Cause And Effect

[Fred Steeves]

[modwiz]

I am not so sure of the shame part.

Unless someone gives them permission to feel it.

[Fred Steeves]

These are the related stories from my desktop computer news feed just from today, tomorrow there will be a whole fresh round from the "Ministry of Truth". I read many of them every day with some amusement, just to know how I'm supposed to be seeing any given situation, and what the average person living in "the shining city on the hill" thinks, they think:

China, Russia Support Iran as U.N. Condemns Lack of Women's Rights

In yet another vote punishing Iran over the country's brutal crackdowns, China and Russia backed the Islamic Republic again as the United Nations ousted Iran from a commission on gender equality.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...87c5c15d5e0908

The UK defense chief read out the numbers on Russia's war losses, and they're bleak

- Ben Wallace, the UK's defense chief, unveiled the latest figures on Russian military losses.

- He said in an update that over 100,000 soldiers are either "dead, injured, or have deserted."

- Additionally, Moscow has lost mountains of armored vehicles, aircraft, and artillery systems.

- After nearly 10 months of war in Ukraine, the UK's defense chief revealed this week a bleak set of figures on Russian military losses.

"We can say that we estimate over 100,000 Russians are either dead, injured, or have deserted," UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said on Monday as he delivered updates on the war to London's House of Commons

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...87c5c15d5e0908

China’s ICBM Force Could Start a Nuclear War on America

Last week, the ever-vigilant Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation hosted its annual China Forum in Washington, DC, highlighting Beijing’s malign behavior in the areas of security, economics, and human rights.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...87c5c15d5e0908

Alleged intercepted call reveals reality for some Russian soldiers on front lines

RUSSIAN SOLDIER #2:"About 60% of us are f**king helpless, going around the shooting grounds, for f**k's sake, losing their weapons, f**k, and their ammo cartridges, f**k"

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...ategory=foryou

Russia Must Prepare for War With NATO in 2023, State TV Guest Says

Aguest on Russian State TV has said that Moscow must begin preparing for a war with NATO in spring 2023, in a clip that has now gone viral.

Konstantin Sivkov, speaking on a show hosted by Yevgeny Popov—a pro-Putin member of Russia's parliament—said Russia must focus on preparing more missiles for this conflict.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...87c5c15d5e0908

"They raped a mother and a daughter: Deserter from Russian army unit speaks on crimes against civilians"

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...ategory=foryou

New Vladimir Putin Health Rumors Fueled By His Recent Actions

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...36cad237a0cc73

Russian defector says training consisted of being given a weapon, a target and 5,000 bullets. Going to the front line left many broken.

- A Russian defector said his unit was given "no actual training" before being sent to Ukraine.

- Nikita Chibrin told CNN that training was just being given a weapon, a target, and 5,000 bullets.

- He said some soldiers bragged that they would be great in Ukraine but were broken by the fighting.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...36cad237a0cc73

Patriot Missile-Defense Systems Would Be Legitimate Target, Kremlin Says

MOSCOW—The Kremlin said that U.S. Patriot missile-defense systems would be a legitimate target if supplied to Ukraine, signaling that Russia doesn’t intend to cease its military offensive even in the face of superior weaponry.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...36cad237a0cc73

A Patriot missile battery from the US could create new headaches for Russia in Ukraine and throw a wrench into its terror campaign

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...c4cff042e979b3

Russian commander appears to call for use of nuclear weapons

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...ategory=foryou

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTvbB4br1pA

[modwiz]

These are the related stories from my desktop computer news feed just from today, tomorrow there will be a whole fresh round from the "Ministry of Truth". I read many of them every day with some amusement, just to know how I'm supposed to be seeing any given situation, and what the average person living in "the shining city on the hill" thinks, they think:

Wow. Those headlines would clog a toilet.

[Fred Steeves]

Not much media interest in this sort of thing eh?

War crime: NATO deliberately destroyed Libya's water infrastructure

The military targeting of civilian infrastructure, especially of water supplies, is a war crime under the Geneva Conventions, writes Nafeez Ahmed. Yet this is precisely what NATO did in Libya, while blaming the damage on Gaddafi himself. Since then, the country's water infrastructure - and the suffering of its people - has only deteriorated further.

https://theecologist.org/2015/may/14...infrastructure

Or this one:

Sanders Withdraws Yemen War Powers Resolution Vote Over Biden Opposition

The White House was asking senators to vote against the resolution and threatened Biden would veto the bill

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Tuesday night withdrew his request to vote on the Yemen War Powers Resolution that would end US support for the Saudi-led war and blockade on Yemen, citing White House opposition to the bill.

https://news.antiwar.com/2022/12/13/...en-opposition/



Oddly enough, they don't seem very curious about certain pipeline explosions either. Interesting what they find interesting, and not interesting at all. Hmmmm...

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb3iPP-tHdA

[modwiz]

Not much media interest in this sort of thing eh?

Oddly enough, they don't seem very curious about certain pipeline explosions either. Interesting what they find interesting, and not interesting at all. Hmmmm...

Directing attention where 'they' want it.

Short attention spans move where directed.

Besides, it is wrong to point out the errors of an exeptional country.

Something like that.

[Fred Steeves]

Directing attention where 'they' want it.

Short attention spans move where directed.

Besides, it is wrong to point out the errors of an exeptional country.

Something like that.

I like it, so moving on let's take your Eleanor Roosevelt quote for instance:

Small minds discuss people.

There's a big market for that, daytime t.v.

Average minds discuss events

A big market for that one as well: cable news, evening news, Sunday chat shows.

Great minds discuss ideas

Interestingly enough, there's no real market for that one; they can be found through perseverance but they're very niche.

The only point of difference I have for that one is that through personal experience, it doesn't take a great mind, it takes a mind that's curious, coupled with an insatiable appetite for knowledge. I'd put someone like Jimmy Dore in that category, the self describes pot smoking jaggoff doing a show from his garage.

There's a lot of extremely intelligent people out there who quite unconsciously tote the company line, I'd put someone like Sam Harris in that category.

It's really tough to break out of that conditioning that's been steadfastly molding our fragile eggshell minds from the very get go. I always hated school, couldn't wait to get the fuck out of there, and did just that soon as I was old enough to tell my parents I'm done with it at 17, during 11th grade. Only to discover decades later that it wasn't the thirst for knowledge I lacked, it was the way they presented it. The overall presentation bored and frustrated the living shit out of me.

Way too heavy on memorization for example, and most of all they don't teach kids how to think, just what to think. Those are extremely formative years, and by graduation most are ready to start careers, start families, and it's busy busy busy time. The headlines are the news from authority figures, just like how teachers taught us about the world around us, don't think about it just listen studiously.

So the question is how can the average person possibly navigate the following, when they don't even know it exists? We've never been taught how to think.

“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ...We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. ...In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons...who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind.”

― Edward Bernays, Propaganda

[modwiz]

Damn, Fred. A lot to respond to there if I go for it.

Instead, an observation.

It is the expression of a given quality that matters.

Even humble intellects can express with greatness. It is rare, but true. Sharp intellects can express with mediocrity.

Almost anyone can choose to be noble.

It isn't about bloodlines anymore. It is about their expression into Creation.

All my words aside, we speak of a minority.

[Fred Steeves]

Deal reached for new non-Russian power source for Europe

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — The leaders of Hungary, Romania, Georgia and Azerbaijan finalized an agreement Saturday on an undersea electricity connector that could become a new power source for the European Union amid a crunch on energy supplies caused by the war in Ukraine.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...0993fca967473c

As the colorful Emil Cosman might begin his commentary on the above: "This is weasel talk aimed not at you and me, but at those people with IQ less than 86".

Of course it's pointing towards the latest incarnation of AH as being responsible for the energy crunch; but Russia is as responsible for this problem, as it was for the Ukranians misfiring of an S 300 ground defense missile that killed two people in neighboring Poland, and the explosion of a vital pipeline that was sent straight to the memory hole. The logic at that time from the weasel head of NATO was that because Russia had started the war, Russia was responsible for the misfired missile.

According to this contortionist type logic, and it's up and running now as we see, is that Russia is responsible not just for what it does, but for anything any other country may do that ends badly for themselves, or others.

Narrative dictates "The Good Guys' = 100% innocent - "The Bad Guys" = 100% guilty. And that's all we need to know.

While these types of stunts work with devastating efficiency for Western eyes, i.e. "the golden billion"; there is a rest of the world, and they tend to see through this strategy. Especially now as it has become so blatant and ubiquitous.

Herein lies the delicate position this puts the user of "keep repeating it until it's true" in. It works for most Americans so they're not likely to rock the boat; but Sleepy Joe is currently trying to keep African nations from being wooed over to the Chinese fold the combination of respect/business opportunities, why should they believe his latest "white man speaks with forked tongue" sales pitch to keep them in check. Of course this deep state wants to have its cake and eat it too, as it's accustomed to getting, but me thinks that day may be quickly drawing to a close.

Cause and effect...

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp7_u0kcQRo

[Fred Steeves]

So it's no secret that I've been doing a lot of pointing out the various ways in which a government, in partnership with eager to please media and social media platforms, sets out to sell its population on whatever it wants them to believe. This is happening at a slow grinding, 24/7 basis anyway, but when that tiny elite needs to sell a war for instance, the propaganda machine slams it into overdrive.

At the time of 9/11 and the ensuing invasion of Iraq, the dizzying pace of the neocon propaganda machine had me buying into it hook, line and sinker. I'll never forget being so proud to see "Mission Accomplished". I'm almost ashamed to even admit that, I was a bitch to the philosophies of war pigs like John Bolton; but in retrospect, that embarrassing life experience at least serves as a useful tool in understanding what it is inside of people's heads that's receptive to being targeted with certain messaging, and how those messages are delivered.

In other words how the machine got my consciousness to conform to Narrative, is pretty much how it goes after everyone. The formula works there's no need to alter it to any great degree.

It's just staggering to me watching the vast array of this great well oiled machine in play, how efficient it is at it's job of saturating the mental battlefield, it's like watching repeated tsunamis come crashing ashore and swamping certain regions. Never let's up, relentless.

It's getting to be old hat these says throwing red flags at obvious mis/disinformation, or even just deluded drivel thought that automatically comes out as a result of the indoctrination (shit in/shit out), but every now and zen is found a rare diamond just seeing things as they really are, which becomes very possible when not serving any particular agenda. They shine like little bits of diamonds sprinkled here and there amongst a long beach of sand.

Col. Douglas Macgregor is one of these. He's a former line officer that's seen combat so he knows what he's talking about on military matters and strategies. He's also just downright smart and observant, knows the political animals, when he's making his arguments it's just hard to find any places to throw a BS flag, they're tough to argue. Not that I'd be fool enough to just listen to that one guy, but the other independents out there all seem to be along the same general lines, much of the information is actually based in reality (ie it's verifiable), they can more or less be woven together to present a strong counter narrative.

The truth of what's really going on with the whole Ukraine thing (including the history building up to Feb. 24 2022),along with the other implications rippling around the world, can be somewhat deciphered by anyone of average intelligence *it doesn't have to come from anyone else*; it just takes having that sense of what to look for, and what to discard.

So at the same time a guy like Macgregor is informing about things militarily that the average person would never know, it would also eventually be seen in other areas if he had an agenda. Agenda come shining through, and by a certain point necessarily must part ways with empirical reality to sustain itself, no such shining through here this guy just really knows what he's talking about.

If I'm missing something here, and some holes can indeed be shot through this 46 minute talk, I'm genuinely all ears:

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDK2w9ZnYYk

[Aianawa]

All ears indeed, i do ponder what our dear DreamTimer would feel n share about this vid.

[Fred Steeves]

All ears indeed, i do ponder what our dear DreamTimer would feel n share about this vid.

(Smiling) I think she would refer to him as something along the lines of "Putin Puppet".

Katie Halper and Vijay Prashad (two other Putin Apologists) discuss just this, the very topic of this thread, in how Intelligence agencies are able to guide and mold how people view their world according to current need. Noam Chomsky called it "Manufactured Consent":

15 minutes

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJQdNKDe3Rs

[Aianawa]

Am teaching my son the last two weeks, the problem reaction solution , grades, from personnell to group to nation n world, and each from an outside or personnell perspective, from own mind known to manipulations of mind not known, hows, why's n witches, and as it is part of ones everyday it has been easy for him to ask questions, contemplate, sit with himself etc and see this in real play in life n express when next with me, he marvells at this very human everyday aspect of life.

[Fred Steeves]

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cTxXQsfXkU


The aspect of this "The Grayzone" interview related to this thread, concerns both the interviewer, and the interviewee. Aaron Maté is of course a top notch journalist, with Nicolai Petro quite knowledgeable in his field of expertise, which is Russia and Ukraine. In this interview he shows us subtleties of this situation that Western media wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

From his website:

Welcome! I teach comparative and international politics at the University of Rhode Island. My professional focus is on the role that religious, historical, and cultural narratives play in democratic development. My regional areas of expertise are Russia and Ukraine.

My latest book, The Tragedy of Ukraine: What Classical Greek Tragedy Can Teach Us About Conflict Resolution, looks at the conflict in Ukraine through the lens of classical Greek tragedy, highlighting its deep domestic roots. For the parties to move from confrontation to dialogue will require untangling these roots and embracing a change of heart, or catharsis. To facilitate this process, we should look to classical Greek tragedy, which once performed a similar therapeutic function in Athenian society.

An extended excerpt of the text is available on Google Books.

I am also interested in how cultural stereotypes about Russia shape American foreign policy, and hope to identify sources within our common heritage that could improve mutual understanding. I first tried my hand at this in an essay written more than a decade ago, entitled “Is Ideological Competition in Europe Necessary?”

Even as my writings have become more varied, a common thread remains -- the choice of cultural framework, or narrative, often determines a policy’s success or failure.

https://npetro.net/index.html

This 38 minute interview stands in stark contrast to the usual "Russia bad/Ukraine good" narrative that is so ubiquitous these days. This is the polar opposite of that all pervasive "Cause and Effect", this this is more what public discourse should be about, actually seeking the nuance in understanding what we're looking at in any given circumstance.

People like Aaron Maté are about ferreting out the truth, whatever it may be, and however those chips may fall; his counterparts in the mainstream? To indoctrinate according to the company line.

[modwiz]

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cTxXQsfXkU


The aspect of this "The Grayzone" interview related to this thread, concerns both the interviewer, and the interviewee. Aaron Maté is of course a top notch journalist, with Nicolai Petro quite knowledgeable in his field of expertise, which is Russia and Ukraine. In this interview he shows us subtleties of this situation that Western media wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

From his website:


https://npetro.net/index.html

This 38 minute interview stands in stark contrast to the usual "Russia bad/Ukraine good" narrative that is so ubiquitous these days. This is the polar opposite of that all pervasive "Cause and Effect", this this is more what public discourse should be about, actually seeking the nuance in understanding what we're looking at in any given circumstance.

People like Aaron Maté are about ferreting out the truth, whatever it may be, and however those chips may fall; his counterparts in the mainstream? To indoctrinate according to the company line.

The clear and calm presentations of the Grayzone make getting quality intel relatively pain free. Yet many dismiss their reporting.

My take on that is the dead are busy burying their own.

The world to come is not theirs.