Dec 182022
 
 December 18, 2022  Posted by at 12:25 pm Finance Tagged with: , , , , , , ,


Edgar Degas In front of the mirror 1889

 

 

This piece came to me in an unusual way. A British friend sent it, after his wife sent it to him. He said: “Well written piece! Pulled from Jean‘s friend on Facebook!”. All I really know is the author’s name is Janet Daley, and she’s in all likelihood British. I like how she points out the correlation between what the church allowed people to think and know and express in the Middle Ages+, and what we are allowed by government and media and industry to think and know and express today.

And then makes the link between the past 3 years of covid info, and climate change “science”. Going forward, you will find out how much Fauci declaring himself “The Science” has hurt the entire climate campaign. And maybe that’s not so bad. Let’s talk about these things. There doesn’t appear to be much sense in “saving the Planet” if the only way to do that is to kill your economy and society.

It would have been better is she had included the same “conglomerate”‘s control over the Ukraine issue, but we can’t have everything. Hey, I would include the Trump “RussiaRussiaRussia” campaign, but that might be a step too far for many. Maybe we need to explain this one step, one topic, at a time. For the Automatic Earth, it all has meant censorship, and lots of lost ad revenue, but also more readers, and their donations, because, luckily, there are still people left who, in Janet’s words: Argue. Question. Disagree. This light ain’t dying.

 

 

Janet Daley:

Governments have learnt that fear works – and that is truly terrifying


We have returned to the world of Galileo vs the Vatican. Scientific dissidents are again silenced and ostracised for their opinions

 

As the year in which life officially returned to normal comes to an end, we must ask an uncomfortable question. What on earth just happened? We have lived through a period of what would once have been the unthinkable suspension of basic freedoms: interventions by the state into personal life that even most totalitarian governments would not have dared to impose. And we, along with most (not all) of the democratic societies of the West, accepted it. Before that era slips into the fog of convenient forgetfulness, it is absolutely imperative that we – the country as a whole – hold a thorough post hoc examination, because our governing classes have certainly learnt something they will remember.

The critical lesson that has been indelibly absorbed by people in power, and those who advise them, is that fear works. There is, it turns out, almost nothing that a population (even one as brave and insouciant as Britain’s) will not give up if they are systematically, relentlessly frightened.

The Covid phenomenon has provided an invaluable training session in public mind-control techniques: the formula was refined – with the assistance of sophisticated advertising and opinion-forming advice – to an astonishingly successful blend of mass anxiety (your life is in danger) and moral coercion (you are putting other people’s lives in danger). But it was not just the endless repetition of that message that accomplished the almost universal, and quite unexpected, compliance. It was the comprehensive suppression of dissent even when it came from expert sources – and the prohibition on argument even when it was accompanied by counter-evidence – that really did the trick. Now the prescription is readily available for any governing elite hoping to initiate a policy likely to meet with strong public resistance. First tell people that they, or their children and grandchildren, will die if they do not comply. Then prohibit any mitigating argument or critique of this prediction.

If the laws of the land do not permit you to stamp out all such deviant opinions, you can simply orchestrate an avalanche of opprobrium and disrepute on those who express them so that their professional reputations are undermined. But that is yesterday’s battle. Covid – as a historic event – is over. Let’s talk about how the Fear programme, now an accepted part of the armoury of democratic politics, is likely to work in the present and future. As it happens, there is what looks like a remarkably similar model of anxiety-plus-moral-blackmail being applied to the matter of climate change. Note: these observations have no bearing on whether or not there is a true “climate crisis”. What I want to consider is how the policies that are being formulated to address it are being framed.

We find ourselves back in the Middle Ages when scientists were forbidden to contradict authority

Words are terribly important here. There seems to be an alarming similarity between the language in which the climate campaign is being conducted and the one used to sell the authoritarian Covid lockdowns. There is, for example, a curious anthropomorphising of the threat in both cases. The virus was depicted regularly by both politicians and their medical officials as a sentient adversary with an “agenda” (that word was, believe it or not, actually used) to destroy human lives. It was likened to a wartime enemy – except that it was more sinister because it was “invisible”. This was not strictly true, of course: it was an organism clearly visible under a microscope as was demonstrated repeatedly in scary images widely reproduced in the media. Now, the Planet (the word is usually capitalised as if it were a proper name) is being described as if it too was a conscious being whose innocent life was being threatened by the thoughtless rapaciousness of human beings. So we – and our inclinations – are once again the potential danger.

None of this nonsense has anything to do with science. It is the language of horror movies or particularly gruesome fairy tales designed to frighten children into good behaviour. The great offence that is being committed by these machinations, in fact, is against scientific endeavour itself, which relies on disagreement and open debate to progress. Somehow, we have found ourselves back in the Middle Ages when scientists were forbidden to contradict the inviolable truth of authority. Who would have thought that, centuries after the Enlightenment, we would return to Galileo vs the Vatican? This is not intended to imply that religious belief is always the enemy of scientific rationality. I personally believe that human intelligence is the greatest of God’s gifts and that the traducing of it is truly sinful as well as utterly irresponsible. As it happened, there was one more affirmation of the irreplaceable importance of intellect and inventiveness just last week with the successful experiment in nuclear fusion, which may, literally, save the future of all those who inhabit the earth (if, in fact, it is genuinely in danger).

What intelligence and innovation rely on above all is criticism and disputation. That is the nature of the thing. It should be what education is for. We cannot, must not, stop fighting for the right to disagree. It is appalling that it has become necessary to legislate to enforce this freedom on academic institutions that were once dedicated to free discussion. The imperatives that must be taught to the young have not changed since Plato’s day. Argue. Question. Disagree. Expose received ideas to rigorous interrogation. Express doubt when you are unpersuaded. Seek truth through endless dialogue. Certainly some mistakes will be made in the name of liberty, but they can only be corrected if we do not, literally, lose our minds in the name of safety. The lines by Dylan Thomas, which were intended to be about physical death, could just as easily be applied to the death of Reason:

“Do not go gentle into that good night,

“Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

 

 

 

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Home Forums Galileo vs the Vatican

Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)
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  • #123737

    Edgar Degas In front of the mirror 1889     This piece came to me in an unusual way. A British friend sent it, after his wife sent it to him
    [See the full post at: Galileo vs the Vatican]

    #123747
    Just Some Randomer
    Participant

    “All I really know is the author’s name is Janet Daley, and she’s in all likelihood British”

    Janet Daley is an American born Brit who writes for the Daily Telegraph.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/12/17/governments-have-learnt-fear-works-truly-terrifying/

    #123749
    boscohorowitz
    Participant

    U 2 can stand in the middle of a dark street to enjoy its mysterious pre-dawn view so long as you hold a camera:

    #123752
    Germ
    Participant

    “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

    After this medical fiasco, it should be:

    “Rage, rage against the murder of millions of people

    Nope, there’ll be no rage from the death-vaxxed.
    How ironic that it is the unvaxxed who are raging on their behalf.

    TVASF

    #123754

    Janet Daley is an American born Brit who writes for the Daily Telegraph.

    I had no idea. Oh well, the more wake-ups the merrier.

    #123757
    zerosum
    Participant

    Opinions are mind-control techniques,
    The web is the diluter and the strange attractor/concentrator.

    #123759
    Noirette
    Participant

    The piece from the Telegraph (Torygraph vs. the Guardian) is imho a sort of limited hangout effort. quote:

    …our governing classes have certainly learnt something they will remember.
    ……………
    The critical lesson that has been indelibly absorbed by people in power, and those who advise them, is that fear works.

    Journo obfuscation. Covid ‘policies’ (vax in first place, but masks, isolation, no school, others, etc.) were imposed via a pre-planned playbook (imho), NOT principally by inducing fear.

    The policies were effective not via boosting fear but by hitting the caring and compassion and being *a good person* (> accepted by society, an upstanding person, etc.) buttons. Extremely cynical and manipulative for sure.

    The spiel was, the Gvmt. ‘cared’ about constituents, the nurses, the NHS, etc., the Authorities were there to protect, help, be kind, reduce suffering, death. *Big Brother is protecting you!*

    Responsible citizens were supposed to follow along, get vaxxed not in first place not for their own benefit or survival, but to save other ppl, Granny, etc. from illness, death. A totally cynical manipulation …The article mentions ‘moral coercion’ but in a glancing way.

    The Governing classes ref. to in the article did not suddenly realise that ‘fear’ worked, this has been know since humans exist.

    It was the comprehensive suppression of dissent even when it came from expert sources – and the prohibition on argument even when it was accompanied by counter-evidence – that really did the trick.

    Yes, this is a good point.

    (pertains only to the Cov. part of the article.)

    #123761
    Figmund Sreud
    Participant

    @zerosumOpinions are mind-control techniques,
    ——————————-

    Yes, … and that depends. If an opinion, however, is an informed opinion, game changes. That is, opinion based on knowledge of the subject, … substantiated knowledge.

    F.S.

    #123765
    Figmund Sreud
    Participant

    @noiretteThe piece…is imho a sort of limited hangout effort.
    —————————————

    Fully agree, … when I read it, the first thought sprung into my mind was, what a tiptoeing article is that?? Carefully avoiding, discussing, dealing with real issue, … yet attempting to!

    … it’s a start none the less.

    F.S.

    #123770
    Afewknowthetruth
    Participant

    There is actually nothing new in this piece by Janet Daley.

    Governments (managers of the corporations that comprise the estates that are Oceania) have been using the combination of fear and censorship for well over a century, long before Orwell termed it Oceania (1947/48) -just not with respect to the recent covid scam, which was a spectacularly successful piece of trickery for a while- but with respect to practically everything.

    Censorship is at the heart of everything that the monsters who comprise NATOstan governments do: prevent the actual facts from being presented and prevent discussion of those facts, flood the targets with misinformation and keep repeating that misinformation.

    Or do the same in the reverse order. Flood the targets with misinformation and keep repeating that misinformation; prevent the actual facts from being presented and prevent discussion of those facts. ‘Two minutes of Hate’ helps reinforce some of the faux messages.

    For most victims of the machinations of the controllers, the first encounter with The Great Lying Machine used to commence at age 5, when they entered the indoctrination centres called schools. But these days many parents allow the indoctrination necessary for victims to be fully incorporated into The Matrix to commence at a much earlier age. I suspect the controllers would like to go fully Huxley (Brave New World), but have not yet worked out how to do it.

    I did battle with numerous agencies of the Empire of Lies in the past. On every occasion the tactics were always the same: present misinformation; devalue and ignore the facts, prevent public debate; vilify the presenter of correct information.

    I recall taking at length to the criminals at New Plymouth Deceit and Crime about both Galileo and Semmelweis. It made not a scrap of difference because the future actions of the council had already been decided and the ‘public consultation’ was merely for show. The bought-and-paid-for local media knew which side their bread was buttered and played the council’s game, vilifying anyone who dared mention the truth about the totally unsustainable nature of the economic arrangements.

    That is why the controllers can get away with making everything that matters worse, each day that passes.

    Of course, most of their fake narratives are unravelling now and those who presented the actual facts have been proven right- which the Empire of Lies will see as necessitating even more lies and even more censorship than were necessary when everything just chugged along nicely for them.

    Propaganda and censorship, plus physical aggression and repression are the order of the day, as witnessed when good folk living on Airstrip Five stood up the vicious Scorpion in Wellinton not so long ago. Or on Airstrip Three. Or on Airstrip Four. Cops maiming and killing people has been quite normal in defence of the corruption and lies on Airstrip Two for a very long time.

    We should not forget betrayal, since we have been living in the Age of Betrayal. And none have been more betrayed that the young inhabitants of the various Airstrips, for they shall inherit nothing: no energy supply (other than the Sun) no industrial food system, no stable climate system.

    So, we must not forget consequences, since we are living in The Age of Consequences, consequences that are an inevitable result of the deceits and brutality enforcement of those lies, that have charcerised many of the managers of The Estates of Oceania for a very long time.

    #123771
    Bishko
    Participant

    The list of Hobgoblins that they use is relatively short, but they have many children. For example, these are the current Hobgoblins that the “Unproductive Class” are using to foment fear in the populace:

    The War on Terror
    The War on Drugs
    The War on Climate Change
    The War on the Pandemic
    The War on Russia

    What all these Hobgoblins have in common is this:

    They are all constructed and artificial.
    They are all pumping fear.
    They are constantly blared out by the controlled media.
    They are not allowed to be questioned.
    None of these “Wars” can be won or conclusively dealt with.
    You can get tremendous “Funding” if you espouse any of these in a “Scientific” Way.
    They are easily revealed by their constant “Pumping” by the media.

    The way to reveal a lie is to grab your microscope and crawl into the pipe and start looking.
    One of the biggest problems today is the TLDR mentality (Too Long, Didn’t Read). Our culture is now based upon the instant gratification of looking momentarily at your phone to show you the “Truth”. I don’t find many people any more that are willing to climb into the narrative and tease out the lies.

    We are now entering the age of TCDU (Too Complicated, Don’t Understand). The Age of Reason required Critical Thinking which has two rules:

    1) Separate the Facts from the Opinions, and
    2) Check those Facts.

    The road to Reason is a fragile trail and the thread line is easily “bumped” off it’s tracks by Obfuscating Science Lies.

    Every Scientific Narrative has myriads of rabbit holes surrounding it. Any one of these can be used to shunt off intelligent Scientific inquiry. The Climate Nitrogen Scare is one of these.

    All Scientific phenomenon can be understood by almost anyone who tries. The trick is to form your opinions from facts and not from someone else’s opinions. Many facts are hidden, but most are in plain sight and the rest can be teased out with a bit of sleuthing.

    Remember this truth: If anyone selectively gathers together “Facts” into a pile, you are now looking at an opinion.

    Also remember: Facts lead to Opinions, Opinions lead to Beliefs, and Beliefs lead to Religion. You will almost never change someone’s Belief by showing them Facts. Changing someone’s Opinion with Facts is almost as impossible.

    So I encourage everyone to grab their Microscopes and begin to open up the narratives. Many here at TAE have been actively doing this for a long time. So long that it is easy to get jaded, and the much needed sarcasm results.

    #123779
    Figmund Sreud
    Participant

    Unadulterated “Putinism” in this vid, … plus some other stuff:

    F.S.

    #123781
    upstateNYer
    Participant

    I think they got out over their skiis on this one. There is a percentage of people that will happily fall for the same BS all over again because that’s human nature. But there’s a good percentage of people who were already questioning (aloud or just in their heads) a lot of what’s gone on over the past [insert whichever time frame you feel is accurate] … and the covid debacle laid bare just how much we the people are being manipulated by outright lies.

    There is evidence of this, for example, in the polls of people who trust the media (7% or something like that) … and the alternative media platforms are now pulling in more viewers/readers than most major TV networks and publishers. Despite censorship, the people (medical professionals and others) who offered a different perspective managed to break through the censorship barrier. And in doing that, they managed to break a new path for communication.

    I know it’s not popular here, but I have faith. Go long on popcorn.

    #123782
    upstateNYer
    Participant

    I just watched a discussion between Tulsi Gabbard and Russel Brand. Chew on that for a bit. Think it would have happened even a year ago?

    #123792
    oxymoron
    Participant

    I can’t paste the latest WHO against the unjabbed but it is stark

    #123799
    upstateNYer
    Participant

    Hi oxy. 🙂

    The WHO?

    That would be … who? 😉

    Not an elected body. I’m not buying into it. And I’m not the only one who is *over* this nonsense.

    Hang in, hang on.

    #123800
    kultsommer
    Participant

    Watching Tulsi, in her designer dresses bubbling the right words makes me “uncomfortable” just the same as watching Jean-Perre-Whatever, believe it or not.
    Compared to this:

    Doesn’t Mike Wallace at about 3:05 into the video actually talks about “Tuls’s army”?

    #123802
    V. Arnold
    Participant

    https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/gold-money-everything-else-credit

    Interesting and quite a good take on gold ownership outside of the banking interests…

    #123805
    ₿oogaloo
    Participant

    A good essay today, Ilargi, but so difficult navigating in a sea of bad actors.

    We saw a history of scientific research purporting to show that there was no link between cigarette smoke and cancer. That research led to a paralysis of policy because it purported to show that the data was inconclusive.

    We now see industry-funded scientific research showing the glyphosate is perfectly safe. Do you believe it for a minute?

    We see industry funded research showing that pesticides are safe. Meanwhile, the bugs are dying (except those earmarked for human consumption). Do you believe it?

    On the climate science, I see bad actors on both sides. It is obviously unhealthy to be in an environment where honest inquiry is shackled by the bonds of Groupthink. But sometimes I wonder whether the objections are just a pretext to rerun the “inconclusive evidence” playbook all over again — we are going to keep doing what we are doing until the evidence is conclusive, and we are going to make sure the evidence is never conclusive. I have seen that happen over and over again.

    #123807
    Formerly T-Bear
    Participant

    If the world’s gold is put into one pile and then divided equally one thousand million ways leaves very little gold in the division. Then divide that one portion another eight ways so each human has their share. Then take their food, shelter, clothing, energy for transportation, communications costs, etc. from that each day, will not leave much to hold on to even if none is lost. That is the simple reason gold is not used as currency, Goldbuggerers cannot grasp those facts. There is insufficient gold for the use of all central banks to conduct international transactions and cover the reserves required. Then when all gold has aggregated into a small number of national banks, there is no mechanism to circulate that gold back to the remaining national banks to keep the circulation going. If this happens the economy that uses gold as currency will freeze up. This is what happened in the Great Depression of the late 1920’s through the 1930’s until war broke out at the end of that decade. Calling for gold currency is lame and shows the holder’s ignorance. It is tiresome encountering out of the supposedly educated. Stop already.

    #123831
    Ian Graham
    Participant

    Raul, you say ” There doesn’t appear to be much sense in “saving the Planet” if the only way to do that is to kill your economy and society.” Don’t you think it would be an awful waste of evolutionary brilliance and marvel and beauty to have to start all over again? ‘No sense’ to us alive now in our toxic normal culture (to quote Gabor Mate), but that toxic ‘americanized’ version of economy and society is grinding us down anyway.

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