We are Surrounded by Unimpressive People
In 1989, the three things I was most worried about were: racking up college credits, going to concerts, and—you can guess the last one. While I wasn’t someone who went looking for fights or confrontations (I’ve never been a "bad ass"), I wasn’t one to back down from a fight either. I would do everything I could to make sure throwing fists was the last resort. There was a lot of testosterone back then. Especially at Metal shows/concerts. I no longer go to shows, but the last few I did attend seemed to attract people more concerned with their phones than the music. I know, insert "old man screams at cloud" meme.
And now when I survey what is commonly referred to these days as "the Left," I struggle to find anyone impressive, either in mind or body. Anyone who follows my work knows that I have no love for the ideology of Marxist-Leninism, but when you go back and read Marx, Lenin, or even Trotsky, you realize that these were not stupid men. Anyone who thinks Marx was a moron has never read anything beyond the Communist Manifesto which was basically a pamphlet for the common man. Read the German Ideology. I assume you will not agree with most of it, but you will come away realizing Marx was not a low-IQ individual. Aaron (from Timeline Earth) and I read Lenin’s "State and Revolution" in full on my podcast, and the reception was phenomenal. If you have not listened to it yet, the series is no longer on YouTube because "fuck YouTube," but it is up on Odysee.
I know many of us have seen mugshot photos of ANTIFA and shaken our heads in disbelief at these people who look and act like freaks and weaklings, which they are. Leftists in the past could and would discuss ideologies and tactics with you in a meaningful way (although they were planning to subvert every institution). Today, these weaklings have no idea of history and lack the intelligence to hold a debate. They can only scream profanities and slogans in people’s faces. Yes, some Leftists of the past were degenerates, but they were men (and yes, women) who fought hard but remained a part of society and looked like everyone else. They wanted to change the world and claimed they didn’t want to destroy everything in their path (although they ended up doing just that). Today, they will tell you they want to burn everything down.
If it sounds like I’m defending communists, I’m not. I still feel the same way about them as I have in the past. What I wanted to point out is that we’ve allowed ourselves to be dominated by an enemy that is unimpressive, to say the least. But as Dr. Gottfried pointed out in episode 880, where most tyrannical states in the past didn’t have the support of the people, this one has a sizable portion of the population blindly marching along and championing it. How should we interpret that? It tells us we have much work to do. And it’s not work that will be completed tomorrow.
My past suggestions are even more relevant: get out of cities, grow food, get involved in local politics, etc. But the knowledge that today’s enemy is nowhere near as impressive as past ones should give you hope. Public opinion can change rapidly, and you never know what the catalyst will be. However, expecting that change to happen tomorrow is folly. If we know we are far more impressive people than those holding the reins now, it would behoove us to do everything we can to plan and build the world we wish to see. In my opinion, it is the only path to victory.
"But as Dr. Gottfried pointed out in episode 880, where most tyrannical states in the past didn’t have the support of the people, this one has a sizable portion of the population blindly marching along and championing it."
For what it's worth, Pete, it was this observation that made me abandon my libertarian beliefs. It just so happened that you were there putting out episodes during this time in which you were questioning the same things I was. If it wasn't for you, it might have taken me a bit longer to delve into the dissident sphere. Thank you for that.
Indeed the unimpressivity of many people is gag inducing and on full display these days. As a physical therapist with a history in the fitness industry as well I see much of it expressed in the form of physical capability but that certainly isn't the only realm it's showing up these days, just the one I deal with on a daily basis. It's both frustrating and amazing to me how so many people are perfectly ok with shirking off their own physical health like a dirty jacket, despite what they claim is debilitating pain and then wondering why they aren't seeing improvement or getting better. Worse sometimes is when I conduct assessments for SSDI claims. While I see many who are legitimately injured and disabled ( I live in a rural area with a high density of agricultural industry, railroad industry, and various manufacturing plants), there are many with ephemeral or amorphous diagnoses like "anxiety" or "fibro" that are clearly inflating their experience to just find a way to not work and aren't actually interested in doing anything to help themselves in anyway. Somedays it almost makes me want to scream.
Then when I try to talk to someone about books or when cultural/political issues come up (I try to avoid these at work for professionalism sake but patients can be a chatty bunch) sometimes I'm left a bit dumbfounded by people's opinions and logic (or lack there of).
But then I pull in my driveway and see my phenomenally capable husband fixing the rototiller covered in grease stains with tools and seedling pots scattered around him and I thank God for my little slice of the good life that I've been blessed to inhabit and be able to escape to at the end of each working day.