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Recently painted on bridge across a major motorway in England:

MASS FORMATION PSYCHOSIS

A five percenter?

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Sep 3, 2022Liked by Pitchfork Papers

Extremely thoughtful. We’ve lost the human touch and are becoming cogs in the machine - those of us lucky enough to find a place. Identity politics stymieing our ability to think for ourselves.

This idea of compulsory morality rings true in the gender debate. Dare to pushback on the oppressiveness of this issue, one is branded ‘phobic’ and a ‘hater’ and risks losing his/her job so we keep the head down. As a woman and a human being, I object to the term ‘birthing person’ - to me this change in our language is (ironically as it’s intended to be inclusive) representative of the loss of our collective humanity. We are defined by what we do rather than who we are. When our young people (and worse their parents) think their (child’s) happiness is tied to whether they are a boy or girl, we’ve broken something. Is this mass psychosis?

This seems the kind of extreme cultural selfishness and dysfunction that marks the top.

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Sep 3, 2022Liked by Pitchfork Papers

We have much work to do it seems. I'm 31 years old, and I read and learn what I can. I have some close friends on board, but at the same time it's still an isolating place to be because it feels like most have no idea how we got to where we are, or even where we are, and the pressure to keep your eyes down and just go to work is relentless. Waking up to it is hard, and often crumbles a pre-existing worldview, and that's crippling and too daunting for many. It's nice to have a place like this to come to wrestle with thoughts and idea's from those who aren't blind to reality.

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Sep 3, 2022Liked by Pitchfork Papers

Another very good essay. I had seen the Desmet interview elsewhere but at the time thought the parallels with today were tremendously insightful.

Every needs to watch that video of European border changes over the past 1000 years. Indeed watch it a couple of times, pausing it frequently, and look especially at the changes in central / eastern Europe and the Balkans. So many Americans and non Europeans simply do not understand the dramatic changes across the "Mighty Continent". Is it heading toward even more consolidation if the EU can actually form a true fiscal union or will it splinter again into its cultural historical cliques.... and the war that typically goes with it. I don't not know for certain but I suspect its getting within a few years (perhaps even Quarters) of a tipping point. Too many young people (under 40 as far as I am concerned) do not live in reality that is thrust upon us by our collective history and the old adage that History repeats. Indeed other wise folks say it does repeat but rhymes instead. Personally I see more repetition than rhyming at this juncture.

As to the theme of standing up for what is good and right, I applaud Steven's carefully considered moral action beliefs. I am definitely in the 3. category nowadays. I feel a bit too old to default into that 2. category but I can see all around me the "2s" swelling slowly but surely in number.

My only disagreement with Steven's writing is his statement about ultimately still being an optimist. Unfortunately in the hopefully 20-25 years I have left on this blue planet, I suspect as Lily Tomlin said "Its going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse."

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Sep 4, 2022Liked by Pitchfork Papers

Another great read, I love your optimism.

I recall an interview with Douglas Murray who opined something along the lines that the end of empires are associated with the focus on gender.

I also recall another interview with a well known American libertarian (name escapes me) whose passionate two line catch cry was "Government sucks". This is what I try to instil into my children !

I do wonder (hope) whether the energy crisis and possible food crisis is going to force a reset.

I'm definitely in the 3 camp, stray into the 2.camp on occasion and planning to move to a location in due course where there are more like-minded people - I studied the electoral results to see which regions have the highest % of votes for parties who policies I align with my values.

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Sep 3, 2022Liked by Pitchfork Papers

The fringes have dezombified and are becoming vocal, they understand and are hungry for retribution. Unfortunately we have a uniparty nationally and even if the masses rise and vote the (D)'s out, I don't think the (R)'s are the answer. The reason for that is because the (D)'s are militant and the (R)'s still hope to get along. When pols or candidates start dropping like Romans, then you know we are headed for dark days. One word can sum up DC thus...GREED.

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Sep 4, 2022Liked by Pitchfork Papers

I lack the deep historical and philosophical knowledge of social and organizational behaviors that your other commenters possess. My fields are the sciences, the maths, economics, education, and finance, areas in which I do understand the theoretical and technical foundations. But I am not a scientist, I am an engineer. My talent is in understanding what the theorists are saying, picking out the actionable kernels, and turning them into practical reality, effecting actual change. I have been writing to my extended family and friends about the political dangers facing us for the same reasons you started writing Pitchfork Papers. “My Musings” (edinsel.substack.com) is my vehicle for getting the word out, and I have quoted your reasons for choosing the Pitchfork metaphor amongst my explanations for why I am suddenly writing about this. By writing, I hope to keep my readers out of the 65% and perhaps boost the ranks of the 5% closer to 10%. Ben Hunt at Epsilon Theory has been a vital source of insight for me, particularly his ongoing discussion series with Grant Williams called “The Narrative Game”. It seems to me that it will be much harder to resist change than at any time in the past. You wrote, “dissolution happens initially at the fringes of empire, in those areas able to reject the imposition of levies, taxes, and tributes without fear of reprisal because they know that the power centre can no longer afford to police and enforce its system of extraction.” Technology is making it much easier for the empire to track what’s happening at its periphery. Social networks are easily monitored, movements are easily tracked, and spending patterns are easily observed. My great fear is that the implementation of CBDCs (central bank digital currencies, or eDollars) will give them far more control over the fringes than in any prior revolution. The engineer in me sees the threat and wants to map a path of avoidance. I would appreciate any thoughts you have or references you’ve come across that might help me figure a plan for dealing with this threat. Some people look ahead for the storm clouds in order to steer around them; I am much more inclined to dive right into the middle of the storm and fight my way through. Thank you, Sir Steven.

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Sep 4, 2022Liked by Pitchfork Papers

Excellent as always. I am forwarding on your posts more often now and within my wider network - a succinct summary of where we find ourselves both personally and as a society.

As a sidebar, I follow and contribute occasionally to a charity in Lebanon, www.beitelbaraka.org, as an amateur historian, I have always wanted to visit but have never had the chance. Lebanon is sadly a failed state, but what I have learned is, despite all that has happened to the Lebanese, BeitelBaraka highlights what is possible with the strength of community and civic society, even where an irresponsible and corrupt government has so manifestly failed its citizens.

I am equally confident and optimistic about the future for Europe. We have many strengths and a simpler set of values that we seem to have forgotten. Onto the next saeculum.

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Sep 4, 2022Liked by Pitchfork Papers

Well, if this is an invitation to nobility then let me be Monty Python's brave, brave Sir Robin. It does take courage to allow oneself to come to these conclusions, it is much easier to think just of today and call for more government intervention to "solve" people's problems, and this is the opinion of almost everyone I know in normal life. It's no fun being the bad man and trying to point out the consequences, but it is very encouraging, even after reading such a piece, that optimism is still an option. Thanks Steven.

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Sep 4, 2022Liked by Pitchfork Papers

Interesting article. I was taken by your reference to Desmet and can concur with the elements of his work you use in your essay.

I watched his presentation and bought his book and am less than convinced by him. This linked essay is an interesting counter to his analysis.

Mattias Desmet: Mass Hypnosis Expert or Trojan Horse? The Full Story

https://www.americaoutloud.com/mattias-desmet-mass-hypnosis-expert-or-trojan-horse-the-full-story/#

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A lovely essay! I so enjoyed reading it. Thank you. I truly, truly hope that you are correct and we are at or near to the high water mark of this insanity.

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Yes Steven. I was a Green Card Holder until 2014. I voted Libertarian in 2016 because I could not stand Trump nor Clinton. The way the US system is set up it is extremely difficult to get a "Libertarian" candidate elected, especially now. The polarization in the US is driving many people who are moderate left of moderate right to the extremes. In order to avoid a candidate getting in you simply cannot stand, you are forced to vote for the other person, even if he/she supports policies that you do not agree with. Nov 2022 is going to see a dirty and possibly violent US election cycle, however given what is going on in Europe and the UK just now and potential getting much worse by winter, I expect to see civil disobedience and probably violence in many places. A groundswell appears to be materializing almost everywhere against what is going on around us.

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Great reply re Popper. Without optimistic leaders society is doomed. The optimism just have to an element of reality. Cheers

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