In recognition of this phenomenon I decided if I was going to complain bitterly about the failure of the system to care humanely for my mother in a memory care facility then I needed to take responsibility for her care myself. I have been taking care of her for 6 months and let me tell you: It is hard! But she is being well looked after, and is on no pharmaceutical meds. There is that Ghandi quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
The question in my mind is what happens when the AI large language models are trained enough on social media content? When the people behind the scenes are satisfied with AI’s ability to manipulate humans on a psychological, emotional and spiritual level? When giant corporations that track all our online engagement have enough data on all of us to know how to effectively manipulate each of us? What comes next?
"Isn't it great how nowadays we can change the world without changing anything at all? Not our habits, not our spending, not our comfort, not our understanding, and certainly not ourselves."
"But hey, at least we looked righteous on the timeline. In the modern revolution, the appearance of virtue has finally liberated us from the burden of actual virtue."
"And yes, I realize the supreme irony of writing this critique on a Substack, where I'll inevitably get validation from people who already agree with me, while changing precisely nothing."
We've democratized caring by reducing it to its most essential form: performative gestures that require absolutely no knowledge, sacrifice, or follow-through
Who needs to read books when you have TikTok University?
The finest achievement of our era might be the perfection of concern without commitment.
We don't hate the antivaxxers anymore; now we hate the Russians
Greta Thunberg, scowling and millionaired, telling working people they've stolen her dreams while she skips school and sails yachts across oceans
In the activist marketplace, the currency is no longer change but engagement
After all, isn't typing "thoughts and prayers" basically the same as providing actual help?
In the modern revolution, the appearance of virtue has finally liberated us from the burden of actual virtue.
You can argue the algo's have been goosed by the frisson of fear the keyboard worrier (sic) feels when he sees that in places like the UK wrongthink posted on social media by someone or other resulted in a nocturnal knock on the door by the authorities...the keyboard worrier defiantly posts they are not happy about this while moderating their posted thoughts just in case...
Social media 'I stand for' posts are the greatest fuse breaker known to the establishment, people feel they have 'done something' and don't need to do anything else, but the reality is that just like the Glasnost Russian era all they have done is fed the establishment data bases with details of their views. The irony...
People have short memories or mostly no knowledge about the vast 'dreamcatcher' infrastructure being built out well over a decade ago...
While "they" were obsessed with total information awareness.. they lost in the "real" world.. today "they" are behind economically, scientifically, technologically, and consequently militarily:
I've noticed I've been saying to friends on occasion, 'We're in a new season of Game of Thrones. We deal with the same issues as medieval times but with newer tech.'
True... but I selected this particular quote, for the message:
The Empire can have Total Information Awareness (spying & blackmail knowledge), and control most media platforms to effect mass psychology manipulation to control "perception"... but they cannot manipulate reality.. "real" power is reality.. real economy, scientific, technological and consequently military power.
This weekend I will publish part 8 of 9 which covers "The Empire’s Power: Perception vs. Reality"
I've long been a reader. That offered pragmatic understanding of manufacturing and science and technology, but maybe not too much politically or literally. In late '23 I resolved to read less and write more. This has caused me to think more and hopefully to write better to a small audience.
I enjoy your extensive thought pieces Joshua, including this one. Here is a link to the best summary of your post I have found: https://billpound.substack.com/p/trolling
My search was prompted by a Robert Reich commenter accusing me of "trolling", i.e. being disagreeable from a safe distance. My post is one of those pictures worth a thousand words. Having watched a few terrible movies and TV programs, I am also aware on occasion a thousand pictures can be worth a single word, "crap".
At age 86, my wife and I agree we have no control over events in the US. Maybe we never did. With one exception, we still vote. I believe as of November 2024 that has had an impact. The election of Trump and his selection of conservative, competent, media savvy cabinet members multiply his actions beyond anything I could have imagined. Will there be mistakes, certainly. Will we all get an education in Federal government, certainly. Will America become Great Again, I hope so.
I think you are being slightly unfair to yourself at the end. The internet has given us access to so much information and a platform to share our own brilliance (and I am constantly reminded of this when I open Substack and read what so many others, yourself included, have to say), but too many use this platform to parrot ill-informed (and ill-formed) platitudes. What is shocking about modern activism is not that it is done in some instances from a couch, but rather how - in an era with limitless access to knowledge - so many modern activists are so profoundly and proudly ignorant.
Bravo. Refreshing. You are my new favorite. Thank you for the Tesla comment and thank you Meryl Nass for turning me on to you.
Hey ~ anybody know if Bobby Kennedy is talking about SAI (stratospheric aerosol injections)?
I believe about 24 states have introduced legislation to outlaw SAI / Geoengineering - yet not a bit on any mainstream news - or C-Span. A big fat nothingburger?
Dial back the Sat imagery to March 22 and run it forward to today. The Pacific ocean has been under heavy aerosol attack by ship and planes from San Francisco to Mexico, every single day until today. The massive cloud bank generated is oscillated across the continent by densely networked antennae arrays installed all around us, in concert with high powered RF ionosphere transmitters. How will State laws prevent this?
You are truly my favorite writer 👏🏽 🌈 ⚧️ 🇮🇱 🇵🇸 I have thought of this issue so much over the years and I personally think the only way for true activism is to buycott / starve systems both financially and energetically and instead financially support and energize what we wish to exist . The app Buycott was an example of this. Social media is a tool to sublimate our aggression and surveil our opinions while staying comfortable (actually uncomfortable but in a “fun dissociated way” where we can point fingers instead of take action haha). I remember when I signed a Whitehouse.gov petition to investigate Bill Gates that got over 100,000 signatures which led to absolutely nothing and that was when I finally accepted that couch activism was gmo fruitless - but I remain hopeful that we will prevail and I’m so grateful to find your writing! Also LOL to By Any Memes Necessary!! It made me think MLK saying I HAVE A MEME! 😂 anyway THANK YOU! :)
I also try inner activism. Vigilant over the mechanistic control of my dominant left brain. Rehearsing the union with the divine by allowing reception to wisdom, versus knowledge.
After decades of futile outer activism, I wonder if our collective left brain, iron-fisted control manifests in outer projected, macro ego attacks, as we see on the world stage.
It is my modern version of the Ghost Dance, where the Indigenous knew more people dead than alive. No where else to turn, or shop, I'll jump into the abyss.
Hahaha!! Love your dry humor, Joshua. After all the seriousness, some levity is well received. And of course, spot on as per usual. As I've said before, the revolution will only happen when we can't get sprinkles on our skinny soy-oat decaf lattes.
And... did you notice that the colors of the Covid signs and even the news items were the same as the Ukrainian flag? So when that instant pivot happened, it was seamless. The extent of this cannot be by accident.
Ah, I remember the late 1960's, when marching in the street might actually accomplish something. 300,000 showed up at Woodstock and we thought the world had changed for the better, "bomber jet planes turning into butterflies above our nation(s)". 4 dead at Ohio State U. only strengthened the Movement. We peaceniks thought that when the Berlin Wall fell, the touted 'Peace dividend' tide would lift all boats. Then the 'don't remember Vietnam' warmongers started again up in the fledgling Internet days, literal millions in the streets worldwide did exactly zero to stop the Iraq invasions.
Ask the Canadian Truckers how well peaceful protest worked out... the Lib/NDP WEF-Rothschild cabal stayed firmly ensconced in Ottawa. While the Convoy organizers are still personally fighting the Trudeau/Freeland/Singh(with Carney driving from the backseat, even then) gov't-funded lawfare. The NDP used to be anti-war, until union jobs were at stake building armoured military vehicles for the Saudis to attack... the Houthis. Round and round goes the warmonger agenda. Ask the Serbs and Romanians how well their marches are stopping the latest incipient US-backed Color Revolutions (tm).
For USicans, how did that J6 stuff work out for ya? Well it's still "somethin' happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear, there's a man with gun over there, telling me I gotta beware" FWIW And all the supposed 'peace-loving politicians' turned out to be warmongers as well... Ms. Gabbard as but one latest example. Trump says he "wants peace"... the peace of the graves.
So at least The People can easily communicate across the world (at least for now) from the relative safety of their screens.
I can't find the reference, but I recall a line attributed to Lech Walesa: "The Revolution is won at the bus stop." Meaning when people can talk to each other, the tyrants will be brought down.
I'm with you on all that. It's going to take a massive power outage or solar flare or something that disables black mirror devices for people to realize their dependency and (lack of) ability to communicate. What then? We will actually have to talk to each other and mobilize if we truly want positive change. Being cynical pants, I doubt that will ever happen.
I don't think it matters whether The People talk in person or online. The 'bus stop' was a metaphor, so comment sections, kitchen tables, office water coolers, elevators or the cafe serve just as well.
The only thing I would add is the counterpoint to passive "virtue-signaling-virtue", is: mindless, bullying, violence-- masquerading as courage. (fueled and organized by-- dark money of course?)
If the censure is: you're all lazy, soft, self-indulgent spoiled brats who don't have the spine to actually DO something, to SACRIFICE for your beliefs....then I could see the retort being: "hell yes, I'm going to DO something. I'll PrOtEsT! Let's burn the house down!" At least that is the sentiment I am seeing on so many leftist social media accounts. SEE: "If Americans don’t wake up to the Dark Enlightenment’s creeping grip on the people who control our democracy, we may soon find ourselves living in a country where elections are meaningless, the government serves only the ultra-rich, and freedom exists in name only.
The breathless call to --what exactly? Are they going to bring torches and pitchforks--and go get who exactly? The 71million citizens who voted for Trump?
If "social media virtue signaling" is the lazy man's bromide, then BLM riots, university destroying "support Palestine protests" and all other such extremist acts of "activism" are the coward's panacea. And jail time is the new celebrity status. Proof they "did" something.
Neither results in any actual, edifying, lasting change. Its all just self gratification in the end.
Preaching to the choir here. In middle school in the late 90s I did 30 page book reports on topics such as the founding of Israel and Afghanistan's modern history, with research done at a college library. I'm sure the same is true for much of your audience, each in a unique way. We're here because we all want to transcend the dynamics you describe.
Just what I've been wondering about since day one: How many of those who couldn't wait to add the little blue-and-yellow flag to their LinkedIn profile can actually point out Ukraine on a map...
The world has changed. In my college days in the Nineties, we instinctively asked questions: Who published this paper; who sponsored this study; who benefits from this trend. To do well in a course, you HAD TO present opposing viewpoints and debate and defend them - respectfully and factually.
Imagine my surprise over the past 10-15 years when it dawned on me that today's youth largely accept and in fact amplify the One true party line, on every issue. And that the very concept of someone, anyone holding a dissenting view is so terrifying to them, they will crave for that person to be physically annihilated.
What a triumph for the capitalist elites, to make blind submission and conformism "cool" - something for the new generation to seek out and aspire to!
In recognition of this phenomenon I decided if I was going to complain bitterly about the failure of the system to care humanely for my mother in a memory care facility then I needed to take responsibility for her care myself. I have been taking care of her for 6 months and let me tell you: It is hard! But she is being well looked after, and is on no pharmaceutical meds. There is that Ghandi quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
The question in my mind is what happens when the AI large language models are trained enough on social media content? When the people behind the scenes are satisfied with AI’s ability to manipulate humans on a psychological, emotional and spiritual level? When giant corporations that track all our online engagement have enough data on all of us to know how to effectively manipulate each of us? What comes next?
Bless you for taking care of your elderly mother. I wish I had been able to do the same.
Probably Order arises out of Chaos would be the answer. This always was and is a very chaotic reality and world.
"Isn't it great how nowadays we can change the world without changing anything at all? Not our habits, not our spending, not our comfort, not our understanding, and certainly not ourselves."
"But hey, at least we looked righteous on the timeline. In the modern revolution, the appearance of virtue has finally liberated us from the burden of actual virtue."
"And yes, I realize the supreme irony of writing this critique on a Substack, where I'll inevitably get validation from people who already agree with me, while changing precisely nothing."
YES!
:-) beautiful... love the sarcastic style
Some special quotes:
We've democratized caring by reducing it to its most essential form: performative gestures that require absolutely no knowledge, sacrifice, or follow-through
Who needs to read books when you have TikTok University?
The finest achievement of our era might be the perfection of concern without commitment.
We don't hate the antivaxxers anymore; now we hate the Russians
Greta Thunberg, scowling and millionaired, telling working people they've stolen her dreams while she skips school and sails yachts across oceans
In the activist marketplace, the currency is no longer change but engagement
After all, isn't typing "thoughts and prayers" basically the same as providing actual help?
In the modern revolution, the appearance of virtue has finally liberated us from the burden of actual virtue.
You can argue the algo's have been goosed by the frisson of fear the keyboard worrier (sic) feels when he sees that in places like the UK wrongthink posted on social media by someone or other resulted in a nocturnal knock on the door by the authorities...the keyboard worrier defiantly posts they are not happy about this while moderating their posted thoughts just in case...
Social media 'I stand for' posts are the greatest fuse breaker known to the establishment, people feel they have 'done something' and don't need to do anything else, but the reality is that just like the Glasnost Russian era all they have done is fed the establishment data bases with details of their views. The irony...
People have short memories or mostly no knowledge about the vast 'dreamcatcher' infrastructure being built out well over a decade ago...
https://www.wired.com/2012/03/ff-nsadatacenter/
Thanks for the link... had read about it... but good to be reminded...
Reminds me of a short clip from Game of Thrones, "Power is Power"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab6GyR_5N6c
While "they" were obsessed with total information awareness.. they lost in the "real" world.. today "they" are behind economically, scientifically, technologically, and consequently militarily:
https://www.aspi.org.au/index.php/report/aspis-two-decade-critical-technology-tracker
I've noticed I've been saying to friends on occasion, 'We're in a new season of Game of Thrones. We deal with the same issues as medieval times but with newer tech.'
True... but I selected this particular quote, for the message:
The Empire can have Total Information Awareness (spying & blackmail knowledge), and control most media platforms to effect mass psychology manipulation to control "perception"... but they cannot manipulate reality.. "real" power is reality.. real economy, scientific, technological and consequently military power.
This weekend I will publish part 8 of 9 which covers "The Empire’s Power: Perception vs. Reality"
I've long been a reader. That offered pragmatic understanding of manufacturing and science and technology, but maybe not too much politically or literally. In late '23 I resolved to read less and write more. This has caused me to think more and hopefully to write better to a small audience.
I enjoy your extensive thought pieces Joshua, including this one. Here is a link to the best summary of your post I have found: https://billpound.substack.com/p/trolling
My search was prompted by a Robert Reich commenter accusing me of "trolling", i.e. being disagreeable from a safe distance. My post is one of those pictures worth a thousand words. Having watched a few terrible movies and TV programs, I am also aware on occasion a thousand pictures can be worth a single word, "crap".
At age 86, my wife and I agree we have no control over events in the US. Maybe we never did. With one exception, we still vote. I believe as of November 2024 that has had an impact. The election of Trump and his selection of conservative, competent, media savvy cabinet members multiply his actions beyond anything I could have imagined. Will there be mistakes, certainly. Will we all get an education in Federal government, certainly. Will America become Great Again, I hope so.
Wonderfully expressive piece of art (in your link)!
I think you are being slightly unfair to yourself at the end. The internet has given us access to so much information and a platform to share our own brilliance (and I am constantly reminded of this when I open Substack and read what so many others, yourself included, have to say), but too many use this platform to parrot ill-informed (and ill-formed) platitudes. What is shocking about modern activism is not that it is done in some instances from a couch, but rather how - in an era with limitless access to knowledge - so many modern activists are so profoundly and proudly ignorant.
Very true.
Bravo. Refreshing. You are my new favorite. Thank you for the Tesla comment and thank you Meryl Nass for turning me on to you.
Hey ~ anybody know if Bobby Kennedy is talking about SAI (stratospheric aerosol injections)?
I believe about 24 states have introduced legislation to outlaw SAI / Geoengineering - yet not a bit on any mainstream news - or C-Span. A big fat nothingburger?
Dial back the Sat imagery to March 22 and run it forward to today. The Pacific ocean has been under heavy aerosol attack by ship and planes from San Francisco to Mexico, every single day until today. The massive cloud bank generated is oscillated across the continent by densely networked antennae arrays installed all around us, in concert with high powered RF ionosphere transmitters. How will State laws prevent this?
Good questions!
Quite an engaging observation on western society, witty and pithy and also a shame.
You are truly my favorite writer 👏🏽 🌈 ⚧️ 🇮🇱 🇵🇸 I have thought of this issue so much over the years and I personally think the only way for true activism is to buycott / starve systems both financially and energetically and instead financially support and energize what we wish to exist . The app Buycott was an example of this. Social media is a tool to sublimate our aggression and surveil our opinions while staying comfortable (actually uncomfortable but in a “fun dissociated way” where we can point fingers instead of take action haha). I remember when I signed a Whitehouse.gov petition to investigate Bill Gates that got over 100,000 signatures which led to absolutely nothing and that was when I finally accepted that couch activism was gmo fruitless - but I remain hopeful that we will prevail and I’m so grateful to find your writing! Also LOL to By Any Memes Necessary!! It made me think MLK saying I HAVE A MEME! 😂 anyway THANK YOU! :)
I also try inner activism. Vigilant over the mechanistic control of my dominant left brain. Rehearsing the union with the divine by allowing reception to wisdom, versus knowledge.
After decades of futile outer activism, I wonder if our collective left brain, iron-fisted control manifests in outer projected, macro ego attacks, as we see on the world stage.
It is my modern version of the Ghost Dance, where the Indigenous knew more people dead than alive. No where else to turn, or shop, I'll jump into the abyss.
As I read this, I could imagine George Carlin saying this!!
Hahaha!! Love your dry humor, Joshua. After all the seriousness, some levity is well received. And of course, spot on as per usual. As I've said before, the revolution will only happen when we can't get sprinkles on our skinny soy-oat decaf lattes.
And... did you notice that the colors of the Covid signs and even the news items were the same as the Ukrainian flag? So when that instant pivot happened, it was seamless. The extent of this cannot be by accident.
Ah, I remember the late 1960's, when marching in the street might actually accomplish something. 300,000 showed up at Woodstock and we thought the world had changed for the better, "bomber jet planes turning into butterflies above our nation(s)". 4 dead at Ohio State U. only strengthened the Movement. We peaceniks thought that when the Berlin Wall fell, the touted 'Peace dividend' tide would lift all boats. Then the 'don't remember Vietnam' warmongers started again up in the fledgling Internet days, literal millions in the streets worldwide did exactly zero to stop the Iraq invasions.
Ask the Canadian Truckers how well peaceful protest worked out... the Lib/NDP WEF-Rothschild cabal stayed firmly ensconced in Ottawa. While the Convoy organizers are still personally fighting the Trudeau/Freeland/Singh(with Carney driving from the backseat, even then) gov't-funded lawfare. The NDP used to be anti-war, until union jobs were at stake building armoured military vehicles for the Saudis to attack... the Houthis. Round and round goes the warmonger agenda. Ask the Serbs and Romanians how well their marches are stopping the latest incipient US-backed Color Revolutions (tm).
For USicans, how did that J6 stuff work out for ya? Well it's still "somethin' happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear, there's a man with gun over there, telling me I gotta beware" FWIW And all the supposed 'peace-loving politicians' turned out to be warmongers as well... Ms. Gabbard as but one latest example. Trump says he "wants peace"... the peace of the graves.
So at least The People can easily communicate across the world (at least for now) from the relative safety of their screens.
I can't find the reference, but I recall a line attributed to Lech Walesa: "The Revolution is won at the bus stop." Meaning when people can talk to each other, the tyrants will be brought down.
I'm with you on all that. It's going to take a massive power outage or solar flare or something that disables black mirror devices for people to realize their dependency and (lack of) ability to communicate. What then? We will actually have to talk to each other and mobilize if we truly want positive change. Being cynical pants, I doubt that will ever happen.
I don't think it matters whether The People talk in person or online. The 'bus stop' was a metaphor, so comment sections, kitchen tables, office water coolers, elevators or the cafe serve just as well.
"In the modern revolution, the appearance of virtue has finally liberated us from the burden of actual virtue."
Brilliant!
- one reader who already agrees with you
you are my New favorite Substacker.
The only thing I would add is the counterpoint to passive "virtue-signaling-virtue", is: mindless, bullying, violence-- masquerading as courage. (fueled and organized by-- dark money of course?)
If the censure is: you're all lazy, soft, self-indulgent spoiled brats who don't have the spine to actually DO something, to SACRIFICE for your beliefs....then I could see the retort being: "hell yes, I'm going to DO something. I'll PrOtEsT! Let's burn the house down!" At least that is the sentiment I am seeing on so many leftist social media accounts. SEE: "If Americans don’t wake up to the Dark Enlightenment’s creeping grip on the people who control our democracy, we may soon find ourselves living in a country where elections are meaningless, the government serves only the ultra-rich, and freedom exists in name only.
Pass it along…and get into the streets!"
https://hartmannreport.com/p/dark-enlightenment-rising-the-billionaire-071?utm_source=publication-search
Oh the FEAR!
The breathless call to --what exactly? Are they going to bring torches and pitchforks--and go get who exactly? The 71million citizens who voted for Trump?
If "social media virtue signaling" is the lazy man's bromide, then BLM riots, university destroying "support Palestine protests" and all other such extremist acts of "activism" are the coward's panacea. And jail time is the new celebrity status. Proof they "did" something.
Neither results in any actual, edifying, lasting change. Its all just self gratification in the end.
No momentum, just "gravel and spin." (Do you know Mark Heard's songs? Brilliant lyricist...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDCI7jGWp0Y )...."and the big wheels roll."
thanks for your pithy thoughts. So helpful.
PS--This was bloody brilliant! I sent this https://brownstone.org/articles/how-performative-activism-enabled-mass-persecution/ to every progressive I'm still friends with. Maybe I should say --who still will be friends with me. BRAVO
Preaching to the choir here. In middle school in the late 90s I did 30 page book reports on topics such as the founding of Israel and Afghanistan's modern history, with research done at a college library. I'm sure the same is true for much of your audience, each in a unique way. We're here because we all want to transcend the dynamics you describe.
Just what I've been wondering about since day one: How many of those who couldn't wait to add the little blue-and-yellow flag to their LinkedIn profile can actually point out Ukraine on a map...
The world has changed. In my college days in the Nineties, we instinctively asked questions: Who published this paper; who sponsored this study; who benefits from this trend. To do well in a course, you HAD TO present opposing viewpoints and debate and defend them - respectfully and factually.
Imagine my surprise over the past 10-15 years when it dawned on me that today's youth largely accept and in fact amplify the One true party line, on every issue. And that the very concept of someone, anyone holding a dissenting view is so terrifying to them, they will crave for that person to be physically annihilated.
What a triumph for the capitalist elites, to make blind submission and conformism "cool" - something for the new generation to seek out and aspire to!