He who controls the narrative controls the world

Free speech is kryptonite to would-be authoritarians and is necessary to debunk the litany of bogus narratives.

If I live to 100, I’ll never understand why most people bought this narrative.

“I may not agree with your opinion, but I’ll fight to my death to defend your right to express it.”

***

I’m not sure who first made this statement, but the disappearance of this once widely-held view largely explains how would-be authoritarians gave the world the curse of our New Abnormal.

In a nutshell, if the culture of a nation genuinely supports and believes in free speech, toxic and false narratives are far less likely to remain unchallenged and steer society over a cliff.

Conversely, if a person does NOT value free speech, this person is going to be far more inclined to trust “leaders” or “authorities,” including those who may be speaking with forked tongues.

Another point explains every significant development that’s occurred in the world:

“He who controls the narrative controls the world.”

While most citizens probably do NOT understand this, if they seriously pondered this adage, they’d probably admit this observation is true.

I’ve been told “why?” is the best question, a belief one can test with a few why questions:

- Why did you support the Covid lockdowns?

- Why did you decide to get an experimental mRNA “vaccine?”

- Why do you think your nation should go to war with some other nation?

- Why do you think light-bulbs used for decades (or gas stoves or gas-powered vehicles) should be banned?

The answer to these and many other questions is the same: People believe these things because the authorized narrative tells them they’re supposed to believe this. This explains WHY the masses are so eager to comply with the mandates, policies and dictates imposed by the alleged expert class. 

Basically, this explains why so many people are so-easily controlled.

Fear works just about every time …

Alas, as it turns out, a large percentage of the world’s key narratives are either dead wrong or at least dubious. Also, almost all bogus narratives were created by non-sensical or duplicitous fear campaigns.

As fear is the greatest motivator, those who claim they can “protect” others (thus alleviating fear) accrue great power, fears they then exploit to advance their own selfish objectives.

… So, if a person really wants to know why they risked their life (or the lives of their children and loved ones) to get an untested non-vaccine, the answer is that this person - probably with enthusiasm and even gratitude - bought the snake oil.

They took the shots (and the boosters) because they bought the narrative. They rolled up their sleeves because they were simply afraid to not do this.

It never occurred to most people that the “deadly virus” narrative they were responding to could be false, counter-productive and dangerous.

However, this possibility might have occurred to far more people if America (and the world) benefitted from a culture where engaging in free speech was not viewed as a career-ending act of apostasy.

In a culture where free expression is valued, the voices of critics and skeptics would not be non-existent in important national debates (“debates” which often never take place.) Policies that could lead to mass misery would be far less likely to occur.

Instead of cultivating a culture where the early warnings of “adults in the room” might be heeded, we now live in a world where the culture works to silence, intimidate and punish society’s best and brightest.

To avert disasters championed by the obtuse and nefarious sect as much free speech as possible is required … and then, for an extra layer of insurance, even more free speech.

(*** If certain free speech efforts resonate with you, please share these essays. ***)

Why did the world go mad over the last four-plus years? Because a culture that celebrates and protects free speech is now, apparently, gone with the wind.

One way to restore sanity to the world would be to change a culture that’s now infested with parasites.

While it would be convenient if someone could wave a magic wand and cure a toxic culture that’s infected every important organization in the world, I doubt such a wizard exists.

Rot to the left, right, above and below 

As I learned in college business classes, the culture of any corporation starts with the CEO or board of directors. As should be clear to everyone by now, these all-important “leaders” seem to value every diversity metric … except diversity that welcomes non-conformist thought.

In the Fourth Estate, the culture starts with the news organization’s owners, publishers and key editors. While surreal, it’s abundantly clear the “free press” now exists in cubicles of socialist groupthink. 

The Washington Post trumpets that "Democracy Dies in Darkness.” In NewSpeak, this slogan means those with absolute power (whose power grows thanks to bogus narratives) have absolutely nothing to fear from America’s faux watchdogs.

Our institutions of higher education - created to be bastions of free thought - now seemingly exist to attack or bully those who dissent from authorized narratives.

Institutions that exist to practice the scientific method now recoil from performing inquiries that might allow the masses to better understand the truth.

The culture of the Healthcare Industrial Complex is established by the “guidance” of alleged public health agencies and dominated by Big Pharma’s quest to sell more pills and vaccines. 

In all these organizations, naysayers are simply not allowed, or, if they exist, it’s a given contrarians will never ascend beyond mid-level management.

‘The world population is suffering from Stockholm Syndrome'

One of my favorite Substack authors, Dr. Toby Rogers, just wrote a thought-provoking piece where he describes a eureka! moment which, to Toby, explains why every-day citizens tolerate being led by nefarious and clueless rulers.

Toby argues that the majority of the world’s population is enduring some form of Stockholm Syndrome (where the survival instinct causes captives to obey, and sometimes even revere, their captors).

Writes Rogers: “Think about it — if you’re a captive of someone who possesses overwhelming and superior force, you’re going to be miserable either way [whether you fight back or submit]. But from an evolutionary standpoint, if you go along with the more powerful force, you improve your odds of survival, somewhat. It’s unfortunate, but it’s true. It’s rational. This is a glitch in human evolution [because it rewards cowardice] and it’s been going on for thousands of years. In Covid, the other side took advantage of this evolutionary glitch, and capitalized on it.”

Toby also illustrates the vital role hegemony plays in controlling large populations.

“Hegemony is like gravity — it’s invisible but always felt, it has a power and force, it pulls people in a certain direction,” he writes.

This astute observation jibes with my view that most members of society will always act in herd fashion. What most people fear more than anything is being cast out of the safety of the herd.

As Rogers sees it, the world’s real rulers understand this fear and and continue to exploit this psychological/sociological truism.

“The members of the bourgeoisie just know — it’s an intuitive, felt sense — that it’s easier to align their interests with the ruling class than to fight against it …“Hegemony shapes EVERYTHING. Thoughts, actions, careers, values, science, medicine, culture, laws, religion, art, etc. all align to support and reproduce existing power structures and send the message to the middle and lower classes that it’s better to obey. “

To add to Toby’s observations,  the world’s leaders must know a Compliance Culture precludes the possibility dissidents or contrarians will ever achieve the means to knock them off their pedestals. A culture where free speech is now labelled “dangerous misinformation” underpins what is really a jobs protection racket.

Is it possible to change a rotten culture?

All of which leads to one potentially society-saving question: Is it possible to exorcise what, at its core, has become an evil culture? Have too many institutions become too captured by leaders who will never change? 

I’m not sure of the answer, but a necessary starting point might be a religious revival (which would entail mass repentance) or at least a civics revival where more citizens are reminded why America’s Founders placed the First Amendment first in the country’s Bill of Rights.

It’s impossible to purge every rotten leader in every captured organization, but a Great Purge could, perhaps, occur in at least a few key journalism organizations. Unrealistic or not, if the “watchdog press” started watching and exposing corrupt and/or incompetent leaders in important organizations, the Powers that Be would be far more nervous than they are now.

In the political arena, Donald Trump’s eager to get a mulligan on draining the swamp - which would entail disinfecting a mold-infested bureaucratic culture. 

But first Trump would have to get elected, a prospect that should be a lay-up in a campaign against “Joe Biden’s” cackling VP, but might be a Herculean task given the millions of suspect mail-in ballots that will be counted in the seven states which will decide the country’s political future.

Even if the MAGA nation - with an assist from RFK, Jr’s supporters - turns out in margins too big for another election to be stolen, one suspects the unfree press and defenders of the Status Quo will go right back to hounding Trump.

That is, the cultural battle will continue. But, with a more honest press and more free speech, our side might have a fighting chance.

***

Sub update: I hate to reveal this, but in the past 30 days I’ve LOST seven paid subscribers so, ahm .. if anyone happens to have any spare disposable income, thank you very much for considering a paid subscriptions to support my contrarian newsletter. Also … 

One-time Ko-Fi donations greatly appreciated!