Carbon-containing compounds.

  • Inorganic Chemistry: Compounds not primarily based on carbon.

  • Physical Chemistry: The study of physical principles in chemical systems.

  • Analytical Chemistry: Identifying and quantifying components of substances.

  • Biochemistry: Chemical processes within living organisms.

  • Nuclear Chemistry: The study of radioactive substances.

• Earth Science: The study of the Earth and its systems.

  • Geology

  • Oceanography

  • Meteorology

  • Paleontology

  • Environmental Science: The study of the environment and its interactions.

  • Geophysics

  • Hydrology

  • Glaciology

• Astronomy: The study of celestial objects and phenomena.

  • Planetary Science

  • Cosmology: The study of the origin and evolution of the universe.

  • Astrobiology (also xenology or exobiology): The study of life in the universe.

2. Life Sciences (Biology): The sciences focus on living organisms.

• Ecology: The study of the interactions between organisms and their environment.

• Zoology

• Botany

• Microbiology: The study of microorganisms.

• Genetics: The study of heredity.

• Evolutionary Biology: The study of the changes in organisms over time.

• Cell Biology: The study of cells.

• Molecular Biology: The study of biological molecules.

• Physiology: The study of the functions of organisms.

• Anatomy

• Developmental Biology: The study of how organisms grow and develop.

• Immunology

• Marine Biology

• Biophysics

• Biochemistry

• Geochemistry

• Astrobiology

• Nanotechnology

• Synthetic Biology

• Climate Science

Our new culture prioritizes maintaining healthy and peaceful communities while maintaining biodiversity and healthy, evolving ecosystems. It will take generations—time we don’t have if we are aware of our polycrisis and the stubbornness of belief systems that dictate our behavior—and we can’t do anything well without understanding how nature works.

A Bit About Cultural Anthropology

I can’t cover everything here as I want to get to the point that the title of this article alludes to. I will leave psychology out for now and limit the rest of this piece to a discussion of cultural anthropology and the possibility that our species could create a cultural superstructure within which various unique cultures could thrive and express themselves without shattering all the complex systems our lives and communities depend on.

Again, much has been written. Hopefully, these kinds of resources and references will provide context to guide your inquiry into culture building and radical social change.

How we prosecute such a radical transformation will be left for another time to explore. I am a simple fool imagining a different world. I am exploring a tiny part of the picture without much detail, one of many possible jumping-off points.

Anthropology is the study of humanity, and within that vast field, cultural anthropology takes center stage in exploring the incredible diversity of human societies and the intricate ways we create meaning in our lives.

Culture is learned and shared, not innate. Culture is not something we’re born with; it’s learned throughout our interactions with others and the world around us.

Culture is a system of shared beliefs, values, practices, symbols, and behaviors that give meaning to our lives and allow us to navigate our social world. We are highly social animals. None of us could survive for long or live a high-quality life without the help, cooperation, and collaboration between ourselves and others.

Patterns and norms evolve and take root in our communities, shaping how we think, feel, and act.

Ethnographic fieldwork, in which cultural anthropologists spend extended periods living within a community, participating in daily life, and observing social interactions, helps us understand different expressions of culture.

My parents had a travel agency in the 60s. Before I was ten years old, I had traveled to Africa, Japan, Europe, and Mexico. Between the ages of ten and twenty, I traveled around the world again and repeated this feat every decade until I turned fifty. I spent my childhood and teen years in Ireland and Colorado. I have lived and worked in seven countries. At a stretch, I might be able to claim amateur cultural anthropologist status. I made up a story when I lived in Hong Kong while hiking with friends in an area of Hong Kong Island known as The Peak, where the international uber-wealthy occupy many homes. I talked about a group of anthropologists quietly observing wealthy families doing their daily activities at these homes. I called this story Guailo In The Mist, a riff on Gorillas In The Mist, a movie about the adventures of Dianne Fossey. My musings implied that the uber-wealthy were practically a different species.

But I digress. Let’s explore the field of anthropology some more.

Ethnographic fieldwork is a hallmark of cultural anthropology, where anthropologists spend extended periods living within a community, participating in daily life, and observing social interactions. Immersion is a key aspect of this work, providing anthropologists with an opportunity to participate in and observe the culture and gain firsthand insights from the perspective of its members while building relationships, rapport, and trust.

Key Concepts in Cultural Anthropology:

• Cultural Relativism is a core code that emphasizes the importance of understanding cultures on their terms rather than judging them based on the standards of one's own culture.

• Ethnocentrism is the tendency to view one's culture as superior and judge other cultures based on its norms.9 Cultural anthropologists strive to avoid ethnocentrism in their research.

• Holism: A holistic approach involves considering all aspects of a culture—economy, politics, religion, social organization, art, etc.—to understand how they are interconnected.

• Symbolism: Analyzing how cultures use symbols (objects, words, actions) to create and communicate meaning.

Areas of Focus within Cultural Anthropology:

• Kinship and Family: How different cultures define family structures, roles, and relationships.

• Economic Anthropology: How cultures produce, distribute, and consume goods and services.

• Political Anthropology: How power and authority are organized and exercised within different societies.

• Religion and Ritual: The role of religion and ritual in shaping cultural beliefs and practices.

• Art and Aesthetics: How different cultures express themselves through art, music, and other creative forms.

• Medical Anthropology: How cultures understand and address health and illness.

• Environmental Anthropology: The relationship between cultures and their environment.

The Importance of Cultural Anthropology:

• Understanding Human Diversity: Provides insights into the incredible range of human experiences and cultural expressions.

• Challenging Ethnocentrism: Helps us recognize and appreciate cultural differences.

• Promoting Cross-Cultural Understanding: Essential for navigating an increasingly interconnected world.

• Addressing Social Issues: Can contribute to addressing issues like inequality, poverty, and conflict by providing a deeper understanding of their cultural contexts.

In essence, cultural anthropology provides a rich and nuanced perspective on the human story, helping us appreciate the diversity of ways that people live and make meaning in the world. The way things are now in a given culture is not etched in stone; they are fluid, malleable, and subject to creative influences and choices based on well-considered and digested elements of our human experience.

So what about privilege?

The relentless pursuit of entertainment and material wealth has created a myopic bubble around many in the wealthy West, blinding them to the true scale of the polycrisis engulfing our world. Bombarded with too much indigestible information, fleeting distractions, and consumerist desires, they struggle to grasp the interconnected nature of climate change, ecological collapse, social unrest, inequality, and economic instability. The immediate gratification of a new gadget, social media, pundits and gurus on “The Tubes,” the news, abundant entertainment, global supply chains putting food on the shelves and parts in our smartphones and cars, or a weekend getaway overshadows the long-term consequences of unsustainable lifestyles. This preoccupation with material comfort and fleeting pleasures fosters a dangerous disconnect from the natural world and the urgent need for systemic and structural change. It's a tragic irony that a society so focused on individual advancement may need to face a collective breakdown before recognizing the necessity of living in balance with nature and each other. Perhaps only when the foundations of their consumerist paradise crumble will they awaken to the fragility of their existence and the actual cost of their detachment from life’s well-being.

We won’t contemplate the possibility that our way of life is self-terminating. Do we even care if it is? Every living thing eventually dies.

Supernova. Earth will probably not even exist when the sun dies. The sun is slowly expanding. In about 5 billion years, the sun will enter the red giant phase. During this phase, the sun makes a transition from burning hydrogen in the core to burning hydrogen around the core, which has been converted into helium by hydrogen burning. 

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Life begets life.

The principle that "life begets life" is a cornerstone of biology. It refers to the observation that all living organisms originate from other organisms through reproduction. Countless scientific observations and experiments have supported this principle, and it is one of the key features that distinguishes living things from non-living matter. While abiogenesis, the origin of life from non-living matter, is still an area of active research, it is generally accepted that all life on Earth today originated from a single common ancestor billions of years ago.

Life and Entropy

Life appears to defy the second law of thermodynamics, which states that the entropy (disorder) of a closed system always increases over time. Living organisms are highly ordered systems, and they maintain their complexity by constantly taking in energy and expelling waste products. This process, known as metabolism, allows living things to decrease their entropy temporarily, but it does so at the expense of increasing the entropy of their surroundings. In other words, life is a localized decrease in entropy, made possible by a greater increase in entropy elsewhere.

Life and Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics, the study of energy and its transformations, provides a fundamental framework for understanding life. The first law of thermodynamics, also known as the law of conservation of energy, states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another. Living organisms constantly convert energy from one form to another to power their metabolism, growth, and reproduction. As mentioned earlier, the second law of thermodynamics explains why living things must constantly take in energy and expel waste products to maintain their organization.

Life is dependent on life.

The interconnectedness of life is evident in the fact that all living organisms depend on other living organisms for their survival. This interdependence is manifested in various ways, such as food chains and ecosystems, where organisms rely on each other for nutrients, energy, and other essential resources. Even humans, who may seem to be at the top of the food chain, depend on countless other organisms for food, oxygen, and other necessities. The phrase "life is dependent on life" highlights the delicate balance and interconnectedness of the biosphere.

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Wealthy Westerners squander their immense privilege on frivolous material goods and fleeting status symbols, prioritizing personal gratification over global betterment. Luxury cars, sprawling mansions, and throwaway designer clothing become the trophies of their success while pressing international issues like poverty, global heating due to CO2 emissions, and conflict are relegated to the periphery. Rather than investing their considerable resources in sustainable solutions, quality education for all, diplomacy, peacemaking efforts, and global projects needed to solve problems that affect us all, they perpetuate a cycle of conspicuous consumption, fueling a culture of excess that exacerbates inequality and neglects the urgent needs of a troubled world. This pursuit of fleeting pleasures and social standing represents a profound misuse of their fortunate position, a missed opportunity to leverage their wealth and influence to create a more just and equitable world.

“There is no calamity greater than lavish desires.” —Lao Tzu

Having benefited immensely from a system that often prioritized short-term gains and externalized costs, they seem content to pass the buck for the resulting polycrisis—climate change, economic inequality, social unrest—onto younger generations. This "après moi, le déluge" mentality is reflected in dismissive comments like "It's the kids' problem now." Having mastered the art of manipulating this flawed system, wealthy investors and billionaires actively resist any meaningful change threatening their continued wealth and power accumulation. Their entrenched interests perpetuate a neoliberal, neoconservative paradigm that prioritizes profit over long-term sustainability and social justice. The tragic consequence is a disregard for posterity, with the well-being of future generations sacrificed at the altar of present greed and ego.

“I implore you all in the name of the gods, stop valuing material things! Stop enslaving yourselves, first to mere things, and then, because of them, to the people who are able to procure them for you or deny them to you.” (3.20.8)—Epictetus

The Players of The Great Game desire conquest, power, and control and can never have enough. Their mentality is a social disease that they can’t recognize. Their hubris knows no bounds. They hold Democracy and health in contempt and will sacrifice everything on the altar of their ambition while claiming they’re doing God’s work.

Those who prioritize self-interest and power above empathy and ethical considerations exhibit the dark psychology of human nature that emerged at the dawn of civilization. Machiavellianism was named after the infamous political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli. Machiavellians are masters of manipulation, cunningly exploiting others to achieve their aims. They are strategic and calculating, prioritizing their advancement with a chilling disregard for morality. These individuals often exhibit a cynical worldview, seeing others as pawns in their game and readily employing deceit and flattery to get what they want. Many of our most popular television series are about Machiavellians.

Narcissism, another key element in dark psychology, centers on an inflated sense of self-importance. Narcissists crave admiration and validation, believing themselves superior and entitled to special treatment. This sense of grandiosity often masks deep insecurities and a fragile ego, making them hypersensitive to criticism. Their relentless pursuit of attention and power can lead to exploitative behaviors, as they lack the empathy to truly understand or care about the impact of their actions on others.

“What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals—and yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me—no, nor woman neither.” —Hamlet, William Shakespeare

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of dark psychology is psychopathy. Psychopaths are characterized by a profound emotional detachment and an inability to experience genuine empathy or remorse. This emotional void often manifests in impulsive and irresponsible behavior, including a propensity for aggression and violence. While they may possess superficial charm and charisma, this is merely a facade to mask their manipulative tendencies and exploit vulnerabilities.

Beyond these core traits, dark psychology encompasses a range of other disturbing characteristics, including sadism, a perverse pleasure derived from inflicting pain, and spitefulness, a desire to harm others even at personal cost. It's crucial to remember that these traits exist on a spectrum, and various factors can influence their expression.

Modern techno-industrial civilization is a dark psychology generator. Dark traits produce Players who win.

A truly healthy person radiates positivity from a core of self-love and acceptance. They possess a strong self-awareness and understand their emotions, strengths, and limitations. This self-knowledge fuels their resilience, allowing them to gracefully bounce back from setbacks and navigate life's challenges. They nurture genuine connections with others, built on empathy, compassion, and respect. Their interactions are characterized by kindness, active listening, and a willingness to understand diverse perspectives. A healthy individual finds joy in the simple things, cultivates gratitude for life's blessings, and approaches each day with purpose and optimism. They prioritize their physical and mental well-being, engaging in activities that nourish their body and mind.

A healthy society mirrors the positive traits of its individuals, fostering an environment where everyone can thrive. It values inclusivity and celebrates diversity, recognizing the inherent worth of every single person. Opportunities for growth and development are abundant, with education and resources readily available to all. Collaboration and cooperation are prioritized over competition, creating a strong sense of community and shared responsibility. A healthy society promotes open communication and critical thinking, encouraging members to engage in respectful dialogue and challenge the status quo. It prioritizes sustainability and environmental consciousness, ensuring a healthy biosphere for future generations. Justice and equality prevail, with systems in place to protect the vulnerable and ensure fairness for all.

In a world driven by insatiable consumerism and the relentless pursuit of profit, great powers often demonstrate a chilling willingness to resort to violence to secure control over vital natural resources. These resources, the lifeblood of modern economies, fuel the engines of capital markets and generate immense wealth for a privileged few—oligarchs, plutocrats, and loyal underlings. The tragic consequence is a global landscape marred by conflict, where vulnerable nations and populations become pawns in a ruthless resource acquisition game. Vast swathes of land are laid waste, lives are callously extinguished, and entire societies are destabilized, all to maintain the opulent lifestyles of the powerful and perpetuate a system that prioritizes profit over human life and environmental sustainability. This grim reality underscores the deep-seated connection between militarism, resource extraction, and the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a select few.

Why do ordinary, good people allow this to happen? Are we so helpless, hopeless, and powerless? Have we been so domesticated by ideology, religion, and belief that we can’t imagine a better world and struggle to achieve it?

It seems that people are so easily manipulated and programmed that we lack the agency to free ourselves from the dark, destructive Great Game that has been playing out for millennia.

What will happen after the Great Collapse of The Great Game? After being reduced to a population of a few thousand people again, will we reboot the game all over again? Are we incapable of doing better?

Steven Pinker wrote three books defending progress and modernity. Why did he need to write The Better Angels Of Our Nature if our better nature runs the world? Why did these arguments need to be made? Is it because it’s advantageous for The Players of The Great Game, who hold all the cards to make us believe our situation isn’t as good as Pinker makes things out to be? That makes no sense. People are concerned about modernity, technology, and progress for good reasons. People recognize that the cycles of civilization are creative and destructive and that our current polycrisis is real and potentially disastrous on a scale never before experienced by the fall of Empires.

Please listen to the latest episode of Citations Needed.

"The Bad Guys Are Winning," wrote Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic in 2021. "The War on History Is a War on Democracy," warned Timothy Snyder in The New York Times, also in 2021. "The GOP has found a Putin-lite to fawn over. That's bad news for democracy," argued Ruth Ben-Ghiat on MSNBC the following year, 2022.

Within the last 10 years or so, and especially since the 2016 election of Trump, these authors — Anne Applebaum, Timothy Snyder, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, in addition to several others — have become liberal-friendly experts on authoritarianism. On a regular basis, they make appearances on cable news and in the pages of legacy newspapers and magazines–in some cases, as staff members–in order to warn of how individual, one-off “strongmen” like Trump, Putin, Orban, and Xi, made up a vague “authoritarian” axis hellbent on destroying Democracy for its own sake.

But what good does this framing do and who does it absolve? Instead of meaningfully contending with US's sprawling imperial power and internal systems of oppression — namely being the largest carceral state in the world — these MSNBC historians reheat decades-old Axis of Evil or Cold War good vs evil rhetoric, pinning the horrors of centuries of political violence on individual "mad men." Meanwhile, they selectively invoke the "authoritarian" label, fretting about the need to save some abstract notion of democracy from geopolitical Bad Guys while remaining silent as the US funds, arms and backs the most authoritarian process imaginable — the immiseration and destruction of an entire people — specifically in Gaza.

Aren’t you tired of the constant gaslighting? Point your finger at someone, and four fingers are pointing back at yourself.

“Do I have a bad neighbor? Bad for himself, but good for me, because he enables me to practice being courteous and fair. Do I have a bad father? Bad for himself, but good for me. Here’s what the magic wand of Hermes promises: ‘Touch what you want and it will turn to gold.’ Well, I can’t promise that exactly, but whatever you present me with, I’ll turn to good account. Bring illness, death, poverty, insults, a trial on a capital charge: at a touch from the magic wand, all these will turn into things that do one good.” (3.20.11–12) —Epictetus

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In the shimmering city of Atheria, nestled amongst the clouds, lived Kael, a renowned inventor blessed with unparalleled genius. He crafted magnificent machines that soared through the heavens and devices that healed the sick with a touch, Yet Kael yearned for more. He craved the power of the gods to command the elements, shape destinies, and transcend mortality itself. After years of relentless pursuit, he forged the Ascendium, a crown said to bestow divine abilities upon its wearer.

Kael Character in Atraeleon

The moment Kael donned the Ascendium, a surge of unimaginable power coursed through him. He could summon storms with a flick of his wrist, bend the earth to his will, and even glimpse the threads of time. But with this newfound power came a chilling detachment. The mortals he once cared for now seemed insignificant, their concerns trivial. He grew isolated, his empathy withering as his godlike abilities amplified.

Kael's loneliness festered into a desperate need for connection, but his power repelled those he sought to engage. Fear and resentment replaced admiration in the eyes of his people. He became a prisoner of his own making, trapped in a gilded cage of his own design. His attempts to manipulate the lives of others, believing he knew best, only led to chaos and suffering. The city of Atheria, once a beacon of harmony, became shrouded in turmoil and despair.

In the end, Kael, the man who sought to become a god, found himself utterly alone, his power a curse rather than a blessing. He learned a devastating truth: true power lies not in control and domination, but in empathy, compassion, and the wisdom to understand that even gods are bound by the delicate balance of existence. He cast aside the Ascendium, its allure replaced by the bitter taste of his hubris, and spent his remaining days trying to mend the wounds he had inflicted, a humbling reminder of the profound responsibility that comes with wielding power, and the inherent humanity that makes us truly powerful.

Combating Our Social Disease and Preparing For A New Culture After The Crash

How do we break the status quo and invent a new culture?

You've been warned—we can do better than this.

Much has been written on the subjects I'll address in this essay that are easily accessible to anyone who wants to read them. I have posted hundreds of articles and books for over a decade, knowing most people will not read them. If people are exposed to high-quality information regularly, they might eventually research topics that interest them and gain greater agency and power in making choices that could lead to a better way of doing things: more peaceful and healthier for all life. Life because life begets life and depends on life. Without all living creatures, great and small, we couldn't exist. We are also dependent on Nature and its "laws" and materials. We must understand Great Nature as well as we can and seek ways to harmonize our complex consciousness within its constraints, aligning our way of doing things with life's long, evolutionary project.

Am I a good curator of information? I don't know, but I've worked at it for many years. I keep educating myself.

Why are we unable to understand and confront the polycrisis? Why is it so hard to believe our way of life is destructive and pathological?

The Pioneers of Persuasion: A Discussion of Public Relations and Propaganda

The Rise of Public Relations

In the early 20th century, a new field of study emerged, focusing on understanding and influencing public opinion. This field, known as public relations, sought to bridge the gap between organizations and the public, shaping perceptions and fostering profitable relationships.

Think of the old blurb on a banker's business card: "Relationships built on trust."

One of the pioneers in the field of persuasion was Edward Bernays, often considered the "father of public relations." We've all heard of him. Bernays, a nephew of Sigmund Freud, drew upon his uncle's theories of psychoanalysis to develop techniques for manipulating public opinion. He believed that by understanding the unconscious desires and motivations of the masses, he could craft messages that resonated on a deep emotional level.

Edward & Sigmund 

Bernays's work was groundbreaking. He orchestrated campaigns that transformed social norms and consumer behavior. In one famous example, he encouraged women to smoke by associating cigarettes with female empowerment. He also worked with the United Fruit Company to promote bananas as a healthy breakfast food. I am reminded of Banana Republics, "War Is A Racket," Iran Contra, Cuba, Chile, Argentina, Haiti, Opioids, Drug Wars, fast fashion, labor arbitrage, the housing crisis, child labor, etc., etc.

Bernays's faith in his almost mystical understanding of the masses' unconscious desires also recalls Friedrich Hayek, another highly influential contemporary of Bernays.

Friedrich Hayek, a prominent Austrian economist and philosopher, is best known for his defense of classical liberalism and free-market capitalism. While he didn't necessarily use mystical language, he did express a sense of awe and wonder at the spontaneous order that emerges from the decentralized interactions of individuals in a market economy. This is particularly evident in his ideas about price discovery and the "market algorithm."

Hayek's View of the Market as an Information Processing System

Hayek saw the market as a complex system aggregating information from countless individuals, each with unique knowledge and preferences. This information is reflected in prices, which act as signals that guide the allocation of resources. (Finite resources.) He believed that this decentralized process of price discovery was far more efficient than any central planning system could ever be.

When I read Project 2025 and similar agendas, I think of Bernays and Hayek. Of course, many others have contributed to the global economy's core ideology: Liberalism and Free Market Capitalism, Capitalism with Chinese Socialist Characteristics, Eurasianism, and BRICS. They are branded as different, but their ideology's core is the same. Grow the economy. Use more energy and resources. Make money and buy more things.

As I always say, much has been written.

The "Mystical" Aspects of Hayek's Ideas

Hayek marveled at how order and coordination could emerge from the seemingly chaotic interactions of millions of individuals in a free market. He saw this as a "spontaneous order," a phenomenon transcending any individual or group's conscious design.

Hayek's ideas echo Adam Smith's concept of the "invisible hand," which guides individuals to promote the overall good of society even when they are only pursuing their own self-interest. This idea suggests an underlying harmony or purpose in the market system.

Hayek emphasized the limitations of human knowledge and the impossibility of any central planner having access to all the information needed to allocate resources efficiently. He saw the market as a solution to this "knowledge problem," as it allows individuals to act on their local knowledge and preferences.

Price Discovery as a "Market Algorithm"

Hayek described the price system as a kind of "algorithm" that constantly processes information and adjusts prices to reflect changes in supply and demand. This algorithm is not designed by any single person but emerges from the interactions of countless individuals. It's a dynamic and self-regulating system that adapts to changing circumstances.

Why Some Might See This as "Mystical"

The idea that complex order can arise from decentralized interactions can seem almost magical or mystical. It's a phenomenon that is difficult to grasp or explain fully and alludes to ideas about emergent complex systems.

The market often produces outcomes that no one intended or could have predicted. This can lead to a sense of wonder and awe at the power of the "System."

Some critics argue that Hayek's belief in the efficiency and self-regulating nature of the market borders on faith. They argue that markets are not always efficient and can lead to adverse outcomes like inequality, environmental degradation, and war.

Hayek was not a mystic, but his ideas about the market do have a certain "mystical" quality. He saw the market as a complex, self-organizing system that transcends the conscious design of any individual. This perspective has been both influential and controversial, shaping debates about the role of markets in society today.

Hayek's ideas have been criticized, particularly in light of market failures and the growing awareness of social and environmental issues. Nonetheless, his work remains essential to economic thought, prompting us to consider the complex interplay of individual actions and structural and systemic outcomes. Which is to say, his perspectives are deeply ingrained in economic thought.

Let's get back to Bernays.

The Power of Propaganda

While Bernays focused on building relationships and shaping perceptions, another figure emerged who explored the darker side of persuasive arts:

Joseph Goebbels, the Minister of Propaganda for Nazi Germany. Goebbels was a master of manipulating public opinion through mass media, censorship, and fear. He created a cult of personality around Adolf Hitler and demonized the regime's enemies.

Bernays published his book "Propaganda" in 1926. Do you think Joseph Goebbels was familiar with it?

Goebbels's propaganda was highly effective in consolidating Nazi power and mobilizing the German people for war. However, it also had devastating consequences, fueling hatred and violence against Jews, Roma, and other minority groups.

The Ethical Dilemmas of Persuasion

Bernays and Goebbels's work highlights the ethical dilemmas inherent in the persuasive arts. While organizations can use public relations to build trust and understanding, they can also use PR to manipulate and deceive. Propaganda can be used for good and ill, for noble causes, or to instill hatred and foment war. Propaganda always serves Power, and Power serves Capital and those who control it.

In a better world, public relations and propaganda practitioners would use their skills responsibly and ethically. But generally speaking, they don't. They must be mindful of the potency of their words and images and strive to promote the public good. Public good? PR firms work for profit to increase the profits of their clients. Unfortunately, almost all public relations practitioners practice their arts for profit or governments and organizations seeking to preserve their power.

The Legacy of the Pioneers

Bernays and Goebbels's legacy continues to shape the field of persuasive arts today. Public relations professionals still draw upon Bernays's insights into human psychology, while governments and organizations worldwide constantly use propaganda techniques today.

One would hope professional propagandists would use their skills to promote a more just, healthy, and equitable world. Very few do.

I'm a positive person addicted to hopium like most folks.

Some Resources:

• "Propaganda" by Edward Bernays (At least read the introduction and the first two chapters. You can find it free online.)

  1. "Crystallizing Public Opinion" by Edward Bernays

  2. "The Engineering of Consent" by Edward Bernays

  3. "The Father of Spin: Edward L. Bernays and the Birth of Public Relations" by Larry Tye

  4. "The Century of the Self," a documentary by Adam Curtis

  5. The Museum of Public Relations: https://www.prmuseum.org/

Let's discuss Joseph Goebblels in more depth. I see parallels with what is happening in the Middle East and how Western Powers treat many parts of the world today.

Building the Cult of Hitler

Goebbels portrayed Hitler as a messianic figure, a savior sent to rescue Germany from its woes. (How do Trump's most fanatic followers portray him?) He orchestrated mass rallies and spectacles, using music, flags, and dramatic lighting to create an atmosphere of awe and worship. Does this seem familiar?

"This is the miracle of the age, that this man exists among us." — Joseph Goebbles

"It was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will fear not, but instead, remain resilient in our faith and defiant in the face of wickedness." —Donald J. Trump (You don't actually think Donald Trump wrote those words?)

"I personally believe that God intervened today, not just on behalf of President Trump but on behalf of our country." —Vivek Ramaswamy

The Mass Psychology of Trumpism

In the minds of his most ardent supporters, the ex-president is both more and less than a person.

Many of Trump's supporters perceive Trump the way Trump perceives himself. In their minds, he is a liminal figure, superhuman in some ways but also lacking certain qualities that most people, for better and for worse, possess. A liminal figure who is more than a person, but less than a person, too, may not be subject to the rules and contingencies that pertain to regular people. Conventional norms of rectitude and decency do not apply.

In the eyes of his supporters, Trump possesses extraordinary powers that are wielded for good and against evil. Who cares if he is flawed? So what if he lacks certain distinctively human qualities? What does it matter that he is rude, authoritarian, or even a criminal?

Henry A. Murray's 1962 paper, "The Personality and Career of Satan," examines the figure of Satan throughout Judeo-Christian history and tradition. Murray analyses Satan's evolution from a rebellious angel to a symbol of evil, exploring theological interpretations of his actions and motivations. He then connects the concept of Satan to psychological theories, particularly concerning narcissism and pride, suggesting that Satanic traits manifest in various forms throughout human history. Finally, he questions the role of psychology in perpetuating potentially nihilistic views of humanity, potentially mirroring Satanic tendencies.

ABOUT THE PERSONALITY AND CAREER OF SATAN

The sanctification of Donald Trump

Trump's campaign manager says the president was sent by God to save the country. The White House press secretary thinks God wanted Trump to be president. And the secretary of State believes it's possible that Trump is on a holy mission to protect the Jewish people from the threat of Iran.

Forget the allegations of extramarital affairs, the nonstop Twitter insults and the efforts to close the southern border to migrants. Trump's allies insist that his presidency is divinely inspired.

"There has never been and probably never will be a movement like this again," Brad Parscale, the president's campaign manager, wrote Tuesday morning on Twitter. "Only God could deliver such a savior to our nation, and only God could allow me to help. God bless America!"

Goebbels exerted absolute control over all forms of media, ensuring that only positive portrayals of Hitler and the Nazi party were disseminated. Newspapers, radio, and film were all used to promote the Führer myth.

"It is the absolute right of the State to supervise the formation of public opinion." —Joseph Goebbels

Bannon, Musk, and many media moguls support our new demigod, who serves those, including himself, who desire more profit, power, and control over vital resources.

It becomes more apparent to me by the day that our media is primarily a mouthpiece for The Players of The Great Game, for the status quo and the dominant Neoliberal economic ideology.

Like Bernays, Goebbels understood the power of simple, repetitive slogans and images. He crafted messages that were easy to understand and emotionally charged, appealing to the hopes and fears of the German people.

"The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly—it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over." —Joseph Goebbels

"The Democrats don't matter. The real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with shit." —Steve Bannon

I could cite a dozen pages of quotes like these.

Demonizing and Dehumanizing Enemies and Scapegoats

Goebbels relentlessly scapegoated Jews for all of Germany's problems, portraying them as a parasitic race that threatened the purity of the Aryan people. He used anti-Semitic propaganda to incite hatred and violence against Jews.

"The Jew is the enemy of the world." —Joseph Goebbels

Goebbels used dehumanizing language and imagery to portray the enemies of the Nazi regime, including Jews, communists, and the Allies, as subhuman creatures deserving of extermination.

"The English follow the principle that when one lies, one should lie big, and stick to it. They keep up their lies, even at the risk of looking ridiculous." —Joseph Goebbels

"We are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly. We will eliminate everything. They will regret it." Yoav Gallant

"You must remember what Amalek has done to you, says our Holy Bible—we do remember." —Benjamin Netanyahu

https://youtu.be/PsT6bE2NcO8?si=mQIRjHmyKi7J_GMl

"There will be no electricity and no water (in Gaza); there will only be destruction. You wanted hell, you will get hell." Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian

"There is one and only (one) solution, which is to completely destroy Gaza before invading it. I mean destruction like what happened in Dresden and Hiroshima, without nuclear weapons." —Moshe Feiglin, the founder of Israel's right-wing Zehut Party

'Erase Gaza': How genocidal rhetoric became normalized in Israel

In-depth: Incendiary language of extermination, ethnic cleansing, and the wholesale destruction of Gaza, including with nuclear weapons, has become part of mainstream discourse in Israel during the war.

Amit Halevi, meanwhile, a Likud member in parliament, said, “There should be two goals for this victory: One, there is no more Muslim land in the land of Israel … After we make it the land of Israel, Gaza should be left as a monument, like Sodom”.

Some Israeli politicians have outright called for a repeat of the Nakba, or catastrophe in Arabic, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were expelled and hundreds of villages demolished from 1947 to 1948 as the state of Israel was being established.

“Nakba? Expel them all,” Nissim Vaturi, deputy speaker for Israel’s parliament, said. “If the Egyptians care so much for them - they are welcome to have them wrapped in cellophane tied with a green ribbon.”

Ariel Kallner, a member of Israel’s parliament, said, “Nakba to the enemy now! This day is our Pearl Harbour. We will still learn the lessons. Right now, one goal: Nakba! A Nakba that will overshadow the Nakba of 48. A Nakba in Gaza and a Nakba for anyone who dares to join!”

People in Israel and the Middle East are living in fear and violence created by propaganda.

Again, I could cite pages of quotes even more horrific and hateful than the ones above.

People will say the victims of the Nazis in World War II were innocent, and all of the Arabs in the Middle East are terrorists, and therefore, it's justified to wipe them all out.

Who can believe that children are terrorists without dehumanizing a whole population of innocents?

Goebbels used fear and intimidation to silence opposition and maintain control. He created a vast surveillance network and encouraged citizens to report on each other, fostering an atmosphere of suspicion and paranoia.

Today, if you go against the sanctioned narrative, you are destroyed. There are dozens of examples; one only has to read honest journalism and look for verifiable facts to know this.

"Propaganda works best when those who are being manipulated are confident they are acting on their own free will." —Joseph Goebbels

We live in a global surveillance environment and carry sophisticated tracking and surveillance devices daily. We are constantly producing data with our devices, and governments and corporations use them to manipulate and "nudge" us toward consent.

Most things we do, we think, result from careful, reasoned decision-making motivated and justified by facts. We are mistaken about that.

Goebbels' Techniques

The Big Lie

Goebbels believed that if a lie were repeated often enough and with sufficient conviction, it would eventually be accepted as truth. Think of all the organizations flooding the zone with bull shit, and we don't seem to mind. We click "like" and thank them for the torrent of nonsense we are constantly fed.

Appeal to Emotion

Goebbels understood the power of emotion to sway public opinion. He mobilized the German people using fear, anger, and hatred. Do you think the RNC and the DNC do this? They do.

Censorship

Goebbels suppressed any information that contradicted the Nazi party line, ensuring that the public only heard one side of the story. Is there censorship in the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world? There is.

Goebbels's propaganda effectively achieved its goals but came at a terrible cost. His methods contributed to the rise of one of the most brutal regimes in history, responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people. His legacy serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers of unchecked propaganda and the importance of critical thinking.

We are engaged in nuclear brinksmanship and genocide, even as innocent bystanders and witnesses. Think of the people in the village next to the concentration and death camps.

History is a process happening now that always rhymes with the past and portends the future.

Goebbels's persuasive techniques are still relevant today, but these comparisons are about the methods, not the morality or goals.

"The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly—it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over."

Think of political campaign slogans like "Make America Great Again" or "Hope and Change." These are simple, emotionally resonant phrases repeated constantly across media platforms.

Look at branding campaigns like Nike's "Just Do It." This concise, empowering message is repeated across their advertising, creating a strong association with the brand.

"This is the miracle of the age, that this man exists among us."

The cult of personality is still a powerful tool. Political leaders often cultivate an image of strength, charisma, and even infallibility. Consider the language used to build up CEOs like Steve Jobs ("visionary," "genius") or Elon Musk ("real-life Iron Man"). This type of language creates an aura of exceptionalism around these figures.

"It is the absolute right of the State to supervise the formation of public opinion."

We might believe that most democracies don't have state-controlled media; however, there are concerns about media consolidation, echo chambers, and misinformation online coming from the most powerful platforms. We hear complaints about this all the time. How often have we read and heard about "managing the narrative" and "controlling the message," which reflect a desire to shape public perception?

"The Jew is the enemy of the world."

Scapegoating remains a common tactic. Politicians and commentators may blame specific groups (immigrants, minorities, ethnic groups, indigenous populations, and the "other" party) for societal problems. Reputable PR professionals avoid such blatant hate speech. However, there are instances of negative campaigning and "dog-whistle" tactics used to subtly play on prejudice and fear.

Stories inspiring tomorrow

Learning from the earliest days of our efforts to communicate to the most groundbreaking PR campaigns of our time.

The Museum houses documents pre-dating the official formation of the field, including primary research about the novel campaigns that arose in the early 20th century, shaping the public’s perception of the public relations profession. As the field of public relations continues to evolve and progress, the Museum is continuously collecting new artifacts, expanding and updating the collection while preserving fundamental movements. We proceed to write history while we pave the path to the future of PR.

Edward Bernays, considered the "father of public relations," was a master of manipulating public opinion. He drew heavily on the work of his uncle, Sigmund Freud, applying psychological principles to shape public perception. Here are some of his most frequently used techniques and persuasion heuristics:

1. Appealing to Emotions:

• Emotional Appeals: Bernays understood people are more easily persuaded by emotions than logic. He crafted campaigns that tapped into deep-seated desires, fears, and insecurities.

  • Example: To promote cigarettes to women, he linked smoking to ideas of freedom and rebellion, playing on the desire for empowerment.

2. Leveraging Authority and Social Proof:

• Third-Party Authorities: He frequently used "experts" or authority figures to endorse products or ideas, lending credibility to his campaigns.

  • Example: He famously had doctors promote the benefits of a hearty breakfast, which included bacon, to increase sales for Beech-Nut Packing Company.

• Bandwagon Effect: He created the impression that "everyone" was doing something, making people feel like they were missing out if they didn't conform.

  • Example: He organized "Torches of Freedom" marches, where women publicly smoked cigarettes to symbolize liberation, encouraging others to join the movement.

3. Creating Associations:

• Linking Products to Desirable Concepts: Bernays connected products with positive emotions, values, or lifestyles.

  • Example: He associated Ivory soap with purity and cleanliness, promoting it as a way to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

• Product Placement: He pioneered the use of product placement in movies and other forms of entertainment.

4. Manufacturing "News":

• Creating Events and "Pseudo-Events": Bernays staged events designed to generate media coverage and public interest.

  • Example: He organized elaborate fashion shows and publicity stunts to draw attention to his clients' products.

5. Utilizing "Opinion Leaders":

• Influencer Marketing: He identified and collaborated with influential individuals who could sway the opinions of their followers.

  • Example: He worked with socialites and celebrities to promote products and trends.

Some of Bernays' Favorite Persuasion Heuristics:

• Scarcity: Creating a sense of scarcity or limited availability to increase desire.

• Reciprocity: Offering something of value to create a sense of obligation.

• Commitment and Consistency: Encouraging small commitments that lead to larger ones.

• Liking: Associating a product or idea with someone likable or attractive.

Many of Bernays' core principles have been amplified and refined in today's digital age. Let's look at some specific examples:

1. The Rise of the Influencer:

• Bernays's approach: He recognized the power of "opinion leaders" – individuals who could sway the opinions of their followers. He collaborated with socialites and celebrities to promote products and trends. Now, we leverage the data produced by everyone via their interaction with social media.

• Modern evolution: Today, we have "influencers" on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. These individuals have built large, engaged followings and significantly influence their audience's purchasing decisions. Brands actively partner with them for product placements, endorsements, and sponsored content. [Insert image of Cloud Capital by Yanis.]

2. Engineering Consent Through Storytelling:

• Bernays's approach: He understood the importance of crafting compelling narratives that resonate with the public's emotions and values. He created events and "pseudo-events" to generate media coverage and shape public perception.

• Modern evolution: Brands now focus on creating engaging content that tells a story and emotionally connects with their target audience. This includes using social media, video marketing, native advertising, editorials, sponsored content, and interactive experiences to build brand loyalty and drive sales. Insert Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent.

3. The Power of Third-Party Validation:

• Bernays's approach: He frequently used "experts" or authority figures to lend credibility to his campaigns.

• Modern evolution: Today, we see this in online reviews, podcasts, YouTube channels, testimonials, and expert endorsements. Consumers are more likely to trust a product or service if it has been positively reviewed by others or endorsed by a credible source. Establishing credibility is essential to these forms of persuasion.

4. Manufacturing "News" in the Digital Age:

• Bernays's approach: He staged events to generate media coverage.

• Modern evolution: This has evolved into sophisticated digital marketing strategies involving search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, and content marketing to generate "buzz" and drive traffic to websites and online platforms.

5. Exploiting Psychological Biases:

• Bernays's approach: He tapped into psychological biases like scarcity, social proof, and authority to influence behavior.

• Modern evolution: These biases are still heavily exploited in online marketing. Limited-time offers, countdown timers, and "only X items left" messages create a sense of urgency. Customer reviews and testimonials establish social proof.

There is no transparency.

Using these techniques responsibly and ethically is crucial, prioritizing transparency and authenticity. However, despite our awareness of these techniques, we remain vulnerable to them. They work on us, and unless we are diligent, they constantly influence us.

The convergence of science and technology has supercharged persuasive capabilities, leading to an unprecedented barrage of messages vying for our attention.

1. Data Science:

• Personalized Persuasion: Data science provides granular insights into individual preferences, behaviors, and psychological profiles. This enables marketers and propagandists to tailor messages with pinpoint accuracy, increasing their effectiveness. Think of targeted ads on social media or personalized recommendations on streaming services.

• Predictive Analytics: By analyzing vast datasets, algorithms can predict future behavior, allowing for preemptive messaging. This is used in political campaigns to identify undecided voters and tailor messages to sway them or in marketing to anticipate customer needs and offer relevant products.

• A/B Testing and Optimization: Data science allows for continuous testing and refinement of persuasive strategies. A/B testing different versions of ads, website designs, or email subject lines helps identify what resonates most effectively with the target audience.

2. Information Technology:

• Ubiquitous Connectivity: Smartphones and internet access have created constant connectivity, making us reachable anytime, anywhere. This allows for a constant stream of messages through notifications, social media updates, and targeted advertising.

• Immersive Experiences: Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) create immersive experiences that can be highly persuasive. Imagine a VR experience simulating climate change's effects or an AR game promoting a particular brand.

• AI-Powered Content Creation: Artificial intelligence is being used to generate realistic images, videos, and even text, making it easier and cheaper to create persuasive content at scale.

3. Modern Psychology:

• Behavioral Economics: Insights from behavioral economics, which studies the psychological factors influencing decision-making, are used to design "nudges" that encourage specific behaviors. This is used in public health campaigns to promote healthy choices or in marketing to drive sales.

• Neuromarketing: This field uses brain imaging techniques to understand how consumers respond to marketing stimuli. This allows for optimizing ads and product design to trigger specific emotional responses.

4. Research on Consciousness:

• Subliminal Messaging: While the effectiveness of traditional subliminal messaging is debated, consciousness research is exploring new ways to influence behavior below the level of conscious awareness. This raises ethical concerns about manipulation and free will.

The Consequences

• Information Overload: We are bombarded with more messages than ever before, making it challenging to filter out noise and make informed decisions.

• Increased Susceptibility to Manipulation: Sophisticated techniques can exploit our cognitive biases and vulnerabilities, making us more susceptible to manipulation.

• Erosion of Trust: The constant barrage of persuasive messages can lead to cynicism and distrust of information sources. So, it's in vogue today to produce content criticizing the media, science, educational institutions, evidence-based medicine, etc., that feeds the fear and outrage produced by persuasion techniques deployed for profit and control.

What Can We Do?

Developing Critical Thinking Skills is crucial to knowing the techniques used to influence us and critically evaluate information.

Supporting Media Literacy Education on a mass scale is essential to equipping people with the skills to navigate the digital landscape and make informed choices.

Demanding Ethical Practices will hold marketers, politicians, and other persuaders accountable for using ethical and transparent techniques.

I needed a dose of hopium.

The question remains whether enough of us care. Without a critical mass of people demanding change, we will be buffeted by industrial persuasion until civilization dies.

The above is a brief survey of what's being used to manipulate us. If you care to look and learn, there is so much more out there to help you understand where your thoughts, ideas, and emotions come from.

The increasing sophistication of persuasion techniques and information overload makes it incredibly difficult to assess the information we encounter critically.

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which a person or group makes someone doubt their own sanity, memory, or perception of reality. Its impact on critical thinking is profound, and it undermines a person's confidence in their judgment, making them more susceptible to manipulation and less likely to question information presented to them.

Today, it is common practice for a company to deny adverse ecological impacts despite the evidence or for a political figure to insist on falsehoods even when confronted with facts.

Greenwashing is misleadingly presenting a company or product as environmentally friendly to capitalize on consumer demand for sustainability. It exploits our desire to make ethical choices, leading us to accept claims without scrutiny. Oil companies are promoting their "green initiatives" while continuing to invest heavily in fossil fuels and unsustainable resource and energy-intensive activities.

We will need fossil fuels to transition towards sustainable local electrification and a culture more aligned with Nature and life. Wasting precious resources is out of the question today.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a cognitive bias in which people with low competence in a particular area overestimate their ability, while highly competent individuals tend to underestimate themselves. This effect can lead to unwarranted confidence in one's own understanding, making individuals less likely to seek additional information or consider alternative perspectives. John F. Kenedy Jr. has limited knowledge of vaccines while confidently spreading misinformation about their dangers.

Logical Fallacies are errors in reasoning that invalidate an argument. There are volumes full of examples. Logical fallacies can be persuasive because they often appeal to emotions or biases rather than logic. Recognizing them is crucial for evaluating arguments effectively.

Below are a few common examples:

Ad hominem: Attacking the person making an argument rather than the argument itself.

Straw man: Misrepresenting an opponent's argument makes refuting it easier.

False dilemma: Presenting only two options when more exist.

Cognitive Biases are systematic errors in thinking that affect our judgment and decision-making. Cognitive biases can lead us to favor information confirming our beliefs and ignore contradictory evidence.

Examples:

Confirmation bias: Seeking out information that supports our existing beliefs.

Anchoring bias: Over-relying on the first piece of information received.

Availability heuristic: Overestimating the likelihood of events that are easily recalled.

Heuristics are Mental shortcuts that simplify decision-making. While heuristics can be helpful, they can also lead to errors in judgment when applied inappropriately.

Examples:

Rule of thumb: Relying on a general rule that may not apply in all situations.

Affect heuristic: Making decisions based on emotions rather than rational analysis.

Learning about all the logical fallacies, cognitive biases, and heuristics is an enormous undertaking. Keeping track of them in our thinking seems impossible, but even being aware of them can help us think more clearly.

How can we overcome these challenges?

We must Be aware of our biases, recognize that everyone is susceptible to cognitive biases, and actively try to challenge our assumptions. Don't rely on a single source of information. Expose yourself to different viewpoints and consider alternative explanations. Verify information before sharing it, especially if it seems too good to be true or confirms your biases. Learn to critically analyze media messages, identify persuasive techniques, and evaluate sources. Be present and aware of your thoughts and emotions when consuming information. Disciplined thinking can help you recognize when biases or emotions influence you

By being mindful of these challenges and actively developing critical thinking skills, we can become more discerning information consumers and make more informed decisions in a world saturated with persuasive messages.

Now, let's explore the intersection of psychology, sociology, and environmental issues.

More Examples of Gaslighting:

• In personal relationships, a partner consistently denies their infidelity despite the evidence, leading the other person to question their memory and perception.

• In the workplace, a boss takes credit for an employee's work and then belittles the employee for questioning it, making the employee doubt their own contributions.

• In politics, a political leader dismisses legitimate criticism as "fake news" or conspiracy theories, leading people to distrust reliable sources of information.

Greenbashing: The Backlash Against Environmentalism

Greenbashing involves discrediting and demonizing environmentalism and those advocating for environmental protection. Here are some techniques used:

• Portraying environmentalists as extremists: Labeling them as "tree huggers," "radicals," or "eco-terrorists" to marginalize their concerns.

• Accusing them of hypocrisy: Highlighting instances where environmental advocates don't perfectly adhere to their principles to undermine their credibility.

• Emphasizing economic costs: This approach focuses on the potential job losses or economic disruptions associated with environmental regulations while downplaying the long-term benefits of sustainability.

• Promoting skepticism about climate science: Casting doubt on the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change by highlighting uncertainties or promoting contrarian views.

• Associating environmentalism with elitism: Framing environmental concerns as something only wealthy, out-of-touch people care about alienating working-class individuals.

Why "Roll Coal"?

"Rolling coal" is the act of modifying diesel trucks to intentionally emit thick black smoke, often targeting pedestrians, cyclists, or hybrid vehicles.

• Anti-environmentalism: A deliberate act of defiance against environmental regulations and rejecting the "green" movement.

• Expression of masculinity and power: The large trucks and excessive smoke are seen as symbols of masculinity and dominance.

• Political statement: For some, it's a way to express conservative political views and opposition to government regulation.

• Rebellion and anti-authoritarianism: A way to rebel against perceived social norms and express dissatisfaction with authority.

Stubborn, Wilful Ignorance and Dogmatic Beliefs

Deeply ingrained psychological and social phenomena:

• Cognitive Dissonance: When confronted with information that contradicts their beliefs, people may experience discomfort (cognitive dissonance) and reject the information to maintain consistency.

• Tribalism: People tend to identify with groups and adopt the beliefs of their in-group, even if those beliefs lack evidence. This leads to rejecting information that challenges the group's consensus (groupthink, motivated reasoning).

• Emotional Reasoning involves making decisions based on emotions rather than logic. This can lead to clinging to beliefs that feel good, even if they are not supported by evidence.

• Fear of the Unknown: Change can be scary, and clinging to familiar beliefs, even if flawed, can provide a sense of security.

Are People Generally Intellectually Lazy and Incurious?

I feel bad when I say people are inherently lazy or incurious. However, several factors contribute to people's lack of critical thinking:

• Information Overload: The sheer volume of information makes it difficult to process everything critically.

• Cognitive Biases: We are all susceptible to biases that distort our thinking.

• Lack of Education: Education systems do not emphasize critical thinking skills enough.

• Social and Cultural Influences: Our social circles and cultural backgrounds can shape our beliefs and make us resistant to new information.

So what can we do?

Addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach:

• Promoting critical thinking skills: Education should focus on developing critical thinking, media literacy, and scientific literacy.

• Encouraging open dialogue means creating spaces for respectful discussion and debate, where people can challenge their own beliefs and consider alternative perspectives.

• Combating misinformation: Addressing the spread of misinformation and promoting reliable sources of information.

• Fostering empathy and understanding: Building bridges between different groups and promoting understanding of diverse perspectives.

Fostering a culture that values critical thinking, open dialogue, and empathy can create a more informed and resilient society.

The complexity of the polycrisis, coupled with the vested interests of powerful actors, presents a formidable challenge to democratic solutions. However, history shows us that seemingly insurmountable power systems can be shifted through collective action. Here are some peaceful ways to organize and push back:

1. Building Awareness and Understanding:

• Education and Knowledge Sharing: Promote education on complex systems, ecological literacy, and critical thinking. Support independent media and investigative journalism that expose corporate malfeasance and challenge dominant narratives.

• Public Forums and Deliberative Democracy: Create spaces for open dialogue and deliberation on the polycrisis, where people can hear diverse perspectives and explore solutions collaboratively.

2. Grassroots Organizing and Mobilization:

• Community Building: Strengthen local communities and build solidarity networks. This can involve community gardens, skill-sharing workshops, and mutual aid initiatives.

• Direct Action and Civil Disobedience: Engage in peaceful protests, boycotts, and civil disobedience to disrupt the status quo and demand change.

• Citizen Science and Participatory Research: Empower citizens to collect data and conduct research that challenges corporate narratives and informs policy decisions.

3. Political Engagement and Advocacy:

• Supporting Progressive Candidates and Policies: Vote for candidates who prioritize social and environmental justice and advocate for policies that address the root causes of the polycrisis. Make sure they are willing to change the system that they work within. If they aren't, let them know you won't support them.

• Lobbying and Advocacy: Pressure elected officials to hold corporations accountable and enact regulations that protect the public interest.

• Building Coalitions: Form alliances with diverse groups and movements to create a broad-based coalition for change.

4. Economic and Social Alternatives:

• Supporting Cooperatives and Social Enterprises: Promote alternative economic models prioritizing social and environmental well-being over profit maximization.

• Localizing Production and Consumption: Support local businesses and reduce reliance on global supply chains.

• Building Resilient Communities: Invest in community-based solutions for food security, energy production, and disaster preparedness.

5. Challenging Dominant Narratives:

• Counter-Messaging and Storytelling: Develop compelling narratives that challenge the dominant narratives of consumerism, individualism, and endless growth.

• Art and Culture: Use art, music, and other forms of cultural expression to raise awareness, inspire action, and envision alternative futures.

Addressing the Specific Challenges:

• Complexity: Break down complex issues into digestible pieces and make them more accessible through visual aids and storytelling.

• Vested Interests: Expose the influence of corporate money in politics and media and support campaign finance reform.

• Anarcho-capitalist and Far-Right Ideologies: Challenge these ideologies by promoting solidarity, cooperation, and social justice values. Highlight the historical failures of unregulated capitalism and the dangers of authoritarianism.

• Neo-reactionary Accelerationism: Emphasize the importance of democratic values and the potential for positive change through collective action. Challenge the nihilistic and destructive aspects of this ideology.

Key Principles:

• Non-violence: Adhere to principles of non-violence and peaceful resistance.

• Inclusivity: Build a broad-based movement that includes diverse voices and perspectives.

• Long-term Vision: Focus on long-term systemic change, not just short-term gains.

• Hope and Resilience: Maintain hope in the face of challenges and cultivate resilience to withstand setbacks.

The struggle against entrenched power structures is always challenging, but it is possible. By organizing, educating, and mobilizing, we can resist those who seek to undermine democracy and exploit the planet for profit. The future depends on our collective action.

The urgency of the climate crisis, the entrenched power of corporations, and the susceptibility of populations to manipulation create a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. But despair is not an option. We need to act strategically and decisively. Here's a breakdown of what needs to happen, focusing on realistic and impactful actions:

1. Target the Pressure Points:

• Disrupt the Flow of Capital: While complete divestment from the status quo might be difficult, strategic boycotts and divestment campaigns targeting key corporations and industries can be impactful. Focus on sectors with the most significant environmental footprint and those actively lobbying against climate action.

• Hit them where it Hurts: their Brand Image. Corporations are highly sensitive to public perception. Organize campaigns that expose greenwashing, highlight unethical practices, and tarnish brand reputations. Use social media, creative protests, and consumer pressure to force them to change.

2. Build Counter-Power:

• Localize and Decentralize: Support local businesses, cooperatives, and community-owned initiatives. This builds resilience and reduces dependence on global corporations. Promote local food systems, renewable energy projects, and sustainable transportation options.

• Strengthen Community Bonds: Foster a sense of community and solidarity by organizing community events, workshops, and mutual aid networks. This creates a support system for individuals and builds collective power.

3. Demand Systemic Change:

• Political Action: Support candidates who champion environmental and social justice. Organize letter-writing campaigns, protests, and lobbying to demand policies addressing the polycrisis. Push for campaign finance reform to reduce the influence of corporate money in politics.

• Legal Challenges: Support legal action against corporations and governments that are failing to act on climate change. Utilize existing legal frameworks to hold them accountable for environmental damage and human rights abuses.

4. Shift the Narrative:

• Counter-Messaging: Challenge the dominant narratives of consumerism and endless growth. Promote alternative visions of a sustainable and equitable future. Use storytelling, art, and cultural events to engage people emotionally and inspire action.

• Education and Awareness: Organize workshops, teach-ins, and public forums to educate people about the polycrisis and empower them to take action. Support independent media and investigative journalism that exposes corporate malfeasance and challenges the status quo.

5. Embrace Radical Change:

• Degrowth and Post-Growth Economics: While degrowth is challenging, it must be part of the conversation. Explore alternative economic models that prioritize well-being and ecological sustainability over GDP growth.

• Reimagine the Good Life: Challenge the consumerist definition of happiness and success. Promote values of community, connection, and meaningful work.

Realistically, What Can People Do in Their Communities?

• Start small, think big: Even small actions can have a ripple effect. Reduce your own consumption, support local businesses, and engage in your community.

• Connect with others: Find like-minded individuals and groups. Join existing organizations or start your own.

• Be persistent: Change takes time and effort. Don't get discouraged by setbacks. Stay focused on the long-term vision.

Can We Refuse to Do Business with Companies and Organizations?

While complete separation from the status quo may be challenging, we can make conscious choices to reduce our dependence on corporations and support alternatives. Every dollar we spend or choose not to spend is a vote for the kind of world we want to create.

Overcoming Reluctance to Change:

• Appeal to Values: Frame the need for change regarding shared values like justice, fairness, and compassion.

• Highlight the Benefits: Emphasize the positive aspects of a more sustainable and equitable society, such as cleaner air, healthier communities, and greater social cohesion.

• Create a Sense of Urgency: Communicate the situation's urgency without fear-mongering. Emphasize that we have a window of opportunity to act, but it is closing rapidly.

Conservative and reactionary groups have power and money and despise everything I've outlined above. Still, there are areas of common interests and concerns we all share, like our love of life, freedom, health, and meaning. Understand that even our enemies are human and connected to us.

The Eight Beatitudes of Jesus - Matthew 5:3-10

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

One can find inspiration in any culture. We are all part of the human family.

The challenges are immense, but the stakes are too high to give up. We need to be bold, strategic, and persistent. We can create a future where human communities and life thrive by targeting pressure points, building counter-power, demanding systemic change, and shifting the narrative. It is time to act.

I must indulge in massive doses of hopium if I'm not to become grotesquely cynical and angry.

It's a sobering thought, but a major civilizational collapse is more likely than we want to admit. If such an event occurs, preserving knowledge and wisdom for future generations becomes paramount.

Here's how we can create information packages for posterity, focusing on building a new culture that respects ecological limits and avoids past mistakes:

1. The Medium:

• Durable and Redundant: To safeguard against loss, information should be stored on multiple durable media (etched metal, clay tablets, durable paper) and in various locations.

• Open Source and Accessible: Knowledge should be freely available and easily understandable, avoiding technical jargon or complex language.

• Multi-format: Combine written text with illustrations, diagrams, and potentially audio/video recordings (if technology allows) for greater accessibility.

2. The Message: Core Principles

• Interconnectedness: Emphasize the interconnectedness of all life and the delicate balance of Earth's systems. Explain concepts like ecology, biodiversity, and carrying capacity.

• Sacredness of Life: Instill a reverence for all life forms, not just human life. Promote a worldview that sees humans as part of Nature, not separate from it.

• Humility and Limits: Acknowledge the limitations of human knowledge and the potential for unintended consequences. Encourage caution, humility, and respect for natural limits.

• Long-Term Thinking: Promote a long-term perspective that prioritizes the well-being of future generations over short-term gains.

• Cooperation and Community: Emphasize the importance of cooperation, community, and shared responsibility for the well-being of all.

3. Practical Knowledge:

• Sustainable Living Skills: Provide practical guides on ecological agriculture, permaculture, water conservation, renewable energy, natural building, and other essential skills for living harmoniously with Nature. We are Nature and dependent on Nature. When life dies, we die. When living systems are damaged, we are injured.

• Traditional Knowledge: Preserve Indigenous knowledge systems and traditional ecological practices that have sustained communities for millennia.

• Appropriate Technology: Document low-impact, resilient, and accessible technologies while cautioning against the dangers of unchecked technological advancement.

• Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding: Include information on conflict resolution, non-violent communication, and peacebuilding strategies to help future societies avoid destructive conflicts.

4. Warnings from the Past:

• Document the Mistakes: Clearly explain the factors that led to the civilizational collapse, including ecological overshoot, social inequality, and the pursuit of endless growth.

• Critique of Consumerism: Analyze the destructive elements of consumer culture and its impact on the environment and human well-being.

• Cautionary Tales: Use historical examples and cautionary tales to illustrate the consequences of unsustainable practices, social injustice, and violence.

5. Inspiring a New Culture:

• Stories and Myths: Create new stories and myths that embody the values of the new culture and inspire future generations to live in harmony with Nature.

• Art and Expression: Encourage artistic expression that celebrates the beauty and interconnectedness of life and promotes ecological awareness.

• Spiritual and Philosophical Reflections: Reflect on the meaning of life, the Nature of consciousness, and our place in the universe.

6. Locations and Guardians:

• Decentralized Network: Establish a network of information repositories in diverse locations, protected from natural disasters and human conflict.

• Guardians of Knowledge: Identify communities or individuals dedicated to preserving and transmitting the knowledge to future generations.

Beyond Information Packages:

• Living Examples: Create intentional communities and ecovillages that embody sustainability principles and serve as living models for future societies.

• Seed Banks and Heritage Sites: Preserve biodiversity and cultural heritage through seed banks, protected areas, and historical sites.

While the future remains uncertain, we must learn from our mistakes and preserve the knowledge necessary to help future generations create a more sustainable and just world. By creating information packages that combine practical knowledge, ethical guidance, and cultural inspiration, we can leave a legacy of wisdom and hope for the future.

Study, read, and learn from Nature, the natural sciences, and honest, wise, loving people. Our species may be headed for extinction, but trying to change that outcome can be a great adventure full of joy and excitement.

Many people disdain this perspective. Sometimes, it feels better to be part of a minority.

The New Nazi Regime by Any Other Name Is Old

Where is Western Civilization headed?

Only the uniforms have changed.

On The Radar—today's notices.

Today, I'll share some videos and one article from Caitlin Johnstone, but don't worry. One of our video creators/teachers has provided us with a long list of references backing up his thesis, which I encourage you to delve into with gusto and intellectual curiosity, improving your worldview and understanding of reality as you go.

I follow people who know their subjects, who they are, and what they want to say. I don't have to agree with them, but I must learn something from them. That's not to say I don't follow people who entertain or amuse me.

Bes D. Marx is worth your attention. He does well-researched videos on important subjects. Please watch this, consider it, and delve into his reference materials. You will learn a lot.

Adenauers Germany and the Nazi Past The Politics of Amnesty and Integration - Norbert Frei (1996) A Paler Shade of Red: Memoirs of a Radical - Gutman (2012) Brown Book (3rd edition) - Albert Norden, (1965) Die Strafverfolgung von NS-Verbrechen - Eichmüller (2008)

I'll list his references at the end of this post.

After watching, I wrote this:

After the Soviet Union broke the back of the German military during WWII, the United States swooped into Europe like its savior. It aided in rebuilding Europe, securing its status as a new global Empire. The World has been largely Americanized, yet we are still having the same problems we've had since the dawn of Modernity—war, starvation, environmental destruction, greed, crime, racism, violence, hostility, etc. Despite our Enlightenment political philosophies, science, engineering, information, information technology, data science, complexity theory, systems theory, critical thinking skills, literacy, science-based/evidence-based medicine, and fantastic creative/destructive techno-industrial civilization, we continue to pollute and destroy our habitat.

Weapons of mass destruction? The Sixth Extinction? Forever Chemicals? Microplastics? Global Heating/Warming/Climate change caused by burning fossil fuels? The constant warmongering? Dehumanization? Gangsterism? Corruption? Messoginism? Pride/Hubris? Greed/Covetousness? Lust/Ilisit Sexual Desire? Envy? Gluttony? Drunkenness? Drug addiction? All manner of addictions? Propaganda? Facile entertainments? What the heck is going on here? Where are the better angels of our nature?

Where does evil come from if not from the stories we tell ourselves?

You should be very alarmed by the use of hypersonic missiles.

I appreciate this interviewer's style. Nima listens carefully to his guests, experts you will probably not see on Anglosphere news and information outlets. Based on my reading, Professor Ted Postol has a lucid understanding of the subjects he's addressing. I am so frustrated that so few people try to learn from primary sources.

Unfortunately, I can’t insert the video here. I am unsure why my website tells me it’s an unsupported link. I have encountered this problem when posting videos on controversial subjects.

Prof. Ted Postol Assessing Russian Attack on Ukraine by Hypersonic Missile @dialogueworks 

Also on Rumble

In the episode above, the military expert commenting on Fox News is typical—biased and reading from the script.

Look up Orientalism. Dehumanization is one of The West's favorite tools. Have you read any books about WWII? Do you know who Heinrich Himmler is? Do you know about the Waffen-SS? They say that history rhymes. The parallels are impossible to ignore unless you are a brainwashed true believer. The West invented this, propagates it to this day, and cheers it on in the most self-righteous way. It's a sad feature of modern Western techno-industrial civilization that we are so easily programmed to support terrible violence. People across the West contort themselves into believing the most unreal narratives with fanatic glee. Will the United States get lucky and achieve another windfall at the end of WWIII? Will the Players of The Great Game swoop in, lending and leasing their way towards profits and control when our energy-blind, materials-blind, science-blind, reality-blind, Big Nature blind fossil-fueled, neoliberal/neocon dark tetrad "leaders" have finally destroyed their own Great Game with wilful ignorance and weapons of mass destruction that they invented? European colonialist/imperialist Empires created hell (Literally); that's where they live (despite their diversions, distractions, and metabolic syndromes), and that's where they are going.

If You Want To Help The World, Focus On Fighting The Empire—Caitlin Johnstone

Caitlin has a very exasperated voice, and I understand why. My slightly sardonic and frustrated pontification comes from my disappointment in our not living up to the exuberant progressive promise we had for a brief moment in the late 90s. Cynical, brainwashed Players of The Great Game continually betray the better angels of our nature. It makes me sad and angry.

My comment on her post on Medium:

Will people sacrifice one hour away from their screens to do the livelihood-threatening work of, call it what you will, revolution? We are too well entertained in the West. It seems to me that Caitlin hasn't watched a TV series since the 1990s. The Wire, Sopranos, Suits, The Mayor of Kingstown, Yellowstone, Breaking Bad, Billions —the list is long—with numerous documentaries and libraries of books, articles, and academic studies for our virtue. We have worshiped stories about evil since the dawn of civilization thousands of years ago; open the Old Testament and pick a random page. We love illusions; we love getting tricked; we love our con men and our gangsters. Homo hubris, Homo storyteller, Homo conquerer, Homo invasive species, Homo modern techno-industrial fossil fueled neoliberal/neocon, financialized, global omnicidal ape loves the idea that its own species is God-like more than life itself. It's easier to imagine the end of the world than a world where the better angels of our nature reign. So we will fight and sacrifice our lives for posterity to create what kind of culture? Let's be clear about that. The world needs to know how we can manage our affairs as champions of life in new days of forgiveness, rife with revelries, sustainably in concert with the ever-evolving fabric of life on Earth. Big Nature trumps Big Business. At the very least, we should be aware of that.

So, where do civilized people’s values come from, and could we appreciate a different set of values?

I love Ronald Hutton and have read many of his books. I wish he were my buddy. I want to live in his village and chat with him while drinking Earl Grey tea.

Where did Modern Paganism start? - Ronald Hutton

The more profound exploration of Paganism begins with its roots in the Victorian and Edwardian eras and the question of how ancient paganism was regarded then. It considers the mainstream views of paganism in that period, which veered between regarding it as a religion of ignorance, tyranny, and bloodshed and one of the outstanding artistic and literary achievements that prepared the way for Christianity. It goes on to show how new ideas developed amongst radicals, preserving the admiration for the accomplishments of ancient paganism while throwing away the caveats. Ronald Hutton recorded this lecture on 30th October 2024, at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.

If Books Could Kill

My bonus share today is another favorite podcast If Books Could Kill. I recently listened to their take on Sam Harris's "The End of Faith." I must admit that I was enamored by The New Atheists long ago and got over it. I used to listen to Sam Harris’s podcast, but it became so irritating that I stopped. I started reading The End of Faith and put the book down after a few chapters. His book offered me no new insights on the subject.

I become interested in things, and then I get over it, bounce back to my default core being, and move on, learning how uninformed I am along the way.

I agree wholeheartedly with Peter and Michael’s assessment. Please listen to the podcast, especially if you love books.

Have a lovely weekend.

Some references:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffen-SS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Himmler

Sources: Adenauers Germany and the Nazi Past The Politics of Amnesty and Integration - Norbert Frei (1996) A Paler Shade of Red: Memoirs of a Radical - Gutman (2012) Brown Book (3rd edition) - Albert Norden, (1965) Die Strafverfolgung von NS-Verbrechen - Eichmüller (2008) https://www.ifz-muenchen.de/heftarchi... Das Braune Netz - Willi Winkler (2019) Das Erbe des Kalten Krieges - Leo Müller (1991) DDR-Justiz und NS-Verbrechen - C. F. Rüter (2010) Die Akte Rosenburg - Görtemaker and Safferling (2016) Die Entstehung des BND - Thomas Wolf (2018) Die Kriegsverbrecherlobby - Felix Bohr (2018) https://www.bpb.de/system/files/dokum... Die zweite Schuld - Ralph Giordano (1987) Entnazifizierung und Personalpolitik in der sowjetischen Besatzungszone - Alexander Sperk (2003) Germany and Israel: Whitewashing and Statebuilding Daniel Marwecki - (2020) Nylon und Napalm - Regula Bochsler (2022) Partners at Creation - James H. Critchfield (2003) Pullach intern. General Gehlen und die Geschichte des Bundesnachrichtendienstes - Höhne und Zolling (1971) Reckonings: Legacies of Nazi Persecution and the Quest for Justice, Mary Fulbrook (2018) Sie warn die Antideutschesten der deutsche Linken: Geschichte, Kritik und Zukunft antideutscher Politik - Hanloser, Gerhard (2004) "The Cape of Last Hope": The Postwar Flight of Nazi War Criminals through South Tyrol/Italy to South America - Steinacher (2006) The Investigation of Nazi Crimes, 1945–1978 - Adalbert Rückerl (1980) The Myth of the Eastern Front: The Nazi-Soviet War in American Popular Culture - Ronald Smelser (2008) Schuld und Schulden. Die Politik der Wiedergutmachung für NS-Verfolgte seit 1945 - Constantin Goschler (2005) Subcontractors of Guilt: Holocaust Memory and Muslim Belonging in Postwar Germany - Esra Özyürek (2023) Verfassungsschutz: Wie der Geheimdienst Politik macht - Ronen Steinke (2023) Zwischen Internationalismus und Staatsräson: Der Streit um den Nahostkonflikt in der Partei DIE LINKE - Leandros Fischer (2016) Online: https://www.albany.edu/jmmh/vol2no1/f... https://ctc.westpoint.edu/the-insider... https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/aufarb... https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/vi... https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSA... https://rp-online.de/panorama/deutsch... https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/s... https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016... https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/presse/... https://www1.wdr.de/stichtag/stichtag... https://www.wilsonquarterly.com/quart... www.zeit.de/ns-umfrage https://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/zeit...

OTR-Unenforceable, Life After Death, Teacher’s Telos

On The Radar—today's notices.

Uncle Sam makes the rules and gives the orders. Let's remember who's boss.

The International Criminal Court has taken a significant step by formally issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. This action, for war crimes and crimes against humanity, underscores the gravity of the situation.

For those who think international law matters, it's important to remember its historical context. International legal structures and institutions were initially designed to facilitate business, not social justice, as evidenced by the activities of East India companies and the colonization of Africa and the New World. It was only after World War II and, to a degree, European guilt over the Holocaust that colonial powers began to create courts for social justice and a homeland for the Jewish people.

The International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in April 1946.

The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). Of the six principal organs of the United Nations, it is the only one not located in New York (United States of America).

The Court's pivotal role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States. Additionally, it provides advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.

The International Criminal Court

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in April 1946. The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands).

Since 1946, the United States has had an uneasy relationship with the International Court of Justice (ICJ or World Court or Court). On the one hand, the United States embraces the rule of law within its own society and, in principle, within the international system of states. The United States has been and remains an active participant in cases before the Court, appearing before it several times, more than any other state, even in recent years. On the other hand, the United States has never been willing to submit itself to the plenary authority of the Court, and has typically reacted negatively to decisions by the Court that are adverse to U.S. interests. As is well known, in reaction to decisions that were reached by the Court, the United States refused to participate in the proceedings on the merits of the case brought by Nicaragua in 1984, withdrew from the Court's compulsory jurisdiction in 1986, and recently terminated its acceptance of the Court's jurisdiction over disputes arising under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Now that we understand something about these institutions, it's crucial to delve into a few sources commenting on recent events in the Middle East that come from outside of the propaganda sphere. Understanding these perspectives is critical to comprehend why we witness blatant crimes against humanity daily in 2024, with seemingly no recourse.

Since the dawn of civilization thousands of years ago, the competition for power among Large Tribes, Kingdoms, Empires, Republics, and States has been fluid. The desire for status, wealth, power, and control is central to large social systems. Motivating a population requires stories that differentiate one’s own culture from those of the barbarians.

A period I’m fascinated by is the so-called Age of Discovery and, in particular, Portugal’s role. When did settler colonialism start? People have been migrating around the globe for tens of thousands of years. For that matter, when did Modernity start? Is there ever a definitive starting point for ongoing processes like these? As things evolve and change, our definitions change.

Magellan died in the Philippines, but one of his ships made it back to Spain in 1522, completing the historic effort to circumnavigate the globe and marking the beginning of the end of Portugal’s dominance of the seas. 

For thousands of years, terrible actions and evil ideologies have plagued civilization. The original "exception" might be Yahweh of Biblical fame. Yahweh can get away with murder and order all manner of violence to be committed by his favored humans. Violence is endemic to human culture, and what we are experiencing today falls well into the realm of social normative behaviors. Even if we have never witnessed such horrors in our own experience, wilfully ignoring them assumes a modicum of complicity.

People are numbed by reports of daily atrocities and tune them out.

Caitlin Johnstone provides her increasingly exasperated voice to discuss Imperial Recklessness and Insanity, which begs the question, what is sanity?

What do we mean by sanity?

sanity

/ˈsanɪti/

noun

1. the ability to think and behave in a normal and rational manner; sound mental health.

   "I began to doubt my own sanity"

2. reasonable and rational behaviour.

   "the next few years saw several appeals for sanity from top scientists"

We often see the lack of sanity in others but rarely in ourselves. Barbarians are dirty, stinky lunatics with bad manners.

Sanity can be defined by "fitting in," "herd behavior," "group think," "motivated reasoning," or simply conforming to the behavior of whatever people you find yourself with. (e.g., a "sane" person living in a vegan community is a vegan; a "sane" person living in Germany in the mid-1900s, was a sane follower of Hitler, etc.)

We might say that sanity is an agreed-on form of insanity, which is an attempt to make life seem rational by legislating ideals and values and imposing them on others.

Where on the sanity spectrum do you fall?

Below is a clinical definition from the DSM-IV, the "Bible" of mainstream psychology:

". . . a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and that is associated with present distress (e.g., a painful symptom) or disability (i.e., impairment in one or more important areas of functioning) or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom. In addition, this syndrome or pattern must not be merely an expectable and culturally sanctioned response to a particular event, for example, the death of a loved one. Whatever its original cause, it must currently be considered (by who?) a manifestation of a behavioral, psychological, or biological dysfunction in the individual."

So this "thing of ours" is sane because we can't change our perspectives enough to evaluate sanity from points of view that consider the complexity of Great Nature and challenge us to question our assumptions.

Has our culture conditioned us well or poorly? How would we know?

So who are the criminals?

These two videos offer in-depth discussions of the wars supported by the United States that are supposed to increase The West’s security.

The powers that be are rife with hypocrisy and only make things worse when they invest heavily in war and nothing at all in peacemaking.

Max Blumenthal and Aaron Mate discuss new ICC warrants for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the Biden admin's decision to authorize long-range Ukrainian strikes into Russia. They will then be joined live from Beirut by Ambassador Craig Murray to cover Israel's continuing assault on Lebanon.

I've been getting many questions about what the International Criminal Court arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant actually mean.

This discussion on one of my current favorite podcasts, Citations Needed, makes a fine point about the above views of the ongoing slaughter in the Middle East. Please listen to it.

"Salvadoran Ties Bloodshed To a 'Culture of Violence'", reported The New York Times in 1981. "The violence in Lebanon is casual, random, and probably addicting," stated the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in 1985. "Muslim life is cheap, most notably to Muslims," wrote long-time New Republic publisher and editor-in-chief Marty Peretz in 2010.

There’s a recurring theme within media coverage of subjugated people in the US and around the world: they’re mindlessly, inherently savage. Whether the subject is immigrants from Central and South America, Black populations in major American cities, or people in Lebanon or Palestine, we’re repeatedly told that any violence they may be subjected to or carry out themselves is inevitable, purposeless, and baked into their "culture."

The pathologizing of violence in certain racialized communities is one side of the coin. The other side of the coin, which reinforces this notion, is the equally sinister concept of selective empathy. It’s a conditional sense of compassion, reserved for victims who media deem deserving—say, Ukrainian victims of Russia’s invasion—and not for those who media deem undeserving, like Palestinians under siege by Israel in Gaza. What motivates this asymmetry, and how does it shape public understandings of suffering throughout the world? How is empathy as a form of media currency central to getting the public to care about victims of certain violence, while a lack of empathy––and even worse, pathologizing violence in certain communities––conditions the public to not care about those whose deaths those in power would rather not talk about, much less humanize.

In this episode, we look at the concept of selective empathy in media coverage, examining how it continues centuries-old campaigns of dehumanization – particularly against Arab, Black, and Latino people – bifurcates victims of global violence into the deserving and the undeserving, and influences contemporary opinion on everything from pain tolerance to criminal-legal policy.

Our guest is Dr. Muhannad Ayyash.

Considering Big Nature, can we think of our civilization as sane when it seems to be self-terminating?

The Trump Problem

Mike Meyer explains Why Trump is Irrelevant in a post expressing thoughts I've written for over a decade. The Players have changed, but The Great Game hasn't. Lately, I have come to think that radical change will only happen several generations after the catastrophic collapse of our global civilization. And what comes next might rhyme with what came before.

"He now has no goals except power for himself and the ability to create chaos at any time using anyone he can find to do his will."

Mike has included some excellent links to articles he's referenced, which is always much appreciated.

Here’s one that might raise an alarm or two.

The Crisis Report — 52

We are going to have a FAST COLLAPSE.

By 2050, I think the global population will be under 1 Billion.

Richard Crim has found some good data to back that up. It's hard to imagine.

I love Richard’s quote in his bio:

My entire life can be described in one sentence: Things didn’t go as planned, and I’m OK with that.

I don't think enough people are interested in "reality" in terms of facts, good data/information, the scientific method, empiricism, epistemology, technology, and earnest philosophical inquiry.

This brings me to a post from Figs in Winter that asks:

Should academics be political activists?

Navigating the perilous waters of public intellectualism

Okay, so I'm sympathetic to both Chomsky and Haidt. Let's see how this apparently contradictory stance plays in my own classroom.

Allow me to quote a Chomsky quote Massimo quotes in his article. Quote a quoter’s quote. I want to make sure you read it.

"With respect to the responsibility of intellectuals, there are still other, equally disturbing questions. Intellectuals are in a position to expose the lies of governments, to analyze actions according to their causes and motives and often hidden intentions. In the Western world, at least, they have the power that comes from political liberty, from access to information and freedom of expression. For a privileged minority, Western democracy provides the leisure, the facilities, and the training to seek the truth lying hidden behind the veil of distortion and misrepresentation, ideology and class interest, through which the events of current history are presented to us. The responsibilities of intellectuals, then, are much deeper than what Macdonald calls the 'responsibility of people,' given the unique privileges that intellectuals enjoy." — Noam Chomsky

And this is from the conclusion of Massimo's article:

I recognize, however, that this is treacherous territory, and that I can easily slip into a sarcastic or dismissive tone if I don't watch myself. Avoiding such peril is one of the hallmarks of a good teacher. And I flatter myself to think that I belong in that category. It is, therefore, possible to successfully navigate the Scylla and Charybdis outlined by Chomsky and Haidt. But one needs to be careful in doing so: Odysseus famously lost several members of his remaining crew in accomplishing just such a feat. He did get to Ithaca, though…

As long as there are so many well-entertained, well-fed, and well-paid people in "The West," we can look forward to business as usual—whether you see that as a good or bad thing depends on your situation, circumstances, and perspectives. There will be meaningful boycotts and divestments once it becomes absolutely evident to most people in The West that The Great Game is an ongoing disaster. Will that be when our population is under a billion? We are going to find out.

OTR—Tesla, Dollar, Economics, Weimar Courts, Overshoot

On The Radar presents today’s notices.

First up, Common Sense, Skeptic has made a series of videos looking at Elon Musk’s big Hollywood back lot production, highlighting more vaporware and product launches that will never happen.

Just released on YouTube. A month in the making, this review of Musk's 10/10 event is equal parts reaction video and analysis through a historical review of past projects. It examines where these newly unveiled vehicles fit into Musk's vaporware universe.

Musk fans are brain-dead monkeys trained on a steady diet of B.S.

Something is making trained Human monkeys stupendously stupider.

It must be the PFASs, often called 'forever chemicals' as they do not break down in the environment and are found throughout the world, in humans and other animals, as well as in our food supply and microplastics that can get into brain tissue. The tiny scraps of plastic were found in the olfactory bulb, the part of the brain responsible for processing smell. (Human-trained monkeys can't smell bull shit.) Scientists in Brazil found microplastics in the brain tissue of cadavers, according to a new study published Monday in the journal JAMA.

WE DUMB NUTS

Welcome to a poorly executed theatrical production that Disney has been doing for decades.

I can't imagine how cynical Tesla workers are, or are they all simply delusional followers of a very American cult?

Donald and Elon were made for each other; both are dark tetrad con artists looting the United States and catapulting our world toward civilizational collapse. (These are Symptoms of a mass social disease.) This is not an exaggeration.

We spend more time looking at our phone screens than with friends, so imagine a world where ten billion useless robots are walking around, waiting to become junk for landfills. How much energy and materials are required to make these toys? As we wage war with China, who is going to make the microchips needed for these things? And let's not assume Elon will make them or make them better than his competitors.

Groupthink and $$$-motivated reasoning-$$$ run the country. The Managers of the Empire's primary remit is to keep people entertained until the whole shyte show crashes. Good Lord!

Musk likes to tell his followers that an autonomous AI future will lead to a world of abundance, but we have seen this world before - through the eyes of a small bot.

Cyber libertarianism is Accelerationist NRx Mania.

THE STUPID ECONOMY AND THE SUBVERTED US DOLLAR

Next, I implore you to read two posts by indi.ca in the following order. They are too good for me to read and comment on.

While you are at it, visit The Geopolitical Economy Report for more background on China.

US politicians and media outlets complain about China's growing global influence, but offer no alternatives to help countries develop. China has the world's largest economy, produces inexpensive manufactured goods everyone wants, invests trillions in infrastructure, and doesn't interfere in the internal affairs of foreign nations. Ben Norton compares what Washington and Beijing have done in Latin America, especially Peru and Nicaragua.

Also, I have a bonus suggestion. Three Arrows hasn’t posted for a while; he may be busy with other projects. In my humble opinion, all of his content is compelling, so dive in.

"The Fight for the Republic". Dan takes you to the center of power of the American Empire in its death rattle. While the revolution is brewing, old elites struggle to remain in control and ward off disaster. They will not be successful...

Challenge your beliefs, thoughts, and ideas and lead a well examined life while the world keeps rapidly changing. Enjoy!

OTR—Neoliberalism

Today On The Radar explores Neoliberalism. So that you know…

Many scholarly articles, critiques, and apologetics have been written about Neoliberalism; the subject has received extensive attention.

A noteworthy book not discussed here is The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism (and How It Came to Control Your Life) by George Monbiot and Peter Hutchison. I highly recommend you read it.

In my talks and posts, I often mention Neoliberalism and Neoconservatism. As with all "isms," it's essential to understand what they mean and stand for. Where did these ideas come from, how did they take shape, who inspired, developed, and championed them, and to what end?

What is the Neoliberal agenda, and how does it affect ordinary working people?

One's emotional reaction to terms does not increase one's ability to make lucid choices in the interest of one's family, community, or complex, evolving living systems. Life begets life. All hail nature! Big Nature is more important than Big Business in every possible way.

"The economy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the environment, not the reverse." — Herman Daly

This post focuses on Quinn Slobodian's book Globalists: The End of Empire and the Birth of Neoliberalism, which argues that Neoliberalism emerged not from a singular US-based movement but rather from an intellectual circle in Geneva in the 1930s and 40s known as "the Geneva School." This school, influenced by the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, sought to create a global order dominated by free markets and shielded from the disruptive forces of national politics. The book traces the development of this neoliberal vision through various institutions, including the League of Nations, the International Chamber of Commerce, and the European Economic Community, and argues that it ultimately shaped the current world order, with its emphasis on individual rights, free trade, and the promotion of global capital.

We will explore critical aspects of Slobodian’s thesis by asking several questions. Although this may seem repetitive, each frame expands our understanding.

The Geneva School

The Geneva School played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of neoliberal globalization by promoting a globalist vision designed to safeguard capital and its movement worldwide, significantly influencing the current economic landscape.

• The Geneva School envisioned a world divided between imperium and dominium. Imperium represented the world of national politics and the people, while dominium symbolized the global realm of capital and property. This unique perspective is a fascinating aspect of the school's ideology. The Geneva School emerged in the 1930s and 1940s, centered around the Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI) in Geneva. Ludwig von Mises, Wilhelm Röpke, Gottfried Haberler, and Friedrich Hayek were crucial figures.

• The Geneva School promoted its neoliberal vision through the International Chamber of Commerce, the International Studies Conference, and the Mont Pèlerin Society.

• The Geneva School's globalist project was informed by its experiences in the decaying Austro-Hungarian Empire and its observations of "Red Vienna," which led it to seek an order in which the global market could flourish without interference from national politics.

• The Geneva School actively worked to establish a legalistic regime that favored capital and discouraged economic nationalism. Their efforts are evident in constructing the post-war order, particularly in their advocacy for a global neoliberal project based on moral superiority and utility.

• The Geneva School successfully campaigned against the establishment of an International Trade Organization. Instead, it promoted the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), eventually leading to the formation of the World Trade Organization (WTO). This strategic influence is a testament to the school's power in shaping global market policies. The Geneva School's influence extended to US conservatives, contributing to the rise of two powerful visions of globalization.

• One vision, often labeled neoliberal, envisions nation-states fading into cultural spheres, giving way to global markets' dominance.

• The other vision, perhaps closer to the Geneva School's original vision, proposes a world divided into two spheres: one where capital flows freely and the other where nation-states act as containers of human agency, preventing a global push for equality, democracy and the promotion of human rights—both political and socio-economic.

Therefore, the Geneva School's globalist project significantly shaped the trajectory of neoliberal globalization by promoting a world order that prioritizes the free movement of capital and limits the influence of national politics and democratic demands.

The "Encasement" of Economic Structures

Quinn Slobodian argues that rather than seeking to "free" the market, Neoliberalism aimed to "encase" economic structures, shielding them from democratic demands. This concept is central to Slobodian's analysis of the Geneva School and its role in shaping neoliberal globalization.

• The Geneva School sought to create a world order in which capital could move freely across borders while protected from the potential interference of national democratic policies.

• They believed that national governments, influenced by popular demands, threatened the free functioning of global markets.

• To counter this threat, they advocated for creating international institutions and legal frameworks limiting states' ability to intervene in the economy, essentially "encasing" the market within a protective legal structure.

• Examples of this "encasement" strategy include the Geneva School's successful campaign against an International Trade Organization and its promotion of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the precursor to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

• These institutions aimed to separate economic and political spheres by institutionalizing global market policies and limiting the scope for national economic intervention.

Slobodian argues that this "encasement" strategy has ultimately led to the current crisis of legitimacy in economic globalization. By isolating economic structures from popular democratic control, neoliberal globalization has fuelled a backlash from those who feel excluded from its benefits and lack the power to shape its rules. This backlash has manifested in the rise of populist movements that challenge the perceived dominance of global institutions and demand greater national sovereignty.

Depicting Barriers and Demands

In their efforts to construct a global economic order, the Geneva School of Neoliberalism, which prioritized the free flow of capital, sought to portray tariff barriers and unionized labor demands negatively. They framed these elements as obstacles to the efficient functioning of the global market.

• The Geneva School actively worked to portray tariff barriers as "walls." This evocative imagery underlined their belief that such barriers hindered the natural flow of goods and capital across national borders.

• Similarly, unionized labor demands were also presented as impediments to the desired economic order. These demands were seen as interfering with the free market's ability to regulate labor conditions. While the sources don't explicitly state how unionized labor demands were depicted, the overall argument suggests that they were likely portrayed as disruptive forces that distorted market mechanisms.

• The broader context of the Geneva School's ideology helps to understand these portrayals. The sources highlight the group's emphasis on dominium, the realm of capital and property, which they sought to protect from the perceived intrusions of imperium, the domain of national politics, and popular demands. This suggests that tariff barriers and unionized labor demands, both products of national political processes, were seen as expressions of imperium encroaching upon the desired global dominium.

• The Geneva School's efforts to shape the narrative surrounding these economic elements were part of their larger project to advance a globalist vision that prioritized the free movement of capital and limited the influence of national politics and democratic demands. By framing tariff barriers and unionized labor demands as "walls" and disruptive forces, they aimed to build support for their vision of a global economic order that would be less susceptible to the perceived whims of national governments and labor movements.

Conceptualizing the Global Economy

The neoliberals, particularly the Geneva School, attempted to conceptualize the global economy to prioritize the free movement of capital and minimize the influence of national governments and popular demands. They saw the global economy as a complex, interconnected system that operated best when shielded from political interference.

• The neoliberals believed in a global free market's inherent moral and practical superiority. They argued for an international economic order that would facilitate the free flow of goods, services, and capital across national borders, envisioning this as the key to prosperity and progress.

• They conceptualized the global economy as "unknowable" and beyond human comprehension. This idea discouraged economic planning and promoted the concept of legalistic frameworks as the only valid tools for regulation. This view sought to limit the role of government intervention in the economy and reinforce the perceived supremacy of market forces.

• The neoliberals' conception of the global economy was deeply rooted in their distinction between imperium and dominium. They viewed the world as divided between national politics, popular sovereignty (imperium), and the global domain of capital and property (dominium).

• They saw imperium as a threat to the free functioning of the global market. They feared that national governments, driven by popular demands for social welfare and economic regulation, would erect barriers to the free movement of capital and disrupt the natural equilibrium of the market.

• The neoliberals aimed to protect dominium from the intrusions of imperium. They sought to create a global economic order where capital would be free to move and accumulate without interference from national governments or labor movements. This was reflected in their efforts to establish international institutions and legal frameworks that would limit the ability of states to intervene in the economy, essentially "encasing" the market within a protective legal structure.

Neoliberals' conceptualization of the global economy had a lasting impact on globalization's trajectory, contributing to the rise of institutions like the WTO and the dominance of free trade ideology. It also laid the groundwork for the backlash against globalization in recent years. By prioritizing the free movement of capital and sidelining concerns about social welfare and economic equality, the neoliberals' vision of the global economy contributed to growing inequality and a sense of disenfranchisement among many, ultimately fuelling the rise of populist movements that challenged the neoliberal consensus.

Comparing Visions: Neoliberalism vs. Social Democracy

• The neoliberal vision, as championed by the Geneva School, prioritized the free movement of capital and the minimization of governmental interference in the market. They saw the global economy as a complex system best left to regulate itself, with legal frameworks (The Capital Code) serving as the primary tools for regulation. They believed in the inherent efficiency and moral superiority of the free market. They sought to create a global order where capital would be shielded from the perceived disruptions of national politics and popular demands.

• The social-democratic vision, in contrast, emphasizes a more significant role for the government in regulating the economy and promoting social welfare. The social-democratic perspective generally advocates for policies that promote social justice, reduce inequality, and protect workers' rights. This often involves government intervention in the market to ensure fair labor practices, provide social safety nets, and redistribute wealth.

• The neoliberals' critique of "Red Vienna" as a site of strikes and social confrontations suggests their opposition to the social-democratic model, often associated with strong labor unions and robust social welfare programs. The neoliberals saw such policies infringing on the free market and hindering economic growth.

• The neoliberals sought to counter social-democratic visions and Keynesian macroeconomic ideas. Keynesian economics, often associated with social democracy, advocates for government spending and intervention to stimulate demand and manage economic cycles. The neoliberals, however, favored limited government intervention and believed that market forces were best equipped to allocate resources and drive economic growth.

Neoliberals' attempts to "encase" economic structures within a protective legal framework further underscore the contrast with social democracy. Social democracy limits the ability of national governments to implement policies that might interfere with the free market, such as capital controls or regulations on labor practices. Social democracy, on the other hand, would likely view such policies as necessary tools to protect workers and ensure a more equitable distribution of wealth.

In essence, the neoliberal vision of the global economy differed from the social-democratic vision in their respective roles for government and their approaches to managing the market. While Neoliberalism championed a hands-off approach, prioritizing the free movement of capital and minimal government intervention, social democracy advocated for a more active role for government in regulating the market and promoting social welfare. This fundamental difference in perspectives continues to shape debates on globalization and economic policy.

Quinn Slobodian's Two Key Theses in "Globalists"

• Firstly, Slobodian traces the genealogy of Neoliberalism, focusing on its European origins. He challenges the US-centric narrative that often centers Neoliberalism around the University of Chicago in the mid-1970s; instead, Slobodian points to Geneva as the "neoliberal hotbed," where critical intellectuals like Ludwig von Mises, Wilhelm Röpke, Gottfried Haberler, and Friedrich Hayek congregated around institutions like the Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI) in the 1930s and 40s. He calls this group the "Geneva School," highlighting its enduring influence as a social and intellectual circle that promoted a neoliberal vision through institutions like the International Chamber of Commerce, the International Studies Conference, and the Mont Pèlerin Society.

• Secondly, Slobodian presents Neoliberalism as a political ideology with a distinct global agenda. He argues that the Geneva School's vision was shaped by their Central European imperial and post-imperial experiences, particularly their formative years in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and their witnessing of the rise of "Red Vienna," a site of social and political upheaval. Slobodian argues that these experiences led them to seek an order where the global market could operate without interference from national politics. They saw this as a global political project, not merely a national economic one. Citing Carl Schmitt's distinction between imperium (the world of national politics and popular demands) and dominium (the global realm of capital and property), Slobodian argues that the neoliberals aimed to protect dominium from imperium. They sought to establish an institutional order safeguarding capital and its global movement. This globalist project aimed to "solve the riddle of the post-imperial order" by ensuring the unimpeded operation of the global market.

These two theses provide the framework for Slobodian's exploration of the origins and development of Neoliberalism. He examines how the Geneva School constructed a powerful narrative and employed specific strategies to advance its globalist vision. This includes their depiction of tariff barriers and unionized labor demands as "walls" obstructing the free flow of capital and their efforts to conceptualize the global economy as something "unknowable" that should be governed by legal frameworks rather than political intervention.

Redefining Neoliberalism: Origins and Nature

• Unveiling the Role of Ideas and Narratives: Slobodian emphasizes the significance of ideas and narratives in the rise of Neoliberalism. He shows how the Geneva School meticulously crafted arguments, employed evocative imagery and developed a specific language to advance their vision. For instance, they portrayed tariff barriers and unionized labor demands as "walls" obstructing the natural flow of capital, effectively framing them as impediments to global economic prosperity. They also conceptualized the global economy as something "unknowable," arguing against economic planning and promoting legal frameworks as the primary tools for regulation. This strategic use of language and imagery reveals the sophisticated efforts undertaken by the Geneva School to shape public perception and promote its globalist agenda.

• Connecting the Past to the Present: Slobodian demonstrates the lasting impact of the Geneva School's ideas on the trajectory of globalization. He traces the influence of their thought on the development of institutions like the World Trade Organization (WTO), arguing that these institutions reflect the neoliberal vision of a global order where capital enjoys significant freedom of movement, often at the expense of national sovereignty and democratic control. By connecting the intellectual history of the Geneva School to the contemporary world order, Slobodian sheds light on the historical roots of present-day debates about globalization, free trade, and the power of international institutions. His work reveals how the ideas of a relatively small group of intellectuals operating in a specific historical context could have such a profound and enduring impact on the global political and economic landscape.

In summary, Slobodian's "Globalists" redefines Neoliberalism by:

• Shifting the focus from a US-centric narrative to highlight the crucial role of the "Geneva School" in shaping neoliberal thought.

• Presenting Neoliberalism as a political project with a globalist agenda aimed at protecting "dominium" from "imperium."

• Unveiling the strategic use of ideas, narratives, and language by the Geneva School to advance their vision.

• Tracing the enduring influence of the Geneva School's ideas on the development of global institutions and the trajectory of globalization.

Presenting a Morally Superior Project: The Geneva School's Arguments

• Championing Individual Liberty and Limiting State Power

• Promoting a Global Order Based on Law and Rules (The Code of Capital / The Rules-Based Order)

• Highlighting the Efficiency and Impartiality of the Market

• Constructing a Powerful Narrative of "Walls" and "Signals"

Slobodian offers a nuanced and comprehensive account of neoliberalism's rise to global prominence and its enduring influence on the world order.

We should also examine concepts of currency, markets, commodification, and governance through the lens of ecological, material, and energy overshoot. The On The Radar project explores the depth or shallowness of our understanding of ideas that shape our worldview to understand better the challenges we face and what we must do to meet them.

“Many of the social and environmental failures of the global economy trace to the flawed and outdated maps of the egoʹ-nomics currently taught in our most prestigious universities as scientific truth and echoed daily in the media. Those failures are so significant that they pose an existential threat to the survival of the human species. Recognizing that ego-nomics shields economic predators from moral responsibility, private financial interests use their financial power to relentlessly promote the maps of ego-nomics through media, education, government, and even religion.” — David Korten

Collapse of the USSR & Impending Collapse—EU/USA

ON THE RADAR examines the Empire’s collapse.

Let's examine the collapse of Empires, drawing parallels between the Soviet Union's demise and the potential for similar outcomes in the United States and the European Union. A Russian émigré, Dmitry Orlov, argues that these states face similar challenges, including dwindling resources, economic instability, and bureaucratic inefficiency. He suggests that the US, like the Soviet Union, is vulnerable to a decline driven by these factors. Ugo Bardi elaborates on this theme, examining the European Union's complex structure and its susceptibility to what he calls the "Seneca collapse," a phenomenon where complexity ultimately leads to instability. Bardi further argues that the EU's reliance on imports and lack of military power leave it particularly vulnerable to economic decline. Both authors highlight the importance of understanding and preparing for potential collapse by focusing on individual resilience and resourcefulness.

Collapse of Superpowers – A Comparative Analysis

Main Themes:

The US is exhibiting similar vulnerabilities to those that precipitated the Soviet collapse, focusing on economic and social factors.

Key Ideas and Facts:

1. Ingredients for Superpower Collapse:

• Dmitry Orlov, in his book Reinventing Collapse, identifies key ingredients for superpower collapse:

  • Dwindling domestic oil production

  • Worsening foreign trade deficit

  • Uncontrolled military spending

  • Mushrooming foreign debt

  • A humiliating military defeat (e.g., Afghanistan for the USSR, Iraq for the US)

  • Fear of impending catastrophe (e.g., Chernobyl for the USSR, climate change for the US)

• Orlov contends that these factors, present in the USSR and the US, create conditions ripe for collapse.

2. USSR's Unexpected Advantage:

• Despite its totalitarian nature, the USSR possessed certain advantages over the US in terms of collapse preparedness:

  • Lower dependence on automobiles

  • State-provided safety net for basic needs (housing, healthcare)

  • Emergence of informal economies (e.g., "chelnoki" - itinerant merchants)

3. The US's Vulnerability:

• The US, according to Orlov, is particularly vulnerable due to its:

  • Car-centric culture

  • Lack of a robust social safety net

  • Dependence on a volatile global economy

  • Potential for social unrest and crime in the face of economic hardship

  • Unsustainable levels of debt potentially lead to hyperinflation and a worthless currency.

4. Tainter's Law and the EU:

• Ugo Bardi, in his article on the EU's potential collapse, highlights Tainter's law of diminishing returns to complexity:

  • Larger, more complex systems require increasingly more resources and energy to maintain, eventually reaching a point of unsustainability.

  • The EU's bureaucratic structure, particularly its multilingualism, exemplifies this law.

  • As energy resources become scarcer and complexity costs rise, the EU's structure risks collapse.

5. Similarities Between Superpowers:

• Both Orlov and Bardi emphasize the striking similarities between seemingly different superpowers:

  • All are susceptible to corruption, bureaucracy, inequality, and resource depletion.

  • Citizens in these systems share similar daily routines and concerns.

• This suggests that large, complex systems face similar challenges and vulnerabilities despite ideological differences.

6. Strategies for Survival:

• Orlov suggests reducing reliance on money and anticipating potential hyperinflation.

  1. Stockpile essential resources for bartering.

  2. Develop skills and relationships for a resource-based economy.

  3. Consider adopting a more nomadic lifestyle.

  4. Avoid entanglement with the potentially oppressive justice system.

  5. Bardi suggests that the EU could simplify its structure by reducing bureaucracy and language barriers.

  6. Transitioning to a hierarchical empire model could increase efficiency, although it is unlikely for the EU. [We don't have leaders like Napoleon anymore.]

  7. Recognizing the inevitability of collapse and taking proactive steps to adapt.

Important Quotes:

• Orlov: "Make no mistake about it: this soup will be served, and it will not be tasty!"

• Orlov: "You or me trying to do something about it would have the same effect as you or me wiggling our toes at a tsunami."

• Bardi: "The impending collapse of the EU illustrates how all large structures are subjected to Tainter's law of diminishing returns on complexity."

• Bardi: "Growth is slow, but ruin is rapid. It is one of the laws of the universe. If there were no collapses, nothing would ever change."

We are confronted with a sobering perspective on the potential collapse of superpowers, highlighting the interconnectedness of economic, social, and political factors. While predicting the exact timing and nature of such events is impossible, understanding the underlying vulnerabilities and potential consequences is crucial for individuals and societies to prepare for an uncertain future.

Professor Joseph Tainter is an American anthropologist and historian who studied anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Northwestern University, where he received his Ph.D. in 1975. As of 2012, he holds a professorship in the Department of Environment and Society at Utah State University. In this interview, Professor Tainter discusses the thesis of his widely acclaimed work “The Collapse of Complex Societies,” 25 years after its publication in 1988. His book is among the great classics of the study of collapse. In my view a work whose quality and relevance is comparable to Limits to Growth.

OTR—The Seneca Effect

Hi folks, today, On The Radar presents Ugo Bardi’s book that explores the science and engineering behind societal collapse. Bardi argues that collapse is a natural feature of complex systems like the Earth and that we must learn to accept and exploit it for a better future. The author draws upon philosophies like Zen Buddhism and existentialism to highlight our responsibility in choosing how to respond to our limited time on Earth and the challenges of resource depletion and environmental degradation. He further posits that the current global trends of nationalism, anti-globalization, and populism could hasten this collapse, highlighting the need for a more responsible approach to global resources. Ultimately, Bardi encourages us to embrace a rational, objective approach to the inevitability of collapse, viewing it as a catalyst for positive change and innovation.

Consequences of Current Resource Use and Globalisation

If left unchecked, our current resource use and globalization approach could have dire consequences for future generations.

Critical issues:

• Resource Depletion: Our current consumption patterns are rapidly depleting the planet's natural resources, raising concerns about the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We must shift towards sustainable practices prioritizing intergenerational equity, ensuring that resources are preserved for future generations.

• Systemic Risks: The interconnectedness of modern techno-industrial global systems creates systemic risks. Adverse shocks, like economic crises or environmental disasters, can cascade through the system, causing widespread disruption. The rise of nationalism and anti-globalization sentiments further complicates the situation. These trends could hinder coordinated efforts to address global challenges such as pollution, global heating due to fossil fuel burning, and resource depletion.

• Existential Questions: We should reflect more deeply on our relationship with Big Nature/Life and our responsibilities towards future generations. Acknowledging the inevitability of collapse and decline can lead to a more sustainable and fulfilling way of life. This perspective encourages individual choices contributing to a healthier planet and a more equitable society.

The sources present a stark warning about the potential consequences of our current trajectory. They call for a shift in mindset, urging us to recognize the interconnectedness of our actions and the need for responsible resource management and global cooperation.

Facing Collapse: Thrownness, Satori, and Choice

The concepts of "thrownness" and "Satori," as presented in The Seneca Effect, offer a framework for understanding our choices in the face of societal or ecological collapse.

• Thrownness: This existentialist concept refers to the circumstances of our birth and upbringing that we have no control over. We are "thrown" into a world with pre-existing social structures, economic systems, and environmental conditions. In the context of collapse, we are born into a world facing various interconnected crises, such as resource depletion and climate change, essentially a product of past generations' choices.

• Satori: This Zen Buddhist concept refers to a sudden awakening or enlightenment, where we gain a deeper understanding of our true nature and impermanence. This realization arises when we confront our mortality and the limitations of our existence.

Achieving "Satori" allows us to accept our "thrownness" and the reality of collapse without succumbing to despair. It empowers us to make meaningful choices within the constraints of our circumstances.

The sources highlight two contrasting approaches to resource use and intergenerational responsibility:

• Exploitation: This approach prioritizes immediate gratification and individual gain, disregarding the needs of future generations. It views resources as something to be exploited for personal benefit, even if it leads to depletion and long-term consequences.

• Intergenerational Equity: This approach emphasizes the moral obligation to preserve resources and protect the planet for future generations. It advocates for sustainable practices and responsible consumption, ensuring that future generations have the opportunity to live fulfilling lives.

The sources suggest that achieving "Satori" allows us to see the interconnectedness of all beings and the long-term consequences of our actions. This realization encourages us to act responsibly and make choices that contribute to a sustainable future, aligning with the principles of intergenerational equity.

By accepting our "thrownness" and embracing "Satori," we can move beyond feelings of helplessness and make pragmatic and compassionate choices. This approach allows us to navigate the challenges of collapse with a sense of agency and purpose, striving to create a more equitable and sustainable world for ourselves and future generations.

While we focus on the philosophical and ethical dimensions of collapse, we will be more able to discover specific examples of how these choices might manifest practically.

A Post-War "Seneca Effect"?

John Rogers uses the "Seneca effect" concept to frame the potential collapse of the post-World War II order as a rapid decline following a period of peak prosperity and growth.

The post-World War II order, characterized by globalization and interconnectedness, may be reaching a tipping point. The downsides of globalization, such as migration, economic dislocations, and slow, consensus-based decision-making, are contributing to a sense of discontent and a resurgence of nationalism, anti-globalization sentiments, xenophobia, and populism. These trends could indicate an impending "Seneca effect," where the very systems that facilitated growth and prosperity begin to unravel rapidly.

The impending collapse is connected to the "tragedy of the commons," where shared resources are overexploited due to individual self-interest, ultimately depleting them. The benefits of globalism may have become "so familiar as to become an object of contempt," leading to a rejection of the system and a rise in more tribalistic and fragmented worldviews. This shift towards a more fractured world raises concerns about how global challenges such as pollution, resource depletion, disease, and ethnic tensions will be addressed without a unified and cooperative international order.

By invoking the "Seneca effect," we can encourage a deeper examination of the potential risks associated with the current trajectory of the post-World War II order. Leaders must consider the systemic risks inherent in the political and economic ecosystems and acknowledge the potential for rapid and disruptive change. A greater understanding of concepts from various fields, including materials engineering, game theory, chaos theory, and complexity theory, can provide valuable insights into the potential consequences of individual and collective choices.

Two Perspectives on Responsibility to Future Generations

Among others, there are two profound yet contrasting perspectives on our responsibility to future generations regarding the use of natural resources:

• The "Divine Right of Kings" Approach: This perspective suggests that individuals have the right to exploit available resources during their lifetime without significant regard for future consequences. This viewpoint prioritizes immediate gratification and individual benefit over long-term sustainability or intergenerational equity. Proponents of this stance might argue that technological advancements will emerge to address resource scarcity in the future, placing the burden of problem-solving on future generations. They might also believe that attempting to predict or control the needs of future generations is futile or impractical.

• Intergenerational Equity: This perspective emphasizes a moral obligation to preserve the planet and its resources for the well-being of future generations. It promotes responsible resource management and sustainable practices to ensure that future generations inherit a world that supports their needs and aspirations. This viewpoint often underscores the interconnectedness of humanity across generations, framing our actions as having lasting consequences that extend far beyond our lifespans. It advocates for considering the long-term impacts of resource consumption and prioritizing conservation efforts to safeguard the planet's health for future generations.

Linking the "Seneca Effect" to Current Political Trends

Ugo Bardi's work offers a framework for understanding how the "Seneca effect," a concept focused on the rapid decline following a peak, can be applied to analyze current political trends. The "Seneca effect" highlights its relevance to understanding potential societal collapse and the forces that can contribute to rapid shifts in complex systems.

The "Seneca effect" with contemporary political developments:

• The Rise and Potential Fall of Globalism: The Rules-Based Order, what I often refer to as The Great Game, is characterized by increasing globalization and interconnectedness and may be experiencing a "Seneca effect." This period, marked by fossil fuel consumption, unprecedented economic growth, and technological advancement, could be reaching a peak, with the potential for rapid decline due to various factors. This interpretation implies that the very successes of globalization might sow the seeds for its downfall, as highlighted through the "tragedy of the commons" and “Multipolar Traps” analogies where overconsumption and competition for resources can ultimately lead to depletion and collapse.

• Resurgence of Nationalism and Fragmentation: A resurgence of nationalism, anti-globalization sentiment, xenophobia, and populism are potential indicators of a shift away from the established global order. These trends, characterized by a retreat from international cooperation and a focus on national interests, could be interpreted as signs of a "Seneca effect" unfolding, leading to a more fragmented and potentially unstable world.

• Systemic Risks and Societal Shocks: Much has been written about historical events that triggered profound societal shifts and the potential for current political trends to create similar systemic shocks. Events like the sack of Rome, the arrival of the Conquistadores in the Americas, the use of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks serve as stark reminders of the vulnerability of complex systems to sudden and often unpredictable disruptions. The implication is that the current political climate, marked by rising tensions and uncertainty, could heighten the risk of such shocks, potentially leading to rapid and unforeseen changes in the global order.

• Navigating Complexity and Uncertainty: We need a more nuanced and scientifically informed approach to navigating the complexities and uncertainties of the current political landscape. Drawing on concepts from fields like game theory, chaos theory, and complexity theory suggests that a deeper understanding of the interrelationships between social, economic, and environmental systems is crucial for anticipating and mitigating potential risks. This analytical lens, grounded in scientific principles, aims to provide a more robust framework for decision-making in a world characterized by increasing volatility and interconnectedness.

Scientific Concepts and Societal Collapse

Bardi's work draws upon various scientific concepts to illuminate the potential for societal collapse and the interconnectedness of our actions with the complex systems that govern life on Earth. While originating from diverse scientific disciplines, these concepts converge to provide a framework for understanding the vulnerabilities and potential tipping points inherent in our current trajectory.

• Materials Engineering: We must examine materials engineering to conceptualize the potential safety of a complex system. This analogy suggests that similar to how engineers meticulously design structures to withstand stress and avoid catastrophic failures, understanding the materials and forces shaping our planet's systems is crucial for ensuring its long-term stability. This approach encourages viewing the Earth as a resource provider and a complex entity with inherent limitations and thresholds that must be respected.

• Game Theory: This branch of mathematics, concerned with strategic decision-making in competitive situations, can be applied to understand the dynamics of resource allocation and consumption within societies. The concept of the "Tragedy of the Commons," where individuals acting in their self-interest ultimately deplete a shared resource, exemplifies a game theory scenario relevant to the discussion of sustainability and potential societal collapse. Bardi hints that the current global order may be succumbing to this tragedy as the benefits of globalization become "an object of contempt" and competition for resources intensifies. A significant figure in debunking the myth of the “tragedy of the commons” was political scientist and political economist Elinor Ostrom. She was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in economics. Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action.

• Chaos Theory: This field focuses on complex systems that exhibit seemingly random behavior due to their sensitivity to initial conditions. Chaos theory suggests that even small changes can lead to unpredictable and often dramatic consequences, challenging the notion of linear cause and effect. Applying this concept to societal collapse, the sources imply that seemingly minor events or decisions could trigger cascading failures with significant and unforeseen consequences for the global system.

• Complexity Theory: This interdisciplinary field examines the behavior of complex systems characterized by interconnectedness, feedback loops, and emergent properties arising from the interactions of their components. Complexity theory helps us to understand the Earth as a dynamic system composed of interconnected social, economic, and environmental subsystems. This perspective emphasizes that actions within one subsystem inevitably ripple through others, potentially leading to unforeseen consequences and system-wide instability. Bardi's work suggests that a deeper understanding of these complex interrelationships is crucial for navigating the challenges of resource depletion, pollution, and societal stability.

Benefits of Accepting the Inevitability of Collapse

Accepting the inevitability of collapse, while seemingly pessimistic, can lead to a more positive and proactive approach to life and decision-making:

• Existential Awakening: Embracing the concept of impermanence, much like the Zen Buddhist concept of "satori," can be a catalyst for personal growth. Recognizing our mortality and the transient nature of societal structures allows us to focus on making meaningful choices in the present. This understanding can lead to a greater appreciation for life and a deeper connection with the natural world.

• Sustainable Choices: Accepting the limitations of resources and the cyclical nature of systems can foster a more responsible approach to resource use and environmental stewardship. Understanding the interconnectedness of our actions and the potential consequences of unsustainable practices can motivate us to make choices that promote intergenerational equity. This could involve advocating for policies prioritizing sustainability, adopting less resource-intensive lifestyles, and supporting initiatives protecting the environment.

• Adaptability and Resilience: Acknowledging the potential for collapse allows for better preparation and adaptation to changing circumstances. By anticipating potential disruptions and developing strategies to mitigate their impact, societies, and individuals can become more resilient in the face of challenges. This proactive approach can help to minimize the negative consequences of collapse and facilitate a smoother transition to new ways of living.

• Exploiting Collapse for Positive Change: While disruptive, collapse also presents opportunities for positive change. By learning from past collapses and understanding the dynamics of complex systems, we can potentially harness the forces of change to create more sustainable and equitable systems. This may involve re-evaluating societal priorities, exploring alternative economic models, and promoting greater social cohesion.

We should expand our perspective, challenging us to move beyond fear and denial and embrace the inevitability of collapse as a natural part of life's cycle. This shift in mindset can empower us to make more informed choices, fostering a more sustainable and resilient future.

OTR—Back To The Land Review

On The Radar explores Alice Friedemann’s review of “Back from the Land: how young Americans went to nature in the 1970s, and why they came back.”

Please read, listen, learn, and enjoy putting Alice’s work on your radar. Upgrade your imagination, prepare for the future, and give the future hope and a plan.

The author examines the back-to-the-land movement of the 1970s, highlighting its failures and suggesting that a similar movement is necessary in light of impending energy shortages. The article explores the reasons for the 1970s movement's demise, including unrealistic expectations, financial challenges, and social difficulties within communes. The author argues that the movement failed because individuals could not separate themselves from the capitalist system and its economic demands. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of a new, more realistic, government-supported back-to-the-land movement focusing on sustainable agriculture and community-based initiatives.

My book review of: Eleanor Agnew.  July 21, 2005. Back from the Land: How Young Americans Went to Nature in the 1970s, and Why They Came Back. Ivan R. Dee.

As oil and natural gas decline, many of us will have to go back to the land. There is something to learn from those who have tried this in the past. Although much has been said about why communes and Utopian communities failed, little has been written about the fate of individual homesteaders.

CSA’s and homesteads should be forming now, with a government agency acting as the central agent for connecting people who want to farm, providing agricultural scholarships, training, outreach, buying land and loaning money to farmers, and so on.

It will not be simple to make the transition. The easiest path is to ration the remaining oil to essential services like agriculture and continuing on as usual, not only to maintain social order, but to have food to export in exchange for oil and natural gas based fertilizers. Land will continue to be concentrated in a few hands, pushing society towards feudalism and fascism as people work for minimal wages to survive. Business as usual, until energy shortages cause sudden dislocations, leads to civil wars and collapse.

If the U-turn can start now, there’s a better chance of remaining a strong democratic nation, and to finally do what we always should have done: live within our means — what the ecosystem can provide sustainably.

There’s no point trying to prepare for energy descent and climate change if the current levels of immigration, birth rate, and loss of prime farm land continues.

Everyone needs to get involved, because we’re a social, cooperative species, utterly dependent on each other as much as bees or ants are. Peter Corning’s brilliant book, “Nature’s Magic”, shows that synergy and cooperation at group levels were far more important in the emergence of homo sapiens than competition between individuals. We must all pull together and work towards the best possible future we can imagine, because we’re all in this together.

It would be better if people chose an agricultural future with hope and courage. Farming can be an immensely satisfying and rewarding way of life. It would be best for democracy and preserving our remaining resources if Americans could embrace reality and take appropriate back-to-the-land action.

OTR—Navigating The Polycrisis

On The Radar—short posts bringing crucial ideas to your attention.

Navigating the Polycrisis—Mapping the Futures of Capitalism and the Earth

The Polycrisis is the breakdown of our future.

It represents the end of established narratives and understandings, stretching from geopolitical rules to the biophysical basis of the planet itself. With old trajectories seemingly out of reach, speculation about the future has enjoyed a Renaissance — predicting everything from an AI utopia to a climate apocalypse.

Into this setting emerges Navigating the Polycrisis by Michael J. Albert. His new work proposes multiple pathways upon which the Polycrisis may take us — from utopia to apocalypse, socialism to capitalism, and the many winding possibilities in between. But beyond these scenarios, it also shows us how change occurs in tumultuous times, where new futures can emerge out of the breakdown of old ones.

Through interlocking explorations of climate change, existential crisis, class conflict, mass extinction, and granular insights into energy and resource availability, this book lives up to its name. It is not just an explication of potential futures but a guide to how we might navigate them.

An innovative work of realism and utopianism that analyzes the possible futures of the world-system and helps us imagine how we might transition beyond capitalism.

The world-system of which we are all a part faces multiple calamities: climate change and mass extinction, the economic and existential threat of AI, the chilling rise of far-right populism, and the invasion of Ukraine, to name only a few. In Navigating the Polycrisis, Michael Albert seeks to illuminate how the “planetary polycrisis” will disrupt the global community in the coming decades and how we can best meet these challenges. Albert argues that we must devote more attention to the study of possible futures and adopt transdisciplinary approaches to do so. To provide a new form of critical futures analysis, he offers a theoretical framework—planetary systems thinking—that is informed by complexity theory, world-systems theory, and ecological Marxism.

Navigating the Polycrisis builds on existing work on climate futures and the futures of capitalism and makes three main contributions. First, the book brings together modeling projections with critical social theory in a more systematic way than has been done so far. Second, the book shows that in order to grasp the complexity of the planetary polycrisis, we must analyze the convergence of crises encompassing the climate emergency, the structural crisis of global capitalism, net energy decline, food system disruption, pandemic risk, far-right populism, and emerging technological risks (e.g. in the domains of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and nuclear weapons). And third, the book contributes to existing work on postcapitalist futures by analyzing the processes and mechanisms through which egalitarian transitions beyond capitalism might occur.

A much-needed work of global futures studies, Navigating the Polycrisis brings together the rigor of the natural and social sciences and speculative imagination informed by science fiction to forge pathways to our possible global future.

Can we have an alternative system to Capitalism that enhances global sustainability? Is it possible to have capitalism that is not built on never ending capital growth? Michael J. Albert is a lecturer at SOAS university where he is an expert in the field of International Relations. His work is at the intersection of International Relations, Political Theory, and Sustainability Studies. In this episode Hussain Ayed explores with Michael the alternative system to capitalism that can enhance global sustainability.

The Post-Modern Great Game And Its Players—Background and Dynamics

The First Great Game

Hulton Archive 1880

The Great Game refers to the intense rivalry and strategic conflict between the British and Russian Empires during the 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily focused on Central Asia. This "game" was characterized by espionage, political intrigue, and proxy wars as both empires sought to expand their influence and secure their borders.

The Great Game is full of inspiring and entertaining stories, from novels to Netflix. Regardless of what country we were born in, we are on a steady diet of Great Game stories from birth. The ideologies and belief systems (cultural algorithms) we are programmed with are aspects and iterations of The Great Game's operating system—human, all too human.

The following are books I've read on the subject. My deep-time TV drama series features a section concerning Francis Younghusband and a fictional character in my story.

BOOKS:

"The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia" by Peter Hopkirk: This is considered the definitive work on the subject. Hopkirk masterfully weaves historical accounts, personal narratives, and thrilling adventures to vividly picture the rivalry between Britain and Russia.

"Kim" by Rudyard Kipling: A classic novel that captures the atmosphere of espionage and intrigue in British India during the Great Game. You'll follow the adventures of Kim, a young boy who becomes entangled in the world of spies and secret agents.

"Tournament of Shadows: The Great Game and the Race for Empire in Central Asia" by Karl E. Meyer and Shareen Blair Brysac: This book offers a more nuanced perspective, exploring the human drama and cultural impact of the Great Game through the stories of individuals caught up in the conflict.

"Trespassers on the Roof of the World: The Secret Exploration of Tibet" by Peter Hopkirk: If you're particularly interested in the British involvement in Tibet, this book delves into the fascinating and often dangerous expeditions undertaken by explorers and spies in this remote and forbidden land.

"The Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan" by William Dalrymple focuses on the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839-42), a key event in the Great Game. It provides a gripping account of the conflict and its devastating consequences.

"Flashman in the Great Game" by George MacDonald Fraser: This humorous historical novel follows the exploits of Harry Flashman, a cowardly British officer who stumbles through various adventures in Central Asia during the Great Game.

Critical Aspects of the Great Game:

Geographic Focus:

Central Asia, including regions like Afghanistan, Tibet, and Persia (modern-day Iran), formed the primary battleground for this rivalry. These areas were strategically crucial due to their proximity to both empires and their potential as trade routes and buffers against expansion.

Motivations:

British Empire: The British aimed to protect their valuable colony of India, the "jewel in the crown," from Russian encroachment. They feared Russia's southward expansion would threaten India's security and stability.

Russian Empire: Russia sought to expand its territory and influence in Asia, driven by a desire for warm-water ports and access to resources. They also saw the British presence in India as a potential threat.

Key Events:

Anglo-Afghan Wars: Three wars were fought between the British and Afghanistan (1839-42, 1878-80, 1919) as the British tried to assert control over the country and prevent Russian influence.

The "Great Game" in popular culture: Rudyard Kipling's novel Kim (1901) popularized the term "Great Game" and captured the atmosphere of espionage and adventure associated with this era.

End of the Great Game: The Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 officially ended the rivalry, establishing spheres of influence in Persia, Afghanistan, and Tibet. However, the Great Game's legacy shaped the region's political landscape for decades.

Francis Younghusband and the Tibetan Massacre

Francis Younghusband (1863-1942) was a British soldier, explorer, and spiritualist who played a controversial role in the Great Game. He is best known for leading the British expedition to Tibet in 1903-1904, which resulted in the Tibetan massacre.

Brief Biography:

Early Life and Career: Younghusband was born in India and educated in England. He joined the British Army and served in India and Burma. He was also an avid explorer, undertaking several journeys through Central Asia.

Tibet Expedition: 1903 Younghusband was appointed to lead a British expedition to Tibet. The expedition's official goal was to negotiate trade agreements and address concerns about Russian influence in the region. However, the mission quickly turned into a military invasion.

Tibetan Massacre: As the British force advanced towards Lhasa, the Tibetan army attempted to resist. However, they were poorly equipped and outnumbered. In a series of clashes, including the Battle of Guru, the British inflicted heavy casualties on the Tibetans, with estimates ranging from 600 to 700 Tibetan soldiers killed. This event is known as the Tibetan massacre.

Later Life and Spiritual Conversion: Younghusband's experiences in Tibet, particularly the violence he witnessed and participated in, had a profound impact on him. He developed a deep interest in Eastern religions and philosophy, becoming a prominent spiritualist and advocate for world peace. In 1936, he founded the World Congress of Faiths, promoting interfaith dialogue and understanding.

Younghusband's Actions in Tibet and Spiritual Conversion

Controversial Legacy: Younghusband's actions in Tibet remain highly contentious. While some view him as a skilled explorer and administrator, others criticize him for his role in the invasion and the subsequent massacre.

Spiritual Awakening: The violence he witnessed in Tibet led Younghusband to question his own beliefs and values. He became disillusioned with imperialism and sought answers in Eastern spirituality.

Advocate for Peace: Younghusband later dedicated himself to promoting peace and understanding between different cultures and religions. He believed that spiritual values could help to overcome the conflicts and divisions that plagued the world.

Francis Younghusband's life and career were deeply intertwined with the Great Game and its impact on Central Asia. Though controversial, his actions in Tibet ultimately led him on a path of spiritual growth and a commitment to world peace. His story serves as a reminder of the complex and often contradictory nature of human experience, particularly in times of conflict and change.

At our current phase of Modern Technological and Industrial global civilization, with its neoliberal, financialized, fossil-fueled coded capitalism, the game's stakes couldn't be higher, and its consequences more dire.

The competition for resources among the world's great powers is a complex and ever-evolving set of concerns driven by economic needs, technological advancements, and geopolitical strategies.

Modern technology increases the scope and impact of existential risks.

Control of resources is critical to maintaining leadership in The Great Game today.

1. Energy Resources:

• Oil and Natural Gas Remain crucial for transportation, industry, and power generation. Control over oil and gas reserves and supply routes is a primary source of geopolitical leverage.

• Uranium: Essential for nuclear power, a significant source of energy in many countries, and a key component in nuclear weapons.

• Coal: While facing environmental concerns, coal still plays a significant role in electricity generation, especially in rapidly developing economies.

• Alternative energy sources like wind and solar provide a trivial quantity that can't compete with fossil fuels in providing the energy necessary for modern techno-industrial global civilization.

• Too cheap to meter energy technology remains out of reach and can't be expected to replace our need for fossil fuels anytime soon.

2. Critical Minerals:

These minerals are essential for various industries, especially high-tech manufacturing and renewable energy technologies. Their scarcity and uneven distribution make them a focal point of competition. All of these resources are finite. Without vast energy resources, we can not expect to acquire them in difficult-to-reach regions such as the center of the Earth, the bottom of the oceans, or on asteroids or other planets.

• Rare Earth Elements: Used in magnets, batteries, electronics, and defense applications. China currently dominates the production and processing of rare earths.

• Lithium: Crucial for lithium-ion batteries, used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and grid-scale energy storage. (Is anyone watching season two of The Old Man?)

• Cobalt is another critical component of lithium-ion batteries used in aerospace and defense industries.

• Nickel: Used in stainless steel, batteries, and other alloys.

• Copper: Essential for electrical wiring, electronics, and construction.

• Graphite: Used in batteries, lubricants, and steelmaking.

• Platinum Group Metals: Used in catalytic converters, electronics, and jewelry.

3. Water Resources:

• Freshwater: Due to population growth, urbanization, and climate change, access to clean freshwater is becoming increasingly critical. Water scarcity will lead to conflicts and instability.

• Strategic Waterways: Control over major waterways like straits and canals is crucial for trade and naval power projection. Water transportation has always been incredibly efficient and will be even more necessary as global heating continues.

4. Agricultural Resources:

• Arable Land: Land suitable for farming is essential for food security. Competition for arable land can arise due to population growth, urbanization, and land degradation.

• Fertilizers: Essential for agricultural productivity, fertilizers are derived from minerals like phosphate, potash, and petrochemicals. They can be subject to supply disruptions, entail negative externalities, and reference The Great Game.

5. Other Resources:

• Timber: Used in construction, paper production, and other industries. Sustainable forestry practices and competition for timber resources are important considerations.

• Fish Stocks: Overfishing and competition for dwindling fish stocks are a growing concern, leading to disputes over fishing rights and marine conservation.

*These are partial lists.

Factors Driving Competition:

• Economic Growth: Rapidly developing economies and expanding populations require vast resources to fuel industrialization and urbanization.

• Technological Advancements: New technologies create demand for new materials and resources, intensifying competition.

• Geopolitical Considerations: Control over strategic resources can provide economic and political leverage, not to mention obscene profits for those who control these commodities and the added-value products derived from them.

• Environmental Concerns: Climate change and resource depletion are adding new dimensions to resource competition.

Implications:

• Resource Nationalism: Countries may prioritize securing their own resource needs, leading to protectionist policies and trade disputes.

• Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Reliance on a few suppliers for critical minerals can create vulnerabilities and geopolitical risks.

• Conflict and Instability: Competition for scarce resources can exacerbate tensions and lead to conflicts and war. All wars are fought to acquire, control, and protect resources vital to The Great Game. Owners of capital benefit from these conflicts regardless of the damage they cause to life systems.

• Innovation and Technological Development: The need to secure resources can drive innovation in resource extraction, processing, and recycling.

The competition for resources is a defining feature of the 21st century. Understanding the dynamics of this competition is crucial for navigating the complex geopolitical landscape and ensuring a sustainable future.

The Great Game today is being conducted by the United States through "The Rules-Based Order" (America makes the rules and gives the orders), and any nation that won't conform to the U.S. neoliberal/neoconservative agenda is brought to heal through violence and economic coercion.

'War is nothing but the continuation of policy with other means' — On War, Carl von Clausewitz

The U.S. is fighting and seeks to fight proxy wars across the globe to maintain its hegemony and control of vital resources needed to maintain The Great Game and its crypto-religious social and economic ideology (The Great Game's operating system.)

Regardless of which party controls the United States, foreign policy maintains the continuity of the "rules-based" (coded capital) Great Game.

The Great Game primarily serves big business interests and shareholders (owners of capital.)

Capitalists need people and workers only as long as they provide forms of utility. Anarco-capitalist accelerationists would be perfectly happy in a less populated world with artificially intelligent robots doing most of the work. This does not imply a "conspiracy story." It only emphasizes the utilitarian and libertarian facets of The Great Game's operating system.

When the Trump administration speaks of allowing the immigration of highly educated people with specific skills, they are talking about people who can assist in creating the components for AI and robots or engineers involved in energy, etc.

Technology, robotics, energy, etc., are multidisciplinary endeavors requiring diverse skill sets.

American citizens not involved in high-tech industries and professional services supporting the Players of The Great Game will be limited to less lucrative and less skilled service work.

And, of course, the military-industrial complex is secure.

If you want status and wealth, acquire these kinds of skills.

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Programming Languages: Proficiency in Python, Java, C++, and R is essential for developing AI algorithms and applications. (New languages are constantly being developed, so keep up.)

• Machine Learning (ML): Understanding ML algorithms, deep learning, natural language processing (NLP), and computer vision is crucial for building intelligent systems.

• Data Science: Data mining, data analysis, and statistical modeling skills are needed to work with the large datasets used to train AI models.

• Mathematics and Statistics: A strong foundation in linear algebra, calculus, probability, and statistics is essential for understanding and developing AI algorithms.

2. Robotics

• Mechanical Engineering: Designing and building the physical structure of robots, including mechanisms, actuators, and sensors.

• Electrical Engineering: Developing the electrical systems that power and control robots, including circuits, motors, and power electronics.

• Computer Science: Programming robots to perform tasks, integrating sensors and actuators, and developing control algorithms.

• Control Systems: Understanding control theory and designing control systems to ensure robots operate accurately and reliably.

3. Common to Both AI and Robotics

• Software Engineering: Strong software development skills are crucial for building and maintaining complex AI and robotic systems.

• Embedded Systems: Knowledge of embedded systems is essential for developing the hardware and software that run on robots and other AI-powered devices.

• Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: The ability to analyze problems, identify solutions, and be creative are crucial for developing innovative AI and robotic systems.

• Communication and Teamwork: AI and robotics projects often involve large teams with diverse expertise. Effective communication and collaboration skills are essential.

Additional Skills

• Cloud Computing: Familiarity with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP is becoming increasingly crucial for deploying and scaling AI and robotic systems.

• Cybersecurity: Understanding cybersecurity principles is crucial for protecting AI and robotic systems from attacks and ensuring data privacy.

• Ethics and Responsible AI: As AI and robotics become more prevalent, it's essential to consider their ethical implications and develop systems that are responsible and beneficial to society (read, The Great Game.)

Where to Develop These Skills

• Formal Education: Universities offer degrees in computer science, engineering, and related fields that provide a strong foundation in AI and robotics.

• Online Courses and Certifications: Platforms like Coursera, edX, and Udacity offer online courses and certifications in specific AI and robotics skills.

• Self-Learning: Numerous online resources, tutorials, and open-source projects are available for self-directed learning.

• Practical Experience: Hands-on experience through internships, research projects, and personal projects is invaluable for developing practical skills.

By combining these technical skills with strong problem-solving abilities and a collaborative mindset, individuals can contribute to supporting The Great Game and Modern Technological Industrial civilization. If you work in these domains over the next few decades, you will make more money and acquire a modicum of status and security.

When civilization inevitably crashes, you will need primitive survival skills. Plan to establish residence in a less vulnerable region to global warming and habitat loss, with a stable, tolerant, and open culture. Good luck.

As the border closes and immigration restrictions exclude various classes of immigrants, U.S. workers will have to pick peaches, make shoes and socks, and perform low-skilled work in factories to maintain consumer goods supplies.

The U.S. will need to invest large amounts of money in reindustrialization to compensate for arbitrage value lost due to increasing restrictions on the global economy. The rapidly changing global economy requires the U.S. to control foreign governments that are sitting on the resources necessary to maintain its hegemony.

HOW TO BE A PLAYER

To varying degrees, Players who survive and win at The Great Game have these personality traits and operate in domains that offer access to high levels of income, status, and power.

Dark Tetrad

The Dark Tetrad expands upon the Dark Triad and is a group of four personality traits:

• Narcissism: Characterized by grandiosity, a sense of entitlement, and a need for admiration.

• Machiavellianism: Marked by manipulation, exploitation, and a cynical disregard for morality.

• Psychopathy: Involves impulsivity, thrill-seeking, low empathy, and a lack of remorse.

• Sadism: Deriving pleasure from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others.

Characteristics of the Dark Tetrad:

Individuals high in Dark Tetrad traits tend to:

• Be manipulative and exploitative.

• Lack empathy and remorse.

• Engage in aggressive and antisocial behavior.

• Seek power and control over others.

• Show a disregard for social norms and rules.

Implications:

The Dark Tetrad is linked to various adverse outcomes, including:

• Increased risk of criminal behavior, particularly crimes involving violence and cruelty.

• Difficulties in interpersonal relationships: Due to their manipulative and exploitative tendencies.

• Workplace problems: May engage in bullying, sabotage, and other counterproductive work behaviors.

Everyone may exhibit some of these traits to a degree, but those scoring high on the Dark Tetrad exhibit these tendencies more frequently and intensely.

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)

Psychopathy

• Superficial Charm: Often charismatic and engaging, able to manipulate and deceive others easily.

• Grandiose Sense of Self: Inflated self-esteem, believing they are superior to others.

• Pathological Lying: Compulsive lying, often without any apparent purpose.

• Lack of Empathy and Remorse: Unable to understand or share the feelings of others and show no guilt or remorse for their actions.

• Manipulative and Exploitative: Skilled at using others for their gain, often without regard for the consequences.

• Impulsivity and Irresponsibility: Act without thinking, often engage in risky behavior, and fail to fulfill obligations or commitments.

• Shallow Emotions: Limited range of emotions, may appear cold and unemotional.

• Proneness to Boredom: Easily bored and constantly seeking stimulation, leading to reckless behavior.

• Early Behavioral Problems: Children often exhibit conduct disorders in childhood, such as aggression, cruelty to animals, and rule-breaking.

Sociopathy

• Disregard for Social Norms and Rules: Frequently violate social norms and laws, showing little respect for authority.

• Deceitfulness and Manipulation: Lie, cheat, and manipulate others to get what they want.

• Impulsivity and Aggressiveness: Act without thinking, often reacting angrily or violently.

• Irritability and Hostility: Easily frustrated and prone to outbursts of anger.

• Reckless Disregard for Safety: Engage in risky behavior without considering the consequences for themselves or others.

• Irresponsibility: Fail to meet obligations, such as work or financial commitments.

• Lack of Remorse: They may feel guilt or remorse, but it's often limited and doesn't prevent them from repeating harmful behaviors.

• Difficulty Forming Attachments: Struggle to form genuine emotional connections with others.

• Often Linked to Trauma or Adverse Childhood Experiences: While not always the case, sociopathy is usually associated with a history of abuse, neglect, or instability in childhood. (Gabor Mate's work.)

Key Differences:

• Origins: Psychopathy is often considered to have a stronger biological basis, while sociopathy is believed to be more influenced by environmental factors.

• Emotional Range: Psychopaths tend to have a more limited range of emotions and may be better at mimicking emotions to manipulate others. Sociopaths may experience a broader range of emotions, including anger and frustration.

• Behavioral Control: Psychopaths are often more calculated and controlled in their behavior, while sociopaths may be more impulsive and erratic.

• Conscience: Psychopaths are generally considered to have little to no conscience, while sociopaths may have a weak conscience but struggle to act on it consistently.

Important Considerations:

• Overlap: There is a significant overlap between the traits of psychopathy and sociopathy, and it can be difficult to distinguish between the two.

• Spectrum: Both psychopathy and sociopathy exist on a spectrum, with individuals exhibiting varying degrees of these traits.

• Not All Harmful: Not all individuals with psychopathic or sociopathic traits engage in criminal or harmful behavior. Some may be able to function relatively well in society, although their relationships may be strained.

• Professional Diagnosis: If you are concerned about your mental health or the mental health of someone you know, it's essential to seek a professional evaluation from a qualified mental health professional.

If you can honestly evaluate our current culture, you will see that these traits are rife within our leadership community.

To be a Player, pursue these professions.

Players must acquire and control wealth, resources, and power.

1. Business and Finance:

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Leading and managing a company brings significant power and financial rewards.

• Investment Banker: Facilitating large financial transactions and managing investments can generate substantial wealth.

• Hedge Fund Manager: Investing large sums of money on behalf of clients can lead to significant profits and influence.

• Entrepreneur: Founding and running a successful business offers potential for both wealth and autonomy.

2. Law:

• Corporate Lawyer: Advising and representing large corporations often involves high stakes and substantial compensation.

• Judge: Holding a position of authority in the legal system commands respect and influence.

• Litigator: Successfully arguing cases in court can bring recognition and financial success.

3. Medicine:

• Surgeon: Performing complex and life-saving procedures carries high status and earning potential.

• Specialized Physician: Doctors in specialized fields like cardiology or neurology often command high fees and respect.

4. Technology:

• Tech Entrepreneur: Founding and leading a successful tech company can bring immense wealth and influence.

• Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Specialist: Developing cutting-edge AI technologies is a highly sought-after and lucrative skill.

• Data Scientist: Analyzing and interpreting complex data is crucial for many industries and can command high salaries.

5. Politics and Government:

• Politician: Elected officials hold significant power to shape policies and influence society.

• High-Ranking Government Official: Leading government agencies or advising on policy can bring power and status.

6. Academia:

• Tenured Professor at a Prestigious University: Achieving a top academic position brings intellectual recognition and influence.

7. Entertainment and Media:

• A-list Actor/Actress: Achieving fame and recognition in the entertainment industry can lead to significant wealth and influence.

• Film Director: Creating successful and critically acclaimed films can bring status and financial rewards.

• TV Show Host: Donald J. Trump is a good example.

• TV News Personality/Entertainer: The President Elect’s cabinet is rapidly being filled by FOX News personalities and alternative media influencers

Factors to Consider:

• Hard Work and Dedication: Success in any field requires dedication, perseverance, and continuous learning. It is good to have inherited wealth.

• Networking and Connections: Building solid relationships and networking within your chosen field can open doors to opportunities.

• Luck and Timing: Being in the right place at the right time helps.

***Learn to mimic or adopt the belief systems of Neoliberalism, Neoconservatism, Neocolonialism, Zionism, and Libertarianism. Being involved in some sect of Christianity helps, even if you are only a “Cultural Christian.” Constantly talk about Western Civilization, Freedom, and Democracy. Anyone outside or denigrating the U.S. rules-based order is the enemy and the cause of all domestic problems in the United States. It must be easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of the U.S. Empire.

Learn to rationalize your ambition (will to power) with solid logic and stories that align with your passions and allow you to portray your efforts as making a meaningful contribution to the world, regardless of the level of power, status, or wealth it may bring. Wear a white hat, adopt a do-no-harm ethic, appeal to facts or pseudo-facts if they support the primary agenda, evidence or fake evidence, and science or pseudo-science when it supports the primary agenda, and invoke God's grace. Cover all your bases, making it easy for your propaganda, public relations, and marketing staff to tell stories that ordinary people will find compelling, appealing, and inspirational.

***Fear is persuasive.

WHAT KIND OF SPECIES EVOLVES TO CREATE THE GREAT GAME—AN OMNICIDAL WAY OF LIFE THAT CAUSES EXTINCTION AND EVEN, PROBABLY, ITS OWN?

A Brief History of What Makes Our Species Special

Homo sapiens is the last surviving species of hominid, a successful expansive invasive apex species with evolved advanced consciousness (theory of mind) and evolving, advanced technology, including language and complex group cooperation resulting in a high-tech, financialized, fossil-fueled global capitalist economy.

"r" and "K"

The terms "r" and "K" species describe two ends of a spectrum of reproductive strategies used by organisms. Environmental factors and evolutionary pressures influence these strategies. Here's a breakdown of the key differences:

r-selected species:

• Reproductive Strategy: Focus on producing many offspring with little parental investment.

• Life Span: Typically short.

• Maturation Rate: Reach sexual maturity quickly.

• Mortality Rate: High mortality rate among offspring.

• Environment: Thrive in unstable or unpredictable environments where resources may be fleeting.

• Examples: Dandelions, bacteria, insects, rodents.

K-selected species:

• Reproductive Strategy: Produce fewer offspring but invest heavily in their care and survival.

• Life Span: Typically longer.

• Maturation Rate: Slow maturation rate.

• Mortality Rate: Low mortality rate among offspring.

• Environment: Thrive in stable or predictable environments with more consistent resources and higher competition.

• Examples: Elephants, whales, humans, primates.

Important Notes:

• Continuum: Most species fall along the r-K spectrum, not strictly at one extreme.

• Environmental Influence: A species' position on the spectrum can shift in response to environmental changes.

• Evolutionary Trade-offs: Each strategy has advantages and disadvantages, depending on the environmental/ecological context.

Understanding the differences between r and K selection helps ecologists predict population dynamics, explain species distribution patterns, and understand how organisms adapt to their environments.

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What makes Homo sapiens unique?

While we share many traits with other mammals and especially our close relatives the great apes, several vital characteristics make Homo sapiens unique:

1. Complex Language and Communication:

• Syntax and Grammar: Our complex language system includes syntax and grammar, which allow us to construct intricate sentences and convey abstract ideas. 

• Symbolic Thought: Our language is deeply intertwined with symbolic thought, enabling us to represent concepts, tell stories, and transmit knowledge across generations. 

2. Advanced Cognitive Abilities:

• Abstract Reasoning: We excel at abstract reasoning, problem-solving, and planning for the future, which allows us to develop complex technologies, social structures, and belief systems. 

• Theory of Mind: We have a well-developed "theory of mind," meaning we can understand that others have thoughts, beliefs, and intentions that may differ from ours. Theory of mind is crucial for social interaction and cooperation. 

3. Culture and Technology:

• Cumulative Culture: We have a unique ability to accumulate and transmit knowledge and skills across generations, developing complex cultures and technologies. 

• Technological Innovation: We constantly develop new tools and technologies, from simple handaxes to sophisticated computers and spacecraft.

4. Bipedalism and Physical Adaptations:

• Upright Posture: Our fully upright posture frees our hands for tool use and carrying objects. 

• Endurance Running: We have evolved adaptations for endurance running, such as sweat glands and long legs, which may have been crucial for hunting and scavenging. 

5. Social Complexity and Cooperation:

• Large Social Groups: We live in large and complex social groups with intricate hierarchies and relationships. 

• Cooperation and Altruism: We exhibit high levels of cooperation and altruism, even towards non-kin, which may be linked to our complex social structures and moral reasoning. 

6. Art and Symbolic Expression:

• Creative Impulse: We have a strong drive to create art, music, and other forms of symbolic expression. This may be linked to our cognitive abilities and social needs. 

• Self-Awareness: Our capacity for self-awareness and introspection may contribute to our artistic endeavors and our search for meaning and purpose. 

These unique characteristics have allowed Homo sapiens to become the dominant species on Earth, capable of radically transforming our environment and potentially destroying Earth's capacity to support life.

While other animals possess some of these traits to a lesser degree, the combination of all these factors in Homo sapiens is what truly sets us apart. We are hubristic God Apes practicing the seven deadly sins while justifying our destructive habits through stories, culture, and social structures.

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The Evolution of Technology

As Homo sapiens ventured out of Africa and dispersed across the globe, they relied on a suite of increasingly sophisticated technologies to survive and thrive in diverse environments. We are masters of technology, which makes us think we are Great Nature's master.

1. Stone Tools:

The Oldowan Industry (2.6—1.7 million years ago): the earliest stone tool technology,  flintknapping, striking a rock in a particular way, causes flakes/chips to come off to create sharp edges for cutting and chopping. Though primarily associated with Homo habilis, early Homo sapiens also utilized these tools.

The Acheulean Industry (1.7 million—100,000 years ago): We refined tool making, characterized by handaxes—teardrop-shaped tools with bifacial flaking. These versatile tools were used for various tasks, from butchering animals to digging. 

During the Middle Stone Age (300,000—50,000 years ago), We developed more specialized tools, like points, scrapers, and blades, often using prepared-core techniques for greater control and efficiency. This era also saw the emergence of hafting, attaching stone points to handles for spears and other weapons. 

2. Fire Control:

• Early Control (1 million years ago—400,000 years ago): Evidence suggests early hominins, including Homo erectus, were using fire opportunistically. However, consistent control and creation of fire became more widespread with Homo sapiens.

• Hearths and Cooking (400,000 years ago—present): Building hearths for controlled fires provided warmth, light, protection from predators, and a means to cook food. Cooking increases food's digestibility and nutritional value, contributing to brain development and overall health. 

3. Symbolic Expression:

• Ochre Use (285,000 years ago—present): Using ochre pigments for body painting and decoration suggests early forms of symbolic communication and social interaction.

• Personal Adornment (100,000 years ago—present): Shell beads and other personal adornments indicate increasing social complexity and self-awareness.

• Cave Art (40,000 years ago—present): Cave paintings in Europe and other regions demonstrate advanced cognitive abilities and a desire to express ideas and experiences.

4. Shelter and Clothing:

• Simple Shelters (400,000 years ago): Early humans utilized natural shelters like caves and rock overhangs. They also began constructing simple shelters using branches and animal hides. 

• Clothing (170,000 years ago): Evidence suggests early humans used animal hides for clothing, which protected people from the elements. Bone needles indicate the development of more sophisticated sewing techniques. 

Significance of these Technologies:

These early technologies played a crucial role in the survival and success of Homo sapiens. They allowed our ancestors to:

• Adapt to diverse environments: From Eurasia's cold steppes to Africa's tropical rainforests, technology has enabled humans to survive in various climates and terrains. 

• Improve hunting and gathering: Tools and weapons increased the efficiency of hunting and gathering, providing more reliable access to food.

• Develop social bonds: Symbolic expression and personal adornment facilitated communication and social cohesion. 

• Expand their cognitive abilities: The challenges of toolmaking, fire control, and artistic expression stimulated brain development and innovation.

These technological advancements laid the foundation for the complex societies and civilizations that would emerge later in human history. Our continued expansion and domination of Earth's resources are likely to lead to our extinction and may even end life itself.

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WE CAN CHANGE, BUT IT WON'T BE EASY

Due to our nature, it is doubtful that we will develop a global culture to end the existential risks incurred by our modern techno-industrial way of managing things. However, we do have choices we could make that would give us a chance to evolve into the deep recesses of the future or mitigate the more horrible consequences of the inevitable rapid, uncontrolled simplification of our way of life.

***More on this in future posts and videos.