The concept of the cult of personality has always been a fascinating one to me. Whether it’s Jim Jones convincing followers to drink the Communist cool aid or your favorite firearms instructor convincing you this next course is gonna make you that badass you’ve always wanted to be because this time, of course, as opposed to the last one, will finally do it; the art of salesmanship in mass movement is an interesting one. Every so-called movement has these people; in good cases you’ll always remember them as HEROES! and in bad, like Jim Jones above. But in all cases that cult prevents critical thought, sound judgement, and normally any reason whatsoever. Like moths to the flame, and rats to the piper, you may not know what you’re running towards.
I remember Heaven’s Gate. The question everyone had, or has, when the topic came up was How in the heck did anyone fall for that? Because they wanted to believe. The people who followed the bald guy in sneakers were weak. They didn’t posses any social bond of their own, they were told what they wanted to hear, they never questioned why they believe what they believe, and they all lived in an echo chamber reinforcing groupthink. A free ride on the back of a comet sounded better than anything they had going here, fantastical though it may be to sane people, with nobody questioning it.
Now recall a guy by the name of Randall Rader aka James Ellison. Don’t remember him? He convinced his small church congregation, living in their compound, that the end times were nigh and thus the Covenant, Sword, Arm of the Lord needed to go to war with the ZOG!. While we can agree that government overreach has been at critical mass for a while, something indeed may need to be done, and the wheels might fall off the wagon before long; that was 32 years ago and yet here we are. He led his people right to prison with nobody bothering to question the logic behind running to action without anything other than raw emotion as motivation. Sure, they had a neat compound and all that, which didn’t do much good in the end. Those that didn’t go to prison went on to hang out at honey pots and become patsies. I’m sure that doesn’t remind you of anyone today.
In both examples the people were more than free to associate; it’s their right for sure, but digging a little deeper any critical thinker would’ve started questioning the logic of such actions. Why ride the comet- just stay home and live like Krishnas. Why go to war? You’re alive, no one is attacking you, just stay home. File a 501c3 and do what you do and don’t brag about it. Don’t go full retard and I bet you’d be left alone. And it’s just as easy to opt-out today as it was in 1985, in some ways easier.
But, hold on- Change Doesn’t Happen Without Action!
Yes, this is objectively true. It’s also touted by the Left, who’s demonstrably supported by the force multipliers of funding, self replication and favorable media coverage. The internet has closed the gap somewhat for the populist Right, but there still remains many issues. Internet connectivity is nothing more than a communications medium; a resource to be used and consumed. There is no ‘movement’ solely on the internet- no, not even the ‘alt right’, despite the constant evolution that technology plays upon social movements themselves. This is where the more astute would point to the role of social media in the Mideast Color Revolutions aka ‘arab spring‘, but I point out that the role was one of organization alone- and organized by someone- it was anything but spontaneous; it’s just easier to look that way these days.
The role of the internet brings us to blogs. Blogs, when properly executed, are resources of knowledge. The critical thinker will ask of the blog author, ‘this is neat, but why should I believe you? What does this person offer to me? Is it anything more than what I simply want to hear?‘ with the burden of proof solely upon that author to convince the reader of the argument. It is an implicit contract of supply and consumption; nothing more, nothing less, among the rational. But the reality is such that like our cool aid drinkers seeking a fantastic voyage or the people so alienated a crazed felon makes sense, many fall prey to hearing only what they want to hear, placing too much trust in the mouthpiece or writer, not questioning the validity of what’s being said, because the answer provided, real and plausible or not, sounds good.
Escapism is a dangerous, dangerous mistress. I submit to you that no one behind a keyboard is your leader. No One. Further, no one you don’t know personally or interact with on a regular basis should know much of anything about you. Period. If they’re asking questions they shouldn’t or you don’t feel comfortable answering, don’t. As some of you who’ve interacted with me behind closed doors know, I don’t give out personal information to anyone I don’t plan on meeting in person. And even then, it’s very limited and cryptic. Why? Because you don’t need to know, that’s why. Because trust is built over time in the flesh, people are generally not trustworthy, as I could spell out for you several occasions where information given by a former low level confidant lead to the targeting of Taliban leaders. Sold out by their buddies for a few bucks. And that’s not counting the moles we inserted; so unless you’ve run those kinds of operations, keep your trap shut to people who are warning you that some dude behind a keyboard might not be what he claims. And as many tirelessly point out over and over again, cognitive infiltration is rife in the so-called liberty movement. Not that I fancy myself as any kind of subversive; I’m not and could care less about anyone’s ‘revolution‘, but I do care about the survival of Christians in the recurrent time of tribulation and the maintenance of our Liberty. I am a Survivalist and a political Libertarian who runs a blog as a resource for other Survivalists, Prepers or Patriots, created to fill a void by others who got fed up and opted out. I am not anyone’s ‘leader’ or spokesman; I give you things to consider and tools to succeed based upon my experience.
Don’t believe it if you’re not doing it. Don’t trust anyone you don’t know personally. Quit with the idiotic groupthink and ignore those with nothing to offer. And stop drinking anyone’s cool aid- it’s probably poison.
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Decades ago I trusted what was written and broadcast by the media, which was mostly local newspapers and television over the air broadcasts. Later I learned to distrust the “mainstream media” including local sources and put more trust into FoxNews and conservative talk shows. These days I trust only my faith in Christ, my wife and some of my family and friends.
I don’t know you NC, but I can take what you say and cross reference it to other sources and apply trust that you are giving good information with good intentions.
Thanks!
A good litmus test to follow is to simply ask yourself what are they selling you.
Honest people don’t usually ask for anything.
The Fox News Cabal of infotainment, both televised and on radio, is very adept at selling you books ghost written with lots of nonsense and strawman arguments. I’m not critical of them- just pointing out fact. Every radio host has at least one book out, every anchor has one too, and you gotta wonder how they had the time, between show prep, rehearsals and just being a human, they had time to write it. Yet a lot of people take it as fact. Political opinion, especially those you agree with, are a complete waste of time.
That aside, don’t take much of anything beyond face value. Cynicism is a survival mechanism.
Small point I would like to make in response. Healthy skepticism, a high level thereof, is a better choice. Cynics tend to know the price of everything and the value of very little.
You have made a statement that is over the top awesome. What are they selling you? Honest people don’t usually ask for anything. I wish I could have read that twenty years ago and made a plaque over my door header so I could have looked at that every day. It would have saved me much anguish.
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NCS dropping some wisdom…
Reblogged this on Alpha Charlie Concepts.
“The question everyone had, or has, when the topic came up was How in the heck did anyone fall for that? Because they wanted to believe. ”
“He convinced his small church congregation, living in their compound, that the end times were nigh and thus the Covenant, Sword, Arm of the Lord needed to go to war with the ZOG!. ”
“Escapism is a dangerous, dangerous mistress.”
“stop drinking anyone’s cool aid-”
and yet, paradoxically ;
” I do care about the survival of Christians in the recurrent time of tribulation”
Hallelujah!
And your point is….
Do tell from Cape Town, South Africa.
Do tell indeed.
It came from Cape Town SA probably from a progressive employee of one of our intelligence agencies. I started a post on your last entry but quit and deleted it. Now I think I will post it. I am learning more and more something that should be apparent to all of us, that to measure a man’s true measure you need to know him. Have a cup of coffee with him, Hunt with him, Work on a car together, whatever. If you would not trust the safety of your family with a person there is your answer. The internet is great for being able to connect with like minded people if you don’t mind the occasional unbalanced ones or the more common government employees and their recruits. Use the computer for information gathering only not for building tribe because you will get burnt and believe me they have basically an unlimited budget to target any nail that pops up in front of their hammer/radar. Just my two cents NC.
Yep.
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Well said. I do believe that’s your best post to date.
You’ve posted some great info- but this is more like advice anyone who takes the time to think about would do well to heed.
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Good points.
Additionally, if you meet someone in the “here & now” that’s only part of the process of getting to “know” them. You’ll find out who’s an actual friend and who is acquaintance and who’s simply not worth a shit.
Unfortunately, true, actual friends are few and far between.
The most recent example of The Cult of Personality is Barack Hussain O’Bama, twice elected President of these United States.
Need I say Moor?
Ha….good pun Brother.
Glad you like it. I try. Others would say that I’m “trying”.
Heh.
My Grandfather, a vet of WW1, used to say “Never believe anything that you hear, and only believe half of what you see and read”. This was from way before the internet and photo shop. So my take on his saying is to not believe what I can not physically see nor verify as truth through multiple sources. I tried to pass this along to my children, but thanks to the government indoctrination centers they attended I believe that I was only partially successful.
There is always a choice between doing the boring OPSEC things the right way… Or letting just a little info slip out in order to make yourself sound cool or feel cool.
Cool guys must feel super cool when they realize they’ve been had because they talked just a little too much to the wrong person.
Good thoughts, but even the face-to-face is so questionable for many, as they will STILL hear what they wish/need to hear. Evidence for this proposition? Look at all the INSANE marriages you have witnessed! I tell people that UNLESS you woke up married out of a blackout, you made a decision based on conscious AND unconscious factors, a CHOICE. Choices are made for reasons.
If people can make such poor decisions regarding “til death do us part,” how much worse can it get when someone is actively manipulating you for nefarious purposes (such as cutting a plea bargain for their own federal offenses)?
The harsh truth is that people tend to get what they want in life. As the confidence man says, “you can’t cheat an honest man,” as it is greed that makes people get taken in by ‘Nigerian princes’ and politicians. “What’s in it for me” is the great cry that signals the end of the American experiment.
You’re exactly right. But this piece in particular was written to a couple of people in particular from the beginning and I felt it might be needed to a broader audience.
You’re exactly right. But this piece in particular was written to a couple of people in particular from the beginning and I felt it might be needed to a broader audience.
Human interaction is a slightly different animal, best taught in person.
Although I have been happily married for 23 years, I submit that any number of marriages have involved a woman doing it for “nefarious purposes”. 😉
True of the male os the species as well, of course.
Two words…
Trivium.
A very successful former Russian spy was once asked “what do you see as the the main reason for your long success as a spy”. His reply, “everybody wants something”.
The essential meaning here is that there are two parts to a lie; the person telling it and the person that gets something in return for believing it.
We all have very highly tuned lie detectors. That is why people are so devastated when they realize they have been the ‘victim’ of a con; they knew all along it was a lie but chose to believe otherwise.
Once again a very timely and important article. Dare I say it has the ring of truth about it.